Attending My First Conference: What Surprised Me Most

The last thing I expected to see at my first conference was barbeque ribs and an ice cream sundae station. I was expecting uptight people in business casual wear, the type of scene that you’d expect out of Suits. While there was plenty of business casual, the people I met were all so friendly that I felt like it was the first day of college. The good vibes continued for the next couple of days, as I expanded my knowledge of the media and entertainment industry through numerous panels, discussions, mentoring sessions, and stretch breaks, soaking in information like a sponge. 

Sylvester "Sly" Phifer, VP, Performance Marketing, Disney Advertising

While they were all amazing, my favorite speaker was Sylvester “Sly” Phifer, VP of Performance Marketing at Disney Advertising. As someone unfamiliar with how advertising works, I wasn’t sure how much I would get out of his session. However, he explained his job clearly and concisely, citing specific real-world examples like QR code advertising to connect his job to my personal experiences. What intrigued me about his story was the fact that he had just finished his MBA a few weeks before the conference, something that I never thought I would hear. It inspired me that a professional with so much industry experience and such a high position at a major company still felt so strongly about getting his MBA and building on his existing knowledge. 

If I had to choose a favorite panel, it would have to be “BEYOND THE HYPE: AI, Media, and the New Creative Frontier.” Coming into the conference, I was unsure how AI would be woven into conversations and presentations. I knew that it would be a dominant topic, as it seems like everybody's favorite buzzword nowadays, but I was interested to see how the speakers framed it. The main idea that I took away from the panel was that AI’s growth and development should progress slowly and cautiously. While it seems scary, I think it was a timely reminder of the massive implications AI has on our everyday lives.

As a college student, AI is now everywhere in my life. Its prevalence at school has almost made me numb to its drawbacks, but hearing cautionary tales from industry professionals caused me to rethink my perspective. The legal implications of AI image and video generators relating to copyright laws and IP issues were something that I had never really considered, but the day after the conference, I saw a headline about how Disney was suing an AI firm for generating original images of popular fictional characters like Darth Vader and Elsa. Immediately, I thought back to the panel and realized that I had seen AI-generated images of copyrighted characters before without even thinking twice about the legal ramifications.

All in all, the panelists and speakers at the conference helped me reshape my perspective on certain topics while also introducing me to new ideas and connections that I probably would have never thought of. From industry-related topics like streaming services to more career-related topics like job applications and networking, there was a healthy mix of everything. That balance made the conference much more engaging than sitting in an auditorium for three hours sounds, but trust me, it was well worth it.