Matt Howell, chief interactive officer, Modernista!

How does an agency become digitally literate? How do they integrate a raft of new technologically-minded creatives into their structure? What is the shape and breadth of the new media landscape? How do you create real-time campaigns across mobile, social media, digital OOH and what practically do you need to know about each one?

Boards Presents Boulder Digital Works was created to answer those questions and more. After our inaugural two-day event in Toronto on April 21-22 and in the lead up to our San Francisco event on May 24-25, we spoke to attendees Stephen Jurisic partner/CD at agency John Street; David Ross, ACD at DDB Canada; Joanne Stewart, a marketing manager from one of Canada's biggest clients, Tim Hortons; Taxi's VP integrated production Cynthia Heyd and Lili Shalev, management director at JWT, Toronto to gauge what they learned and what future attendees can expect.

As curious as anyone about what the workshop entailed and gain some invaluable learning, the Boards editorial team plunged in to experience the masterclass firsthand. What followed were two hugely informative, in-depth days of high level digital learning from top minds that covered the spectrum of cutting edge creative, strategy, planning and production.

The workshop was led by experienced industry veterans including Crispin Porter + Bogusky executive creative technical director Scott Prindle and associate technical director Joe Corr, Modernista! chief interactive officer Matt Howell and Kip Voytek, SVP, communications and experience planning at Rapp Collins Worldwide.

Attendees received a broad overview of the trends facing the industry and a stark reality. With lower budgets and an ever-increasing ecosystem of media platforms, agencies and execs lacking a much broader set of skills face the prospect of becoming increasingly irrelevant.

Facing that, Prindle discussed solutions, including the new roles and team structures, such as the creative technologist and user experience designers. Howell then and tackled the thorny issue of transition that many agencies are facing in embracing digital. He detailed the uncomfortable transition at Modernista! of integrating these roles to become a truly digitally-minded agency and the practicalities of making it work day-to-day.

Deeper insight then followed, with specialist sessions detailing social media, real time web, digital planning, mobile, digital out of home, citing specific case studies and the practical process of ideating and producing them. 

Voytek then advised on offered an overview of best practice in digital planning and strategic, as well as adding insight into online behavior and metrics, using real examples. David UK, founder of digital content creator and distributor Digital Percent then spoke on integrating video content, while founder of real time search engine One Riot Robert Reich discussed the best ways to use real time and social media information as part of campaigns.

Wrapping up an intensely educational two days, a group exercise demonstrated this new learning. The room was divided into teams with each assigned a brief to be solved using the insights of that day, subsequently presented to the group and critiqued, providing a neat practical demonstration for each attendee to take back to their workplace.

Watch the videos below.

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