Dewalt hosted us in Baltimore this week, along with many others, for their Black & Yellow Creator event.
This was my first Dewalt media event since 2017. Overall, I think they did a great job – this was an informative and enjoyable event.
First, if you’re looking for a list of the tools, check out my update to the previous post (Dewalt’s New Tools Media Event Starts Today), or ToolGuyd’s social media feed – ToolGuyd via Instagram. This is more of a ritualistic decompression post as I wind down from the day’s excitement.
Next, some disclosures. We have a paid content arrangement with Dewalt involving videos for social media (I haven’t posted them yet). Dewalt will provide or reimburse a fixed stipend for travel. They were able to accommodate a ToolGuyd team member – we will be paying for their hotel room, and travel costs above the stipend will also be our responsibility. Group meals were included as part of the event.
The very first media event I ever attended was in 2010, when Dewalt launched their brand new 12V Max cordless power tool system.
We were given a sneak peek the night before, at an Orioles game. Of course I took a photo! Later that night I posted a quick preview – Dewalt Launches New 12V MAX Cordless Tools! I guess this was something different than they were used to, because I received quite a few comments the next morning.
That started a tradition where I would try my best to post about tool events while my sentiments were still raw and fresh. So, here we are.
There were quite a few new tools. Some were obvious, others a little less so.
I was worried there’d be too much time and lots of sitting around. I was wrong. I could have used a couple more hours. That’s a good way to leave things – conversations I’m eager to have, tools I’d love to test, and more I want to learn.
There were demo stations for getting hands-on time with the new tools.
Showcases of Dewalt’s comprehensive solutions.
A glimpse at Dewalt’s design and prototyping processes.
We were given a peek inside the new 20V Max Atomic series cordless grinders.
Here’s what the first-ever Dewalt 20V Max cordless cut-off tool looked like. I was there for the 20V Max launch event!
We saw some things I can’t tell you about. Yet. What I can say is OH. MY. WOW.
And the amount of swag we received would have make my dad happy. HATS! (See Also We Buried My Dad Today.)
“Would you like a notebook?” YES. He never turned down a free notebook. Pen? Yes, please!
Scale race car? Woo! I’m a fan of the sturdy tool backpack. It’s a nice swag haul.
My PR and Creator contacts (thank you!) arranged for me to have a sit-down with 2 Dewalt leaders in marketing and cordless product engineering.
Although the conversation was brief, it was invigorating and had refilled my Dewalt passion meter a bit. The overall event did that too. And of course a lot of the new tools.
We talked about things like Dewalt’s design choices, and also engineering challenges. The Atomic-series grinders, for example, have an all-new sleeved motor design. Do you know what major hurdle they faced when developing the new compact grinders? Airflow. Achieving air tool-like performance is one challenge. Matching the performance in a similarly-sized battery-powered package? That’s a different story.
It was great.
There’s a lot of interesting things going on.
I knew they had cordless battery-powered plumbing solutions for every step of the way – cutting, prep, fitting – and also storage solutions for every tool and part involved. But seeing them all together? It left an impression.
Dewalt’s line of 20V Max Atomic series metal fabrication tools has been expanded with a new 2-in-1 needle scaler and chisel. Battery powered needle scaler!
Somehow I missed that there’s also a new sheet metal nibbler!
They also partnered with a designer on a new line of Off-Site clothes. Dewalt Off-Site is unique and unexpected. Good on Dewalt for trying something very new!
I and ToolGuyd are proof that Dewalt started to embrace “Creator” content long ago. At my first, second, and probably third Dewalt media events, us online content creators were a small group in a roomful of journalists working for newspapers, magazines, and trade journals.
Things have changed a lot since then, and Dewalt is again putting effort towards changing with the times. This is something we must all do.
Dewalt brought in Sophia Hernandez, former Global Head of Marketing and Partnerships at TikTok, to give a short presentation. Hernandez then fielded questions from the audience, and also made herself available for further questions afterwards. She made some great points.
Frankly, with the changes that many of us have seen in web, social, and video platform spaces, collaboration and support will be mutually valuable and even vital.
Dewalt leadership was on the floor today, available for questions, comment, and mingling. It was a welcome reminder that there are passionate people behind the brand.
I also appreciated that there was very little boasting.
Dewalt can sometimes be competitive in their marketing claims. I didn’t see much of that here.
They showed us a lot, and let the tools do most of the speaking.
It left me hungry for more. My review sample request list is going to be extensive. I have ideas for partnered content. There were conversations I hoped to still have before running out of time.
You can tell that the Dewalt folks were having fun too.
I might have had too much fun trying to levitate a tennis ball with the new blower. In front of the brand leaders, who I didn’t notice until it was too late. And a Dewalt videographer.
The event is not yet over. We’ve got a baseball game lined up for tomorrow.
