Retro Reception Attracts 300

A retro sci-fi marketing campaign beckoned more than 300 exhibitors to a reception co-hosted by CLEO and Photonics.com in Long Beach, Calif., last month. The campaign highlights the launch of the redesigned Photonics.com Web site, published by Laurin Publishing Co. (See photo gallery)

Those present played with toy windup spaceships while they vied for a chance to win an iPod nano.

"We're exploring the universe of electronic communications -- as only we can do -- with the rollout of our global Web site Photonics.com," said Tom Laurin, executive vice president of Laurin Publishing. "It's content-rich, easily navigated, timely and, like the scifi literature of decades ago, a little dreamy and very powerful."

The iPod winner was Jean Dubé, vice president of sales/Asia-Pacific Europe for CorActive High-Tech Inc. of Quebec.