Big Parties, Small Parties, Dinners Add to ad:tech Experience

If one could identify a trend in parties at this year's ad:tech in San Francisco, it would be this; more, smaller and no open bar. It all makes perfect sense in a "down economy." Excepting a couple of parties, most were small events held at small venues with limited or no open bar. That didn't seem to stop people from having fun though this year.

As early as Monday night, the eve of ad:tech, Glam Interactive held a small event atop the Clift Hotel in the Spanish Suite. From 7P-9P, members and guests mixed and mingled before the general ad:tech crowed began to glow in. While it was open to all, it never really got all that busy.

On Tuesday night, there were more than ten parties ranging from affairs like the Tatto Media party to large blowouts like the Advertise.com party held at ad:tech party standby, Ruby Skye. Both parties, while wildly different, were a good time. Oops, and, even though we didn't attend, NickyCakes would love us to mention the fact he, along with several others, held a party at which Jello wrestling, apparently, turned into an all out brawl between two women wearing, well, nothing. There's a video of the spectacle floating around on YouTube.

On Wednesday night, after a great dinner with Hollis Guerra and Erika Golden from Blast! PR, RockYou and Rubicon hosted an event in the Lobby Lounge of the Intercontinental Hotel, Notable.tv had a small gathering at Aventine and AdverCircus2, held at the multi-room 1015 Folsom, closed out the conference with fire dancers, acrobats and a troupe of musicians.

Thursday, the last day of the conference, is always a quiet experience. The exhibitors have packed up their booths and the number of people roaming around Moscone drops dramatically from about 13,000 to 2,000. It's sort of sad and anticlimactic in a way but also a great day to process the learnings and experiences o the first two days.

Next ad:tech? Chicago in September. See you there.