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Five Things I Learned From Ad:Tech San Francisco

written by John Chow on April 18, 2008

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1 – It Cost More To Park a Car Than To Rent One

I rented a car for my Ad:Tech trip because I wanted to explore San Francisco a bit. Having the car also meant I can just put all the luggage in the truck on the last day – a nice benefit since my flight wasn’t until 7:30PM.

The car rental cost only $30 per day, which is about average for a mid-size. However, parking at the Palace hotel cost $48 per day. That has to be among the highest parking rates in the world! I only used the car on the last day of my trip so it wasn’t really the best use of resources. I’ll know better next time.

2 – Internet Advertising Is Alive and Well

Any assumptions that the Dot Com Bubble 2.0 is about to burst was busted at Ad:Tech. Judging by the size of the crowds and the number of companies attending, I say the Dot Com Money Train is alive and well and going at full speed. That was confirmed on Thursday when Google posted record first quarter profits.

3 – It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know

While at the Ad:Tech press room, I met the publisher of Revenue magazine. I told her I would love a free subscription to the magazine but Revenue doesn’t offer free subscriptions to Canada. She took my business card and said she’ll take care of it. I await my first issue.

4 – Face To Face Is Still Where It’s At

It’s great that the Internet has allowed us to communicate instantly with people from all over the world. However, no amount of technology will ever replace good old fashion face-to-face networking. Building a relationship is so much easier when you’re looking at the person you’re trying to build a relationship with. And in this business, it’s all about the relationship.

5 – The Population of San Francisco is 1/3 Gay

San Francisco has the highest percentage of gays amongst its population (not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course). Fully 1/3 of San Francisco is gay. I thought about that stat as I was walking the Ad:Tech show floor and came up with the fallowing conclusion.

If you look to the left, and you look to the right.
And if they’re not gay.
You are!

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Funny read. I agree that face-to-face networking is still king. The Internet and e-mail remain impersonal forms of communication. Even after our previous generations are gone, our generation will still covet face-to-face interaction. It breeds more trust.

" If you look to the left, and you look to the right.
And if they’re not gay.
You are!"

hahahaha - funny stuff

Parking costs and traffic is one reason why I take cabs more often than I used to when I'm speaking in big cities. I know the last time I was in Chicago I just took taxis everywhere and hitched rides a few times.

PLUS, one of the benefits is that when you travel that way, you meet some very interesting people you might not have otherwise met.

MrAchievement
Stanley F. Bronstein
Attorney, CPA, Author, Blogger & Professional Motivational Speaker

I could've told you about #3 years ago!

lol. car parking cost more than hiring :shock:
Then I am sure, car hire service would be top industry there. :mrgreen:

the gay joke is funny ... Now I won't look neither at the left nor at the right.

The car thing is common sense for any big city, and SF is no exception.. NYC is the same way, only parking is even more expensive! Next time, utilize their public transit systems, and leave your luggage at the hotel.

" It Cost More To Park a Car Than To Rent One" This is really funny.

Nice site with very technical information. It is very useful for newbies like me in this tech world. Bravo, keep up the good work..

I am a Gay. :razz: Don't belittle us gay. :twisted:

Really...? with the name looks like you are indian ?

Thanks for sharing your nice experience! :-)

I like your conclusion. I hope you saw gays to your left or right :P Nice to have you back from ad:tech.

Shudogg Dot Com - Make Money Online Blogging

When I saw the first part I thought we were going to get a clever analogy... not a story about how it literally costs more to park!

Is it gays that's all matters in San Francisco? What about their Starbucks? :grin:

San Francisco population 1/3 is gay lol ;).

What..? 1/3 of San Francisco is gay..? I'm sorry, John. This is the only point I really interested to. :grin:

looks like in frankfurt

Great jokes....the gay ones and the replies.

In the ad news where the gays come? I think when we are looking to the left and the right? :cool:

Nice post.
I am also out of States so I can't subscribe to Revenue. Great magazine.

all was good but at last it was looking all gay-ish :mrgreen:

Hey John,
I did a review on CX Digital Media, you should check it out:

http://zedomax.com/blog/2008/04/18/zedomax-adtech-...

Have u tried this? I guess they are based on Toronto and the affiliate manager Winkie Lee was trying to meet you too.

I can get you in contact w/ her if you want... :)

John;

Sounds like a fun time.

Did you find any new ad networks that you're going to try out? Did you come away with any specific software / sites / tid-bits that you can point us towards?

I lived in a studio apartment in San Francisco for a while (no I am not one of the gay guys) and my rent was 1400.00 per month. This being said some might think, wow I bet it was a nice studio. It was the size of a large pet carrier and I paid an additional 300.00 per month for a single parking space uncovered. I could of upgraded to a garage for 450.00.

Parking in NYC on a Saturday from 9AM-11:30AM - $52 - and that is with an early bird discount. Now that is paying for parking(i get to expense that though)

And to think I complain to pay $1 to $3 dollars to park.

lol @ the gay comment.. never been there only san diego

Yeah people from elsewhere kinda see gay people as something weird sometimes but for me, I don't see the difference except they dress nicer than non-homosexual people. Lol...

Now talking about the last point, the two men beside you were supposingly not gay, so you??

Btw $48 for car parking? Thats a lot!!

Yeah, John could be "Gay" as in Happy guy, but probably not as the other type....yet. He's gotta come to SF more often.

Hey John,
It was good to see you there.
Apparently they had upwards of 10,000 people there. The internet is live and well. The corporations are a couple years behind Internet Marketers.

Cheers,

John,

Why not just buy the Revenue Today magazine?
$45 for 1 year is chump change, for you

Peace

Jonathan

I can but why pay when you can get it for free? :twisted:

Revenue is a pretty good magazine. I used to read it all the time, but they stopped carrting it at our local Barnes & Noble, bummer.

That's one of the benefits being a "famous" blogger :roll:

that's is true. you have to use all your popularity to get stuff for free.

FREE is always good! What is that saying? The best things in life are always free. :wink:
~Terry

I'm going to attend some conferences on our country to meet with bloggers from our country.

Crap, I'm alone as I'm reading this. I wonder if I'm the gay one.

This is probably not the sort of thing you say out loud.

Then you must be a gay, LOL.

What if you are in the hotel room looking in the mirror?

I just can't help but think of Seinfeld when you said:

"not that there's anything wrong with that"

lol

Maybe if you look to the right you see George and if you look to the left you see Krammer. Not that here's anything wrong with that.

Pretty hilarious and interesting read. That last quote should be on the California license plate.

$48 to park a car at the Palace for one day, that's insane! I'm sure the room wasn't cheap. I wonder how much they'd charge to sleep in the dumpster?

Whatever the cost the meals would be included in the price :shock: :lol:

But yeah, $48 for one day of parking is insane!
~Terry

I guess you are gay then?

JC is not a gay because he has a family.