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Okay, I just can?t stop going on about my recent trip to CJU. It?s made for good blog fodder all week. That?s because there was a lot of useful information along with some great networking with advertisers and publishers as well as many entertaining Commission Junction people. I especially liked many of CJ?s Marlborough contingent.
Being that I was born and raised in Massachusetts before moving to California many years ago, it was great to talk about the old stomping ground and all the things I miss about Boston. The best part – all of this fabulous interaction and stimulation took place in a picturesque seaside setting.
But of course, if you know me, it?s hard to imagine that I wouldn?t have something to say that was well, not so positive. Needless to say, there were a few things at the conference that struck me as a bit off. Not bad, just a little odd. Here are a few observations.
First – the music. Admittedly, I?m a bit of music junkie. I used to be in radio, so I?m very attuned to music in my environment.
Music at the conference was a weird mix of modern, adult contemporary and slightly off cover versions all played just a bit too loud. There was a scary rendition of Fleetwood Mac?s Tusk by some unidentifiable group. I think I heard the B52?s Love Shack no less than a half dozen times. I was also barraged by the same Roberta Flack tune over and over again.
And don?t even get me started on the music at the Horizon awards. I?m guessing that because the awards dinner/reception was a swankier nighttime affair, it was okay to break out the funk and hip-hop. Several people at my table commented on the clear disconnect between the winners and the loud music that played during the walk to the stage to accept their awards. When I think about CouponCabin.com, I just don?t think Diddy. Now, if it was 50 Cent, I might have appreciated the subtle humor.
For the record, I?m not sure it was actually Diddy. I was taking notes on the winners but I was also enjoying my second pleasant glass of cabernet at that point. However, I do know that our table spent the better part of the ceremony scratching our collective heads at the musical choices.
Okay, enough about the music. What about the sessions? There were two that I found slightly odd – both were general sessions. First, there was the Dating Game. Here?s what it said on the conference agenda:
“11:00 – 12:00 PM General SessionThe Dating Game – Affiliate StyleModerator:Don Batsford, Publisher Business Development Manager, Commission Junction
Session 1: David A. Coppins, Vice President, Online Mall, Upromise
David M. Lewis, CEO, 77Blue
Eva Klein, Merchant Relations, FatWallet
Melissa D. Salas, Senior Marketing Manager, Buy.comSession 2:E va Hung, Senior Manager, Acquisition Marketing, Yahoo! Inc.
Joe Nardolilli, Director of Marketing, Ritz Interactive, Inc.
Larry Joseloff, Marketing Manager, The Discovery Channel
Paul Nichols, Director of Business Development, eBatesLocation: Grand Ballroom
Be in our studio audience as Commission Junction presents The Dating Game – Affiliate Style. You’ll watch three talented publishers strut their program models as they vie to be chosen by a popular affiliate program in the first of two episodes. In part two you will see three well-known advertisers share their juicy offerings as they strive to be picked up and promoted by a highly desirable publisher. Watch each side meet their performance objectives by finding the partner of their dreams!”
But this session struck me the wrong way. I think it was designed to put a humorous and somewhat saucy spin on advertisers picking partners and affiliates signing up for programs. However, the overly scripted, heavy-handed, double entendres just didn?t resonate well for me. My bet is that they wanted the audience to be laughing with them.
Still, there were some who enjoyed the Dating Game. I certainly don?t speak for everyone, but several people commented to me after the session ended that they were cringing during the whole thing. One top CJ executive even asked me if I intended to write about it. When I said probably not, the executive was clearly relieved. Sorry, but when I reflected on the entire event I couldn?t resist mentioning the Date Game here.
The Tuesday morning session given by Lex Sisney, the founder and former CEO of CJ, was also not for me. I also expecting a talk about how far CJ and online marketing have come over the years and less about personal growth, realizing your full potential and following your dreams.
Perhaps years of being a journalist has made me cranky, skeptical and not very open to such positive messages. I know it definitely works wonders for some people, but from what I observed people were exiting that session left and right. One woman wandered out from the large, dark room looking befuddled and annoyed. ?I came to learn about affiliate marketing, I?m really okay with myself,? she said to me as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
On the positive side, I can?t say enough about the quality of people that attended the conference. I met some amazing people that are doing exciting things in online marketing. I came home with a notebook full of ideas and inspiration. You?ll see many of those ideas make it into future issues of the magazine.
And, kudos to those in charge of planning the conference. The organization was top-notch. Everything was extremely well executed and ran like a well-oiled machine. The CJ people were gracious and helpful and very knowledgeable ? even on subjects not related to affiliate marketing.
Here?s a non CJU-related item. The call for submissions for Revenue?s By Design Makeover is over. If you haven?t already sent in your entry, then you?ll just have to wait for the next issue. I?ll let you know when that time comes. The response to this one was overwhelming and one lucky person is going to get a visual page redesign by Web design guru Pedro Sostre of Sostre & Associates. The before and after pictures will appear in Pedro?s new column, which makes its debut in the January issue of Revenue.
Let me know what you thought of CJU or whatever else is on your mind. [email protected]
http://www.revenuetoday.com/blogs/index.php?title=cju_oddities_and_observations&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
