Ad:Tech Singapore 2009

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Ad tech is a digital marketing conference for marketers & agencies to seek new opportunities and media owners, publishers & technology providers to promote themselves and create sales leads.

For the 2nd year running now, it's been held at Singapore for the convenience of the SEA audience. In previous years, its only held in various parts of China and the travelling time & expenses becomes a barrier for smaller agencies to attend.




In Singapore, you see people from every Tom Dick & Harry agency from Malaysia... everyone, which of course makes the event merrier.

The content didn't turn out to be quite what people expected though. I asked some Singaporeans what they thought of the content and one said "Last year was bad, this year is worse". Alot of them actually left after the keynote presentations - which means USD470 just to attend two 1 hour sessions - and first of the two turned out quite bad.

I asked another Singaporean what he thought and he answered " he he " with a sarcastic smile.

But well, i didnt think of it as negatively. At least, i got to network around with new media owners and technology providers, most of them driven here recently from the west which is suffering from saturation and low demands. Also got to catch up with business partners and friends who are working in other markets now.

I particularly remember an analogy a representative of Friendster, Ian Stuart, presented when asked what was the difference between Facebook & Friendster. He went "I see Facebook as the living room of the house and Friendster as the bedroom" ....... wtf? Which means i keep my trophies in Facebook and porno DVDs on Friendster? LOL

Publishers and media owners also bought space and established booths to showcase their properties and services.

What i also enjoyed was watching CNN from my hotel room with this scenery over the left side of my bed - the Esplanade of Singapore.

This is how it looked at night.

In Singapore this time was also the first time i had cold crabs. Like cold crabs with their red shells still on em. Was certainly not quite used to the temperature of what you expect to be hot and steamy but it turned out to be pretty good. Had it at a pretty decent restaurant called ONE 15 at Sentosa Island, thanks to iHub media.

Coicidentally, my birthday fell on the 2nd day of Ad tech so on the night of the 1st day, we parties at 7atenine on the Esplanade. Wasn't totally my birthday party - merely a hint - but was a more interesting digital conference than whatever the professors and whatsoever directors & chief executives could offer at the conference.

Now that was the birthday hint........ fucking Yogesh! haha