There was a little of everything -- hula hoops, Curious George, Tom's Shoes, and the Reverend Al Sharpton himself at the Advertising Week Trust Forum. The event began with tasty revelation by host Loreen Babcock, chairman and CEO of the agency Unit 7, which also explains why she had a Curious George stuffed monkey on stage (along with the Hula Hoop): she had gone to attend a conference in, I think, New York. She had arrived, luggage in tow and late hoping beyond hope that she had not missed the main speaker. No seats, she ran up to the balcony …

Here's some food for thought from a few expert panelist at OMMA Global New York. Moderated by MediaPost's editor in chief Joe Mandese, during a panel on whether Madison Avenue has a future. Brandon Berger, vice president of digital innovation at MDC Partners, says managing conversations is a service and that's where agencies need to look for the money. Lisa Donohue, CEO, Starcom USA, says think of social as more than a tactic. "We all need to get comfortable in the gray," she says.

“It’s a great time to be in the media business… unless you’re a media person,” is what one colleague recently told Scott Hagedorn, CEO US, Omnicom’s PHD. Partly as result, Hagedorn is “feeling a pull to become more of a lead agency.” Bant Breen, President of Worldwide Digital Communications at Initiative, says he is seeing this (i.e., industry transformation largely driven by “social” trends) as a huge boon for business. "There’s a false perception that advertising was really simple before social media," he said, adding, "Behind all this is a ton of data that is making advertising much more …

Food for thought here from a few expert panelist at OMMA Global New York. Moderated by MediaPost's editor in chief Joe Mandese, during a panel on Brandon Berger, vice president of digital innovation at MDC Partners, says managing conversations is a service and that's where agencies need to look for the money. Lisa Donohue, CEO, Starcom USA, says think of social as more than a tactic. "We all need to get comfortable in the gray," she says.

When Nick Brien, President and CEO, Mediabrands, got to talking about the marvelous "United Breaks Guitars" video on YouTube and the ever-popular Sears Sucks, a very popular blog, it got me thinking that someone ... hmmm, someone should publish an "Engage:Customer Service" newsletter. "Marketing Daily" has hosted several positive and negative Customer Service opinion pieces. What's your take? Should we?

To illustrate the shifts taking place between professional sourcing and control over brands and consumers’, Nick Brien played a clip form “The Devil Wears Prada,” in which Meryl Streep’s character lambastes an assistant who doesn’t distinguish between two shades of green belts. Basically, it’s a case for how designers shape everything, everyone wears. Fast-forward, Brien says, and preeminent fashion house Channel has actually opened its premiere 5th Avenue Manhattan store for “design meets,” in which consumers can design their own custom, handbags.

Let go of the traditional mentality toward marketing, Nick Brien, president and CEO at Mediabrands. It no longer works for social media. He says marketers will source creativity from the most passionate consumers who love the brand.

Of all the Facebook dimensionalizations I’ve heard lately (you know, the ones that say if Facebook was a country, it would rank as the third largest in the world, behind China and India), Nick Brien’s description during his OMMA Global keynote this morning really got my mind whirling. Brien, who is CEO of Interpublic’s Mediabrands unit, said, “Everyday, the population equivalent to Boston signs up to Facebook.” Thanks, Nick. I owe you a Sam Adams for that one.

Frances Allen, brand marketing officer at Dunkin' Donuts, may have violated one of those rules that go, Never ask a question when you don't know the answer. Talking about Dunkin's successful social media campaign wherein consumers created donuts for a contest, she asked of a crowded ballroom, "How many of you have had a Toffee for Your Coffee?" Crickets. Ever the professional, she recovered quickly, "Wow! You've really missed out. This is a tough crowd."

Nick Brien, President and CEO of IPG’s Mediabrands media unit, wants to talk less about social media, and more about social business. “I think is a much more exciting area to talk about,” he says. What’s the difference? Social media has to do with “awareness,” while “social marketing has everything to do with advocacy.” Social business, meanwhile, is about “reinvention.”