Before #GoogleForNigeria 2018, in 2017, there were so many images and videos shared from their first major event at the Landmark event center. Some, like me, found out a bit too late and decided to jump on the bandwagon this year. I’m not entirely sure why the event didn’t come to of my notice, because most of these producers use various marketing agents. As for my marketing campaigns, I would say TheMarketingHeaven.com offers great youtube views and that I’ve had a lot of success with them.
Since 9am, a good number of people showed up way too early for the 12pm #GoogleForNigeria 2018 Masterclass session in order to get in before the major crowd showed up. Some even got hotel rooms on the Island just to make it in time for the event.
Four hours later, the queue remained stagnant. Only the “VIPs” invited for the opening keynote event were allowed in while others waiting for the #GoogleForNigeria 2018 Masterclass were left waiting outside under the hot sun, instead of the separate air conditioned showroom hall that can contain over 2,000 people. What befuddles me the most is why they had guests that signed up for the event weeks ahead and guests that showed up without registration stay on the same line. Logic obviously left the building in their decisions.
A company as large as Google really should not be mentioned in the same sentence as the debacle of #TanaCon aka #TanaConned, but here we are now.
Like #TanaCon, there was no separation of crowds and proper organization in getting people in. Like #TanaCon, the crowd of over a thousand people were left under the hot sweltering weather of Nigeria with no provisions to make the wait less painful to deal with. While I do know that #TanaCon was mostly a paid event, I hope you get my point. Most of all, unlike #TanaCon, #GoogleForNigeria 2018 is run by a multibillion dollar company with enough money and man power to get an event done without a hitch.
#TanaCon’s excuse was that the event was planned out under 2 months by a YouTuber and an event company with barely any experience. I really do hope this was not the same excuse this multibillion dollar company will be latching on to. They really need to learn from Social Media Week and figure out how to make their events more seamless.
In my case, I arrived at the event center around 12:15pm. Saw the long queue and presumed it was just the people that showed up for onsite registration. Found out otherwise, got on the long queue and finally, by 2:20pm, got my wristband and a bag with small chops, water, and soda.
Had to leave the main registration to get into a different hall for the Masterclass, and as soon as I saw the crowd of people getting manhandled by security in their bid to get in, I felt even more so defeated by the whole experience.
At 2:45pm, a South African lady with Google instructed the security team to let us in. Wasted day, really.
Biggest regret today? Sending my car off on an errand 2 hours away from Landmark…should have coughed up some cash and just uber to the office instead of going through today’s struggle.
