Jeff Daigle, MPI Creative Director:
“This was fun. It’s got a paste-up, ransom letter kind of thing going on. It’s nice to completely break the layout grid sometimes and go where the design takes you, and any article featuring imagery of Kublai Khan, Lennon/McCartney, the Black Hand Society and the King James Bible will undoubtedly take you somewhere interesting.”
Jason Hensel, One+ Associate Editor:
"For years, I’ve had this idea for an article showing how meetings (even two-person meetings) can significantly change the world. I planned the article to be informative while being fun—similar to how Mental Floss magazine publishes their number-based articles (e.g., “10 Famous Trees,” “10 Important Kisses in the Universe,” etc.).
Still, it took time before a “fun” article could even be considered in the magazine. But with the changeover from The Meeting Professional to One+, and a new spirit in the magazine’s tone, I knew the time was right for pitching the story again. Finally, it was accepted.
I arrived at the final 10 meetings by doing research on my own, and then using the magazine and online channels, reaching out to the people who know best: our members in the meeting and event community as well as my MPI co-workers and friends around the globe. My plan was to offer a well-rounded selection, including every kind of meeting from travel (Marco Polo) to social changes (Seneca Falls Convention) to art (the Beatles). The meetings had to have a ripple effect across time and cut deep across society worldwide. The final criterion was that each meeting had to offer a great story, and that is ultimately what separated the gold from the stones.
To reinforce why the meetings were important, I reached out to non-industry people for comment. For example, Judith Wellman, Ph.D., professor emeritus at the University of Virginia and author of The Road to Seneca Falls, commented on the significance of that meeting. By getting non-industry professionals to discuss the meetings, it showed our readers that their industry is one that is changing the world for everyone, not just our industry.
After the article was published, it was discussed and mentioned on several industry and non-industry blogs and forums, such as the MeetingsCommunity (MeCo) Google group and Mental Floss’ Morning Cup of Links, along with several tweet links on Twitter.
Our readers can no longer operate in a bubble; they must understand that what they do may affect everyone, not just now, but perhaps hundreds of years into the future. I hope the article shows readers what kind of powerful positions they are in. And I hope they use it for good."
Add your commentary