There are many festivals and conferences that occur in the marketing services calendar. Some are huge, some little, but generally most offer little chance for real debate.
Also, even when you want to go, sometimes the financial or workload pressure prevents you from going.
Starting this Sunday is the Valencia Festival of Media, a well established event run by a good friend. This year it has a big list of names speaking, and an even longer list of brands, agencies and media owners attending. They will aim to tackle an agenda shaped around 're-writing the rule book' of consumer engagement.
Now I cannot be there, and neither can a number of other folk. But many would love to get in on the debates. You might be going to Valencia, but a colleague might not be, but would love to share their views too.
So I thought it would be fun to invite a few opinionated people to debate some of the hop topics of the industry, inspired by the Festival of Media agenda.
Topics include:
- What is the point of a media agency?
- What are the new rules of 'consumer engagement'
- What to people really think about brand 'engagement strategies'
It will happen between 1330 and 1700 on Tuesday 20th April in London. You can sign up here at eventbrite for a ticket. Each ticket is £18.95. They are limited.
This is the first of such gatherings, which I call thereareotherworlds, because at times our industry is prone to secluding itself and justifying the status quo, rather than opening up to real debate.
People attend on the basis of these 'rules'
1 There is Open Debate
2 There are no 'Speakers'
3 There are no 'Experts'
4 Everyone contributes
5 No-one will be a wallflower
6 No business pitches
7 The group chooses the topics
8 The group tries to shape an output to each discussion
9 The discussion will be recorded and podcasted
10 err...that's it
Let me know if you would like to come, or just sign up...but remember come with your opinions...