Digital Festival – Next-Generation Marketing Gimmick

Asoke K Laha
President & MD,
Interra IT

I had seen an unconventional headline, which could have merited only a mention or even a detailed treatment in inside pages. It was about a literary festival spearheaded by one of the leading dailies in the country. My first reaction was how that had merited the slot of the lead story of the newspaper of the day. Reading trough the first few paragraphs of the story written more like a feature and less like a news item, I suddenly realized that it was about the literary festival being organized by the newspaper, where stories, which could have been otherwise ignored and given a silent burial, are prominently displayed. 

While reading and assimilating the quintessential of varying stories – from geopolitics to culinary to magic – one question that remained with me and is still seeking an answer is why they are giving slots for a variety of subjects in a  leadership summit. Can a platform where world leaders speak on contemporary political and strategic issues be shared by a comedian, or a muscled cine actor or a world beauty whose face can launch thousand ships or a magician, whose expertise lies in creating make-believe situations  by a sleight of hand? What is there in common among them apart from the fact that they are “who’s who”  in their own domains? Can there be any other reason while staging them in a platform, though at different sessions and sub-sessions?

My thoughts wandered to seek an answer philosophical or otherwise.

I had a thought related to my domains – Information Technology. Can we have a festival, where IT-related subjects  are talked about? You may question me as to such things are happening across the world at seminars, workshops, conventions, fairs, etc. That is true. But such events lack its appeal since they are more couched in scientific talks, display of gadgets and gizmos, newer generations of equipment and applications and what have you and less in fun and frolic. The natural question is how in such a cerebral congregation of people,  mundane subjects like dance, drama, cinematic dances, magic and such trivial things can fit in. My only answer is that advent of literary festivals, leadership summits  and similar events are of recent origin. 

For those who will get enticed by this, I have a few suggestions. First on the format of the event:  Can it be called Digital festival, which can be quite comprehensive. The pertinent issue  is what should be the composition of the event: the theme, sessions and sub-sessions and what not. I have a few suggestions to offer. First of all, sessions and sub-sessions should have not only depth and appeal but also laced with fun and frolic. If you have a session on artificial intelligence and the next level of digital revolution, IT guys will get hooked and will trigger a debate on the broad contours of future tectonic changes that may take place. It will be more cerebral and exclusive. What I have in mind is something different. The debate and other proceedings of the meeting should engage both smart and dull, whiz-kids and ordinary mortals, serious and non-serious people, old and young, educated and less educated,  men and women. It should be class neutral, content rich, widely appealing, experimental and the list goes on. 

One may raise a question as to what purpose would it serve. They may even go further to tell that how people of all ages and hues will understand the complex algorithms used in the digital frame. Friends, you have gone totally wrong. You give mobile apps to a child of 10 and pit him  against him a well-educated man of 45 or 50. Give both the same set of applications to be operated in the mobile. I can vouch that the kid, whatever his age and intelligence level, can outsmart the older man. Look at the basic instinct of a child when he is in possession of a mobile phone or a laptop or any other gizmos. He or she will try all types of trial  and error to arrive at the right type of application. That is a very innate attribute among average kids. 

Now the point is how we induct fun and frolic into the digital festival. It is very simple. You include a session on gaming and ensure display of gaming equipment. People of all ages will throng to have a look at a robot playing hockey or diligently answering the questions posed to it using complex programs and artificial intelligence. While it can excite the children about the power of the digital space, people who are in the older age group get mired in the developments of the modern age. There is also a takeaway for the whiz-kids and experts. That will help them to understand the nuances of the breakthroughs and gain firsthand information. Many of them will try, using their experiences and knowledge to disrupt the technology and arrive at newer paradigms and concepts. At least, they will make an attempt to do so. 

Now about the speakers: There should be sprinklings of all innovators, users, marketing people, corporate world, farmers, traders, kids and old. Each should relate their experiences and vision of what they want the digital world to look like. Their imagination can galore. A student can ask for a device that can bypass the classroom teaching. A farmer can ask for a device where he can get the weather forecast for the next one year or so. A fisherman can ask for a device where he can spot  locations fishes of certain variety congregate. A scientist, in turn, can market his or her latest disruption to help the housewife to get over the drudgery. A scientist also can share his future  research plans and the patents that he/she has to  the credit. A corporate can give a challenge to the scientific community to come out with a solution for a problem that  it faces and can give an open offer of compensation for the right discovery or innovation.   

What about having a session on culinary: how to cook a particular Briyani of a certain flavour by giving tips to the contestants through whatsApp. The winner should be adjudged by a robot who picks up the best briyani having   right composition of ingredients, flavour and taste.  I should be happy if any of the festival organizers and that too newspapers take note of my suggestion. It can be both a money-spinner and a marketing gimmick. Rest assured I will not claim the patent on the idea.