ad:tech - Digital Marketing Conference in London

A couple of weeks ago Catherine Ossemerct, who launched Join2Grow.biz - Fortis social network for European Entrepreneurs -, informed me that she will be coming to London in late September to share her experience in social networking at the ad:tech conference.

Web 2.0
I am glad that nowadays most companies show interest in the trendy Web 2.0. Just check the number of speakers and the large range of industries covered.
They want to better understand what it is and see if, and how, they could use it. User-generated content seem to be the way forward, but bad comments from angry customers are always seen as a high risk of major brand damage. Especially in the regulated world of Banking and Financial Services.

Web 2.0 is not a technology, but a range of tools to urge people to express themselves (blogging, social networking, podcasts, videos, rss feeds...). As Chris Larsen from Prosper said in one of his interviews, web 2.0 is all about "giving the power to people". It is all about user-generated content.

ad:tech, London 2007
I registered as a member of the Press. My goal is to meet the key speakers and delegates involved in web 2.0 projects, especially in the banking space. I plan to shoot short video interviews "on the spot".

On that occasion, I will interview Catherine and her colleague Jean-Paul, Join2Grow's webmaster, to find out more about Join2Grow: Fortis goals and expectations, the most recent stats and the results since its launch in February 2007.

The Key workshops I am planning to attend:
* Blogging: Blogging French Style - Buzz your Products and Brand
* Marketing: Experiential Marketing - Interlinking and Amplyifing Digital Investment, 
* Online communities & social networking: Social Networking & Community Sites, Online Communities as a Marketing Tool - A Case Study: First Choice Holidays
* Podcasts: Podcasting: Why you should be doing it and how you can do it better!
* Virtual worlds & Second Life: Virtual Worlds - What Value can they bring beyond PR & Market Research?
* Web 2.0: Monitoring Consumer Conversations Online, Researching and Creating Web 2.0 Experiences, Analytics & Metrics for Web 2.0, Social Search - Tips & Tricks

The Key speakers I would like to meet and interview:
* Nasser Batley, Head of Internet and New Media, Global Banking, Dresdner Kleinwort
* Elizabeth Chambers, Chief Marketing Officer, Barclaycard 
* Eric Clemenceau, VP Advertising, Joost
* Cynthia Crossley, Director, UK Search Business, Online Services Group, Microsoft Ltd
* James Fabricant, Director of Entertainment and Head of Video, Europe, MySpace.com
* Alison Fennah, Executive Director, EIAA (European Interactive Advertising Association)
* Kay Hoffmann, Head of Global Advertising and Innovations, Vodafone Group Services Ltd
* José Luis Iribarren, e-Relationship Marketing Manager, ibm.com Europe
* Rebecca Jennings, Senior Analyst, Forrester Research
* Justin Kirby, CEO, DMC and co-founder, Viral & Buzz Marketing Association
* Patrik Oqvist, EMEA Marketing Director - Hotels.com, Expedia Inc.
* Jill Orr, UK Managing Director, CNET Networks UK
* Catherine Ossemerct, Head of Media-Channels, Merchant & Private Banking, Fortis
* Jay Stevens, VP Operations EMEA, MySpace
* Bill Tancer, General Manager of Global Research, Hitwise
* Dominic Tillson, Senior UK Sales Manager, Bebo
* Martin Verdon-Roe, Head of UK Sales, TripAdvisor
* Karin von Abrams, Senior Analyst, eMarketer

If you plan to attend as a delegate, exhibitor or speaker and you want to share your interest or expertise in web 2.0, please do not hesitate to send me an email (cm_langlois[AT]yahoo[DOT]co[DOT]uk) to make sure we meet during the show.