Back from Chicago

Ok so im finally back in nyc from the conference. Apologies for slipping on the blog here. Was going to try and blog but i figured id take some notes and maybe absorb some plannerspeak. I will post my thoughts and reflections in the upcoming weeks. Here are a couple breakdowns of a couple speakers:

Bob Greenberg-Genius, way ahead of his time. Might be too far ahead. reminded me of steve jobs

Mike Hall-Poor old man abandoned and left out to dry by his own crew. Relevant information just doesnt matter if you arent engaging, people cant reach your slides and you keep talking about the first stage of penetration illustrated by silly flying bees.

Russell Davies-Brillant. Speaks like a planner should and has all the embodiments we should strive for. Learned the most from him. Plus he works at nike doing his gig, whats better than that? Honda cog was the coolest thing i have seen since terminator 2 and reminded me why i got into this bit.

Malcom Gladwell-Good, very engaging. Brought up some good points but referenced the book too much. I already paid for it and didn't care to have the examples repeated. Plus blink left me slightly empty feeling. Still no tipping point. Kinda funny

Jerry Hirschberg-They needed more people like this. HE WASNT A PLANNER. Since im so into design in general, it was great to hear his approach and really how he helped nissan establish a beachhead here in the US. I certainly realize when i noticed that first nissan ad.

Mark Earls-Why is it that the brits always seem to know what they are talking about. Funny presentation and by god, so relevant. I have actually considered myself more of this than anything. My ideas are hardly original, but massively pulled from what influences me and the world surrounding. If only i could get that song out of my head.

THE AGENCY MODEL
Talking to a scot (of all people), he let me in on how the client fears the agency over there. I think that role reversal pushes thinking and its a shame how the whole US business model is. note to that point. On the plane ride home, i was on a flight with a ton of business guys. All dressed the same, all the same haircut, same crackberry phone. It seems to me the US is great at producing managers, but where are the creative thinkers, where are the innovators of the business world? Why do they all have to wear a suit? And what happens if one of those is in the business. Is it up to us as an agency to bring this...just a thought.

FINAL THOUGHTS
we speak so much about creativity yet its all planners preaching to the choir. I loved last year the hardvard mathematics prof, & saul wurman. This year we just didn't have the dynamics of different and varied speakers. Left me feeling like a scolded child who didn't learn a lesson. I am always told i need to do this, or in this way, yet never told what to do. The speakers nor the sessions didn't tell me too much, other that what i wasn't doing. It needed better organization. Beats the office though....

No link sorry today is a bit of a wash