Did you know that one of the biggest media event of the world will happen in Lausanne area end of April?
As well as I know that there are many things that I don’t know, this event hasn’t reached my ears… until Eileen asked me if I was interested to attend as an official blogger! Of course, it has directly excited my curiosity. And what I’ve discovered is that it seems to be a MUST-attend event, at least for everyone active in the media and brands industry!
Main objective of Festival of Media Global, taking place from 28th to 30th of April 2013 in Montreux, is to bring together professionals of media trading (which is the art of buying and optimizing advertising spaces). And to show what’s next in the brand communications industry… so, something where media startups can easily fit!
Event will start on Sunday night (28th of April) with a cocktail and networking session. Two intensive days of conferences will follow, with an impressive panels of really high level marketing executive. Top brands like Facebook, Intel, Nestlé, Visa, Linkedin, Havas Media or the much discussed company BuzzFeed (its CEO, Jon Steinberg, will disclose what he means by native advertising) will be present and eager to network.
The program of the presentations sounds really interesting to me (and I hope to you too!), from talking about the new drivers of growth in the advertising space to the new publishing revolution. Other keynotes will for instance show what’s king in media space (conversation, not content) or how to transform engagement in real sales.
Recommendation engines, content experiences and social comments are transforming massively how the media industry works. In one sentence, startups are disrupting the business! Adaptation are required for every media professional and the festival is a good opportunity to learn about what’s coming.
The conference also has a startup program, named M.A.P. (Media Accelerator Program). The idea is to match exciting game-changing new media companies with some of the most successful marketers in the world, that is, to the high level attendees of the conference!
You can register your startup at M.A.P. (you have to choose one of the 3 packages – the cheapest unfortunately doesn’t give you access to the Festival of Media, but only to the MAP Global area). But what doesn’t it bring you then? It will bring you a unique feedback from people you can barely dream to meet. And give you some highly targeted advertising (your video-pitch will be displayed on the media channels of the festival, etc.) to senior marketers of top global brands (more than 3’000 media professionals to the festival).
Five companies will be selected by a judging panel comprised of top shots guys from Google, Sequoia Capital, Medialink, Ballpark Ventures, etc. These 5 companies will have the chance to present their business on the main stage on the 3rd day of the conference. And only one will be awarded the prestigious title of “Hot Company of the Year”.
Which criteria do you need to fulfill to apply to M.A.P.? You need to have a disruptive idea or product (you need to be operational, that is, at least in trial/beta mode) showing some next generation marketing possibilities, and being able to show the Return On Investment of your product. Here is a complete explanation of the M.A.P. program. Deadline is short: you must apply before Friday 12th of April and selected companies will be notified on 19th.
As ever, I’m currently trying to get some free tickets for you… or at least, some discounted tickets. I’ll update this post if I get some, so be attentive!
UPDATE: ask me a 40% (!) discount to attend Festival of Media Global 2013!
Hope to meet you there anyway!