#CIMC2017: A Meeting of the Minds in the Digital Age

“The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn’t understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had.” CIMC 2017

-Eric Schmidt

Yes, indeed. What have we done? Have we created a monster? And how do we factor such an unruly beast into our professional lives?

The rules of the Digital Age are written in real time, just barely keeping up with the hyper speed flow of information. Trends catch us off guard. And just when we think we’ve got a handle on something, the technology changes and so does the game.

So what do we do in the face of such rapid evolution?

A Meeting of the Minds

We step out from behind our screens and meet face to face, giving us the chance to meet like-minded individuals and talk through the issues that threaten to swallow us whole. Also, it’s impossible to unwind and let loose with new friends via email. So it’s important to create environments where communication isn’t compromised by digital interfaces.

PR and Marketing conferences have always proven to be an effective way to compare notes, work through solutions and stay ahead of the curve. They give people a chance to connect in the same room and talk about what’s next.

The Minds Behind CIMC

After years of having to travel in order to attend these kinds of conferences, Marwick Marketing’s Christian Thomson wanted to see an event happen on his own turf.

Christian Thomson and his advisor, Eva. Photo: David Fournier
Christian Thomson and his supervisor, Eva. Photo: David Fournier

“I approached another agency, Darian (Kovacs) from Jelly Marketing, to see if he was interested in drawing up a list of all the companies that we’d love to learn from ourselves and see if they would be interested in coming to Squamish in 2015,” explains Thompson.

That’s how the CIMC came to be. It’s no small task to get a contingency of heavy-hitting influencers under the same roof. But it’s worth it for the chance to come together and swap notes from the past, make moves in the present and start mapping out our digital future.

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Winners Share Their Stories

“We’re not just booking speakers who do the rounds,” says Thomson. “We’re actively looking for recognizable brands and asking their marketing department to come present and share how they did it.”

So who exactly will be sharing their stories?  Folks from Facebook, Instagram, Starbucks, Twitter, YouTube, BuzzFeed, Google, Pixar, Visa and L’Oreal (just to name a few).

The attendance of the conference went from 220 people in 2015 to 800 in 2016. This year, Thomson expects that Squamish’s CN Roundhouse will max out its 1000 person capacity.

“There was a real hunger for something like this on the West Coast,” he explains.

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The Location

And Squamish is the perfect place for such an event.

The CN Roundhouse is an incredible venue, a 21,000 square foot space that’s part of The Westcoast Railway Park. And while the focus of the weekend is fairly business-oriented, there’s nothing stopping you from unplugging your digital devices and wandering off into the natural environment that characterizes the town’s surroundings.

Waterfalls, granite cliffs, raging rivers, towering mountains and an arm of the Pacific Ocean that reaches the southern edge of town. All the good stuff, really.

Howe Sound

Connect with Your Tribe

But mostly the CIMC is a chance to connect with other people within the industry. “90% of the people who attend come from outside the Sea to Sky corridor,” says Thomson. “It’s two nights and a full two days, so it’s a great way to learn, network, and have some fun.”

And as the quote at the top of the article suggests, we’ve found ourselves in the middle of an age that we don’t truly comprehend. That’s why it’s so important to have these meetings of the minds.

Solidarity leads to understanding.  And understanding leads to evolution.

Let’s do this!

CIMC is for Everyone

The crew at CIMC believe in the power of digital media and want to make this conference available to everyone.

Apply for a Grant

New this year, you can apply for a grant that could cover up to 2/3 of the conference cost!  Apply here.

Enter to Win 2 Tickets to the CIMC

Squamish.com has partnered with CIMC2017 for a sweet giveaway! Here’s your chance to win free entry for two the CIMC.