| National Convention |
OAAA 2007 National Convention Postscript:
The Attendee Survey
This year’s National Convention and Trade Show was an unqualified success according to the feedback received in our on-line survey. You told us that the event provided a wealth of new ideas to help you on the job, and fostered a renewed sense of excitement about the future of the industry. Here’s what we heard:
Who Responded
Nearly half of respondents were billboard companies, with the remainder divided evenly among suppliers, OOH companies and advertisers/agencies. Specifically, 2% of those responding were advertisers, 3% were Creative Directors and 5% were media planners & buyers.
What You Liked
By an overwhelming majority, your favorite speakers on Day One were Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and OAAA's own Nancy Fletcher, whereas on Day Two, you rated Peter Evans of Fidel Parente, Adidas and political analyst, Charlie Cook as the best.
The favorite workshops were TAB's update on Audience Measurement, followed closely by The People's Space Creative Workshop – balancing left brain and right brain industry involvement! Both sessions received largely good to excellent scores from those in attendance.
The trade show offered something for everything; new products and services for billboard companies alongside resources and ideas for advertisers.
One respondent summed it all up by saying: “It's evident this is a group who is involved in and passionate about what they do.” Some just know what they like: “THE OBIE AWARDS!” Others referenced specific presentations that inspired them, while still others referred to “The challenges offered by Watts Wacker!” And undoubtedly people are what make the difference: “Meeting or renewing relationships with the people they work with across the country” was cited by one attendee as the most memorable part of this year’s Convention.
WHAT IF?
This year’s event showcased a vibrant and unstoppable industry and your What If? Responses – both at the convention and in the survey – were full of passion and drive. While we don’t have space in this newsletter to feature each one, OAAA will be synthesizing your input and creating an action plan to keep the momentum going.
Here’s just a few reactions:
What if... “The outdoor industry actively and collectively packaged its offerings, using OAAA as the broker, to suit whatever needs and combinations advertisers might desire.”
What if… “The industry instituted the great ideas learned at the convention and made the (relevant) changes in their companies and careers to become great?”
What if… “We work as one?”
What if… “Local ordinances… were lifted in all markets for only emergency public announcements and green-centric non-profit campaigns?”
What if… “We could change the world for the better with the power of the medium.”
At OAAA we believe we can do exactly that!
Where Do We Go From Here?
If it's up to you, we'll be going to Miami or Boston in 2009. And for certain, we will make sure our next venue can easily accommodate the growing size of our vibrant industry under one roof.
Haven't weighed in yet? Well it’s not too late. Go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=397253783155 and have your say! As always, we love to hear from you.