SXSW Social Marketing Strategies and Metrics - audience lashes out

In what seems to be a common occurence, about 50 people jumped onto Meebo, the instant chat service, during a long and boring panel to start a revolt.

The panel hardly touched on strategy and spoke around, not to the topic of metrics. It almost appeared as if some of the panelists had the answers on how to measure, but was unwilling to share.

About 10 minutes into the discussion I jumped onto Meebo. Within another 20 minutes we had about 50 people in the room planning a revolt on instant messaging.

The group planned a synchronized hand raising and mob cough. With about 50 people coughing at the same time from all over the room, it was clear who was in control of the discussion. One of us stood up midway and approached the audience mic and started asking questions, much to the dismay of Tom Parish, who was running the panel. "We have 30 minutes left before questions", he shot us down.

All sorts of dares were put out there, including stripping. I smelled someone's feet and knew this had gone too far.

Most people just got up and left, but by now the chat on Meebo had gotten so interesting and funny that I hung around till the end.

Check out the chat log.

Very few panels are actually using the instant chat service that people are on during these discussions as a way of gauging how things are going or what people want to hear.

Similarly, you have so much talent and brainpower at this event, why not put the challenge out to the audience. Hell, we could even come up with some great solutions to some of the world's problems out there. Is this an opportunity for a sponsor to step in and do this???