Wonder strategy director, Jonathan Izzard, recently attended
the Online Marketing Rockstars (OMR) Festival in Hamburg, Germany. He’s here
to tell us how the festival differentiates itself from others in the
space.
- Event: Online Marketing Rockstars Festival (OMR)
- Who: 800 speakers, 1,000 brand exhibitors and over 70,000 attendees
Inclusivity at heart
It’s immediately striking how OMR’s audience is both younger
and more female than other industry events. It was also the first time I’d ever
seen people with infants, toddlers and buggies at an industry event of this ilk
- another refreshing embrace of different audiences.
What’s clear is that people aren’t just there as
buttoned-down representatives of a brand - both independent digital marketers
and influencers are included in the mix. Tattoos over neckties; fun over
formality. OMR equals openness.
Additive Tech Dubbing itself ‘the festival for the digital
universe’ naturally sets expectations of OMR’s use of technology pretty high.
Nonetheless, the event rises to the challenge. And this isn’t just through
flashy moments (the area between Halls A and B featuring the largest jumbotron
I’ve ever seen at an event of this kind), but the elements that underpinned the
entire event.
From clear digital wayfinding and screens that filled dead
space, to non-dropping wifi, a seamless event app and a wristband-based payment
system that *just worked*, the focus of technology at the event was about
letting attendees stay connected, stay engaged and stay in the moment.
Space for chat
Whilst technology is clearly important to the event
audience, there was a refreshing absence of hardware and software on the
majority of exhibitor stands. Rather than endless screens, slideshows, circuit
boards and product showcase, the majority of stands felt dedicated to
conversation space. And it wasn’t just the exhibitors who prioritised chat -
OMR themselves dedicated entire halls to facilitating conversation. This meant
communal areas replete with sofas, tables, benches and bars.
That’s not to say that exhibitors at OMR weren’t interested
in showing their wares, chief among them being event sponsor Vodafone. Their
brand space (and it really was a cavernous space) housed all manner of demos
for the company’s products and services, encouraging interaction and
facilitating conversation (a retro gaming joystick my gateway to understanding
more about the complexities of anonymised mobile data).
More analogue interactions were also very popular. As with
the Cannes Manifestival, Pinterest used its space to actively immerse audiences
in the latest Gen Z trends, whilst Tony’s Chocolonely’s grabber machine was a
sweet sensation and there were more Wheel of Fortune-style spin-to-win games
than you could shake a stick at. All helping raise a smile and spark a
conversation.
Unexpected perspectives
While other brands and industry events are starting to catch
up, OMR has long showcased the type of talent it sees as most relevant and
engaging to its audiences. Serena Williams, Quentin Tarantino, Ashton Kutcher
and, this year, Kim Kardashian - fresh from the Met Gala only hours earlier -
have all graced the main stage with their OMR keynotes. Not only do all of
these help sprinkle a bit of international stardust on the event, but they also
provide an often unexpected or unconventional perspective on creativity and
commerce.
Night mode
There’s a distinct cadence to the OMR Festival. Day one was bursting with life, almost every stand jam-packed with visitors - whether
invited or organic. And this energy is not wasted, but bottled and redirected
come 6pm when the festival shifts gear. Stands (though not all stands)
transform through DJ sets, drinks and doorstaff, offering more than just a
post-event lighting change. While the face-off between rival stands’ sound
systems was definitely palpable, this was a reminder of the non-stop intensity of
the festival - the flip to ‘Night Mode’ helps ensure attendees aren’t
immediately lost to the bars and clubs of Hamburg, but have a chance to let
their hair down and live in the moment…without leaving the premises.
A ‘B2Me’ experience
Though ostensibly a ‘business’ event, one of the particular
delights of OMR was the number of B2C brands on show. Demonstrating - all too
often disregarded - consideration of how event attendees really behave as human
beings. Sure, they are probably there for work, but that doesn’t mean they
don’t also want to be entertained and diverted across the two days. The
presence of brands like Hendricks (with its Gym), Hyrox (with a distinctly
sweaty ski-erg challenge), Stanley (with a 6-foot drinks flask) and the
aforementioned Tony’s gave people something to explore beyond their day job -
perpetuating a more complete and engaging ‘whole self’ experience.
Managing expectations
You need to understand that not
every conversation will have a tangible business outcome. At Wonder, we pride
ourselves on our ‘audience-first’ approach, because we know that more human
experiences are always more meaningful ones. And in this respect, OMR certainly
delivers. A more diverse audience means more diverse motivations, so while a
lead might not get qualified, they can still have quality. It’s an event where
brands - both familiar and unexpected at an event focused on ‘the digital
universe’ - seamlessly co-exist and blend.
This makes for a heady, yet refreshing cocktail - part tech
showcase, part urban street festival - that’s really only possible when you
reimagine the rules of the expo world.
