13 February 2007

3GSM themes…

There is a general consensus that the two big themes of 3GSM this year are mobile broadband and the mobile internet. The FT’s mobile broadband/internet focus is all stolidly businesslike with talk of mobile enterprise applications, management and security. The Guardian is typically more fey with whimsical notions of social networking, search, music and TV. Both the BBC and The Guardian are interested in embryonic telco worthiness in the developing world.

But precious few have picked up on the over-riding themes at 3GSM; fear, loathing and blame.

The fear of middle managers careering away from the M4 corridor as they fail to deliver the level of coverage from last year.

The loathing from senior executives, who expected the FT but find themselves with a 24 year old reporter on a third rate telco mag.

The blame redirected on a hapless AE, abandoned by account managers that were too scared to attend. Cast adrift from agency/practice leads ‘chasing new business’ in Barcelona bars at the expense of those that they could actually impress.

Ruthless senior execs, pallid in-house wannabes, freeloading senior agency staff and horribly exposed agency juniors. The broken promises, the shattered hopes, the drunken advances, the naivety preyed upon. The over-bearing stench of self-interest.

God it’s good to be here…

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

How many times will this conversation be played out?

Bossy Account Director (panicking, and on the phone): where the hell is the journalist for the 10am briefing? Did you not double confirm them? They haven't turned up? [Client] is going mental, what am I going to do?

AE (in London): I don't know, you are at the show, they confirmed they'd be there. Not much I can do from here. Besides, its only five past!

Bossy Account Director (panicking more): Yes but they aren't here. Oh this is terrible, and I had to stuff 400 press packs in my room last night. It is the same every year.

AE: Never mind, eh.

Bossy Account Director (relieved): Thank God, they have arrived, it is a good job I am here to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Anonymous said...

TWL - you might want to have another crack at this entry - I don't understand a word of it.

And its never a good idea to hit the sangria before lunchtime..

figgis said...

I always thought it was best to bring an AE to 3GSM with a suitcase or 2 full of press packs.

Anonymous said...

it's a good idea for the PRs to get some idea of the size and scale of the Fira. I said to several PRs 'I can do time X if it's on the route between A and B' and only a sterling few thought of what that implied about me having meetings in A and B already scheduled to get between. Top marks to the PR who phoned not to chase me but to give me directions based on where I said I'd be coming from and take my coffee order!