Adobe MAX, ugh!

Graphic Design
#1

Yesterday evening, I was killing time on YouTube and ran across a lecture by Michael Beirut on working with clients. I also watched an interview with Erik Spiekermann about typography. I was impressed by what each of them said. They’re experienced, successful, talented, and understand the ins and outs of their fields.

With the previous evening’s good experience in mind, I had some time on my hands this morning, so I thought I’d look at more videos. Adobe MAX is taking place, so I thought I’d check out some of their presentations.

Agggghhh! Everything there is focused on selling Adobe software, of course. But it’s done in a hyped-up frenzy aimed at naive 20-year-olds. There are endless motion visuals and 30-year-old speakers who appear to have prepped for their presentations by downing buckets of quadruple-caffeinated Red Bull.

Adobe’s bottom line seems to be, buy our software and make really cool stuff for really cool clients. In the process, make tons of money while having endless loads of fun. It’s like a giant traveling tecno-tent revival show complete with creativity preachers and charismatic evangelists selling salvation through the miracle of Adobe.

4 Likes
#2

I might start to sound like a broken record: I’m retired, and just found out it was fun not to care about the rat race.

So there.

3 Likes
#3

I don’t understand the appeal. It seems like $1500 to listen to listen to sales pitches.

#4

I’d be interested to see the Michael Beirut and Erik Spiekermann videos you thought were worthwhile.

#5

I found the interview with Michael Beruit very interesting because he dived into a subject that doesn’t get much attention: clients — both good and bad.

Surprisingly, his observations of his clients aren’t all that different from my own. I suppose I assumed that he and Pentagram always landed the best possible clients, but from what he described, this isn’t necessarily the case.

I noticed that lots of miscellaneous Michael Beruit videos are online, so I think I’ll spend a few hours over the next few days watching them.

The interview with Eric Spiekermann wasn’t quite as enlightening since it was an interview for the general public in which he pretty much responded to expected questions with expected answers. However, it was simply interesting to listen to the guy.

I noticed there are other videos featuring Spiekermann, so I might watch a few more, as well. I’m certain that I didn’t stumble upon the best one.

1 Like
#6

This made me :rofl:

#7

Thanks :blush:

#8

of course

Once they have you on the hook it’s hard to escape. :fishing_pole_and_fish: :grimacing:

#9

It’s like a giant traveling tecno-tent revival show complete with creativity preachers and charismatic evangelists selling salvation through the miracle of Adobe.

Think you pretty much hit the nail on the head with that last sentence :joy:

I tend to watch the MAX events to stay up to date on the latest Adobe tools / features, and admittedly get quite excited by it… but God those speakers (with the exception of maybe 1 or 2) are so annoying