OK, so this is a new category that seems to us appropriate for a “Push the Future” conference. While last year we noted that “PUSH is still a work in progress, displaying a few rough edges,” we also cited some attendees who were delighted to find it to be a sort of “mini-Davos” set in Minneapolis and resembling the annual World Economic Forum’s annual gathering of global leaders in Switzerland.
PUSH: The Future I. We believe Sommers has created a true gem of a conference. We picked up coverage of PUSH last year based on audience acclaim and on Sommers’ own upbeat evangelism. This year the audience grew, in part assisted by introduction of a conscious effort to expand the universe of attendees. Nonetheless, a number of multi-year attendees described some disappointment the trajectory was not as steep as they may have hoped, and found the energy level less compelling than they would have hoped.
In part, this may have been due to late speaking changes, though attendees also noted question and answer sessions tended to follow each presentation, rather than pulling together themes as they had in 2005. Also, the lack of a collective gathering at the end of the Monday sessions resulted in fewer networking and discussion opportunities, and meant speakers were less available for general attendees to meet. Often one of the key attractions of the intimacy of a 250-person conference is this sort of follow-up – and we’d encourage PUSH to recreate such opportunities in their 2007 format.
PUSH The: Future II. PUSH has established a strong regional backing – with up to a dozen or more participants from a number of stalwart Midwest-based U.S. food, retail and fast moving consumer goods companies and a combination of attendance and sponsorships from the likes of General Mills, Target, Boston Scientific, etc.
The next year or two will likely mark whether PUSH remains a strong Midwest event knitting together individuals and institutions in business, academics, the arts, science and public policy around new trends, as does Sommers’ own think tank, The Push Institute, or whether it puts PUSH on the map as a national and potentially international event exploring leadership around cultural changes impacting our lives due to disruptive new trends.
Either role is valuable, and is likely to serve core backers well. The latter could create a broader conversation between the marketing mavericks and thought leaders of the region and a more geographically diverse audience.
The Future III: PUSH. Sommers unveiled the 2007 PUSH conference will be held June 11-12, 2007 under the theme “SUPERPOWER”, emphasizing geopolitics, energy, demographics and media. There is little doubt she and her collaborators will continue to think “big” in their mission and vision for PUSH.
A final PUSH. We like
Perhaps with the acceleration of modern-day life to which Allen and others refer, and with Sommers’ energy and knack for attracting engaging and learned speakers, the growth it takes a tree two decades to achieve may be realized far sooner. We hope so, and look forward to witnessing it.
- Sam Perry
Random quotes:
“Everything is more complicated than you think.” K. Anthony Appiah, professor of philosophy at Princeton.
“The imagination is today a staging ground for action, and not only for escape.” Katie Salen a designer studying the interplay of game design, interactivity and play. “Games without players are just a rule set."
“Hope is a gentle breeze, but fear is a whipping, icy wind.” Elsie Farnum, Age 8, in answering the question, Which is more powerful, hope or fear?
“Because of
Nanotechnology, we will see more change in our civilization in the next 25
years than we did in all of the 20th Century.” Jack Uldrich, nanotechnology
industry consultant, adding that to keep up with the promise of this new
industry, the
“Play will be to the 21st Century what Steam was to the 19th Century.” Julien Dibble.
“When you have clear space, then you have room for other ideas.” David Allen.
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