My First State of Social: A (Rave) Review

At the end of 2021, I wrote a list of goals for this year - a practice I started in 2020 (ironically ??). Nestled among a mixed bag of ambitions like 'complete a fitness challenge' and 'have high tea' was one I've held dear since I got into marketing proper; to attend the State of Social Conference, which took place last week.

This was one satisfying tick!

("Swim in the ocean?" I hear some of you say. "What the hell kind of goal is that?!" It's the goal of a pasty beach-phobe, okay?)

For the uninitiated, State of Social is Perth's only social media conference - founded in 2018 by #SMPerth, 'what started out as an excuse for social media aficionados to get social in real life, and discuss all things digital over a beverage (or three), has become the go-to hub for Perth’s social media novices and social marketing maestros alike.'

While I was only able to attend day one of the conference (this time ??), it was one of the most inspiring, motivating, and creatively-fulfilling days of my professional life. Every presentation I saw was interesting and engaging; my only criticism is that I quite literally couldn't attend them all. I went home buzzing, and woke up still buzzing the next morning.

Naturally, my LinkedIn feed has been crammed with State of Social content ever since; while I doubt I'm adding anything new here, I wouldn't be much of a marketer if I didn't shoehorn my voice into the conversation. So, without further ado - and in chronological order - here's my best picks from #StateofSocial22!

1.Adam Ferrier from Thinkerbell - I love a swear bear, and there's no denying that Mr Ferrier is that. As he strolled back and forth across the stage, casually enlightening us all with his profane ingenuity, my first thought was: "fuck, this is great." Let's all swear in a professional context more often, I say. F bombs aside though, I really enjoyed learning all about Thinkerbell - from their 'thinkers and tinkers' to championing evidence-based creativity, I found it totally fascinating to peer behind the curtain of this boutique agency.

2. Hot Lunch - look, food is the best: the buffet lunch spread simply had to make it into my top five.While this photo doesn't do it justice, suffice to say it was primo. The little sandwiches we got for afternoon tea also get an honourable mention, although I did empathise with the woman in front of me who said "there's no cake!" in abject despair.

3. David Gardiner from DGPR - David was a great speaker and had heaps of valuable guidance to impart on working with media professionals. Continuing with the irreverent theme, his key piece of advice for facing the media? Relax your areshole. "Just relax that arsehole," he said again, a little louder for those in the back. This little nugget* of wisdom was so unexpected I laughed for way too long, resulting in a bemused stare from the man sitting across from me.

*I'm sorry, but I had to.

4. David Ray from Reddit - as a redditor myself (just celebrated my 5th cake day in fact), this was the keynote I was most looking to - and it did not disappoint. All the little factoids were super interesting (I'm sure it would shock no-one to learn that r/afl is one of the most popular sub-reddits in Australia), but I was most inspired by Reddit's mission statement: one of bringing community, belonging and empowerment to everyone in the world. Looking at the shift from 'me' to 'we', David compellingly explained the key differences between most social media channels and Reddit - detailed below. Call me biased, but as someone who is active on both Reddit and platforms like Instagram, Facebook and obviously LinkedIn, I think he was bang on the money.

Social media

• People you know, or know of
• Social validation
• Polished, sanitised and curated
• Broadcasting and scrolling

Reddit

• Interest-based community
• Deep discussion
• Authentic, real and human
• Learning and exploration

5. Tim Duggan, formerly of Junkee Media

Tim came to us live from idyllic Corfu, giving the picturesque River Room at Optus Stadium a serious run for its money. His presentation focused on key takeaways from his second book Killer Thinking: How to Turn Good Ideas into Brilliant Ones, and I was starry-eyed by its conclusion. My favourite advice from Tim was to cultivate a 'creativity ritual'; I'm still mulling over my own ritual, although I'm sure coffee will be involved. ?

I loved Tim's presentation not just for the fact that his K.I.L.L.E.R* thinking model can be applied as both an individual and within a group, but also for his speaking style. He struck me as a born presenter; natural, easygoing, and very likable. It was the perfect presentation to conclude a near-perfect day.

*The premise of a 'killer idea' being thus; it must be kind, impactful, loved, lasting, easy and repeatable.

In conclusion, State of Social not only met but completely surpassed my expectations. Everything from the barista-made coffees on arrival to the super sweet goodie bags at day's end showed a high level of care, quality and professionalism. I learned so much, and had heaps of fun in the process. What more could you ask for, really?

Seeya next year, SOS ??