Social Media Week New York was a whirlwind of excitement with all Official Events under one roof for the first time. Though it would be impossible to dive into every single incredible event from the week, we will try to outline some of our more memorable moments (for our short list, check out our CULTURALIST Top 10 here).
We kicked things off at our VIP Opening Night Party nomming on Chipotle chips and locally grown appetizers from Wholefoods. This party certainly helped get things started on the right foot, showcasing some of the awesome installations on the ground floor at Campus at Highline Stages.
Campus buzzed with excitement on Tuesday morning about hearing BuzzFeed’s Jonah Peretti interviewed by Social Media Week’s Executive Director, Toby Daniels. Percolate packed the house, sharing seven useful tools for content marketers and Refinery29 dished on how to make money through digital publishing platforms. For attendees in regulated industries, Pzifer and Liveworld discussed the nuances of connecting to customers within the restraints of their industry. Tuesday evening ended with a panel on Startups To Watch, where 10 companies showcased their value propositions.
betaworks CEO, John Bothwork, discussed the betaworks approach to product creation on Wednesday morning, and Eli Pariser of Upworthy made an announcement (you won’t believe what happened next!). Next, leaders in the non-profit tech world inspired us with the ways that technology can be leveraged for the good of society. Steve Case, founder and CEO of venture firm Revolution, was interviewed about the industries most ready for disruption, and Merck tackled innovation in health. Tech in Motion hosted a fashion show of wearable tech. Though we might be biased, one of our favorite Wednesday events was the launch of our book, “On! The Future of Now,” whose profits will go toward the amazing work happening through charity: water to increase global access to clean drinking water.
Halfway through the week on Thursday morning, Lisa Gansky, Robin Chase, and Seth Godin shared with us the value the can be created simply by connecting people and their resources to one another. In a three-hour track they brought together some of the leading minds creating value through collaboration. Unmetric quizzed everyone on their brand knowledge, while Cindy Gallop hosted a three-hour panel about Changing the World Through Sex. MKG led a discussion on mobile innovation, and our evening ended with a screening of the documentary, WEB.
Nokia announced Friday that they would be powering the live camera-feed broadcasting Fabien Cousteau’s record-breaking expedition, Mission 31, in real time. Planet Earth always fascinated us, so we can’t wait be a part of this ocean adventure! Then, Spotify brought together an incredible lineup from the music industry to discuss the future of music, and The Huffington Post explored new definitions of success at The Third Metric. MRPR looked at the ways millennials are changing the landscape of the Internet.
And throughout all week, we were in and out of Nokia’s NOWStudio, making awesome short-form videos, visiting 140 Proof to get our social portraits, getting glammed up for Leica’s close-up, and checking out the other installations throughout Campus.
Our Closing Party hosted by Nokia MixRadio did not disappoint with a great acoustic performance by husband-wife duo, JOHNNYSWIM, DJ Sean Glass, followed by a performance from The White Panda. Between booze sponsors keeping us in the proper spirits and music to dance to, the closing party really was the only proper way to end another epic Social Media Week. And if you missed out on anything, be sure to check out the sessions on Livestream and make sure it doesn’t happen again! See you in 2015!
