The Art of Marketing Conference, Toronto 2010

I very recently attended the Art of Marketing Conference in Toronto. The event was billed as:

Canada’s Marketing & Innovation Conference

This one day conference features six internationally renowned bestselling authors and leaders who will share an exciting blend of cutting edge thinking and real world experience on today’s most critical marketing issues. Don’t miss out on your chance to be a part of history and network with over 1,200 of Canada’s most influential marketers.

Sally Hogshead on Persuasion & Influence

Lust. Mystique. Power. Alarm. Prestige. Trust. Vice. According to Sally Hogshead, these are the 7 triggers to persuasion and captivation. At the Art of Marketing conference in Toronto on March 2, 2010 she delivered a fascinating presentation complete with Jagermeister shots. To learn how to fascinate your audience, go buy her book and visit her website. She was one of six amazing speakers with a Ron Tite as a very entertaining host.

Mitch Joel on Digital Marketing & Social Media

First up was Mitch Joel who told us to burn the ship; there is no going back, only move forward. He also shared some interesting and alarming stats like there are more grandparents than high school students on Facebook, 40% of persons while watching TV are really sleeping and 20% of Google search subjects each day have never been searched for before.

Your brand is what the search engine says it is so create a brand experience from that first touch point. He also talked about the 3 conversations, internal (brand values), one to one (trial and sampling) and one to many (spread and connect). For more on Mitch, read his book Six Pixels of Separation and search for the “free hugs” story on You Tube.

Seth Godin on Leadership and Creativity

Next up was the highly anticipated Seth Godin. According to him, the market for something to believe in is infinite, marketing has become leadership and you must recognize your tribe. You have to stand for something and do something worth following. Seth says the problem is the ‘factory mindset’, we must learn to solve interesting problems. Give yourself an A or a D and live up to it. Treat work as a platform and not a job, be passionate about what you do and “be an artist”.

In his new book Linchpin, “the only way to get what you’re worth is to stand out, to exert emotional labour, to be seen as indispensable, and to produce interactions that organizations are people care deeply about.” Linchpins are people who invent, lead, connect others, make things happen and create order out of chaos. They delight and challenge their customers and peers. They love their work, pour their best selves into it, and turn each day into a kind or art. Linchpins are the essential building blocks of great organizations. Are you a linchpin?

James Othmer on Advertising & Branding

James Othmer, author of Adland was up after Sally. He spoke about branding and storytelling. Basically, it’s all about people and stories and not gadgets and platforms. His advice on creating a show bible is to first create a world (e.g. TV show Lost), give it a methodology and ethos, map it physically and chronologically and then activate it.

Max Lenderman on Branding & Experiential Marketing

After a short break Max Lenderman did his presentation on experience, authenticity, big-think and goodness. His focus was on experiential marketing, claiming it to be number 2 to digital marketing and events boost sales by 52%. Examples cited include the Army Experience Centre where potential recruits simulate “shooting the bad guys”, Camp Jeep, Tide Clean Start programme for victims of Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti and Apple stores. You can knock-off or imitate a product but not an experience. He left us with a quote from Confucious – “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.”

Dan Heath on Strategy & Communications

Rounding up the speakers was Dan Heath, co-author of Switch. Change is hard. People resist change. People hate change. Except when that change relates to food, fashion, technology, communication (lingo), recycling, having kids, and well just about anything. He spoke of a 3 part framework for change.

1. Direct the rider (rational side) find the bright spots, forget the problems and focus on the signs of hope. Emulate yourself at your best moments
2. Motivate the elephant (emotional side). See, feel, change.
3. Shape the path (make easier by changing the situation or environment). Change takes time, be persistent. Dan asked us, “It took you years to learn to smoke, what makes you think you can quit the first time?”

Summary

So in summary, I’m inspired and energized and would like to ask you:

• In this world of interconnectedness, how are you going to spread your story, connect, and add value to your life and the people whose lives you touch? (Mitch Joel)
• Are you indispensable? (Seth Godin)
• In a distracted, overcrowded world, how do certain leaders, friends and family members convince you to change your behaviour? Fascination: the most powerful way to influence decision making. (Sally Hogshead)
• Why are some brands winning and some losing the critical battle for authenticity? (James Othmer)
• Is the experience the message or is the people the experience? (Max Lenderman)
• Why is it so hard to make lasting changes in our companies, in our communities and in our own lives? (Dan Heath)

I urge you to read the books of the above authors, subscribe to their blog or visit their website. Don’t let your lizard brain take over. Be a genius, an artist or a linchpin. Be remarkable or fascinating. Replace fear of the unknown with curiousity. Give free hugs. (not sure what I mean? Google it!)