Behind the scenes!

Hi Monique and Angela. Can you tell us a little bit about your vision and what you set out to convey for the online audience at EMERCE EDAY 2021?

AC: Since a lot of companies have been busy with troubleshooting in the past 1,5 years, it is very challenging now to focus on how to innovate. Maybe innovation is already old fashioned and we should call it transformation, which is a 'must' if you want to survive as a company. EDAY is about inspiring, shaking up and impressing the audience, besides informing and sharing. It is also the oldest event we organize. We design EDAY to improve the level of knowledge of the audience, which is a great achievement given the situation we currently live in.

AC: We approached interesting professionals (for their knowledge, their records and their experience) and the sessions are varied: they can include a look back at recent events, at how the companies have been navigating the changes in their sector, a look at where they are now, a lot of golden tips and tricks, new trends and (most wanted) a look forward. Or indeed all of the above!

MvD: The most exciting new things that are little known or not yet told: Balenciaga launches a new line in the game world Fortnite, exploring what brands can do with a completely interactive 3D world, giving us an early glimpse of the metaverse in action. A 20 year old animation artist from Barneveld initiates the world´s biggest NFT drop, generating a secondary market worth 80 million in 24 hours. An app developed to analyse African dance moves becomes a tool to diagnose Parkinson disease. Brands, creators and entrepreneurs exploring new possibilities, and in doing so showing us what is possible. We look for those people.

What are some interesting trends you are seeing in these areas?

MvD: Both the metaverse concept and the NFT market may come across as hyped up concepts, attractive only to the supernerdy or those who want to gamble away their crypto profits. And yet, the underlying concepts are here to stay and will influence many different industries.

The metaverse concept hints at the omnipresent and persistent digital worlds we are building. The NFT rage shows how digital objects can represent value, and can be transferred from one person to the other. As they are now sharing value with the original creator, you see an explosion of creativity, from digital fashion to remarkable sports moments to concerts. Creators are driving this new economy.
What is especially interesting to me is that these concepts are picked up by major brands already - sports, fashion, music - at a speed I had not expected.

Are there any particular highlights for you in this programme?
AC: As a media company and publishing house we hope through EDAY to offer a new look on how to handle new challenges, not forgetting the timeframe we live in. I think every session will be worth your time. Scott Anthony and Arnoud Bladergroen might offer the audience a new view on how to develop.

MvD: High-tech innovations are created at dazzling speeds; technological forces we barely understand remake our homes and workplaces; centuries-old tenets of politics and economics are upturned by new technologies. It all points to a world that is getting faster at a dizzying pace. Azeem Azhar in his talk shows a new way to think about technology, one that will transform our understanding of the economy, politics, and the future. I am reading his book Exponential at the moment, and I love his podcasts as well. I am very much looking forward to his take on things.

There you have it folks, the best preview we can offer you before the launch on November 11th. Make sure to register for EMERCE EDAY 2021. It takes 2 minutes and it’s free. Your future self will thank you.

With content love,
Team EMERCE EDAY