I remember three years ago buying tickets for my first LMFF Herald Sun Marketing Breakfast. I was so excited – I think it actually might have been one of the first LMFF events I ever went to, right at the beginning of my fashion journey. At the time I lived out in the suburbs and the thought of having an hour to travel and an hour (at least!) to get ready for the 7.30am start was painful. I booked a hotel room (Pensione Boutique on Spencer Street, less than $100 for the night!) and went down to Docklands the night before, to watch the parade on the big screen and visit the L’Oreal Paris Powder Room.

On the morning of the breakfast, I spent ages getting ready. I had bought multiple outfits in and went with a black button up long sleeve collared shirt, a high waisted skirt in shades of brown and black and simple black pumps. A black clutch completed my look and I went the breakfast confident I would meet important and exciting people, learn fascinating fashion and marketing tricks and come away more knowledgeable.

Of course I got there and realised I had left my ticket at home; all the people on my table were in a group and chatted amongst themselves and I can’t remember now what the topic was, but I do remember that outfit, the thought I put into it and how I felt, exactly the way I felt yesterday morning getting dressed for the 2010 breakfast.

As much as I love the fashion of the festival, the glamour and drama of the parades, the Marketing Breakfast is a highlight for me personally as I actually work in a marketing role and that is what I studied at University. While fashion is my first love, marketing is my mistress and when I have the opportunity to have both together – well, it’s an opportunity to shine!

This year I wore the Cue dress I bought after the Spencer and Rutherford launch a few weeks back, with a black patent waist belt, black patent pumps and a black tote. I mingled with people I knew in the foyer before heading to my table where two women were already seated. In the past, I would have sat alone and waited for them to talk to me but in 2010 I am much more confident and I immediately asked if the empty seat was taken and sat with them.

Jennifer and Francis were both lovely and easy to talk to. Jennifer is about to launch a new business in Sydney while Francis worked for a company in the same industry as where I work (what are the chances!!). We chatted over a bento box breakfast (kudos to the Sofitel Melbourne for paying attention when I called to advise I was Gluten Free and they remembered my table number!) and coffee before the lights dimmed and the important part of the morning began.

Kim Wilson, Sunday Herald Sun Fashion Editor made the introductions and Charlie Pickering from Channel 10s 7pm Project and Talkin’ about Your Generation acted as MC. The main speaker for the session was Paul Bennett, Managing Partner, Europe and Chief Creative Officer, IDEO London, UK, speaking on the topic, ‘In the post-marketing world, how are you going to tell your stories?’

Paul opened with a screenshot of his facebook page and I could tell we would be in for an entertaining and enlightening experience. I was right. The session was fantastic, one of the most engaging and vibrant speakers I have ever had the privilege of hearing. Paul questioned, In today’s marketing environment, who is an insider and who is an outsider? There is no control anymore and this is something modern marketing must address. Using example from around the globe, Paul stepped through the process, first asking, what happened? Then moving through to what we can do about it.

In essence, marketing must go from ‘thoughtlessness’ to ‘thoughtless communication’ – what is the stuff we do daily that we don’t even think twice about? We used to be involved in a read-write culture, with a shift to a read-only culture in recent decades. It seems with the introduction of social media that we are moving into a write culture again, opening up the conversation and allowing creativity, imagination and discovery.

The four main points Paul finished on to summarise were:

1. Contribution is the new consumption
2. Dialogue is the new monologue
3. Unclenched is the new control
4. Morality is the new luxury

As I said, Paul was engaging and entertaining – a thoroughly enjoyable and education experience and one of my highlights for the festival.