If trade shows serve as reflections of industry health, this year's Ad:Tech New York conference bodes well for the ad technology sector. Attendance doubled that of last year. Representatives of big
brands like Visa, DaimlerChrysler and Kraft participated. And MediaDailyNews hears that based on the recent momentum of its East and West Coast events, the first Midwest Ad:Tech will be held in
Chicago in July. Let's just hope the unreliable Internet connection that plagued the show isn't a harbinger of things to come. Despite some technical setbacks, most who took part in this year's East
coast function, held at the Hilton New York, were impressed by the upbeat atmosphere and generally positive outlook evinced by attendees numbering more than 4,000.
"It seemed they were surprised
by their own success," concludes B.L. Ochman, president of marketing strategy company What's Next Online and an official Ad:Tech blogger.
The exhibit booth beltway got mighty crowded throughout
the event, and many of those interviewed for this story viewed the cramped environment as a mixed blessing. Sure, the bustling crowd meant more potential networking partners and prospective clients.
However, limited space wasn't exactly conducive to in-depth discussions. Comments Mario Diez, New York sales director for PointRoll, providers of the FatBoy ad format, "It hurt the opportunity to sit
down and have a conversation." Still, for Diez, some deals came to near completion amid the marketing masses.
"It's a legitimate point," admits Joel A. Davis in regards to space-related
complaints. The president and CEO of JD Events, the trade show management firm that runs Ad:Tech, expresses the catch-22-like predicament of choosing show locations. If a venue is too big, event
turnout can be dwarfed by its size. Davis refers to the Ad:Tech New York event held in 2001 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Booked 18 months in advance during the Internet industry's heady
pre-burst days, the spacious location seemed ill-suited to house an event representing such a nascent industry.
"We'd have to get substantially bigger to warrant Javits now," notes Davis. "The
Hilton is more intimate...plus there's no appropriate conference facility in Javits." Davis believes The Hilton New York and The Javits Center are the only truly feasible venues for trade events in
New York, although other spots such as the Grand Hyatt and even The Roseland Ballroom have hosted past ad industry shows. He also points to the Hilton's central location, perfect for post-show
schmooze-fests like this year's Third Annual Eyeblaster Awards event and an impromptu dinner for members of the Oldtimer's List, an interactive ad industry email list, which attracted seven sponsors
and 120 attendees after being suggested mere days beforehand.
JD Events staffers had their work cut out for them this year. The team of ten not only had to ensure a smooth run at Ad:Tech, but they
were also managing SATCON, the company's Satellite Applications Technology Conference, which took place at the Hilton at the same time.
"It was a real challenge for the staff," concedes Davis.
"We're not planning on doing it again that way." Garth Chouteau, marketing director Pulse Entertainment, gave this year's show high marks for return-on-investment, noting that attendees seemed better
targeted for the firm's virtual character technology offerings than at previous events. "It feels as though 95% of the audience had an immediate idea regarding how our solutions could benefit them,"
he says.
Paul Kadin, executive vice president-marketing strategy at rich media ad technology firm, Eyeblaster, was more skeptical regarding his Ad:Tech New York ROI. Eyeblaster was among the
exhibitors that paid extra fees for Web access at its booth only to have it fail throughout the show. Kadin also hoped exhibiting at the event would have proved a more efficient means of attracting
the company's intended audience of media buyers, directors, and creative directors.
Reactions to conference sessions were mixed. While some appreciated the greater focus on case studies, others
judged some panelists as huckster-like, suggesting that presenters receive a bit of media training before taking the stage. According to Davis, session topics are determined by Ad:Tech's industry
advisory board, which is comprised of rotating members representing "all industry stakeholders."
Kadin thinks the content of the upcoming Chicago show should appeal to traditional brand marketers
and agencies, many of who have yet to embrace Internet marketing and rich media. "There aren't lots of events in this particular industry," he adds. " We're all interested in making it more
successful."