Live @ IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit Madrid: Deja Mi, Deja Vu

I’m still here in Madrid…they told me I can’t leave until later in the week, that I’ll be chained to my laptop.

Deja Mi, the Raleigh, NC-based mobile startup, is being featured at the IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit in Madrid. Self-described as a combination of Foursquare and Instagram, Deja Mi’s technology is being used at the event to create a shared pictorial experience based on geolocation data. I just downloaded the app, and will soon be interviewing the CEO and co-founder, Justin Miller (@imjustinmiller).

But, they don’t have to chain me, as I’m very excited about the opening day of the IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit.

Being stuck here in a hotel on the outskirts of Madrid — and I do mean, the outskirts — there’s been a lot of time to focus and reflect on the conference tidings.  I’m especially excited about today’s opening general session, which will transpire in the early afternoon Madrid time (way early for you U.S. East Coasters).

Craig Hayman, the general manager of IBM’s Industry Solutions group, will be providing the set up for the rest of the event in his keynote, “Smarter Commerce Engaging the Empowered Customer.”

As mentioned in my initial post yesterday, in the age of the empowered customer, the customer is the center of all interactions, and is driving many of the decisions companies are taking to accommodate changing consumer requirements.

We’re also going to hear from a couple of IBM customers, including ING CIO Ron van Kemenade, who will explain “Changing the Way Companies Interact With Customers Based on Mobile and Social Media.” A topic near and dear to my heart.

And Ruth Spencer, Boots UK’s Director of Insight, Loyalty, and Multi-Channel, who will discuss “Driving Customer Loyalty Across All Channels,” which will examine Boots’ strategy for segmenting and targeting customers based on deep insights.

I aspire to have a recap of some of this session later on today, but in the meantime, keep your eyes on the Twitter hashtag for the event, #IBMSCGS, as there will be lots of folks Tweeting real-time throughout the day.

In the meantime, if you’re following along with our bouncing ball virtually, you’ll want to go check out this white paper, which explains the opportunity and benefits of Smarter Commerce far better than I could.

I’ll also be leading a Tweetup at 12 PM Madrid time (6 AM EST), where I’ll be discussing the drivers and realities of using social media in social commerce.  If you’re in the U.S. and can’t sleep, feel free to join us, again via the hashtag #IBMSCGS.

Stan Kyle Eric & Kenny Go To Florida

Lotus faithful everywhere, it’s time for the now annual Ascendant Technology South Park video.

Yes, Kenny and Cartman are back in the yellow saddle, starring in a brand new Lotusphere 2010 preview video that features, among others, Steve Ballmer (as the Lotus Knows bus driver), Kenny, Cartman, others from the South Park gang, and customer #2 from the final episode of “The Sopranos” (rumored to be the guest speaker at this year’s opening session!)

Just keep an eye on your backpack — Kenny’s got a hunger for yellow.

Though you won’t likely see Kenny, Cartman and the gang there in Orlando (they are fictional animated characters from a popular television show), you can see some of mi Lotus amigos, including Bilal Jaffery, Lotus social media guru, who will be co-hosting the first ever (but surely not last) Lotusphere Tweetup.

Check out Bilal’s post here for all the details of this Sunday night festouche.

I can finally feel it.  The yellow fever is coming on!