It's a known fact that by attending a marketing conference one will witness a mixed bag of presentations. Some will have great speakers with little substance. Others will struggle through every word but have remarkable ideas. It's rare to see both the positive or negative aspects coupled together, but it does happen. Unfortunately, a 'panel' format with several people on stage fielding moderator questions doesn't allow for either extreme, produces a series of sound-bites, and few meaningful takeaways.
This was my frustration with the IAB Social Media and UGC Conference recently in NYC. Too much panel chatter, hyperbole, and few learnings. Even though several panels included, many would consider, leading social media marketing practitioners, I believe a watered-down version of their knowledge was delivered. The panel format put a constraint on the depth explored on every topic.
Since attending I've considered another option -- everyone is reading from the same playbook and serious uncertainty exists around successful social media marketing and where it is going. The next conference for me will have fewer panels.
