ad:tech is embarking on something new this year which it will kick off at the New York show in November. Called ad:tech Connect LIVE, the event, held Monday, November 7 from 12:45PM to 3PM in the East Ballroom of the Hilton New York is, in a way, a physical manifestation of ad:tech’s recently launched online networking community ad:tech Connect. Billed as an experiential event, the East Ballroom will take on the look and feel of a music-filled, engagingly fun three-ring circus environment complete with costumed hosts, Ringmaster and plenty of snacks.
Ad:tech Connect LIVE, open to all attendees, will posses both educational and experiential elements. In the center of the Ballroom will be the main event – The Hotseat. Twenty-five people will sit in a circle surrounding one individual who, in the Hotseat will be asked, by the Ringmaster, ad:tech Chair and Radio Show Host, Susan Bratton, questions designed to cut though the preponderance of industry fluff, exaggerated research findings and over-used industry platitudes. When answering, the person on the Hotseat will be given the chance to lie, tell the truth, or pass. Of course, all the questions won’t be industry-related and may delve into areas designed to help attendees better understand themselves and those people with whom they work day in and day out, year after year, The game is intended to help dispel pre-conceived notions, game faces and long-held misconceptions. If this sounds a little “come to Jesus/Allah/Buddha/Abraham/Confucius,” perhaps it is. But the hope is to build community, open lines of communication, eliminate fluff, reduce puffery, cut through outlandish claims, get the heart of the industry’s focus and inspire growth.
Surrounding center ring activity, in one corner, RSS marketing company SimpleFeed will offer attendees a quick course on how RSS can positively effect a company’s marketing communications efforts with several stations set up where people can get a first hand look at RSS and how it can better connect marketer and consumer. In another corner, community photograph company WebShots will have on hand several professional photographers who, yes, in costume, will take complimentary pictures of people in either a professional manner or in a fun, outrageously off-the-wall manner. Online community company IntroNetworks will be on hand to help attendees upload their photographs to their ad:tech Connect profiles.
As part of the event there will also be book signings by Andrew Goodman (Winning Results with Google AdWords) and Wordcraft Author, Alex Frankel. Also, iMediaConnection editor, Masha Gellar will be roaming the room interviewing people about their business, the show and their experience at ad:tech Connect LIVE! Additionally, there will be photographers and a videographer who will record the event and turn it into a TV show segment or two the next day on the Hilton TV monitors. The interviews will be posted and podcasted along with general conference coverage, on the ad:tech weblog.
Lastly, ad:tech’s The Impact series, a ten-city mini conference series held in ten cities around the country in March and April 2006, will be promoted. Attendees at the Connect LIVE! event will be given the opportunity to register in advance the for the San Francisco show and receive complimentary VIP full access passes to all ad:tech Impact series regional events.
And just so it’s clear the event is advertising industry-related, there will be prizes. Oh yes. An Olympus Camedia D-535 ZOOM digital camera will be raffled off by Webshots and other goodies will be awarded to those who participate in the hotseat, fill out their online profile and participate in the event. After all, what’s an advertising event without free stuff?
