The Last AdTech Article
By David Fishman
At Ad
Tech in San Francisco earlier this year Peter Weedfald
coined the phrase “The Internet is Darwin on speed,"
Weedfald is the senior vice president ofstrategic marketing
and new media, for Samsung Electronics America, and was the
keynoter at Ad Tech, San Francisco. At the most recent Ad
Tech conference held in Chicago Pete Peterson, the President
of Travel Distribution for United Airlines Loyalty Service,
was the keynote speaker. He provided a unique perspective of
a fortune 500 company, discussing how brand loyalty, through
incentive programs, has helped his business grow. While Ad
Tech San Francisco felt like the Internet on speed, this
show felt like the Internet on a different much calmer drug.
The Ad
Tech Chicago show was a much smaller more intimate crowd.
Where people would be able to spend more time since there
were fewer new people to meet. It was positive to have a
show where the pace was slowed and the number of visitors
allowed for longer discussions not only about what companies
can do together but actual time to implement face to face.
However,
the lack of people definitely hurt the level of “buzz” that
was felt at the New York or San Francisco shows earlier this
year or at the end of last year. This Chicago show felt much
more like a small community coming together to enjoy good
friends, and do some face-to-face business. Passed shows
have been more of a mad rush to meet new people or solidify
new relationships, while making sure you spend just enough
quality time with existing partners.
Ad Tech
recently began its 9th year. This year I believe is the
first year it held 3 separate conferences in the same year.
Some may call it overkill, however a third smaller
conference certainly has some positives and benefits the
larger conferences cannot accomplish, such as providing a
less pressured environment for finding quality people to do
business with. Ad Tech is clearly the most comprehensive
forum for interactive advertisers and marketers alike. Ad Tech Chicago was all in all a positive show
for everyone involved.
David Fishman
dfishman@ileadmedia.com
