My First Blogapalooza Experience (Part 1 – The Booths) #Blogapalooza2016

I’ve been into blogging for almost ten years and yet I never had a chance to socialize with other bloggers. There were many bloggers which whom I consider my online friends but I never really met them in person. I was invited many times to attend a blogger meet-up but my anxiety is always pulling me back until I decided to finally step out of my comfort zone by attending my first ever blogger convention – the Blogapalooza.

I was actually hesitant at first but then I realized that there’s really nothing to be afraid of.  The moment I got the invitation, I actually don’t know how to react. There’s a mixture of happiness and fear going on but I just convinced myself that “Milton, this is just a one day event, you don’t need to approach anyone, you just stay calm and cool and everything will be okay“. Good thing I was accompanied by my blogging buddies (naks, my friends na sya? haha) from StarPowerHouse.

Blogapalooza is a Business to blogger networking and marketing event. This event allows the businesses/ brands to present and promote their products to bloggers and social media influencers. This event could also be a perfect way for the two (Business and Bloggers) to collaborate with each other for their own benefits. And like what I mentioned earlier, the event could be a way for bloggers to meet their fellow bloggers!

Interestingly, this is the second Blogapalooza event this year which is officially entitled as Blogapalooza Horizon 2.0 : Charting the Uncharted. They have selected Novotel Manila as their new venue (in Versace Event Place on the hotel’s 6th Floor to be specific) and we were welcomed by the scourging heat of the sun (take note I was wearing thick denim jacket that time haha). We saw a lot of booths occupying most of the archway and I was so overwhelmed and I didn’t even know where to start!

Before interacting with the booths/ brands, we decided to hit the main venue (not just because we wanted to check what’s going on but also because we can no longer bear the heat and I am sweating like crazy haha).

THE BOOTHS
Before sharing you the things I have learned from the guests and speakers, allow me to share you some of the booths and brands that really took our attention.

Veer House
Of all the brands presented during the event, Veer House is actually my personal favorite. The product is currently on its beta stage but you can confidently tell that this one has a huge potential in the market.  The software application is planned to be marketed for interior designers to take their designing skills to an all new level. Instead of the traditional designing method using blueprints, Veer House will transform everything into a virtual reality. I was able to try their device , the HTC Vive (the same device used for Virtual gaming) and it actually felt like playing Sims but in a first person perspective.

Mig.Me
If you are looking for a new social media platform, then you might as well try Mig.me. It is a new app that allows you to meet new people, have fun and be entertained by their overwhelming features. I just signed up an account with them to know what exactly this app has to offer. It actually feels like using different social media platforms all in one app. It allows you to update status, build your own social community, play games, purchase items (stickers) through their so-called MGC(migCoins) and even participate in many of their online events and contests. We were told that we will receive 1000MGC if we reach out their contact person. Although the amount sounds convincing, 1MGC is actually equivalent to $0.01.

Eurotel
And the best Booth goes to… Eurotel! If there is an award for the most decorated booth in Blogapalooza, the Eurotel can go up stage with flying colors. I never got a chance to stay in any of the Eurotel branches but who knows, maybe someday haha. Anyway, they’re offering great discounts and vouchers during the event.
Bona Vita
I noticed that most of the sponsors in this year’s Blogapalooza are pharmaceutical products and some sort of health supplements. For a coffee lover like me, Bona Vita really caught my attention. Bona Vita PH International is a newly opened company and is currently catering two items , the BonaVita 8 in 1 Coffee and the BonaVita Grapeseed Oil Extract. I was able to get a sample of their 8 in 1 Coffee and I migth blog about it soon. They also offer an affiliate program for those who are willing to sell their items!

Taisho Ramen and Teppanyaki House
We’re on the 6th floor and we can’t find any store nearby and as much as I want to consume the freebies we got on our loot bag…kelangan ko pa sila picturan eh haha. Anyway, we are thankful enough that there were booths like Taisho Ramen and Teppanyaki House which somehow helped us ease our hunger haha. We got the chance to taste their delicious Ramen and also a piece of Gyoza dumpling.San Miguel Food Ave.
Like they usually said, when it rains, it pours! Just few tents away from the Taisho, we were warmly welcomed by the crew from San Miguel Food Ave. They offered us some yummy treats including the Nutella Bun, their Flavored shakes and some goodies including their new products from LaPacita and Barako Coffee.
VitaminBoost by SunCoast
I’m not really new to VitaminBoost, I have been an avid drinker of this VitaminBoost (especially the Anti-stress variant) ever since I saw their items in 7-Eleven. You will actually find it confusing whether it is considered as an energy drink or a juice drink but all I can clearly tell is that these drinks are truly healthy and beneficial. The booth also held fun activities during the event.Magners Irish Cider
Honestly, I don’t drink alcohol but since the Magners Irish Cider is just located almost on the same booth, I got a chance to interact with their representatives. They even encouraged us to join their game. It was a shoot-the-ring challenge and we were given 3 rings and the challenge is to shoot at least one of the rings in any of the Magners Irish Cider bottles and we will get a prize in return. Luckily, I was able to shoot one and so I got a Bottle of Magners in return! Cheers!Krispy Kreme
The moment I saw the Krispy Kreme booth, I felt really excited! Finally a sweet treat for a sweet tooth like me! They indeed offered free Krispy Kreme doughnuts but with one condition! They prompted us to download the KrispyKreme app (buti na lang kinaya ni Mobile data haha). After doing so, they gave us two promo codes, one for the free doughnut for Blogapalooza. The image above is a doughnut masterpiece by yours truly haha
Kleiner Klopfer
Kleiner Klopfer is another interesting booth from the event. Kleiner Klopfer is basically a set of flavored alcoholic beverages that comes in cute 20ml bottles. The booth features some interesting games including a roulette and an improvised Battleship-inspired game. Interestingly, they also demonstrate us how to properly drink the Kleiner Klopfer. First you have to tap the bottle, open it and put the lid on your nose, clink the bottle with your buddy and then drink and empty the bottle without it. They also offer party table top games that could be matched perfectly with their drinks.
ATC Strike Mosquito Coils and Strike Patches
This is actually one of the first booths you will encounter in the event. The ATC Healthcare booths have many gimmicks actually. They lend us a small piece of paper with six playable games to be signed by their crews. I was able to play at least 3 of their games including the balloon popping (where I won) , a mini golf and the Wheel of Fortune. I was really intrigued with their Strike Patches as it is very new to me. We actually tried it at home and the patches are surprisingly effective.

ATC Healthcare Products
I’m actually teasing my friends na “magtatayo na ako ng butika” because of the overwhelming amount of pharmaceutical products I got from ATC Healthcare. Their main booth is located inside the main venue and everyone who signed up received a sample package of their items. Of all the products or supplements they are offering, I find the “Bitter Go” extremely beneficial for me. I am diabetic and this supplement will help the user to regulate the blood sugar level. I will definitely post a review about this product soon.
My Marianas PH
For someone like me who is slowly establishing himself to become a dedicated travel blogger, the Marianas PH booth really took my interest. Not just because of their cute photo opp gimmick where we were encouraged to wear those cute floral head gears but also their interesting travel offers. I have never traveled abroad yet but If I will, I will definitely put Saipan, Tinian or Rota on top of my lists!
ShapeCloud
Have you ever heard of the 3D Printing technology? Of course you do, everyone is buzzing about it and we are so lucky that we finally have such technology here in our country. The founder of ShapeCloudPH warmly welcomed us in their booths top explain their products. We were so amazed with the products made from their 3D printing machine and how we wish we were able to see one in action.

This concludes the first part of my First Blogapalooza experience post. In my next entry, i will share you some bloggers I finally met during the event and the lessons I have learned from the speakers!