MWC Barcelona is the largest and most influential event for the connectivity ecosystem. Whether you’re a global mobile operator, device manufacturer, technology provider, vendor, content owner, or are simply interested in the future of tech, it’s the place to be each year.
Simon Mills, Agency Director was on the ground at the event and reflects on last weeks event:
The beautiful city of Barcelona, a vast exhibition centre, a simple app and digital pass, and free transport for attendees, combine to make Mobile World Congress a really ‘easy to be at’ event. Congrats to the organisers for being one step ahead.
Inside Fira, it can be exhausting. The buzz of Piccadilly Circus and Times Square, surrounded by neon lights and digital screens, combine with crowds rushing around the seven giant halls as if the shops are about to close on Christmas Eve. MWC is a destination and the place to be and I have nothing but admiration for the stamina of exhibitors who somehow keep their energy levels high when necessary.
Exhibitor presence varies enormously, from the Global Giants with almost a hall each. Several with invitation-only access. To the mid-tier, ambitious, scale-ups on their journey to bigger and better things. And the hidden gems tucked away on the edges, where I experienced just as much of a buzz – proving that perhaps size isn’t everything at these events.
What’s that stat about the number of advertising messages we’re exposed to daily? Bombarded with key themes promising the latest AI and Connectivity solutions, I’ve likely digested more than the average day in the first 5-10 minutes of day one. From a creative perspective, I encourage the industry to rise above the ‘sea of sameness’ messaging around connectivity and make bolder decisions when it comes to differentiation around branding and content.
Dare I say we might even be able to enhance your offering in this area? And don’t just take our word, look at how Console Connect stood out from the airport to the event itself (see our previous LinkedIn post for shots too).
It’s always inspiring to see the remarkable developing technologies relating to drones, F1 and robots. Taking time out to hear some of the thought leadership presentations provides in-depth insights, and I particularly enjoyed the session on ‘How mobile tech is transforming the sports and entertainment vertical‘, with standout presentations from FC Barcelona and Nokia.
On reflection, I wondered if more could have been done to demonstrate sustainability across the board. Why there were more visitors of a ‘certain persona’ compared to others? And how ironic that at the world’s biggest mobile conference, there was no presence from the manufacturer of the phone that most of us carry.
But the absolute highlight has to be spending quality time with clients, existing and new, away from the day-to-day, surrounded by inspiration that helps to focus on bigger-picture conversations that inform our partnerships and programmes that will make our clients soar moving forward.
