Adobe Summit 2018: Bringing the Conference to the Cabana

"The most important things I’ve learned have come from life… and that helps me look at problems differently and plays a role in the experiences we create at my companies." - Sir Richard Branson

The focus of Adobe Summit 2018 was experiences, and the 13-person RevJet sales and marketing team had many memorable ones during their time in Las Vegas. Modern marketers from many top brands meet at Summit to learn how to improve marketing efficiency, accelerate business outcomes, and learn what is next.

Mother Nature got the trip off to a shaky start. Cold winds whipping across the desert not only made for bumpy flights, but also threatened to limit the impact on the team’s signature idea of a poolside cabana at the Venetian. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, but the lifeguards were wrapped up in towels and shivering in their chairs.

However, the weather dramatically improved by midday Tuesday, leading to great experiences for RevJet’s guests, who downed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres on the pool deck. “Summit was a great way to spend quality time with our clients and prospects in a relaxed environment,” said RevJet’s Northwest Sales Director Brad McKeon. One group of colleagues fully encompassed the Vegas spirit by stripping down to their board shorts and bikinis and jumping in the pool after a meeting at RevJet’s cabana.

“Summit is very important to us because it attracts modern marketers who need to achieve,” said Northern California Sales Director Donny Malinoff. “RevJet helps them double their effectiveness with no increase in media spend. At Summit, we can align our vision with some of the most forward thinking professionals who rely on us to to help them get where they’re trying to go.”

The conference itself provided experiences ranging from educational to inspirational to pure fun. Networking and learning from other software providers about the rapid advances in technology was eye-opening. For their part, the RevJet team enjoyed sharing how their technology changed the way that clients like Bridgestone and LendingTree do business.

Amy Hu, Vice President of Interactive Marketing and Online Experience at H&R Block, touched on one of RevJet’s strengths in providing a personalized marketing experience. “There are two type of people: cat people and dog people. We need to know how to speak to both of them…and know the customer journey from 'tip to tail.'"

One of the reasons that RevJet values Summit so much is because the company is looking to use data to make creative a personal experience. Marketers need to personalize the package, explained James Sommerville, VP of Global Design at Coca Cola. “We need to deliver it with absolute certainty, and it is important for us as we move more digital that we personalize at scale.” As RevJet integrates the wealth of data clients are getting from their DMP and CRM to make the creative a personal experience, “we are on the cusp of something huge,” said Midwest Sales Director Griffin Mayer.

Another conference standout for many was NFL linebacker J.J. Watts, who spoke about winning the Walter Payton award as Sportsman of the Year. Watt surpassed his original goal of raising $200,000 for Hurricane Harvey relief by over $37 million. Others took flight from Sir Richard Branson’s tales of pushing the boundaries of exploration. He started in 1984 by taking on British Airways’ 400 plane fleet with a single lonely Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747, and continues it today with the goal of making space travel affordable for the common person.

In between it all were moments of joy, such as a puppy petting station next to the RevJet booth, an intense 4-player basketball competition in the Community Pavilion (won by Austin from marketing), and seeing Grammy winning artist Beck perform at the Bash Wednesday night.

Summit continues to be an essential tool to display the great experience our customers have on the platform, and has been instrumental as RevJet continues its rapid ascent as a company. RevJet will be back with an even larger presence in 2019!