Big and Rich. 5. When egos and hierarchies are put aside, magic can So what was MY Stream experience like? I tried to do a little happen. bit of literally everything…I took part in the brilliant Aids - Some of the best thinking and discussion came from testing campaign pitch ideas for Kenya for the Elton John mixing openly experience with borderless ill formed, new Aids Foundation (my team was robbed in final pitches), ideas, entrepreneurialism and corporate rigour. and split my many discussion sessions to mix left and right 6. Corporates and Entrepreneurs really need each other but brain and more management and tech / industry business really don’t trust each other. content and topics. We learnt about 3D body scanning and - My session that I ran with Rachel Eyre, Head of Future the impact on fashion retail, debated the impact of AI on EQ, Brands for Sainsburys was very enlightening. A bit like a and AI on Creativity and the creative industry as a whole. We marriage guidance counselling for innovation growth, it was talked about mental health and the responsibility of us as clear that so much can happen, if both listen, trust and are leaders to keep an eye on it and nurturing it in the workplace totally transparent with each other. Amen. and a truly explosive discussion on gender equality and our Above all, stimulating time and space out of the madness is such responsibility in making it more visible and genuinely better a precious and important commodity. It feels like a real luxury, but for future generations, from now. it is now a necessity. We have no room in our mental diaries for So what did I actually learn? intelligent serendipity. For ideas, for mental health, for sustainable 1. A brilliantly framed question is often the difference between an energy, for relationship building, for problem solving. interesting discussion and a mobilising idea or insight. But Stream is not a Spa. It’s a reboot. And just like we need - Some of the topics were fun, some were really interesting. a reboot personally and professionally, what felt interesting Few were really well framed to start to solve real issues about Stream in this inflection point for WPP with a new in a meaningful way. ‘Will AI kill creativity?’ may not be as CEO, maybe Stream could reboot too — inspired by its new interesting as how do we use AI to power creativity and build leader, the co-founder of Stream itself. the new agency model of the future? Stream is such a powerful brand, experience and idea and 2. Truly diverse minds create better discussions and clearer was way ahead of its time at launch. I wonder if Stream insights. is not just an unconference event or moment in time, it - When a group had truly different opinions and inputs the should be more of a genuine movement. It could be much discussion was richer and ideas more surprising. And within more of how we think, live and work as marketers, creative this, conversations with some Jeopardy — by which I mean thinkers and business leaders and change agents day a vested and experienced side in all sides of the discussion — had better outcomes, IF, and this is a big IF the discussion to day in this new world. How can we make the Stream could be held constructively and in a forward looking way. philosophy how we do business so more people can Some debates got too emotional and others admired the experience it? Hopefully if we do this, we won’t ask the problem. 3. Even in a truly digital world, analogue humanity has an question of what the future agency model is anymore, enduring potency.. because we’d be living it already. - The app was great, but nothing beat the live debate and It’s an inspiring thought, and a very good time to think about it. building of thoughts and ideas in real time with real people. I met some truly provocative, interesting and inspiring people 4. Hanging out and working intensively together builds and reset my own perspective. And had great fun in the process. relationships faster than anything. Long live Stream, long live the Reboot. - Our pitch team bonded in minutes. And took roles and had Let’s make it Main Stream. a lot of fun and fresh ideas. We will stay in touch. 127