As someone who has been in the digital media space for nearly two decades now (mostly focused on the music side, but really immersed in all facets of it), it's interesting to observe what goes on at some of the industry conferences -- where all of us at the convergence of entertainment and technology gather. One such gathering, Digital Hollywood CLICK HERE, takes place twice a year in Los Angeles; the most recent event was last week. There are sessions on a myriad of topics such as "Embracing the Connected Consumer" and "Digital Music & Its Transformation", all taking place over a 3 1/2 day period. Representatives are on hand from Sun and Microsoft, from Sony and Disney, and from a growing number of start-ups eager to be a part of this next wave. It's intriguing that given most of the attendees are peers and colleagues, for the most part we are really just regaling each other with things most of us already know; it's like a dinner party where we're just sharing opinions and observations with each other. I've rarely seen anyone come away transformed per se. Yet, we all continue to show up each and every time -- because it's the place to be. The real power in these gatherings is in the networking and dealmaking that takes place in the lobby, in the hallways, at the pool, or at the lounge. Power meetings are the name of the game at these events, and plenty of deals get done.
At virtually all of the last several of these digital music, digital media events I've attended (certainly during the past six months to a year), the primary topic has been Apple -- and pontifications galore about their strategies, successes, challenges, and of course the mysterious Steve Jobs. It seems everyone wants to praise and/or bash Apple at the same time; many wish they could experience the sales and media frenzy that Apple enjoys & many like to take a shot at a company with such a large lead in a given space. Rarely does anyone from Apple show up at these events, magnifying the mystery and the allure; and allowing participants to engage in wild suppositions without being checked or corrected. As someone who spent 10 years of my career at Apple, focused squarely on driving music and entertainment initiatives, I feel a bit of a tug when these discussions arise. I have a better sense of the truth than most, and certainly insights on strategies and approach. I frequently find myself wanting to speak up on behalf of the company; often the people postulating what they think is going on are far off the mark, but it's inappropriate for me to chime in. I have to say that I'm proud of the company and its successes (and yes, for my part in helping to foster their success and leadership in digital music and media). Long may Apple rule -- it's always been a leader in this arena, and after 30 years of being an innovator the company deserves all the accolades it receives.
What are your thoughts & experiences if you've attended similar industry conferences? And if you don't attend, what would make it enticing or valuable for you to consider participating in them?
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Read More Entries by Kelli Richards.
Conferences by nature attract people who think alike, so I’m always pleased to come across disruptive speakers. When soliciting speakers for Project Bar-B-Q, the annual computer music think tank, I tell them their job is to convince the audience that everything it knows is wrong.
One of the classic talks to come out of that environment was Van Webster’s sermon on “appliantology,” the study of why dedicated appliances work better than general-purpose devices. When Van noted that the majority of the top-selling computer programs are designed to fix problems with other programs, the audience realized that something was out of whack, and one member went on to found a company to do something about it.
It is entertaining to watch Apple succeed while competitors fumble around, but I have to believe that a lot of that is due to luck—and the refusal of competitors to question what they “know.”