PRs mix with digital folk New Media Knowledge ran a gig last night at the Escape bar in Soho where some of the UK’s digital design elite shared their "work and wisdom". Each speaker was allocated just six minutes and 40 seconds to speak – with NMK’s Ian Delaney strict on the stopwatch. Tim Hoang went along from Rainier PR.

It was an excellent event with the strict time limit generating much humour. Special mentions to the sweary Nat Hunter from Airside / Three Trees who was particularly impressive and the crackingly-named Merlin Nation of Up the Resolution both of whom were funny and engaging.

BBC Motion’s Paul Merrimead tried to do a sales job which was a bit off the mark. He was great, like a mini-version of Al Murray but his presentation jarred with the rest of the speakers.

From a PR perspective, it was great seeing a different side to the industry. Typically, Will “the PR industry is fucked” McInnes is a lone voice from the design community at events aimed at PROs who operate in the social media space.

Finally an observation: the PR community has much to learn about style and presentation from its digital design counterpart. Digital guys are way cooler than PR guys - in an almost semi-parody Nathan Barley way - and their presentation is first rate. Social media will only carry campaigns so far as a channel and good content will always win out.

PR folk should definitely make an effort to get along to social media events to network with colleagues from the design industry - and of course pillage ideas.

A full list of presenters follows:

• Kevin Palmer / Matt Wade, Kin
• Colin Jenkinson, Cogapp
• Scott Mcpherson, Amoeba
• Nikki Barton, Cimex
• Merlin Nation, Up the Resolution
• Kevin Helas, Roger Design Consultancy
• John Davison, Kanoti
• Chris O’Shea, Pixelsumo
• Laura Jordan Bambach, Glue
• Lizzie Ostram, Germination who run Cut & Paste (Europe)
• Paul Merrimead, BBC Motion
• Nat Hunter, Airside / Three Trees

Labels: after work, personal, technology

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