Comments on: When is an Unconference not an Unconference

By: Beth Harte

Beth Harte — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:24:22 +0000

Whit, sorry for the delayed response…finally back from my travels.

A few things bother me about PR Camp (most of which you pointed out) but the biggest thing that bothers me is that some of the folks involved know what an unconference is and have experienced/benefitted from them. Now, the PR folks they are reaching who might not know what an unconference is…might not ever know. They will associate ‘camp’ with conference and conference with earning $$$ and, unfortunately, they won’t see or experience the benefits an unconference provides.

The PR industry has changed. An unconference where anyone can speak levels the field and exemplifies what has changed. What better way to get PR folks to understand than an unconference?!

By: Dean Whitbread

Dean Whitbread — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:33:55 +0000

I agree that good “unconferences” can be life-changing indeed. It would be nice to refresh the spirit of the unconference and re-state its original ethos by (for example) giving “headline acts” less prominence – but the fact is that “big” people are used to draw in everyone else.

It’s also worth remembering that there is usually a far greater proportion of relatively passive participants to highly active ones, and to organise it so that the passives feel just as welcome.

By: Whitney

Whitney — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:53:55 +0000

I think you’re right, Annie- sometimes people seem not to be able to help themselves and launch into a pitch, and I think that rule needs to be reinforced. That’s why the law of two feet exists, but I think with all the new people attending Podcamp, we need to reinforce that notion as well, and have people vote with their feet as well as their voices.

By: Whitney

Whitney — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:52:03 +0000

Hi Dean! Thanks for stopping by. We’ve had to modify podcamps for local needs, but somehow, so far, most haven’t become hubs of commercial activity to rival the mall- instead, we thank sponsors, let them set up tables, and actively encourage them to participate as members of the community, since putting a human face on business is clearly one of the goals of social media. I think there’s room to address the practicalities of life- fire codes, costs to put on a conference, etc. and still maintain the community-sharing aspect that are so important. Even if there has been differentiation over time from the newbies and those of us who have been in this space for many years now, somehow the fact that CEO’s and housewives, Executives and college students, entrepreneurs and hobbyists can all meet together and form meaningful friendships, and working partnerships is still amazing to watch.

My life changed radically when I attended the first Podcamp, and my world opened up dramatically from the “Mom in the ‘burbs” life I was living. It changed because of the passionate people I met from radically different walks of life, who I wouldn’t have run across otherwise, and if we had, we probably would not have struck up the same conversations and ultimately friendships.

I don’t want to see unconferences become just another name to call something, but I want it to have meaning, at least until everyone realizes that if you are going to bother to get people together to discuss a common subject, listening and learning from every voice in the room is important- it should not just be another soapbox opportunity- for that, go tape a speech and send it out to everyone, because they clearly did not have to be in the same room to hear your message. If people are going to travel, make it worth their while. Make it a learning and sharing experience that helps everyone expand their horizons. I know whenever I lead a session at Podcamp, I learn as much as I teach, because every question makes me think and consider other options I may not have considered before.

And if every unconference becomes just like every conference where there is a wall between those with experience and those without, is there a point?

I think it’s all been about breaking down the walls between people, and I don’t see this PR Camp, as it reads on their website, doing very much to create that sort of level playing field and opening up participation.

What say you, PR Camp folks?

By: Annie Heckenberger

Annie Heckenberger — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:23:33 +0000

Great post. My totally uneducated guess on this PR Camp is that the organizers had no idea of what an unconference/camp is, and this post may help educate them. I haven’t even looked at the site, so apologies if I’m speaking out of turn to anyone I may or may not know. In any case, this entry serves as a great reminder to the rest of us what an unconference is why we have them. Additionally, I’d like to see “No Pitching” signs around at unconferences to remind the crowd of that request.

By: Dean Whitbread

Dean Whitbread — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:31:00 +0000

Pretty much straight away (2007) the original rules for Podcamps were being bent to accomodate local variation, including for e.g. local laws, which is fine and necessary. But there was always some disingenuity present, in particular about “rock stars” and pitches. Too easy to say that we’re all equal, but actually, heirarchies always establish themselves – these days based on Twitter follower numbers perhaps rather than album sales – and pitches / promotions are absolutely everywhere, dressed up as “personal branding” but nonetheless simply about selling, to say nothing of the odd millionaire or corporation seizing the advantage of selling themselves socially.

And this is no complaint, just observation that the leopard never was a leopard and never had spots to change.