TORONTO – One day, 26 leading edge companies and creators, and just seven minutes to make your mark in a packed room of TV, radio, gaming and ad people. That was the setting for this year’s sold out Crossmedia TO conference, which set a frantic pace for the day, mirroring the reality of how fast everything is moving now in the digital realm.
The conference’s moderator, Gavin McGarry, who is also co-founder of Jumpwiremedia which presented the event, wanted to create a forum where leaders in TV, radio, gaming and advertising could come together to hear from the most innovative companies and creators in motion, mobile, marketing, publishing and games.
The conference, held on February 21, 2013 at the Bram and Bluma Appel Salon at the Toronto Reference Library, introduced a new format of “quick fire,” seven-minute demos that focused on building technologies and experiences with audiences and where it’s all going. The event was extremely popular on social media and generated 689 Tweets in one day and more than one million impressions on Twitter.
While the presentations came from all corners of the digital universe, a common thread among many speakers’ topics was the trend of how Canadians are devouring more content than ever and on multiple devices.
The 250-plus attendees, representing over 75 companies, heard from more speakers in one day than you normally get to see in a three-day conference. But more impressive than the “digital mash up” of 26 companies/speakers in one day, was the diversity of the speakers invited. They ranged from Erik Martin, general manager of online entertainment site Reddit on disrupting media, to Andrew Macdonald from Uber whose mobile app is disrupting the taxi business in in cities everywhere.
Setting the tone for the day was Roel Vertegaal, the inventor of the “paper tablet” which made headlines across the globe when unveiled at CES in January. His 10.7-inch PaperTab tablet, created as a joint project with Queen’s University Human Media Lab, Intel Labs and the United Kingdom technology firm Plastic Logic., is designed to feel like a sheet of paper but features an interactive, and flexible, high-resolution touchscreen display.
“Canadians now spend 4.4 hours a day in front of a screen, 77% are also watching a second screen at the same time,” said Veronica Holmes, President, Digital, ZenithOptimedia.
Holmes is encouraging clients to reallocate money out of TV and split it between the Internet and TV which can “extend their reach while spending less.” She noted how a recent Internet/TV campaign increased in-store sales for a client by 6%.
She added that the key to marketing campaign successes is continuity and ensuring your message is “always-on” by being sent across multiple platforms.
When it comes to attracting venture capital for new digital initiatives, you need to think big and globally, said Paul Sparkes, Executive Vice-Chairman and Co-Founder of Difference Capital. For example, he noted how his company has invested $19 million in Virgin Gaming which attracts gamers who want to play and gamble for money.
Burlington, Ont.-based YouTube sensation Corey Vidal, who founded ApprenticeA, the largest online video production company in Canada, also addressed the capacity crowd about how to monetize YouTube videos. He said his success in attracting millions of online fans has come from being true to his passions.
“My brand lines up with my personal likes. For example, I don’t like Apple and my fans know that. YouTube viewers know if you are genuine or not,” said Vidal.
In the mobile market, Deborah Hall, Head of Mobile at TorStar Digital, stressed the importance of making an emotional connection with audiences since it drives purchasing decisions. She noted that 70% of social marketing is now mobile.
