Collision is generally a negative term — something people try desperately to avoid.
But for many of the 25,000 people from around the globe who visited Toronto in May to attend the Collision conference — one of North America’s largest tech events — it was an amazing experience.
I’ve been in the media business for more than 20 years and have attended hundreds of events and conferences, but I’ve never seen one quite like this. The sheer scale and size were one thing, but it was more the caliber of the speakers and the constant buzz of activity that set it apart.
To imagine what it’s like, just picture Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena filled with 25,000 Toronto Raptors fans, but instead of cheering for their team, they are pitching for their businesses and for their financial lives.
During the event’s live sessions, (there were more than 700 speakers) there were hundreds of entrepreneurs each day lining the floor of the Enercare Centre. They stood shoulder to shoulder in small identically sized booths, with only a sign label and description to differentiate them.
Their goal? To convince anyone within earshot that their product or service was the next big thing. At the end of each day, they left their booth and were replaced the next day by another company pitching their wares in the same makeshift booth.
Their incessant pitching and chatting created an atmosphere of excitement and enthusiasm, that only gave greater energy to the presenters. The companies exhibiting were grouped together with colour coded signs based on how far along they were on their journey, from Alpha, Beta, to Growth-stage startups. For those reaching elite status, there was a private gathering of 150 founders of the world’s top private tech companies.
What was also interesting was the strange fusion of topics, industries and celebrity. The celebrities that were out in full force came from the worlds of politics, like Justin Trudeau and Doug Ford, to film stars like Seth Rogan and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, to musical celebrities like Timbaland and Akon, and even NFL star Terrell Owens. But perhaps the biggest stars at this event, were the business leaders who created companies like Twitter, Spotify and Snapchat to name a few.
One topic that got a lot of attention at the event was the future of mobility, electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles. There was a dedicated automotive track on the second main day of the event that featured excellent presentations tackling these topics.
What I found interesting in these discussions, was that there were no value judgements about the impact of these emerging technologies and consumer preferences on the dealership world.
Instead, the presenters, which included investors and innovators, talked mostly matter of factly about these new trends as though they are already here, well established, and just part of our lives and something we will all adapt to.
The smart money — and there was a lot of it at Collision — is betting on a future where the dominant consumer and tech trends will simply steamroller over any resistance to change. This unstoppable steamroller will happily crush anything in its path without any remorse or nostalgia for how industries used to operate, or how consumers used to interact with brands.
It’s sobering, but also how smart dealers ought to be thinking too.
