ad:tech Chicago | Opening Takeaways

Took these notes during the opening presentation . . . after live blogging at BlogHer over the weekend, I had to take my laptop.  Read my post on Chris Anderson’s keynote presentation. Follow the official ad:tech Chicago 2007 conference coverage on adtech’s blog.

ad:tech is the number one event for Interactive marketing, the first conference was held in 1996

The transformation of ad:tech is underway to become “The Event for Modern Marketing”. ad:tech will be the leading forum to discuss how digital is transforming all media and the business of marketing communications.

ad:tech Global Expansion

9 gobal events in 6 countries 2007, expanding to 12 shows in 2008

Exchange Series: more intimate conversation, all capped at 75, true exchange of ideas

All ad:tech Chicago 2007 podcasts will be up in a few weeks.

The Current Landscape

Continued growth of online advertising, US $20 B in 2007

Slowing to 12% annual growth by 2012

Search growth now decelerating

Google, MSN, Yahoo and AOL get 90% of ad revenue

There is hope: top 100 network advertisers make up 75% of TV ad revenue, but only 6% of online advertising revenue

Mobile Marketing Revolution is upon us: iPhone, mobile broadband, until downloading is affordable to the market, forget about it

Carriers – what about ad-supported SMS?

Next generation search: multimedia, enhanced targeting

The New big thing? Execution and ROI

We have enough moving parts, new platforms, and new media, TiVo ranks the least skipped advertisements, can rank the fewest or the least

Further refining the art of integration

Realigning organizations to compete and execute

Consumers, content and control: Vying for Power

Perfecting “The Art of Conversation”

Social Media: increasingly powerful but still figuring out advertising effectiveness

Expect continued consolidation on a global scale, ad networks, next gen/web 2.0 services

Eyeballs, profiles and profits will be measurement tools

My Takeaways

This is my second ad:tech Chicago conference. Each time I registered only for the keynote and the exhibits so that I could report on trends and see what’s new.

The tone here is professional and impersonal – at least at first. Maybe the sessions warm up with introductions. Drew did say that presenters were encouraged to lead interactive discussions and that attendace capped at 75.

Exhibitors are friendly, informative and generous. I got to meet Joe Beaulaurier from PRWeb who gave me a copy of David Meerman Scott’s “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” to replace the copy I gave a client. We’re both in the book. In talking shop, I told Joe about our testing between PRWeb and other online press release distribution providers. Given the price, reach, stats and results, we haven’t found anyone yet who can out perform PRWeb.

The Grand Ballroom is much more lifelike when open to the lakefront view. Maybe the doorways were shaded for better screen resolution. Two giant screens framed the stage.

Where was the free wi-fi access? If it was on, I couldn’t tap into it. No mention was made in the opening comments and I didn’t see an overabundance of laptops so maybe for this crowd it’s not necessary? In checking last year’s notes, a sponsor provided the wi-fi.

Were the armed security guards at last year’s exhibit hall? If so, I don’t remember.

If you have a budding marketer or summer intern in your office under 18, leave them at home. They’ll be bounced at the door. Maybe there’s a place – at least at the keynote – for kids. Many organizations offer a student/teen session.

When I asked the person next to me where are you from? They gave me the name of their company. That’s the answer you expect at a corporate conference. Because people there represent companies, they tend to be more formal and business like. After all, you need to be when you’re managing $50,000 per month in online media buys – the minimum one exhibitor mentioned when he described his service. As a former corporate manager and Fortune 50 consultant, it’s good to be aware of what’s new in this market. And, it was really great to hear – and meet – Chris Anderson.