Russell Davies is Interesting 2007

I am an introvert by nature. So says that Myers Briggs test. But wherever I go in my travels I try to reach out to other bloggers - folks that I have found interesting online. For the moment, the fact that we are both bloggers and often share an interest in how people are using social media, in general, is enough for a conversation. Turns out that Russell Davies has some of the same quiet characteristics. And that has led him to start his own conference in London this Spring called Interesting 2007.

Russell is a wise man. He is/was a planner by trade and maintains his core blog focused on planning as well as a planner's Wiki. After a stretch at Weiden, he worked directly for Nike in a global granpoobah role, and now consults for clients and agencies on marketing and social media. I have long been a fan of his core blog as well as his eggbaconchipsandbeans blog profiling the many English cafes (diners for us Americans) out there.

So, he's been to TED and was saving up to do same when it occured to him that he might start his own unconference with the dough it would have cost him to attend TED. I have never been to TED as it costs about $5K US to walk through the door. But I have spoken to Richard Saul Wurman (started and sold TED) once or twice and like what I do know about it. Anyhow, instead of sitting in the back of the room at TED, Russell will now corral the cats to put on Interesting 2007 which will cost in the neighborhood of 20 pounds ($35 US?). Similar format with 20 minute sessions so you are never more than 20 minutes away from the next thing. Here is a brief description from Russell:

"The plan is to have all sorts of speakers speak about all sorts of stuff. Not brands, advertising, blogging and twitter but interesting, unexpected, original things. I'm hoping to find fascinating people and to just ask them to speak about something they care about. I want to replicate the experience of clicking from one really good blog to another, ranging across sciences, arts, musics, jokes and whatever. There will be 20 minute slots and 3 minute slots. Some people will play music or sing. And some people who can't be there will be asked to send three minute videos. Perhaps. I reckon we can squeeze a lot of interestingness into a day. And then have a party afterwards."

Here's the category on his blog about the conference.

This is the type of event that is more rewarding than the big standards. If I can make it to London in June, I will definitely go.

"Stop Pre-testing"

The last anecdote from my discussion with Russell is from a client preso that he gave. He was asked by the client what they could do to succeed like Nike. His answer was a slide that read, "Stop Pre-testing". His point wasn't to trust creatives implicitly. By not pre-testing or relying on pre-testing marketing messages and materials, the client would have to embrace a whole new discipline of getting to know and having some type of conversation with their customers. It would force them into all sorts of new behaviors.

Earlier last week, I was with a group of really topnotch health marketers here in London. They do loads of work for all of the pharmas. I asked them how often their clients reach out to customers (patients, doctors, nurses, etc...) outside of focus groups or other formal, old-school research regimens. How often do they invite them in for discussions in some forum or another to learn more about their POV? Long silence. Doesn't happen. I wish more marketers would follow Russell's wisdom.