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SxSWi: A Newbie’s Impressions

by: jacquichew March 23, 2010

I was going to recap each day of SxSWi here but was soon swept away by the sea of activities and choices that faced me everyday.  So I find myself almost a week later, only just recovering from the whirlwind that was SxSWi. There have been quite a few recaps written about the conference; some good some neutral and some bad. My experience was mixed but mostly positive.

For those of you unfamiliar, SxSW is a two-week long conference that features interactive, a music and film segments. I only attended the Interactive segment hence SxSWi. Some call it “Spring Break for Geeks” and I can’t agree with that description more. There were 20,000 wed designers, web developers, UI and UX gurus, programmers, technologists, futurists, bloggers and gamers all crammed into downtown Austin for five days. The interactive segment has grown exponentially. According to unofficial sources, there were 40% more badges sold for interactive than music. For me, it was the biggest conference I had ever attended!

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Day 1 at SXSWi – Random Thoughts

by: jacquichew March 13, 2010

The day started at 3:30 AM for me yesterday as there were a host of activities that had to take place before I got on the Atlanta #nerdbird at 8:24 AM in the morning. The flight was uneventful but we did have 20 or so Atlantans on board with me.

I had an expectation that this would be a very “connected” conference but the reality is mind-boggling. Seems like the average attendee packs at least three gadgets. Everyone seems to have the standard Mac, iPhone and Flip. Bet sore backs and feet abound at the end of the day.

Spotty Session Quality

As for the sessions; I am betting .300 so far. I am here to learn about new trends, applications and technologies that are relevant to the marketing function. Went to three sessions and only one was remotely engaging. Also, I have decided to avoid all sponsored panels. Went to one yesterday about the future of touch and gestures as an interface. Sounded promising but turned out to be a glorified self-promotional session about a particular company’s platform. Needless to say, I left early. The panel on the future of mobile experiences failed to inspire. However, the one jewel of the day was Battledecks which is a session featuring a series of contestants who each have to present a randomly, nonsensical deck of slides to the audience. Sort of improv PowerPoint. The results were hilarious and entertaining.

Other Highlights

Networking – It’s so true that networking is a very important component of the SXSW experience. I was able to meet people that I had I only interacted with online in real life and solidify existing relationships.I also met someone from Canada who is working on something that would be  a compelling talk for TEDxPeachtree.

Parties – There are no lack of parties at this conference. My take: it’s about the quality, not the quantity. I only attended two but had a really great time without sacrificing too much precious sleep.

Getting Rest – I am planning on getting plenty of rest. I already hear lots of sniffling this morning in session. And getting sick at the conference does not sound like a fun experience.

Guess that’s it for now. Can’t wait to see what Day 2 holds.

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by: jacquichew February 12, 2008

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Boomer Myth Busters from AARP

by: jacquichew April 28, 2008

The latest quarterly report from from AARP Services and Focalyst, titled “How Well Do You Know Boomers? Counting Down the Top 10 Boomer Myths” contained some pretty interesting myth-busters. My favorites are:

Myth #7 – You can capture Boomers with mainstream advertising

Boomers are paying attention to advertising, but they do not always like what they see. 66% say that ads have gotten more crude in recent years and another 67% say they are less likely to purchase a product if they find the advertising offensive. 23% say they consider ads that are geared toward their age group insulting.

This is yet another reminder for all those creative department types (read twenty-somethings) to keep the audience in mind when developing creative.

Myth #4 – Boomers are winding down with age

Actually, they are quite active, as the typical Boomer regularly participates in an average of 10 activities and the participation extends beyond going to church or gardening. They are traveling (60 million took at least one trip last year), attending live sporting events (22 million) and bicycling (11 million), among other activities.

Nike, Adidas and Reebok are you listening?

Myth #3 – Boomers are technologically challenged

Contrary to many assumptions, Boomers were in the workforce during the evolution of computers, email and the internet, and were the first to understand the value of technology. Some 82% of Boomers use the internet and 64% have been online. Their online activities include instant messaging, downloading music or movies, financial transactions and online gaming.

This goes against the grain that only the thirty-somethings and younger are heavy users of new/social media. Companies that make this assumption are missing the opportunity to engage with their audience on a more 1-to1 and intimate basis.

Click here for the full list of myths.

SoCon08 Survey

by: jacquichew February 12, 2008

My response to the dNeero social survey on SoCon08.


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Sidenotes

February 17, 2008

Let me know who you would like to read about? A tech start-up? An entrepreneur? Or perhaps you have a question about marketing or social media. Leave me a message here.

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February 11, 2008

SoCon has definitely grown in size. The Atlanta social media unconference hosted more than 150 attendees at the networking dinner on Friday night at the Maggiano’s in Cumberland mall.

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