The energy at Booth #501 today was absolutely electric. Fresh off the Discovery Channel’s PitchMen auditions, inventors brought their A-game to Livemercial’s Pitch to the Pros sessions, and we broadcast it all live on UStream for viewers around the world. It was a one-of-a-kind day at the 2009 ERA D2C Convention.

For those who don’t know, Discovery Channel’s hit show PitchMen — which followed the legendary Billy Mays and Anthony Sullivan as they evaluated and pitched new products — held open auditions right here at the ERA convention. Many of the inventors who auditioned for the show then turned around and pitched their products to our Pitch to the Pros panel. It was a remarkable opportunity for these entrepreneurs to get feedback from multiple sets of industry experts in a single day.

Our UStream broadcast captured the excitement in real time. Viewers from across the country tuned in to watch the pitches, ask questions in the live chat, and cheer on their favorite products. This is exactly the kind of interactive experience that Livemercial has been pioneering — using streaming technology to bring live events to a global audience and create engagement that traditional media simply can’t match.

The intersection of the PitchMen auditions and our Pitch to the Pros event created a unique atmosphere where invention, marketing, and media converged. Inventors left the convention floor today with invaluable feedback, new connections, and for some, the possibility of appearing on national television. It doesn’t get much better than that.