Incisive Media - Countdown to Bankruptcy ?

I was just having a conversation with a large advertiser about how I am not going to SES San Jose this year (the first time in 5 years), and they told me after getting next to no ROI last year they will not be sponsoring this year's event. I wrote a long time ago about how they were losing me and and was surprised at how many people had the exact same thoughts. I ended up going last year because Matt McGowen is a totally awesome guy and scored us passes to come. But then when I got there I was totally assaulted by Kevin Ryan (who was running the event) saying I talk smack about him... Which I and everyone else around me thought he was all jacked up on cocaine or something, 'cause he totally made no sense (and searching this blog, he is not mentioned at all). After the event, others made posts about Kevin's leadership of the conference (or lack thereof). And now rumors are going around that this year's SES San Jose could be the last for the event.... and maybe the end of Search Engine Strategies. Most people will blame it on the economy... but that's bullshit. Affiliate Summit just announced another sellout for its event next month (same week as SES San Jose). The fact is the event has just gone to shit. Lack of quality speakers and advertisers means a pretty bad experience for conference goers. Even Google has announced they will not be having their "Google Dance" this year (first time ever) during the event. And to make matters worse, I have been getting repeated spam from them:

On Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 5:10 PM, Reynor Santiago wrote: Reynor.Santiago@incisive.media.com / Tel: 212 457 7856 Special 10% Discount Invitation Code DS04 Further to my attempts to speak with you today, please find attached an At-A-Glance agenda and a special 10% Discount link for the West Coasts’ pre-eminent Search Engine Optimization and Marketing event. Please call me to avail of special discounts. In today’s economy where every dollar spent has to be accounted for and all customers are searching out the very best deals, maximizing your online marketing performance is more important than ever before! Evolving strategies, new technologies and greater market demands are forcing all marketing professionals to re-examine their SEO/SEM strategies ; where will you get up to speed to create that all important competitive advantage? Whether you’re a marketing professional, an agency executive or a one-person operation, there is one place you have to be: AUGUST 10-14, 2009 – MCENERY CONVENTION CENTER, SAN JOSE SAVE 10% - Click: DS04 10% DISCOUNT or Enter Priority Code DS04 Learn, discuss and develop everything you need to know about search from seasoned professionals and leading visionaries, by being part of SES SJ 2009 you will: · Learn how search engines rank web pages and how to optimize yours to out-rank your competition · Discover new methods of link building to keep your brand in front of your customers · Increase traffic via organic listings, adhere to search engine guidelines and avoid "spam" penalties · Learn to rank better with pay-per-click advertising and how to do it right · Improve user experience by testing and tuning landing pages to ensure high conversion rates · Use analytics to track performance and generate maximum ROI using free and paid software · Network with peers and experts to learn the latest tips and trends in the search marketing industry SES San Jose’s 2009 featured keynote presenters are: Clay Shirky – Author, Here Comes Everybody Nicholas Fax – Business Product Management Director, AdWords, Google Charlene Li – Co-Author, Groundswell As your Account Manager for this event I am delighted to issue you and any colleagues with a VIP Priority code and a special 10% discount, please ensure the following code is used in all correspondence to claim relevant savings and ensure you receive my personal attention: DS04 Given the timely and valuable information available at the event we are witnessing great demand for places, so please contact me as soon as possible to secure your passes for the event. I will follow up with you as we approach this event and look forward to meeting you in San Jose. All the best, Reynor Santiago Delegate Coordinator Incisive Media 120 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10271 Tel: 212.457.7856 Fax: 646-822-5281 reynor.santiago@incisivemedia.com

The spam is SO LAME. C'MON, it's not even a half-ass attempt. Learn how to write some sales copy. Ohh, and you might also want to be CAN SPAM compliant... just a suggestion... This event was the first I ever attended... and it's sad to see what it has become.