Fast Company Innovation Festival | Amy Liang

‏Last week, the Fast Company hosted the fifth annual Innovation Festival. It was a four-day conference, and I was glad that I made it to one of the conference days. The Innovation Festival was an eye-opening event, and I had a great learning experience listening to various panels from the professionals of different industry. I attended four sessions that touched upon distinct subjects in the industry of digital media, campaign design, brand reinvention, and digital civility.
   
‏Digital Civility and Kids
‏My favorite session among all would be the discussion about the child’s development and digital civility. The guest speakers were Tami Bhaumik, the VP of Digital Civility from Roblox, and Dr. Michale Rich, Founding Director of Harvard’s Center on Media and Child Health. I had several takeaways from this panel. With emerging technologies and digital devices, people now have a drastic change in lifestyle from decades ago, especially children. Growing up as a millennial, my parents have strictly controlled my use of digital devices such as cellphones, MP4, and computer. Let alone Gen Z and even Gen Alpha children who have been exposed heavily growing up with digital media, digital devices, and online entertainment, the screen time of the digital device is a major concern for parents. Game companies like Roblox, which is a massively multiplayer online and game creation system platform, are the source of parent’s concern.

‏Tami from Roblox saw this concern as an opportunity for a child’s development with his or her parents. She said,

Now there is little time for children to play, so they spend more time playing online. There is not a clear line between playing in the physical and digital world. 

The prevailing use of digital devices is a reality that parents have to face. In my opinion, instead of making the reality a problem between the relationship of parents and children, parents should turn it into an opportunity to establish a stronger bond with their children. Dr. Rich also mentioned that we should know that every child is different, and limiting screen time does not need to be the solution [for gaming addiction]. As a company, Roblox provides a balance of screen time for children. Both Doctor and Roblox believed that parents should play online games with their children. This bonding activity shows respect and love for each other. I also think that this will also be a way for parents to understand their children and create conversations among them. According to Tami, Roblox aims to teach our children how to use the devices properly. The company is partnering with different countries and design games specifically towards different cultures. Allowing children to think of playing games or spending time on the digital world can be beneficial because it allows children to see if this kind of activity works for them and inspire them to pursue a career in the future.
   
‏Legacy Brand Reinvention
‏The second take away comes from the panel about Legacy Brand Reinvention. The guest speaker is WW (Weight Watchers) CEO, Mindy Grossman. It was indeed an inspiring session because of the insights shared by Mindy. She discussed the process of revitalizing a legacy brand for the modern age through a focus on culture, community, and technology. Culture is what drives and galvanizes companies in a difficult time, according to Mindy. She said that people want inspiration, they crave community, and they crave purpose. A short ad campaign by WW showed how WW partnered with Oprah and shared her weight loss experience inspired the consumers and gave them a purpose to lose weight. I think a successful brand should be a guidance for consumers and delivery a positive message which inspires them to pursue a better life. A successful brand should also serve consumers and put consumers’ opinions first.

‏Another take away also comes from the WW’s Legacy panel. A brand and its company should always act agile nowadays. It is a topic also mentioned by Professor Scott in the Strategy and Measurement class. The agile methodology in project management refers to building products that customers want, using short cycles of work that allow for rapid production and constant revision if necessary. Mindy said a brand needs to move quickly, and always plan the next move ahead of time. A brand that can keep up with the technology and society changes is an advantage to have a longer and more sustainable lifespan.


‏In short, the Innovation Festival by the Fast Company was a fruitful trip for me. It has expanded my horizon of the branding and digital media industries. I will continue to attend more conferences like this and enrich my knowledge in the advertising and branding fields. I also feel thankful to Professor Rivera for posting this exceptional conference opportunity on the BIC Facebook page.