Your MWC’18 Survival Kit!
Here it comes again! The biggest mobile community field trip – Mobile World Congress, is returning to Spain on February 26 and tens of thousands of industry sharks will be there to participate in the action!
Such an event can cause mere confusion among those who are heading to Barcelona for the first time. That’s why we’ve decided to compile the following insider tips and tricks to get you through the tech conference and its home city, so you can take care of all the crucial components to a pleasant MWC’18 experience, such as:
- ACCESS
Simply flying all the way up to Barcelona is the easiest part of the deal. Difficulties begin to occur when you need to actually get to the expo: it’s morning, you’re in a hurry and the right venue (Fira Grand Via) just won’t pop on the grid of this endless, antic Manhattan.
Google is at your aid at all times, of course, but will it remind you to grab an ID (btw: acceptable forms of ID), or consider traffic jams and the time you spend making pictures?
Unlikely.
Thus, plan accordingly and remember to add a little Siesta into your schedule!
- SNACKS & HYDRATION
H2O balance is crucial for sustaining a high productivity of the body and brain as our physical performance is impaired at just 2% dehydration level, with a 5% value decreasing your mental abilities by a third. With that in mind, don’t expect to see “free spring water” stalls scattered around the floor – they know the water’s price at places like MWC, and it’s not cheap!
Snacks are another important part of the provisions worth keeping in your travel bag, as you won’t always have the time and opportunity to enjoy a proper lunch.
- CHARGE
More than likely, your smartphone will have to put in triple the work it does usually, given all the communication, photo sessions and googling, not to mention your antenna’s desperate attempts to catch signal all around the venue. Don’t get surprised to see a low charge indication on your cellphone before the first coffee break strikes, and your laptop – dead by midday.
Bring chargers and adaptors along with a portable battery for back-up, hence wall sockets come infrequent and are mostly occupied.
- NOTES
Experiencing MWC in its completeness means passing through a lot of information. While qwerty keyboard is quite handy for texting and making notes in everyday life, trying to grasp core ideas and record your own thoughts on a tiny screen in the middle of a crowded, noisy expo can easily result in low cellphone charge, and elevated stress.
That being said, grab some stickers, a notepad and a pen, and keep them around at all times to record any useful insight, save someone’s contact or make a reminder for one’s self!
- COMFORT & STYLE
Perhaps, it may sound like excessive care, but bring comfy shoes! Walking around a trade show the size of MWC means a lot of motion, and your weary feet will thank you come day four. In any case, bring a couple of band-aides as you might easily get blisters intending to visit every inch of the 100,000 square meters expo center.
Speaking of the show, you will probably notice a lot of attendees matching those Reeboks with a classier upper outfit. Naturally, there is no need to rush for a bow tie simply because of that, and still, a dress shirt may very well find its appliance, just so you know.
- REACH
What looks obvious from aside, is a riddle at MWC. You will be surprised at the number of times you hear “sorry, I’ve run out of business cards” by day three of the show. Therefore, grab enough of your own business cards to avoid such situations!
- EXPERIENCE
Before anything else, MWC is a stunning trade show among the industry’s biggest events. But it can also be a journey of self-discovery and cultural exchange, a wondrous adventure to live through. The Spanish marketing heat is on regardless of the season, and we are lucky being able to get the taste of this global happening. So, if you’re going to visit Barcelona this coming week, make sure to squeeze the most out of the opportunity and explore MWC’18 and the city till the very last bit!
Hasta luego!