Most people who follow me know my affinity for localized digital signage events, such as the Digital Signage for Corporate Communication event last month, Strategy Institute Conferences, Digital Signage Mixers in Toronto and The Screen Forum/DSA in New York. I've also been to some nice localized events sponsored by Ingram Micro and NEC Display Solutions.

I think the intimate nature of these events can prove to be extremely beneficial, especially for users that are just starting out and can be overwhelmed by the amount of information presented to them at a large digital signage tradeshow. I've found that at smaller events, these people have the ability to ask more questions of the experts that are specialized to their specific issues.

This month, I suggest anyone within a close proximity of the Cincinnati area consider attending the Digital Non-Conference, held Sept. 23-24 at various locations in downtown Cincinnati . The purpose of the Digital Non-Con is to give Midwest digital marketers a chance to get together and share ideas, network and learn by attending sessions and events at fun local restaurants and pubs as opposed to stuffy conference rooms.

Fortunately, the Digital Hub Initiative, which organizes this event, recognizes digital signage as one of the key media for the digital marketing future. They've scattered several sessions geared toward digital signage throughout the two-day event. Should you go, here are my picks for digital signage breakout sessions to attend:

1. Panel Discussion – Digital Signage

Moderated by Tim Burke, Electronic Art

Bill Collins, DecisionPoint Media Insights

Chuck Gose, MediaTile

Christopher Hall, DigitalSignageToday.com

2. Integration of Digital Display with Traditional Media to get Results

 Chip Beale, Cox Media Group

3. Screw Your Big Screen TV - How the small screen came to rule our lives

Marty Boyer, Bridge Worldwide

Last year I attended the first annual event just one day before I left for KioskCom Europe in London . Being the first time the event was held, it was a pretty well organized conference. (I mean non-conference.)

One of the most unique aspects of this non-conference is the dispersed breakout sessions. Digital Hub set up a headquarters at a hotel for check-in but then sends you to different bars and restaurants around the city for the sessions.

Last year's inaugural digital signage session was held at a roadhouse-type bar in the heart of downtown Cincinnati . Aside from the "usual suspects" who were there from the digital signage industry, including myself, MediaTile's Gose, DecisionPoint's Collins of Media Insights, Electronic Art's Burke and Louie Hollmeyer of STRATACACHE, there were about 15 other attendees who we assumed had some kind of interest in digital signage. (I suspect there would have been more had it not been for a rainstorm that I'm sure kept people from walking to the bar.)

As Gose points out in the MediaTile blog, that interest was pretty evident as the conversation began. A lot of people had an interest in digital signage as an advertising medium, and directed a lot of questions about advertising toward Collins and moderator Burke.

As anyone in the industry knows, advertising represents a small and often difficult slice of the digital signage industry. I am told that this year the panelists will work to steer the conversation in a direction that gives people a better understanding of the industry and the technology as a whole.

This event is not large nor dedicated exclusively to digital signage, but if you are a digital signage industry member or digital marketer in the Midwest I highly recommend you check out the Digital Non-Conference next week and join the conversation.

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