Once again John Durham brought us out of our stupor and focused our attention. He reminded us that the Release of "Hangover 2" comes out on DVD today; and for the second day of the iMedia Summit there could probably not be a better release. However, amidst all of the meetings, speeches, and quotes like "I went gun shooting and then did a mani-pedi," there is business being done. John related the story of witnessing a $750,000 deal done with just a handshake. And that reminds us, if iMedia is anything, it is two things: Relationships & Business. If you have a good product or service, you can get in front of the right people in right environment and close deals. So don't miss that opportunity.
There was a lot of great insights on Day 1, and one of the most tweeted was "Brand expressions are more important than brand impressions" from Coca-Cola. In our industry we combine the "art of storytelling with the science of software," so better digital measurement must be "cross platformable."
John was hopeful for everyone at the Summit. He...
• Hoped we learned
• Hoped we asked questions
• Hoped we did some deals
• Hoped we made some connections
• Hoped that we tell iMedia how to be better
• and he Hoped Day 2 will be even better than Day 1
However, John was also cautious. While listening to people speaking during the conference John leaned over to me personally and reminded me that we have got to get our act together. We need to simplify the way we talk about our industry. TV works because the way you buy it, the way it is measured, and the ways you can scale it are simple. Unless we simplify our industry we are going to be relegated to the sidelines of media and influence.
Let us all be hopeful, but let us all heed John's advice. We are passionate people who tell stories. Let's simplify the way we speak about our industry and start telling better stories.
