A Love letter to MadFest

Like any decent festival (and i was at a very different one last weekend) there are many different ways to 'do' MadFest; you can mingle with the great and the good, striking up conversations with whomever is in earshot over coffee, croissants, or cocktails at any time of day; you can attend sessions, to learn more about the topics du jour from AI to empowerment, from leadership to location data to 'how to learn from restauranteurs about personal branding'; you can wander from cabana to picnic table to sponsored bar, meeting and greeting the exhibitors who've effectively paid for it all; and of course, you can combine any and all of the above, and end the day drinking, dancing and carousing til the queues begin again the next day.

Having spent the best part of two days at The Truman Brewery this year, as i did last year and the year before, this is my view, having done MadFest my way - which generally involves grabbing a free piece of corporate swag headwear (this year's must-have accessory being a rose behind the ear) - and talking to people - striking up conversations in queues with people I didn't know until i'd said 'hi'; catching up with old friends, colleagues and business partners; pontificating about the increasingly broadening Marketing Universe - from Influencers to AI, agencies to mobile location data (of course, as that's my area of special interest) and attending a couple of sessions (both of which were so good that i did wonder why i'd not attended more). Yes, i want to build my BD pipeline; no, i don't want to look at a name badge first and introduce myself second - it's all 'peace and love, baby' first, this is a festival after-all, not a hierarchical business opportunity. Oh, and hugging an old friend to say hi if we both have a beard now = 'beard velcro opportunity'. Who knew?!?!

Those of you who already know, and have been yourselves, don't really need to be told, but if you've not been to MadFest and are reading this to find out a little bit of what all the fuss is about - my view is that all events in our calendar either live or die because they offer something a little different to the others. I love AdWeek Europe because i get to learn about the things i don't know about before, but want to find out more about in our industry (and beyond our industry) - the breadth of content, quality of speakers, window into areas both new and maturing cannot (in my view) be beaten; I love Cannes for the celebration of what we are, the chance meetings, the sheer numbers, the decadence of it all and the reminder that we shouldn't take ourselves too seriously, but we do actually have a responsibility to the entire universe (i know, total dichotomy right there); Trinity Lunches, DMEXCO, Awards Nights, conferences etc - all have to have 'their place' and their point of difference otherwise they fail to last the distance over time.  

MadFest is probably my favourite fixture in the marketing calendar because of its unique blend of the above - and quite simply put, i love festivals - and it really is a festival first, and a marketing event second (for me, at least - other views are welcome). DMEXCO is great for doing business, but it's functional - Digital Marketing Exhibition and Conference, with Teutonic efficiency, all business, does what it says on the tine, no more, no less. Like all great festivals, at MadFest there are headline acts that you might not get to see (sorry Paul Frampton-Calero ⚡️ , i was getting coffee, but i will watch back on your interview with GNev), supporting acts that you might not have heard of (but end up feeling are better than the ones you thought were going to be great - Ellie Edwards-Scott / Danielle Le Toullec ); legends, upstarts, no-shows, surprise special guests, slightly lengthy queues, slightly smelly loos, and rather free-flowing booze. Yes, you will probably talk a little about the weather ("Last year, it was so hot that being inside was awful - this year, it's so wet that you don't want to be outside" - "Good ole British summertime, eh??!"), and a general feeling that the normal rules of London life have been suspended, and you can just smile at someone and strike up a conversation. Whats. Not. To. Love? Oh, and the enduring debate (sponsored by AdForm) about whether it is pronounced 'buy-gl' or a 'bay-gl' (for me, this is less important than whether it has enough mustard in - which it never does, even on Brick Lane - please take note for next time Philip Acton and Julian Sneeuwjagt ).  

MadFest, for me - has been put together brilliantly. Yes, I'm fully aware that there were some 'capacity issues' this year (cmon folks, get there early and you walk right in!) - indeed, I'm well-aware that when it was raining (and, in actual fact, absolutely pouring) - some of the stands suffered a little, and the lunch vendors being outside just when it dared to pleut was a bit of, in hindsight, an error - but come on - this is a festival, there's supposed to be an element of chaos, it's what helps make it fun - i once went to Glastonbury where they had to shut the dance tent cos someone tried to pump the mud out with a toilet-emptying truck, but left it on 'blow' rather than 'suck', and if they can make that mistake at the Mother of all Festivals, then we can forgive the organisers at MadFest for building an event that's so damn good that too many of us show up to get in - I'm sure next year will be different, and I'm sure hoping I'll be there to find out. 

In summary - if you can go, then do. Or don't. It's fun, it's actually useful, and if you know how to get around queues, into bars with VIP-guest food, and when it's about the right time to start with free booze (for me, there's Key Indicator - it's as soon as i see Gavin Stirrat with a pint) then you'll have fun - and remember, you will get out of it what you put in - if you spend too much time in sessions you don't really like, then that's on you - take a moment, breathe a little, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy yourself. You'll likely be back at your desk tomorrow, after a week of festivals, trying to remember precisely what it is you should be doing in your day job...... talking of which......

Thankyou friends - old and new - lovely to see everyone I saw, no matter how brief, and to those I saw but didn't chat to - let's lunch soon!