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The event scene for the outdoor industry is changing rapidly. Consumer shows, regional buying opportunities, and hyper-focused conferences are becoming an increasingly important part of any outdoor brand’s strategy. In this new world, Outdoor Media Summit (OMS)—one of the nation’s top education conferences for media and marketers in the outdoor space—is a must-attend event. 

Here are five reasons your marketing team should head to beautiful Incline Village in North Lake Tahoe at the end of October for OMS.

OMS Predicts the Future for You

One of the show’s mission statements is to look beyond the horizon and identify what’s next in digital media and marketing. Each year, a steering committee made up of top outdoor brands and media highlight the hottest trends in the digital space. Then, the OMS team recruits the leading minds in those spaces as speakers.

Whether you’re a marketer at a brand, editor of a media outlet or creator, staying on top of trends is critical for your success as a professional. This year, some of those trends include vertical-format video, engaging with podcasters, and category SEO for Amazon and Google.

But knowing the trends is just one piece of the puzzle. OMS focuses on teaching attendees how to execute on them. Every one of the show’s breakout sessions includes a how-to component so that when you walk out, you’ll be armed with tactical execution strategies to do business better.

What OMS attendees say:

“Outdoor Media Summit is the best media event in the outdoor industry. It’s as simple as that.” —Sean McCoy, editorial director of GearJunkie

OMS Has a Unique Formula for Breakout Sessions

Outdoor Media Summit first built its reputation as a conference through breakout sessions. The show opts for a mini-presentation format (as opposed to the traditional “stools and moderator” style) where three speakers present on a topic for roughly ten minutes each. After each speaker wraps up, a Q&A session follows. OMS organizers find that this format leads to the highest engagement and greatest benefit to audiences.

The breakout sessions are guaranteed to be high value, because they’re based around one central rule: share secrets. Before speakers are allowed to present, they have to sign an agreement that says, “I promise to give up my secrets on the topic vs. speaking at a high level, speaking in vagaries, or making a sales pitch.” Without agreeing to those terms, speakers can’t make it onto the docket.

OMS Brings Fresh Media Faces

Each year, OMS scans the outdoor media landscape to identify the biggest personalities and invites them to speak or attend the show. Many of these folks aren’t your typical trade show regulars. Some are non-endemic; others are rising stars. Not only does this give an opportunity for brands to interact with fresh faces, it gives brands the chance to cross-pollinate with new media outlets that don’t show up to other industry events. 

In 2021, OMS  brought in staff editors from Wired, the New York Times, Women’s Health, Business Insider, and more. This year the show will expand its non-endemic publications list even further. It will welcome trending TikTokers like Nelson Holland, Jeffrey Binney, and Bonjour Becky, YouTubers like Miranda Webster and Noah Kane, and other top Instagrammers, podcasters, and vloggers.

The Programming Is Top Notch

Destination marketing organizations host dozens of conferences every year, so when a team member from one describes OMS as “one of the most organized conferences” they’ve been to (see below), that’s some seriously high praise.

At OMS, thanks to the extensive planning of organizers, you won’t have to worry about things like how to get from point A to point B, what to eat, or even how to start a conversation. All you need to do is show up with your favorite note-taking device and you’ll walk out with inspiration for tackling tough marketing challenges. (You may even make a friend or two along the way.)

What OMS attendees say:

“Everything is so organized. I love the way the program flows.” —Aaron Mullin, director of communications and marketing at Visit Bentonville

“One of the most organized conferences I’ve been to.” —Carrie Cousins, director of digital marketing for Roanoke Regional Partnership

ROI, ROI, ROI

The issue of “return on events” is a growing concern, and for good reason. Brands are becoming more discerning with their spending and even more cautious about their environmental footprint. Outdoor Media Summit adheres to a zero-waste philosophy by offsetting carbon produced by travel and working closely with hotels to eliminate single-use plastic.

The event is also incredibly affordable compared to other shows. At a conventional trade show—factoring in booth pricing, labor, travel, lodging, and food—brands can easily spend five figures to attend. At Outdoor Media Summit, a Conference + Hotel Ticket (which includes two nights of lodging at a Four Diamond resort, six meals, three happy hours, and shuttles back and forth from the airport) costs less than $1,200.

OMS is able to offer this rock-bottom pricing thanks to the amazing support of its destination sponsors, including this year’s: the Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau.

What OMS attendees say:

“A lot of bang for the buck for sure.” —Seyl Park, marketing manager at SylvanSport

“I went to four press events this year and OMS was, hands down, the best. The seminars were the best, the scavenger hunt was the best. The other events weren’t catered to people like me. At the end of OMS, we had more interaction than at any other event,” —Ryan Spinks, director of brand development at QuietKat

Meaningful Connections in an Authentic Setting

True connections are hard to make through Zoom meetings, conference calls, or half-hour appointments at busy trade shows. The real deal is cultivated when peers can spend quality time in small group settings (being outdoors in beautiful mountain towns also doesn’t hurt). That’s why OMS coordinates fun, small-group activities like scavenger hunts at the event.

When you fill a room with hundreds of the best marketers and media pros in the outdoor industry, magic tends to happen. That’s the core philosophy behind the OMS model.

What OMS attendees say:

“It was awesome to be in person with like-minded individuals in my field. I loved learning from experienced marketers and influencers while getting to explore a beautiful area.” —Meaghan Ruby, marketing manager at Minus33

Convinced you need to attend? Interested in learning more? Schedule a call and see if a hyper-focused media event like Outdoor Media Summit might be right for you. Email yoon@outdoormediasummit.com or kenji@outdoormediasummit.com to connect.

More questions? OMS can probably answer them . Ready to nail it down? .