Find me at Kiosk O (for OpenDNS) in the LaunchPad area.

I’ll admit to one other curiousity: the Segway Raceway in the back corner is near our kiosk (PDF of the floor plan) .

Why?

Here’s part of the introducton to the first invitation, with the identifying information removed:

As a VIP, the cost of your airfare, hotel accommodations and conference registration will be paid for by (removed).

The [organizers have] identified you as a senior level marketer or agency executive decision maker within your company. You are among a select few to whom we are extending this special VIP opportunity.

The price of freedom (or, rather, a free conference)? My mandatory attendance at breakfasts hosted by the sponsor.

Here’s the introduction to the second invitation:

We apologize if you received an email…earlier today inviting you as our VIP guest to the (removed). That email was intended to be sent to a list of 50 (removed) marketers in the industry, that have already agreed to attend the event. The email below is the email that you were intended to receive. If you would like to be a part of (removed) please read below about the (removed) and how to register. Again we apologize for the confusion and inconvenience that error may have caused you.

I didn’t understand how I made the VIP list in the first place. The answer? I didn’t. I’m hardly offended, but I was amused. It’s not only Santa that needs to check his list twice.

This incident reminds me of the real-estate solicitations I used to see back in the 1980s. Attend a weekend sales pitch, and get a free television (or other medium value gee-gaw) for your trouble, no purchase required. Just pay with your time, your sweet, sweet time. Even then, I had an inkling of the value of time. Now I know much better.

The answer was yes, although it’s clear that’s an evolutionary step. (I’m paraphrasing.)

Which makes me wonder about the R in NPR.

How long before Steve Inskeep and others use only the acronym NPR to refer to their media company, rather than the bold, emphatic National Public Radio one still hears most of the time?

In a different forum, I once pointed out the danger of naming your publication after a time period.

The new corollary, I suppose, is to be wary about specifying your medium if you’re a media company.

Some notes from my New York City visit for Media Summit 2006…

Great quote from Kevin Roberts, CEO Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi, during Wednesday’s “afternoon keynote:”

The supermarket is the only place in the world where you still hear Phil Collins.

As someone who enjoyed Phil Collins’ cameo on an episode of Miami Vice, my laughter was bittersweet. But it had the audience rolling.

From that same panel, someone I need to learn more about: Andrew Lippman, Senior Research Scientist, Director, Digital Life, MIT Media Lab.

TV, Internet Convergence Yields Cultural Chasm bundles comments from two different panels, including the one I was on, about how the numbers get in the way of selling online advertising, especially advertising on/around video content. My comments were brief, and focused on making things simple. Nothing is, yet, in the video swath of the online advertising world. The trickle of dollars will become a flood as simplicity emerges.

Conference did not have people blogging away, that I could tell. Big difference from Bay Area conferences, certainly. Maybe people were listening more?

Nice dinner Wednesday night, hosted by WiderThan, which I had never heard of before (mobile applications, parent company is SK Telecom in South Korea). Never knew that Children’s Television Workshop had been renamed to Sesame Street Workshop. And did you know that Snuffleupagus has been visible to everyone (not just Big Bird) for years? Always surprising what you learn and where you learn it.

Everyone at the conference assumes the gaps in the access grid will be filled in shortly. But until then, perhaps Hilton could revisit their policy of charging for Wi-Fi in their rooms? Next time I travel for business, I will make a point on this utility (not a feature, a necessity).

Barely saw Vin Crosbie, met Dorian Benkoil in person. (Some of his notes from the Summit.) I did get to connect with a variety of folks, which I enjoyed. And it wasn’t the same crowd which seems to move from one Bay Area event to the next… very appreciated.

My next speaking gig is in late March at OMMA Hollywood in Los Angeles.

Between CNET Video (RSS feed) and CNET News.com Video (RSS feed) and all that’s going on with GameSpot Video and ZDNet Whiteboards, there’s a lot of possibilities. I’ll keep it short and sweet.

Most important reason to mention this? See who I might bump into in New York, despite the tight turnaround.