Arbcamp is not Barcamp.
There has been some amazing chatter about ArbCamp. It’s been interesting for me, as I was asked by my friend Brian to help organize Arb Camp. Well, basically I helped get the venue and get some things in order to move it forward. I also asked Joseph Jaffe to speak, as I really value what he is teaching and wanted to bring another big name speaker to Ann Arbor - after the success of Seth Godin last May.
What I didn’t know is there are a bunch of “bar camp” zealots documented here and here who swooped down on this event like Microsoft Patent Attorneys crying that we are besmudging the barcamp name. The claims range from turning it into a corporate event, to gouging for entry fees, to letting people pay for speaking time, to going against the values of Barcamp. These accusations are utterly ridiculous.
Let me attempt to answer these charges:
- Corporate Sponsorship: We asked for people to sponsor the event to help cover costs. If we didn’t offer food (actual food cost of $15 per person) or if we didn’t bring a speaker in, it would have been a very low cost event. But we thought people would want coffee, bagels, etc. And we have to use the caterer at the WCC building, so we offered food and priced it at cost. We have since offered a $5 no food ticket price for anyone who wants to bring a sandwich or run out to taco bell. I wonder what people eat at Barcamps? I don’t think you can do better than $15 for breakfast and lunch at an event?
- Paid Speakers. Letting people pay for speaking time. It’s true if someone signed on for the main sponsorship of the event at $2K, they would get 2 minutes microphone time to talk about their business during the introduction of the keynote. But, this is completely normal when you fork out $2K to support an event. And it was after the openspace conference and before the Joseph Jaffe talk. In no way does anyone get preference in presenting during the open space event. You simply mis-interpreted what we were offering for that sponsorship.
- Values Abused. The values of barcamp were being abused. That’s crazy. We are trying to bring a bunch of people together for a full day, unscheduled conference to talk about Social Media, Social Networking and Marketing. People will blog about this event, share their ideas with others and the world, and make big things happen. People will talk about what’s cool at their companies, what they are working on, and make connections that will impact the Michigan economy. What’s wrong with that? How does that harm the values of barcamp? This sounds like barcamp is claiming some sort of A. superiority or b. some sort of control of other camps. Well guess what, we are Ann Arbor. We flipped your B-a-r into A-r-b and we are having our own bad ass camp right here. With or w/o the Regulators blessing.
- No Stars: No keynotes, no stars at barcamp. Well - that’s the case here too. And I take responsibility for this one. I (and a bunch of people around here) wanted Joseph Jaffe to speak in A2. His book Join the Conversation is coming out October 21. So I asked if he could come speak on October 27. The dates worked out, and it just happened. I am the marketing guy, not a true geek, and not a barcamp guru like so many people pointing fingers. So I didn’t know that having a keynote at a “camp” is not PC. I was the one who suggested we have Jaffe as the keynote - after the open space conference. It is a separately ticketed event. And in all fairness, I think the Joseph Jaffe keynote will be an amazing part of the event. It’s also encouraging a diverse crowd to show up (not just geeks.) The admission for Jaffe includes two copies of his book (a $60 value) so again at $50 for the Jaffe talk we are just covering costs and giving our speaker a good reason to leave his family for the weekend and fly from NYC to Ann Arbor for our event.
- You’re better off paying to fly to a real barcamp in SF. You have got to be kidding me? The people in Ann Arbor and SE Michigan are incredible. Smart, breakthrough, leaders who have a lot going on. The people who come to Arbcamp are making things happen. The technology, marketing, web 2.0 work that is happening in Ann Arbor and Michigan is taking off. And Arbcamp is a place for all those people to get together, share their ideas, and make things happen. Students, geeks, marketers, business professionals, journalists, advertising people, PR, web developers, government officials, non-profits, all will attend Arb Camp. They will participate and they will make it special. This conference is very Ann Arbor. It’s not barcamp, its Arb Camp. And it’s gonna rock.
Lastly, I have to say I am learning more about barcamps. I’m learning about the culture that supports them and the people involved. We have “tweaked” our conference based on some good input from others around the country and locally. We have made it better. It will go forward and it will be awesome. It’s the first ever Arb Camp. People will soon see what can happen in one day in Ann Arbor. And for anyone who is feeling high and mighty and feels we are breaking the Trademark they have over Camp events and especially barcamp - I’m sorry for you. But it doesn’t pay for you to put down people across the country, who are trying to make a difference too. We’re like you - but in a different place. It would seem better to work together than to fight against eachother. (I see one guy has horns in his profile picture. Go figure.) But again, I am learning. And one good way to bring attention to your blog is to be nasty, mean or controversial. So bring it on I guess. And come out to Arb Camp if you can. It’s only a 2 hour flight from the East Coast and farther from the West. And guess what - it’s not a Bar Camp. Happy?
Here’s to a successful Arb Camp 2007.
I think that if the BarCamp Regulators had talked with you, commented or emailed or done something besides sniping from the back row in their blogs, maybe they might have understood.
I tried to explain and defend the notion, did a bad job by their standards, and now things heated up.
But the net result can be seen as positive: I personally don’t want to be around people as narrow-minded as the Regulators, whether their narrowness comes from busy passion or from foolishness.
And I don’t have a good feeling about BarCamps now at all.
@October 14th, 2007 at 7:55 amI’ll still be there irrespective.
It continues to sadden me how the “echo chamber” goes out of its way to implode all the unbelievable momentum and potential generated from the past few years in a fraction of that time.
Being given a platform - whether it is being a published author an anonymous blogger - is an awesome responsibility.
I too, am a little surprised at how something that is supposed to be so pure and well-intentioned could be turned on its head (and I’m referring to both ArbCamp and BarCamp)
See you on the 27th…I’ll explain to my wife and kids that I’m giving up part of the weekend to attend SnarkCamp
@October 14th, 2007 at 8:15 amIgnore the trolls! Have a great event. That’s the entire point, isn’t it?
@October 14th, 2007 at 9:03 amLong time as a biologist and complexologist makes me think that pressure, like predation or exclusion, drives the sources of new diversity.
Trolls are a necessary, and useful, part of the online ecosystem. They drive change internally, and can crystallize diffuse attention on real problems.
If they’re used correctly. We need them.
@October 14th, 2007 at 11:09 amYou guys can spin this in whatever way that makes you and yours feel comfortable.. but..
“you’re better off attending a barcamp in sf”
I’m assuming you’re attempting to quote my blog. I live in Orlando, Fl, and I’m pretty hardcore/open/proud about not being SF based. There have been 300-400 barcamps all over the world. That’s part of its charm. Anyone, anywhere can throw a one. It’s not something that exists solely in the echo chamber of SF, and it’s not exclusive in any way to anybody. If you want to insert words into the discussion and change the dynamic of the conversation, fine. The funny thing about the internet is that it’s all out there in the public for others to read.
The specific issues raised centered on ArbCamp using the barcamp wiki to promote the event (if it’s not a barcamp, then don’t use its brand for your promotions), and stating that its “loosely based on barcamp” as part of the “product pitch.”
I just removed the links you guys put on the barcamp wiki (even though Bill Tozier had told me he had done it, and frankly, it should have been on you guys to do yourselves), and you’ve now been clued into what it means to be “based on a barcamp.” Cool.
Good luck with the event, and have a great time!
Best,
Alex
@October 14th, 2007 at 6:49 pmAlex - thanks for the clear comments. It seems we are not doing a barcamp event, or an event based on barcamp. I feel pretty good about that. There is no reason to copy your event. Pepsi vs. Coke, Wendy’s, McDonalds, Burger King. Brands can exist and be different. We can actually be similar too, we just won’t talk about it. Or else
I also appreciate your calm and kind response. It’s a nice way to deal with giving your input on our camp. And certainly better than a lot of the rude comments that have been flying around on the net. Hope to see you in Orlando some day. Maybe even at a barcamp!
@October 14th, 2007 at 8:02 pm[...] Ann Arbor Marketing and Events - Arb Camp - Get Connected to Ann Arbor ยป Arbcamp is not Barcamp. Sorry we’re not doing it right. (tags: ArbCamp social-norms culture-clash prejudice mob-action sociology bitterness marketing) [...]
@October 15th, 2007 at 2:20 amThis is so interesting.
Joseph Jaffe writes a book called _Join the Conversation_. When there appears to be a growing consensus that the BarCamp ideals (which were a reaction to the standard featured speakers model) were misused, then he calls the conversation an “echo chamber”. I guess they didn’t understand what “joining the conversation” meant. They should have just listened with their hands on their lap and then taken the two copies of the book they received (because the organizers had to buy so many…) and read one and given the other away. That’s how these conversations are supposed to go — one way, right?
And Derek, ArbCamp was supposed to be a local BarCamp, and you intertwined ArbCamp with Connect Ann Arbor which is already intertwined with your ingenex marketing group. Interesting. But you failed to do your marketing homework, which involves first listening and understanding the brand. Instead you shoe-horned ArbCamp into the old model, and now you try to claim you’ve innovated!
@October 23rd, 2007 at 10:13 amBob:
You make some good points. You are a smart person.
We could use you at this event. The history and conversation of how this event began is very interesting, a nice case study if you will on branding and community enforcement.
Now let’s see what we can do to make this event (ArbCamp) even better. We have some innovative topics, and smart people coming out. Hope you can make it too. And I trust you will enjoy the book you get, and the extra copy for your friend
@October 23rd, 2007 at 10:36 amMeeting with the 200 geeks at the 10th anniversary Slashdot party last Saturday at Leopold Bros (http://slashdot.org/anniversary.pl?view_id=1), I got the impression that some folks here felt that their initiative to organize a barcamp was rudely co-opted, and unilaterally transformed into something completely different.
Which is not to say that different events other than barcamp shouldn’t happen, but that you should be careful about how this is represented (I understand the need to generate “buzz” around an event, but some folks feel like this was done in a “sleazy” way). Many people here really do not feel like this was a collaborative effort in the way they had hoped a barcamp to be.
Maybe to that point - what is Connect Ann Arbor? Is it actually a group that does stuff? I am apparently a member, but I know nothing about it.
@October 23rd, 2007 at 11:40 amThe goal all along was to have a great event, as is Connect Ann Arbor’s goal (to hold great events). The organizers end up having very little commercial benefit from all of this, essentially a small amount of exposure by being listed as a sponsor.
ArbCamp and Jaffee started as two different events and somewhere along the lines we felt that we could draw a bigger crowd to both of them by offering both together as a package. Sponsorships are nothing new to Camp style events, and maybe we pushed the limit of what is or is not “acceptable” in terms of dollar amount but there were expenses to cover and we wanted to provide people with some nice things for attending the event (books, bags, food, etc).
Regardless the whole event had nothing but good intentions and we wanted nothing other than to see it a success.
Those who refer to our “promotion” methods (which was mostly just link to it and blog where it seemed fit) as sleazy doubtfully have ever organized an event for themselves and care more about a glorified set of standards rather than something that can help the community and people would enjoy.
To be honest I am a bit puzzled at the amount of time and effort has been put into more or less “shitting on” an event that was put on for the good of its attendees and nothing else.
So those who want to sit in the corner and be negative about a good thing I say go ahead and sit, such an attitude leads to a life of unhappiness - enjoy it.
So what is connect ann arbor? A group that puts on events related to marketing and technology. No one makes money off it, any profits go to the next event. It is a hub for the Ann Arbor area to connect, learn, share, experience. Wow… doesn’t that sound awful?
@October 23rd, 2007 at 12:17 pmDug - I suggest you plan a BarCamp, host it, sponsor it and people will come. That would be a great idea.
I don’t know who co-opted anything. I was asked to help get a venue, and I did that. I also brought the Jaffe event to the table, as something I was working on as part of Connect A2 - as a separate event. We combined the events, the Regulators stepped in, and the event evolved.
I would hate for people to feel anything was co-opted. We set a date, we planned ArbCamp, we promoted it. And you know what? Anyone who sits at home in protest is missing out.
This obviously isn’t BarCamp, we covered that. But some seriously cool stuff is going to happen at ArbCamp. And you know what else. We are very interested in Internet TV and what Zattoo is doing.
So why don’t you get behind a cool local event instead of giving people in A2 fuel to say why it’s bad? How about talking about how it’s good?
I also think it would be great for you to host another BarCamp in January - a real barcamp. People would be grateful to you for taking the initiative and planning it.
I bet they would be more grateful that we’ve experienced for ArbCamp…
@October 23rd, 2007 at 12:49 pmPlease don’t shoot the messenger!
I’ve talked with several intelligent and reasonable people now who still have a bad impression of what ArbCamp is and how it came to be. I’m just not comfortable with the characterization of anyone who has expressed concern about this as some kind of righteous zealot who simply needs to get with the program. I’ll be at ArbCamp along with other Zattoo folks (at least one presenting), and I hope others will too, if they can get past such disparaging remarks.
We had previously offered a venue for this event, and at this point I’ve also declined proposals to host a barcamp the same day as ArbCamp, as I don’t believe this is really in the right spirit of things. If ArbCamp really doesn’t meet people’s needs, we’ll consider hosting something later, if only so folks don’t feel inclined to turn ArbCamp into something it’s not.
I’m sorry if I offended anyone with my question about Connect Ann Arbor; as a faceless entity “connecting Ann Arbor to the world”, I honestly have no idea what this group does, and was surprised to have been conscripted into its ranks. I’m fine with this, but I’d hope you might understand how others might be upset about a barcamp proposal similarly morphing into a Connect Ann Arbor event.
I have no idea what to expect at ArbCamp, so I’m just showing up, like everyone else. I also have no opinion on an event that hasn’t happened yet, only concern about the reaction to the reaction. I’ll see you all at ArbCamp, and good luck with PR!
@October 23rd, 2007 at 6:20 pmDug - Connect A2 is helping promote this event. It’s ArbCamp, but I know what you mean about it becoming a ConnectA2 event. It does appear that way, cuz the site is at Connect A2. (BTW, you must have joined the Yahoo Group or LinkedIn Connect A2 Group. I can’t add you in on my own.)
Everyone can have an opinion about this, and that’s cool. I’m really happy you and the crew from Zattoo will show up. Frankly, I don’t know what to expect either at ArbCamp.
And thanks for not hosting a BarCamp on the same day as ArbCamp. That would not have been cool.
::Some people (no matter how smart or reasonable) amaze me in their negative, destructive thinking and behind the scenes scheming.::
What this area needs is some help and energy behind good ideas, not someone to pull it down. And I also think there’s a difference between conversation and helping to make something better for the community, or just bringing something down. A big difference.
So I’m really grateful you will give ArbCamp a go - and I hope others do too.
Shoot, this is not even my event. It’s Ann Arbor’s event. I’m just helping to spread the word. So please, don’t shoot the messenger.
And next time, maybe ArbCamp won’t get promoted through Connect A2. That’s up to the community too.
@October 23rd, 2007 at 8:17 pmGuys, guys, guys,
There are plenty of smart people in Ann Arbor, doing plenty of cool things. We really CAN have barcamps and ArbCamps and all kinds of other events without a problem.
From my perspective, we (those of us in A2) are really bad about letting people know what cool stuff goes on here and the more that message gets out, the better. Yes, we’ll all step on toes once in a while, but we all need to develop thicker skins and move on.
We’re not overloaded on events, yet. I hope that there IS an Ann Arbor barcamp as well as ArbCamp, and that there are many other events as well. My company is organizing some, and I hope that others do what they’re doing too.
@October 24th, 2007 at 10:43 am