Pre ad:tech Working, Partying, Networking and Bikini Bullriding
Tuesday was ‘setup’ day for the ad:tech booths at the Javits Center. Joe Vaughn phoned to ask if I could help set up the IZEA booth as his co-worker Ashley Edwards missed his flight. No problem, helping others is my forte and I’m always happy to be asked to help!
I ran into Dina Riccobono and Andrea from Market Leverage as I walked into the exhibit hall. After a quick setup, Joe and I walked to the Latitudes Lounge where a group of us planned a meetup. Jim Banks, Murray Newlands, MicroSteph and two others joined Joe and I for dinner and a few drinks, enjoying catching up and networking.
I love New York at night. The streets are busy, taxis honking and people are friendlier. Steph and I headed to Johnny Utah’s to attend the party. We were given great tank tops when we entered and I wore mine. When a company creates a shirt I like and will actually wear (rather than a fugly t-shirt) I’m going to show them I appreciate it!
The XY7 party was packed with bodies, the music was very loud and the bull was calmly sitting in his ring awaiting the bikini bodies. Apparently so was Steve Hall and he has photos of them ALL - what a surprise, huh?
Steph, navigated our way via her iPhone to ‘Old Castle’ where Missy Ward and Shawn Collins were hanging out. We joined them and a few others for more conversation and a couple of beer.
Networking with old friends and new at conferences is the absolute best part of attending, often providing exciting opportunities as you meet more people who drive the world of ‘Digital Marketing - the focus of ad:tech New York.
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Get Your Party Pants On; ad:tech Chicago’s Just Hours Away
For those of you that value conferences for the “networking,” ad:tech Chicago’s opening night party kicks off at 8PM on Tuesday.
It happens at Enclave, which you probably remember from last year. From 8-10 there’ll be open bar and hors d’oeuvres—usually tasty but scarce; I stand by the kitchen entry for just this reason. From 10-11, it’s a cash bar, which is your cue to exit stage left and go find a good jazz club anyway. That’s what Chicago’s really about,* and boy will that SEO guru think you’re cultured!
Good news: sporting your ad:tech badge grants you free entry. Register before September 1 for a free expo hall pass. And if you want to know where Enclave is, it’s at 220 W. Chicago Ave—right between N. Franklin and N. Wells.
See you by the kitchen.
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Bluelithium to Host Pre-ad:tech Party
Bluelithium, the company that’s “reinventing the ad network,” is reinventing the ad:tech party. On April 20 at 6PM, a week prior to the ad:tech San Francisco show, Bluelithium, famous for its ad:tech Ruby Skye blowouts, will host a party at Le Colonial and feature belly danvers, caligraphers and other Asian and French Colonial inspired activities, an open bar and small plates. We assume small plates means hors douvres…or however you spell that. To request an invitation, please contact Carla Vicens of blast! PR at (919) 833-9975 x.10 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
read more...Monday Night Party Report
The Chicago ad:tech party scene Monday night was much more subdued than San Francisco and New York shows. The evening kicked off with the traditional Tribal Fusion post-exhibit cocktail and munchies party held at the back of the the Sheraton exhibit hall. Great tasting Tribal Fusion branded beer was served along with fried finger food. We spent some time speaking with United Virtualities’ Director of Channel Partnerships Natalia Scalia who made the trip to ad:tech from Argentina and Miami-based Nearly Natural Business Development Manager Stephen Wechsler (who apparently has to clarify to business card recipients that his company deals with flowers, not breast implants). After discussions regarding ooqa ooqa, shoshkeles and silk flowers, we headed upstairs to the ad:tech speakers reception held in one of the hotel’s bars.
read more...Monday Night Party Update
Either there’s, sadly, not much in the way of social events going on Monday night or we just haven’t been invited. We do know Tribal Fusion is hosting an invite-only networking event from 8 p.m. to midnight aboard Chicago’s First Lady. The boat is docked near Michigan Avenue at Wacker Drive. The Chicago Interactive Marketing Association, along with Leapfrog Online, is hosting a party at the Rock Bottom Brewery Gold Room and Rooftop (One West Grand) from 6:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The first 300 guests will get open bar and a free buffet.
UPDATE: Commission Junction is hosting an early party at Sushi Samba’s Rooftop Lounge at 504 North Wells Street beginning at 6PM. Open bar until 7:30P but it’s invite only so stop by their booth for an invite. Be nice. They can’t invite everyone.
read more...Tuesday Night Party Report
As day two of San Francisco AD:TECH drew to a close and exhibitor’s packed up their booths faster than a clueless booth attendant can say, “Got traffic?”, conference attendees headed straight for the hotel’s Atrium lounge, quickly filling it to capacity as a non-AD:TECH hotel guest was overheard saying, “This is insane! Let’s get out of here.” We could identify with that comment when faced with the choice between fighting off the meat to score a drink at the bar versus having dinner with AD:TECH Chair Susan Bratton and IAB Industry Research Director Doron Wesly at the Westin St. Francis Hotel. The decision was easy. In the hotel’s relatively new and very elegant Michael Mina restaurant, we had a fantastic meal presented with flair and style. As the conversation moved from industry trends, trade show details and names suggested as keynote speakers for future conferences to more important issues such as life in San Francisco versus New York and the importance of white teeth, we respectfully ignored Robin Williams and Andre Agassi who were eating dinner three feet behind us at the next table.
Following three hours of delectable food, fancy martinis and amazement over just how short Robin Williams really is, we headed back to the Marriot Hotel and up to the 39th floor’s The View to check out the GRS Poker Tournament. Though no longer hungry following our spectacular dinner, we did notice there wasn’t much left of whatever had been formerly known as the buffet table. We spent a few minutes chatting with friends, watching the poker games and admiring the the view before we headed back down to the hotel lobby and jumped on a Looksmart-sponsored trolley which included a bar and shuttled us to the unofficial AD:TECH After Party billed as “The After Party People Will Be Talking About For Years.” As much as the party’s sponsors might like to believe, the only time spent talking about their party will be right here on this website. Held in a giant, open, warehouse-like building, the DJ, accompanied by his two gyrating groupies, pumped out the usual stuff which reverberated through the horrific acoustics of the establishment like a train horn mounted on a tuner’s car parked in an airplane hanger.
read more...Monday Night Party Report
Following a long day attending session after session and hearing each exhibitor’s well-rehearsed story while walking though the Exhibit Hall, it was, at long last, time to set out and conquer Monday night’s social activities. Kicking off the night’s long list of parties was Tribal Fusion which, as always, hosted its traditional Grand Opening Reception in the Exhibit Hall. Whitepages.com, for lack of a better description, lightened up the mood. [Increasingly inebriated coverage follows…]
read more...Monday Night Party Update
Added to our original list of parties planned at AD:TECH are two new events. The first, from old standby Tribal Fusion, will be held Monday night at the Phoenix Hotel’s Bambuddha Lounge from 9P to 1A. The party, with an open bar, will be smaller, more subdued option to the Bluelithium blowout at Ruby Sky. The second party, held Tuesday night from 9P to 4A at Terra, will be hosted by a lengthy list of companies including blackbook, The Viral Spiral, Web11, Springfusion, ListMarketer among others. It promises to be “The after party people will be talking about for years.”
read more...AD:TECH San Francisco Party Plans Revealed
Well, here we go again. As we all prepare to descend upon San Francisco for this year’s AD:TECH San Francisco, we at the AD:TECHblog thought we’d assist you in planning your social schedule by rounding up the numerous planned parties for the three day extravaganza. Headlining the party scene, as they did last year and this past Fall in NYC, is Bluelithium who will host The AD:TECH San Francisco 2005 Party Monday, April 25 at 9PM at Ruby Skye. Bluelithium promises fire breathers, flying acrobats, giant stilters, ice sculpters and open bar.
Earlier on Monday, TribalFusion will, as always, host the Grand Opening Reception in the Exhibit Hall beginning at 5PM. Immediately following, will be the PartnerWeekly Mixer, a Las Vegas-style event complete with blackjack, held in the Marriott Hotel’s Club room from 6:30P to 8:30P. Web marketing and measurement firm SEMphonic will host an event from 4PM to 6PM in Suite J, fifth floor of the Marriott and debut its new MarketScan product. Following these early evening events, there are reports of an “exclusive” party hosted by YFDirect at an undisclosed location.
On Tuesday night, AdDrive and Impulse Marketing will co-host host The GRS Poker Tournament from 8:30P to 12:30A at the Marriott’s View Lounge. A prize of $10,000 towards a World Poker Tour Main Event will be offered. Also Tuesday night, the International Game Developer Association will host an event at Metreon beginning at 7PM and featuring work by 4orty2wo Entertainment, creator of ILoveBees, followed by free food and drink at LJ’s.
read more...AD:TECH Tuesday Night Party Report
Following Monday’s all-out, non-stop, multi-party bash, the social scene Tuesday night was less harried than the day before, with more one on one dinners and a slower pace. There were no exhibit hall parties, as exhibitors were more concerned with packing up their booths as fast as possible once the hall closed so many headed out to dinner or drinks with friends to start the night.
The first stop for our entourage was the Hilton Hotel bar. Yes, we know it’s not very exciting but it was time well spent after standing up on the floor all day doing business. Drinks and appetizers were shared with Underscore Marketing’s Tom Hespos and Jim Meskauskas as well as Integrated Media Solutions’ Jason Oates. After debating the merits of the consumer control trend and, visiting Booble on our hand helds to pass time, Tom and Jim headed off to a client dinner and we cabbed our way down to the Eyeblaster Awards party at Show.
AD:TECH Monday Night Party Report
It was a very busy afternoon and evening socially at AD:TECH Monday with at least six parties vying for attendees attention. Kicking off the party scene was old standby TribalFusion which hosted its end-of-day exhibit hall party with beer, wine and finger food. Since the party was held in the exhibit hall, TribalFusion’s party is always an interesting mix of business and anticipation of what’s to come later at night. Partaking in the party spirit, DoubleClick’s Rick Bruner mugged for a shot with Did It.com’s frogs.
Once the exhibit hall cleared out, attendees headed down to the hotel bar where Overture held its Mixer providing attendees, perhaps for the first time today, a place to sit down. relax and spend some time with business associates in a more informal environment. A full compliment of buffet items were available to cater to all food preferences - as long as those preferences were limited to fried food. The day’s hunger won out over any concern for cholesterol levels.
Next up was the Viral and Buzz Marketing Association’s get together held at Whiskeys. The venue was, for once, conducive to conversation even if the lighting was such that significant squinting was required to see who you were talking to. Open bar had a way of making this irrelevant. The center of the party was DMC Founder Justin Kirby who was decked out, head to toe, in a shimmering white suit. Just before leaving, a conversation with Pod Digital Design Principal Liz Curran and her co-principal husband ensued leading to the discovery the Curran’s living a stone’s throw from our little Massachusetts town.
read more...AD:TECH Party Invites Rolling In
As the New York AD:TECH show approaches, inboxes are beginning to fill with party invites as companies vie for conference attendee’s attention. Online ad network, Bluelithium, reprising its San Fancisco party of last May, has sent out a fancy Flash invite for an event that will be held at New York’s Show Nightlife from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., Tuesday, November 9. Also hitting inboxes is an invite for the Tribal Fusion party to be held Monday night, November 8 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tribal Fusion promises an open bar all night. Bluelithium promises an hour of open bar from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. Plan accordingly.
Tribal Fusion will also host the Grand Opening Reception in the Exhibit Hall on Monday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Following that, Overture will host The Overture Mixer from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. Without a moment to rest, the New York Interactive Advertising Club, 212, invites you to their event beginning at 8 p.m. - location TBD. A full list of official AD:TECH social events is here.
read more...Monday Night Party Report
As I awoke in my hotel room and stumbled over to my laptop, there was an email from the esteemed editor of this publication asking, “Party report? The world wants to know. - EOM.” I replied bleary-eyed, “It’s on it’s way.” So here it is. As you may or may not know, party coverage is very difficult, requires preparation (napping) and recovery (sleeping late) hence the lateness of this report.
read more...Blue Lithium, the Good and the Bad
These are the things I learned tonight at the Blue Lithium party.
- Trapeze artists are always popular. I highly recommend them to anyone considering hosting a future AD:TECH party.
- AD:TECHers quickly become surly unless there is an open bar.
- There is no good time to cut the music off to present your corporate video.
- You only have about 30 seconds to say what you want to say after cutting off the music. If it is an open bar, maybe make it one minute.
- If there are scattered boos from the crowd, don’t respond with “Don’t boo, I’ll kill you.” It just doesn’t come off right, even when you are joking.
For a short Quicktime video of the trapeze act, click here.
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