I went to one of those events recently where anyone and everyone seems to be invited, and about halfway through the evening I caught myself wondering why I’d bothered to come. Then I bumped into an industry friend, and we ended up talking for most of the night. It was one of those conversations that stays with you, so I wanted to write it down before I forgot. This isn’t a rant, just something I’ve been thinking about, with a bit of background on how I got here.
I want to make it clear that I like events, and I like the people who put them together. I’ve been going to them for a very long time, so I’ve watched them change from the inside, and that’s the only reason I feel I can say anything about it. Think of this as something to sit with, not necessarily a verdict.
When I first started going to industry events, the guest list felt like it had been thought out. The creators in the room were people who had substance and their audiences actually listened to them. If one of them tried a product and loved it, you saw it in what people bought, talked about and tried. The room felt small enough that you could have a proper conversation, and nearly everyone was there for a reason.
Now when I look around at these events (which by the way I don’t go to as often), there are far more people than before and a lot of faces I’ve never seen before…every time I go. What I find funny is that the creators who’ve been around since the beginning all gravitate toward each other. We don’t plan it…we know each other’s work, we know what each person brings, and we know the conversation will be real.
The funny part is that back in the day we didn’t talk to each other all that much, because we were busy doing our own thing. Now, at these big events, we all end up in the same corner, and without fail we all say the same thing at some point in the night, “who are these people?”. It’s never said in a mean way, it’s genuine curiosity. And what I love about this group is that none of us look alike or sound alike. Everyone has their own identity and their own point of view, and that’s a big part of why people listen to us in the first place.
When an event is built to get as many people through the door as possible, it gets hard to do the thing the event was for. It’s loud, it’s crowded, nobody can really try the product properly and the conversations stay on the surface. The people who’d talk about a launch in a way that actually moves their audience are often the ones standing at the edge of the room, or leaving early. It isn’t great for the brand and it isn’t great for the guests.
Take L'Oréal for example. They do big events with a lot of people attending, but it's people with substance, so it's a room full of all the right people. It isn't really about how big a room is, it's about who's in it. When the right people are there, even a packed event can feel like a proper gathering, with real conversations and people who actually care about what's being launched.
“A full room looks great in photos. A good room is the one people are still talking about a week later.”
The second half of this is a bit more personal. It covers what I think is behind all this, what I’d love to see more of, and why I’m choosing to stay hopeful. You’ll find all of that on the other side of the paywall for paid subscribers.
