The joy of six: LS:N Global’s network evening

By Stephen Graves and Robin Key 01 : 04 : 2011 Network Evening : LS:N Global Event : Teens

London – The Future Laboratory’s new headquarters at Elder Street hosted LS:N Global’s Teens and Tech network evening last night. Guests from brands such as Sony, Panasonic, Burberry and O2 joined six key speakers throughout the building.

Design entrepreneur Dejan Mitrovic spoke about Kide, a teaching tool for schools that enables children to design and build toys using a 3D printer and a social gaming interface. ‘My main aim was to get them to connect the virtual world and the physical world,’ explained Mitrovic.

Neil Bennett, strategist at Mother London, discussed the advertising agency’s work with New Look on a forthcoming tv fashion show for Channel 4. It is the first ad-funded show featuring product placement in the UK, according to the broadcaster. Bennett also talked about how Generation D consumers are using technology and mobile devices. ‘Most people aren’t really buying anything via mobile devices,’ he said. ‘They’re using it as a tool. They’re in the store, they’re snapping an outfit, they’re sharing and comparing and getting an opinion from their friends.’

LS:N Global’s own Max Reyner shared his findings from his recent trip to the International Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas, which included the next generation of smartphones featuring the same computing power as desktop PCs. You can read more in our in-depth Tech report.

Digital strategist Ollie Olanipekun discussed Channel 4’s multi-platform youth project Battlefront. He explained how the project employed social media to create a dialogue with its viewers.

Daniel Hirschmann and Bethany Koby spoke about their haberdashery for technology, Technology Will Save Us, which aims to demystify technology and enable consumers to hack and customise products. ‘How can we change our relationship with these things? How can we learn to take them apart, fix them, use them for something else?’ asked Koby.

Joss Debae, trend analyst at The Future Laboratory, discussed his work on The Great Melbourne Treasure Hunt, which combined social media and Conviviality Culture insights to drive footfall among shoppers in the city’s post-Christmas slump.

Guests then gathered to continue the discussions in The Future Laboratory’s courtyard for a convivial experience of their own.

For more insights on technology and teens, read our Futures reports.

LS:N Global will host its second Teens and Tech network evening on 14 April at The Future Laboratory’s Elder Street HQ in London.