A few things I learned at Web Summit 2019
It’s a week past my first ever Web Summit and about the right time to share some of the wisdom earned. So whether you are curious to know what went down in Lisbon in terms of futurecasting, or thinking of maybe attending next year, read on!
The wow factor
The overall experience design of Web Summit is exceptional and kicks off weeks before you set foot in Lisbon. The app, the networking facilitating, the airport registration, the night summit, the events before and the follow up after, the whole built up is just… wow. Hats off, guys!
It is a marathon, not a sprint.
70,469 attendees, 1,206 speakers, 2,150 startups, 1,200 tech investors in just 4 days. Yes, it’s mind-blowing/exciting/fascinating, but it’s also exhausting, both physically and mentally! You rush through an enormous venue to make it to the next stage, with thousands of people doing the same thing, half of them in the opposite direction. You attend dozens of speeches and panels every day. Not to mention the workshops and networking…
It’s all worth it, but it takes a lot of stamina! So if you are planning to attend next year, prepare yourself.
Gen Z rulez
Literally, because they are the consumers-to-win for every company. And metaphorically, because they buy from or boycott companies depending on their social stance, political view, ethics and treatment of employees.
So no, shareholder value is no longer everything and yes, top CEOs realize their companies have obligations to society. Nice going, Gen Z.
Branded content and storytelling
As in the word “storytelling”, the story comes before the telling. Brands should, therefore, worry less about the consumers’ attention span and more about the quality of their content. They shouldn’t do VR because it’s a trend, but rather find a great idea and then decide which platform best delivers it.
So to do branded content right, really know your audience and your brand and don’t be self-serving.
Brand design. What’s next?
Asked to predict the future of brand design the expert panel came up with 3 words: human, inclusive, flexible. They made it quite clear that it’s really about the user experience. And as we all know by know “UX design is like a joke. If you have to explain it, it’s not good”.
So, what lies ahead?
In a nutshell… 5G will change our everyday life, AI will be one of the most powerful tools in the history of mankind. Privacy protection, climate change, diversity, sustainability, are huge issues and companies acknowledge it. Technology will definitely change the world and we have to make sure it changes it fairly.
After all, Web Summit 2019, the most important worldwide tech event, opened with Edward Snowden, closed with Margrethe Vestager and hosted all the tech giants in between. Reason enough to be optimistic about our common future.
