They'll Gladly Take Your Phone Away - 5 Great Reasons to Attend wine2wine 2022
Stevie Kim does not mince words.
In a recent interview with Matteo Borré on the site Wine Couture, Stevie—Founder of Italy's wine business forum, wine2wine, and Managing Director of Vinitaly International—quipped that she would seize all mobile phones at the entrance of the upcoming wine2wine Fair so that people would focus on listening.
Think about that.
When was the last time you actually sat down, put your phone away (or, even better, turned it off) and actually listened to what the person speaking had to say? When was the last time you turned to the person next to you and introduced yourself? Or listened to the question from an audience member, or eavesdropped on the chit chat of those in the row behind you (always worth doing, in my experience).
Knowing that more than 60% of this readership reads this newsletter on their handheld device, I realize that the mere thought of having our digital devices stripped from our hands will strike fear into our hearts. Whatever would you do without your device?
Make that awkward "first move" and introduce yourself to someone?
Hold eye contact and smile?
Mumble some small talk while your eyes dart around, desperately seeking the nearest exit?
Worry about losing the chance to take an amazing photo to post to social?
Yikes!
Stevie has a point.
There's something very powerful about removing digital distractions in order to stop, tune in and listen. To take 60 seconds of quiet, and become completely present.
Like many other global wine conferences, wine2wine went virtual in 2020 and 2021. This year, it’s once again a two-day in-person event in Verona. This year’s theme? Wine communications. A topic that’s well worth some focus and attention.
That’s why this year’s event will not have any live streaming. There won’t be an app to download, and there won’t be online chats. It’s just human beings talking to one another.
Here’s why you should attend:
1. It’s Stimulating
wine2wine is inclusive and adventurous, where topics you think are going to be presented in a well-worn fashion turn out to be new and fresh.
2. It Offers Community
wine2wine was the very first wine international fair to open their doors to A Balanced Glass in 2019 when we held our first "stop and breathe "—Fermati e Respira—session. Back then, people thought we were crazy to talk about meditation and mindfulness at a wine conference—yet some of those attendees became ABG's most vocal supporters.
3. It's Dynamic
Mamma Jumbo Shrimp, Crazy Stevie, call her what you like but Stevie Kim is an unstoppable wine business powerhouse who runs an exceptionally professional conference.
4. It's Verona!!
If you've ever been to the April trade show of Vinitaly at Veronafiere, you know it involves racing through miles of crowded walkways and hallways, along with endless coffee and porchetta sandwich lines, taxi waits, and more lines. Wine2Wine offers a much quieter, easier way to see Verona, while still being tax deductible.
5. Phone-Free Zone
If you needed an excuse to turn off your phone and really tune-in, this is your chance.
Cathy and I are returning this year as presenters, speaking about unique storytelling and future trends in communications, respectively. We first presented together in 2015. Back then, w2w it was a small outpost of Vinitaly International, held in a small conference room adjacent to the main fair. We are thrilled to see how much this fair has grown and are proud to be a media sponsor.
wine2wine is also where the annual OperaWine producer list is announced. Sponsored by Wine Spectator magazine, Senior Editors Bruce Sanderson and Alison Napjus will be onsite to reveal the producer pouring list for the 2023 event.
So if you're reading this in Europe and have the financial means to attend, we would love to see you in Verona on November 7 and 8 at Veronafiere. TICKETS are still available and you can find a full list of SESSIONS here, and the list of SPEAKERS is here.
See you at the Fairgrounds!
A presto,
Beck
