Ad:Tech NY 2006 - A Look in Hindsight

Based on the volume of email solicitations I received for ad:tech press briefings, I could have easily predicted the Day One registration mayhem that ensued (ad:tech NY took place from November 6 - 8, 2006 with the theme ?from the alley to the avenue,? trying to appeal to the entire media industry). Registration badge pick-up lines snaked this way and that just to fit into the already cramped area which felt more cramped than ever because of the crowds and exhibitor table overflows into the hallway. People easily stood in line for 20 minutes or more to get their badges. According to an ad:tech press release, over 12,000 people pre-registered (!) and there were on-site registrations as well. Perhaps there were a bit too many people for the space at the New York Hilton? Though I’m sure the ad:tech folks loved the hype generatd by that many people in one place, it did make most everywhere seem overcrowded.

When it came time for the 10:00am Keynote Presentation, loads of people were still waiting in line. I walked around and casually questioned about two dozen or so folks, asking them if they were there as paying full access attendees and if they would otherwise be at the keynote if they were not waiting on line. The majority said yes and several had more than a tinge of frustration in their voice. At least the coffee urns and water coolers were kept full most of the time (it’s the little things…)

It was too bad, too, because the keynote speaker, David Lubars, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer of BBDO North America, was one of the best keynote speaker this humble conference goer has heard in a long time. Listening to Lubars, I got the sense that he was the real deal, that he didn’t totally believe in, buy (and hopefully to some extent, create) all the bogus hype around the ad industry (”I assume everything is hype until it’s proved otherwise”). He didn’t have slicky-boy answers and on a few occasions even admitted he didn’t have an answer or a prediction. HOW REFRESHING!

Lubars echoed the sentiments of many others in the ad industry these days: in order to compete for the consumer’s attention, advertising has to be engaging. But Lubars thinks the notion of everyday people being able to post their own ad creative as an advertising gimmick is going to get old. He also feels that it’s not such a bad thing to give consumers the ability to control the brand that the marketer has worked so hard to cultivate. He feels that here in the States, we try to make too many things black and white answers.

Other topline take-aways from Lubars:

• Mobile is going to be really big but screens need to be wider and costs need to come down.
• Advertising in games raises consumer credibility issues.
• Product placement is one of the worst things out there today because consumers know they’re ads and it throws up their guard.
• Agencies are only really going to embrace the Web when top management believes in it because change needs to come down from the top.
• It’s harder than ever to connect to customers because ad campaigns are 20 different media pieces and it’s a big mess.

Speaking of a big mess, have you heard about the Exhibit Hall? Well, “hall” is really not a wholly accurate description since exhibits are spread throughout three floors, one of which because of its low ceilings and wall-to-wall-to-hall booths feels more like a back alley bazaar than a true conference exhibit space. As an industry veteran, I didn’t know whether to cheer or cry facing this chaos. On the one hand, it’s really an incredible thing to see our industry so vibrant; on the other hand, there are shades of pre-bust lunacy with what appeared to be a lot of “low rent,” new to the scene, no name vendors trying to use ad:tech as a means to build credibility and just sell. I can’t tell you how many lead generation companies I met. The exhibitors, on the other hand, were thrilled. Most said the turnout and the interest was “better than any other show.” So I guess it’s all in one’s perspective.

Many of my colleagues agreed. We were surprised at how many newcomer companies were exhibiting and a lot of us felt the over-crowded exhibitor space was a huge detraction. A few journalists I spoke to absolutely refused to even enter the exhibitor hall. But I really can’t fault the ad:tech folks, and in fact, probably like them, in a way you’ve got to revel in all the implications of the New York turnout.

And I’m sure the ad:tech people would also be pleased to know that most folks I talked to in passing felt likewise positive about the conference sessions. In fact, the people I spoke to expressed surprise in the fact that they actually got solid pieces of information they could put to use once back in the office. This ad:tech was definitely one show in which I could have cloned myself to cover more ground at one time!

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