The upcoming 2010 Diamond Retailer’s Summit, which will be held in Chicago in conjunction with C2E2, is not only in a new location at a new time of the year, it also is changing its approach to programming.  “We’re retaining the best elements of previous Summits, but taking a fresh approach and really trying to step up the interaction between suppliers and retailers and Diamond,” Diamond VP Roger Fletcher told ICv2. 

 

This year’s Summit will offer more focus group opportunities between retailers and publishers, an expansion of programming beyond sponsor presentations to include keynote speeches and panels, and a greater focus on retailing, according to Fletcher.  That includes events like the Eisner Winners Roundtable, in which past winners of the Eisner Award for retailing will discuss the future of the industry; a presentation on how to use social media to increase sales; a keynote speech by IDW publisher Ted Adams on digital comics; and a presentation from an American Booksellers Association representative on the common challenges facing indy bookstores and comic stores.    

 

Special events include a  Wednesday advance screening of Kick-Ass, which opens later that week, and a bus tour of Chicago comic stores on Friday. 

 

The cutoff for hotel reservations for the Diamond Retailer Summit in Chicago has been extended to March 19th.  The event will be held April 14-16, with C2E2, the new pop culture show at McCormick Place, following on April 16-18.

 

Attending retailers will not only get swag at the Summit, but also a coupon book for use on the C2E2 floor.