The fire marshal, the singer and the future of brand management
I sigh in relief: two days of demos and talks, networking and keynotes, seminars and caffeine-rich tea have passed; mediaPro 2011 is over. Not that I don’t appreciate a legitimate excuse to talk about Adgistics’ vision but enough is enough. A trade exhibition is a great school for any marketeer. It teaches us to think outside the box, make swift decisions and keep calm along the way: no matter how much one prepares for the event, the unexpected is unavoidable.
Looking back, these are the mediaPro 2011 moments I am going to cherish and remember.
1. Half an hour before the show opened a fire marshal asked me to remove a number of potentially hazardous items, requiring a total rearrangement of our stand. I hold no grudges; the new look was actually much better.
2. A singer approached me, offering a new Vodafone jingle. Since Adgistics have been working with the communications giant for over a decade, the lady thought I could get her track into the ears of the ‘right people’. Unfortunately, I couldn’t. Trying to compensate, I gave a few, hopefully helpful, tips and was rewarded with a CD sample. Good music, by the way.
3. The conference programme of the event included some truly great seminars. I would like to specifically point out those of Richard Robinson (Google), Pippa Norris (Ministry of Defence) and Rowan Gormley (Founder of Naked Wines). I have also suffered through three of the worst presentations ever seen from companies that I won’t mention – a very helpful, albeit not too pleasant, experience.
4. The panel discussion hosted by Adgistics was a great success. It is inspiring to see an event that you organise work out so well in a theatre filled to standing-room-only. In spite of the Spartan environment, the panel members and the audience clearly had a great time.
So, what was it all about? As you already know, Adgistics invited five influential and internationally acclaimed marketeers to discuss the current issues and the future of brand management in general and, in particular, the extent to which the technology is going to determine brand success. We deliberately tapped professionals from disparate backgrounds who wouldn’t have discussed the topic in advance and, naturally, were free to say whatever they pleased. Representing the creative aspect of the industry were Nicolas Mamier (MD of Appetite) and Jerry Fielder (CEO of Winkreative); and on the client side: David Wheldon (the legendary former Director of Brand at Vodafone, turned angel investor) and Paul Davey, once famously entrusted with the Herculean task of bringing Smirnoff vodka to Russia. As a prominent advocate of marketing analytics, the international writer, consultant, academic and last year’s keynote speaker Professor Robert Shaw provided a sobering perspective from the world of numbers and algorithms.
There is no point repeating everything that was said: quite a few of you reserved a seat and enjoyed the debate live. Suffice is to say, the well-attended forum that was twice as long as the majority of seminars (including keynotes) will be remembered by the speakers, who answered some sharp questions, the audience, challenged by the unorthodox ideas and us, who put it all together. The event is over but there will be plenty more; watch this space.
Photos by Angela Confeggi
Adgistics hosts a forum at mediaPro 2011
Why should you care? (A subtle invitation)
Candy days
For companies looking for new suppliers, trade exhibitions are often a waste of time. One spends the best part of the day traveling across town to find oneself in a brightly-lit warehouse filled with success-hungry junior salesmen, who are often technically inept but eager to push their product nonetheless. Free sweets and souvenir giveaways are hardly an incentive to visit either – all in all, many such events are organised for participants to blow their trumpets rather than for technology seekers to discover something useful.
How is mediaPro different?
Two things should make you consider dropping by Olympia this year.
- If you are looking to improve your marketing efficiency, mediaPro, one of the largest events in the industry, does provide a great overview of a rather overcrowded sector. It is good for preliminary filtering – seeing what’s out there, cutting the list of prospective vendors from 100 down to more like 10. You can then have several five-minute chats and shorten that list even further. A few more demos and voilà- you have three suppliers shortlisted to send an RFP out to.
- Secondly, mediaPro offers a great conference programme. From keynotes to forums and workshops- you get to meet the people that are normally very hard to meet. Senior managers from Fortune 500 companies not only deliver keynotes but also participate in open discussions.
Brand success will be determined by technology
This year Adgistics invites you to participate in our panel discussion on the role of technology in brand development. Five A-list marketeers will share their experience and answer your questions:
David Wheldon
(legendary ex-Global Director of Brand at Vodafone),
Jerry Fielder
(CEO of Winkreative),
Nicolas Mamier
(MD of Appetite),
Paul Davey
(partner at Modern Marketing Solutions) and last year’s keynote presenter
Professor Robert Shaw
(international speaker, writer, consultant, director of Business Economics and honorary professor at Cass Business School).
As you can see, aside from being world-class marketeers, these gentlemen have very little in common. They come from very distinct backgrounds and have influenced and directed the growth of global brands using very different approaches. We therefore can expect the discussion to be lively and diverse. Can the technology around brand management be used to re-energise a brand? How can technology best help brands to thrive? Join us for what promises to be a fascinating morning at mediaPro.
The forum will take place 11.25 – 12.25 in the Marketing Technologies Theatre on Tuesday 1st November
Please email RSVP@adgistics.com to reserve a seat or make any other queries. If you are unavailable in the morning, Adgistics’ stand is right next to the theatre. Drop by any time – we will gladly let you know how it went and show you some of our latest client offerings – the new adidas global hub, the vibrant Cirque du Soleil Brand Centre, the next generation of the Network Rail system and the pan-European Ford dealer marketing hub.
See Adgistics at stand A20
Seeking business efficiency
Participating in marketing events should always be an educated and strategic decision based upon analysis and fact. However, the harsh reality is that it is always a gamble! No matter how successful the previous years’ have been, there is always a chance that weather conditions, an infrastructure strike or just the unpredictable market conjuncture will see us shivering in a draft of the large empty halls.
Last year we, at Adgistics, were very lucky: the Intelligent Assets forum we hosted, as well as the mediaPro and the Print Services Summit we have participated in went exceptionally well, attracting remarkable interest and igniting some very promising conversations. To be frank, our products kind of sell themselves, but seeing people’s interest provides an inspiration and, admittedly, an ego boost.
In just a few weeks, on 28th and 29th March, Adgistics will be participating in the International Business Development Group’s (IBDG) Strategy Meeting – a two day event for the top managers of varying industry verticals, from aerospace to sport clubs. We look forward to meeting with these world leading Brands, and talking about how we have grown the business and brand values for so many of their confrères. At this time in our country’s economic juncture – who would say no to growth and efficiency?
Demos, sweets and seminars: Adgistics at mediaPro
Maybe it’s a good thing we don’t exhibit too often. The last month has been so busy, I can only remember it as a single, overstretched flow of hours, not separated into weeks or days, business or private time. But like most workaholics, we console ourselves with the result: the two days spent at Olympia went extremely well. Even the tube strike did not dampen our spirits – Wednesday turned out to be a surprisingly busy day with a few dozen Brand Centre demonstrations between our two stands.
Why do people exhibit? Why do we keep coming back, dragging sleek presentations, remarkably similar pop-up stands and as many sweets as a five year old can dream of? To show what we have got, check out the competition or use the unique opportunity to learn something new? In two days we have been to about ten seminars. First, Professor Robert Shaw delivered one of the keynotes on the influence of technology on brands. Emotional and gripping, Robert’s speeches are as entertaining as they are informative and useful. Later in the day, Naomi Ong (Adidas) shared over 20 years of experience in a very interesting seminar on global advertising optimisation, followed by Michelle Thompson (Ford of Britain) talking about the challenges of dealer marketing.
In one day I have listened to Georges-Edouard Dias (SVP of L’Oreal) discussing the vices of integrating marketing, Peter Fenton (board member of Twitter) analysing modern social media and Clare Fleerackers (Head of Brand PR, Diageo GB) talking of what she knows best – brand PR. Seriously, how often does one get to see and listen to people of that caliber?
mediaPro was a great opportunity to see old friends, meet some new ones and look over a good cross-section of the market. We have had more demonstrations, given out more brochures and arranged more meetings than anticipated. Two days of sandwiches and filtered coffee are over; two days well spent.
See you at mediaPro 2010
We encourage people to visit our lair – I think it is very important to demonstrate the environment in which the product and its updates are created. For the same reason we like visiting clients and prospects – to get to know people who require or may require our assistance – to understand how they work, what they like, where they spend time away from home.
We like hosting events, both workshops and soirees – it is always interesting to talk to people, to hear what’s important to them, and to share ideas and experiences. A month ago, we hosted an Intelligent Assets forum and had a great time. This time we are going out.
On the 2nd and 3rd of November 2010, Adgistics will be exhibiting at mediaPro 2010. This year, one of the most exciting integrated communications events has drawn quite a crowd of exhibitors. Over a hundred companies will flock to London’s Olympia to chat, sit in seminars and demonstrate their skills. Sociable as we are, we didn’t come alone. Four marketing experts we have invited along will hold keynotes and seminars across two venues.
Professor Robert Shaw will deliver his keynote on the role of technology in brand management on the first day (2nd November, Keynote Theatre,14:15-14:45).
Naomi Ong (adidas) will share her vast experience in challenges and solutions of global advertising optimisation right after (2nd November, Production Theatre, 14:55-15:20).
Our own chairman, James Waite, will open the second day of the event, educating marketers in making the most of their brand investments (3rd November, Production Theatre, 10:50-11:15).
Last, but not certainly not least, Michelle Thompson from Ford of Britain will deliver one of the final seminars on maximizing brand consistency of dealership communications (3rd November, Production Theatre, 14:20-14:45).
If you don’t feel like sitting in a seminar, just drop by for a chat. See how we have helped world leaders from adidas to Vodafone save millions of Euros, whilst extending their brand conversations.; stands 55 and 86a.
Email us for the VIP invitation ASAP. RSVP@adgistics.com
See you there.
Emil
Intelligent Assets transcript
Hi,
The last few weeks have been ridiculously busy for us- from articles in the press and preparing for the MediaPro exhibition to developing new tools and winning new Clients (and what Clients!)- I will elaborate shortly after coming back from a well-deserved break.
In the meantime, here is what many of you have asked for- a transcript of the Intelligent Assets panel discussion. For those of you who were there it’s a round up of what you heard, for those who couldn’t come – an insight into what our events are like.
Keep in touch.
Emil
Rocking at Covent Garden
In case you didn’t know, this Thursday we made history.
The first ever Intelligent Assets event brought together a rather diverse crowd of Clients and associates, working within very different verticals. The forum itself, held at London’s fashionable Covent Garden Hotel, as well as the subsequent networking session, went surprisingly smoothly. Usually, one anticipates a certain level of failure: no matter how well-prepared you are, the laptop falls off the lectern, a mouse dies in the air conditioning or the keynote speaker gets hit by a bus. On this glorious Thursday everything was perfect.
We’ll post a full report next week but the unanimous verdict is: it was a genuinely pleasant, as well as useful afternoon. As you might imagine considering the timing, some of the forum was about us and the new products and services we offer. But the event itself was not just about Adgistics, but rather about modern brand management and the future that is quickly becoming our present.
Following the Adgistics presentation, our guests were invited to participate in an open discussion looking at the extent to which the future of brands will be defined by technology. The panelists sharing opinions on the subject included Professor Robert Shaw of Cass Business School, James McCobb, Head of Digital at Network Rail, John Holton of design agency Figtree and Paul Davey of Modern Marketing Solutions.
In short, it was a fun afternoon that brought together some very interesting people, allowing them to exchange experiences, discuss current issues and talk business. As you can guess from the opening lines, this “first ever” event will be followed by many more. Of course, reading about them will be quite exciting, but being in the room is a very different experience altogether. Email us for your invitation; RSVP@adgistics.com.
Emil
