Content Conference 2024: our experience

Thursday 30 May 2024 was the big day: the Frankwatching Content Conference 2024! Sjoerd and Annerieke, representing the Deventer and Enschede teams, were there to gain an inside look at various companies that offered relevant insights into setting up an effective content strategy.

A warm welcome in Utrecht

The event took place at the Beatrix Theatre in the ever-beautiful city of Utrecht. The day was officially opened by the chairperson, Fleur Huijs. We were put straight to work, as we had to assess whether an image was AI-generated or not. Fortunately, Sjoerd and Annerieke got (almost) everything right. The first presentation was given by Femke Klein from the National Committee for 4 and 5 May. She outlined the development of the national campaign ‘80 Years of Freedom’: a fascinating and inspiring story.

A variety of breakout sessions

After the opening, it was time for the first breakout sessions. Sjoerd and Annerieke decided to attend various presentations in order to gather a wide range of knowledge and insights. The sessions covered a wide range of topics: from an in-depth look at Schiphol’s customer journey to Boels’ impactful content. The coffee breaks in between provided the perfect opportunity for Sjoerd and Annerieke to share the knowledge they had gained.

Presentations that leave a lasting impression

Annerieke and Sjoerd attended a number of particularly interesting sessions, including:

• From waiting time to entertainment: how digital storytelling and media formats help – Schiphol
• From machines to impactful content – Boels
• The impact of AI on creativity, now and in the future – Open AI
• Case: A statement against expensive brands, this time in Roblox – Zeeman
• How to build a successful content platform – Wageningen University & Research
• The digital content strategy for the new brand Odido – Odido
• Getting started with your content strategy: the 4P method – Buzzle

Insightful perspectives

During the conference, various innovative ideas and insights were shared. A key point was that AI will not replace jobs, but will reshape them. For example, a photographer might start teaching Midjourney courses. We also learnt about latent prompting, whereby AI adds invisible rules to, for example, avoid political statements. The importance of mapping both behaviour and emotions throughout the customer journey was also emphasised, such as during the departure, transfer and arrival journeys at Schiphol. Or how to get your (technical) colleagues on board with your content strategy, in which they play a leading role.

The Boels Brand Ladder demonstrated that creativity should be given more scope in order to craft a compelling brand story. The day concluded with a presentation by Jildou van der Bijl, editor-in-chief at HEMA and known as the former editor-in-chief at LINDA. A lovely quote she shared, which we’d like to pass on, was: “You can only be good if you know what is good.” With the confidence that a good content marketer will always have the upper hand over AI, thanks to their creativity.

Closing drinks reception

The Content Conference 2024 was a day packed with informative and inspiring sessions and fascinating speakers. Sjoerd and Annerieke are really looking forward to applying the knowledge and inspiration they’ve gained to their own work. We’re already looking forward to the next edition!