Last month I had the opportunity to attend The Indie Summit in Singapore and I can honestly say that it takes attending a global conference like this, to remind us that there is a whole wide world out there.
The Indie Summit is an Agency specific conference that as is much about learning and sharing, as it is about networking and making great business connections with Agencies from all around the world.
I was able to Connect – with over 100 independent agency leaders facing similar challenges and opportunities.
I had the opportunity to Learn –getting up to speed with the latest trends and developments in our industry – and the skills you need today, to stay competitive.
Importantly I had the opportunity to Trade –with other agencies and other stakeholders in the communications ecosystem who provide practical consultancy, coaching, training, and resources.
And all of this was especially designed for independent agencies, right down to the curated sessions in which we immersed ourselves.
Every moment was an opportunity to Connect, Learn and Trade from sessions to breaks, right down to the dinners, sharing experiences over hawker style food in the streets of Singapore.
It was so refreshing to feel part of something bigger and even more inspiring to see the work we do matters, and we can compete on the world stage. I felt inspired and felt that I was inspiring and that was important to me.
Here are my key takeaways:
- AI is here to stay and will only get bigger and better. We need to embrace and use it as a tool as we would any other platform. Don’t be scared to teach and train people how to use it effectively and make it a resource for your business.
- Search will become AI based as the trend is to move away from Google and other traditional search engines. Social media will become the new search.
- Experience is THE currency and consumers are seeking brands that can engage with them in non-traditional ways. Find ways to create a physical and digital experience and blend the two for amplification.
- The development and money being poured into the Metaverse will change the game for ever.
- That Staff continue to be the number one hot topic of discussion around the world. Agencies need to create a talent ecosystem by creating a culture of collaboration and innovation.
- In trying times working together without fear or favour will strengthen our ability to deliver for our clients, staff and stakeholders.
- Sustainability is high on the agenda for all agencies and clients. We need to move our focus onto ensuring that it is part of our consideration set when creating campaigns.
- Pricing, scoping, winning new business, increasing profitability and performance, attracting and retaining talent, improving and measuring performance are all topics that affect all businesses, no matter the life stage.
- & I discovered that Croc ‘blinging’ is big business…
My favourite quote of the conference,
“Ignorance is no protection from the consequence of inaction.”
