I spent most of yesterday at Internet World, an annual conference/exhibition at Earls Court focusing on the wacky world of the web. Away from the fascinating exhibition world, I managed to get into a few of the sessions (speakers from Google, Channel 4, Ikea, Barclay’s, a VC) and there were some overriding themes…

- Digitising is changing the world but it shouldn’t change communications strategies i.e. it is still all about giving people what they want

- The drivers for Web 2.0 have been access, production, storage and science

- Consumers have to be co-opted into the marketing process, they are the new brand managers

- Social networks have powerful lobbying effects and they effect the purchasing decisions of consumers

- Marketing is now about transmedia planning

- Search and SEO is imperative

- Internet should be on CEO’s agenda

- Internet and the move away from analogue are the key factors why the linear broadcast model is under threat

- We are now in the era of the digital native i.e. people who have been born with the web…technology is only technology for people who weren’t born with it, it is a utility for others

- The change in strategy to conversational must be driven by client side with agency support…one vision needed

- Why was blogging etc created? Ego, and we weren’t satisfied with conventional media, it is about making people accountable

- All companies should open their doors, target and read blogs, give them products, advertise on them (this is cheap) and there should be no exception

If you want to know more and who said these wonderful things please get in touch.