Genius+Power+Magic

Tell us your Convergence Story

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Be Remarkable

Did you forget that it was Tuesday, March 9th!?

Today is Tuesday, not just any Tuesday, it is the only Tuesday, March 9, 2009 you will ever live.  History will get made by some people today.  You?

Today’s tasks don’t define your day, nor do the circumstances.
Today’s future is not already written.

Is your blog, brand or service going to be remarkable today? 
Why today?  Because today is the only day you have to be remarkable.

Survey Says...

Here is a link to the data for the latest Chicago Convergence Survey. 

Below is all the text data from the Survey.

Q6    What is one initiative that you would like to see added as part of the Convergence?

•    Some sort of mixed media contest. 
•    Education perhaps; even linking to other orgs that provide the education (such as DMA or a local school like DeVry...). Even more formal education opportunities; say "endorsing" a seminar/conference that the group feels is an excellent learning opportunity. Make sense?  
•    Business Plan Competition!   
•    More underwriting sponsors for capital investments for productions.   
•    More advertising people getting involved. Can we set up informative meetings/seminars for interested parties?   
•    More technology demonstrations, products and involvement of more artists - Design: fashion, graphic, visual production - Music - producers, studio's, Touring artists speaking on performance tools and production. Product demonstrations by companies like Ableton, Native Instruments, Yamaha, Apple (macspecialist Chicago) and more...  
•    The production of feature films. Chicago, with its 30% tax incentive and extensive crews and support industries, is ripe for "homegrown" film Production.  
•    Social events. Handshake parties/businesscard socials.   
•    I've haven't exhausted all existing initiatives.  
•    More showcasing of what Chicago companies, artists, and independent hackers have to offer.  
•    Green energy ideas and products that are ready to use.   
•    I'd like to put on a half-day conference on new media in the mobile space. Mobile is the 7th mass medium and will eventually overtake the Internet. Google believes it and so do many other visionaries. Chicago missed its chance to be a hub of the Internet but has the opportunity to make mobile a big industry.   
•    I would like the Convergence to bring more jobs and opportunities to Chicago.   
•    Joined the group to learn and to hopefully be a contributor in the new future.   
•    I would like to see more involvement between events.   
•    Take a poll of participants interests and have us network - kind of like speed dating. We talk among one another sharing interests, best practices, obstacles - and obstacles overcome. Have each of us declare who we are, where we are and what we want. There is more to it - but not enough room to explain. 
•    (1) A job matching service and (2) a "need funding" registry.   
•    I have ideas, but I would most like to see a Board of Trustees, Board of Governance, and Board of Directors to help establish organizational structure and accountabilities to work alongside of current challenges.   
•    Reach out to government more  
•    A team of high-end creative leaders figuring out how the convergence should band together to be more than a place for beginners to roam   
•    Mobile media and content focused on Chicago Community and entertainment.  
•    More smaller meetings across the Chicagoland Area Designed to start new projects and develop new talent.  
•    Economic development - more legit apprenticeship programs -more training than results in ladder jobs and career advancement and improvements in the education system   
•    Creating new business models that take into account equally, the environment, people, culture and the current business ecosystem  
•    Wider understanding how the convergence works in other parts of the globe  
•    The development of a well-renowned Convergence Review panel that:

o    Reviews REAL collaborative projects that are initiated within the relationships of Chicago Convergence members (need a submission form)
o    Evaluates submitted projects for development viability and REAL funding
o    Mentors the winning projects along their path to success  

•    Never have to leave Chicago area for anything related to tech and media...  
•    International Convergence    Anonymous

Q7     What is the intended audience for your proposed initiative? 

•    Corporate communicators   
•    All in the group. Try something outside the norm.   
•    General   
•    Member’s   
•    Everyone + anyone looking to do deals + make $$$!   
•    New TV content, series and music specials   
•    Ad people.   
•    Creative arts and Production   
•    Filmsgoers, industry and investors.  
•    Everyone in the convergence   
•    Everyone   
•    Anyone interested in what Mobile Marketing can do   
•    Members in the audience at the meeting.   
•    (1) Companies/people;(2) companies.
•    It's an internal audience mostly. 
•    Government & engineers/public works   
•    The world 
•    Local populace and Global visitors to Chicago  
•    Content Creators in the suburbs.  
•    Workers
•    Small businesses with big perspectives  
•    For the world to see how Chicago works
•    Female, kids. works, suburbs, gets 30 min her time   
•    Global change leaders    Anonymous

Ever heard of Burning Man?

Ever heard of Burning Man? 

Probably, but if not, it is a creativity festival that takes place each year in the desert (see photo).

Now, for those who have been, the above explanation probably left you ready to spit nails.  It is difficult to describe Burning Man, and as it says on their website:

"Trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind"

In the same vane, I have had scores of people try to get me to clarify the question: What is The Chicago Convergence?  I have advice coming from every angle saying it needs definition. 

I don't deny that there are scores of viewpoints, seas of opinion and chaos in abundance, but The Chicago Convergence is what it is.  It is many things to many people and it has always been intended to be that way.  The Convergence belongs to it's members and it sees about 1000 page views a day, 13,515 video views and 2312 members.  Not bad for a pile of chaos 10 months old.

Clearly, it is about Chicago and it's digital prominence, it is about discovery, connecting and enabling people to produce expanding results through collaboration.  There are likely 15 other things it's about too.

Now, having said all that, we are working with brand specialist Marshall Ross of Cramer-Krasselt and Jim Cohen of Spark to boil this thing down to it's essence.  The work is a bit like peeling back your skin to see what is at the chewy center, but very worth the time it has taken.  Why are we doing this?  Because we want to express the Chicago Convergence in the world (as it is) with clarity. 

It has never been difficult for me to understand what it is or why - but it needs a way to get communicated so others 'get it'.

Last Friday, we saw four distinct 'Brand Worlds' produce by Cramer-Krasselt that express The Chicago Convergence in wonderful and exciting ways.  The work being done, the language and imagery is extraordinary and will help catapult The Convergence to a professional brand image worthy of global attention (and likely a much much larger amount of chaos).

Stay tuned as we continue to unveil the future.