I have been at the Online Marketing Rockstars twice. Which makes me an expert on the event, right?! I have gathered the perfect tips to best prepare and take advantage of all that the marketing event in Hamburg has to offer. So get your checklist ready and see you in Hamburg!
Saskia Robert, Head of Online Marketing
Jup the perfect Black Friday deal for marketeers: OMR tickets! Splurge and get yourself festival passes with all access. Some stages are only accessible with the festival pass. And the keynotes we found had the most added value were held on them.
The first time I went to the festival, we completely missed the side events! This time I did not and I must say it did not disappoint! So have a look at the side events and register ASAP. Some are on invitation only, that’s the time to use your contacts if you have some to get you in. We recommend Karaoke in the Thai Oase. As far as we know it takes place at each OMR on the last evening. It’s the perfect occasion to check out the infamous Reeperbahn and finish the fair with a bang. The Hamburger Goldkehlchen (Acapella Band) are regulars so don’t be surprised to hear Skyfall from Adele being sung with perfect pitch!
Even if there are plenty of spaces dedicated to giving you the possibility to work if you can prepare a proper handover and warn your clients, partners, and colleagues ahead of time, do it. For me, the goal was to be laptop-free on those two days. Most of the apps and tools we use for work can be accessed via mobile so if there really was anything I needed to do I was able to. Free career advice coming to you hard: you are not indispensable! And if you feel like you are, you are doing something wrong! So hand over your tasks to your colleagues and take full advantage of what the online marketing event has to offer.
Saskia Robert, Head of Online Marketing
So now that the prep is done, it’s time to get on your way. We took the train from Munich (because there is no planet B). The train is already full of OMR visitors so if you are the networking kind, you can already start here!
The biggest pain point upon our arrival was the accreditation. Since the OMR staff recommended doing it on the day before the fair, we went from the train station straight to the accreditation office and were faced with a 1,5 hours queue. To be honest this was to be expected when there is only one accreditation office within walking distance of the train station. Should somebody from the OMR read this, here is our suggestion for the next year: offer the accreditations in the hotel so that you can check-in and get your accreditation at the same time. But the accreditation process on the opening day was very well organized, so don’t bother doing it the day before. Come a little early on the first day and get your armband and QR codes there.
A good tip if it is raining or if you have a lot to carry around - use the lockers! Or better yet pack the bare minimum. Do you really need your laptop? I simply took a bag which held my two phones, wallet, and keys. Just the bare minimum. You can plan a tote bag if you want to grab a few goodies while you are there. And don’t worry about forgetting a tote bag or tacking a too-small bag, tote bags are still the go-to-merch for those kinds of events!
Between the Foodstage and the food trucks, you will for sure find something to eat. Vegan, Vegetarian, or even bland diet, there is something for every kind of eater! Best advice for the OMR: think about food before you are hungry. Starting at 11:30 AM the lines are already crazy long. The best is either to eat very early or very late (but not too late because then you have the late afternoon snack crowd). In 2022 there was a deposit on the drink bottles, so when in doubt bring them back to the bar and let the staff scan your armband to avoid bad surprises on the bill later on. And don’t worry about bringing your water, there is plenty at the bar and the water is included in your ticket.
Plan ahead! Let your network know you are attending the Online Marketing Rockstars, you’ll be surprised how many of your ex-colleagues and contacts are coming too. It might be a bit more tricky than you think to find a time to meet. Between masterclasses and interesting keynotes, both parties want to attend all have to align. I would recommend meeting at the food stage to grab something to eat together. Or check if there is a keynote you both want to see. And definitely use the fair part to get in touch with interesting companies and people. Queues are the perfect place to randomly start discussions with strangers and maybe make great contacts for your network!
Let’s be honest, marketers know how to stand out and show their personality. Statement outfits are highly welcomed! So don’t be shy with colors and let your personality shine. Black or dark blue suits might make you stand out in a bad way if you know what I mean. Branded outfits were also a great hit. For next time we will for sure bring along our Startup communication caps, and T-shirts. Maybe we will even brainstorm coordinated team outfits.
We are excited to see you at the next OMR!
