I have been to many, many events where a panel of business experts talk about their latest tech, important trends and what they think the future might hold for us.

None - until the week before last - had a bunch of artists giving their perspective. It was brilliant - thought provoking and inspirational.  Organised by Tata Consulting Services (TCS) the event was called Spark Salon - The new Muses: Artists visions of a sustainable future.  Read all about here in a post written by TCS' Director of Corporate Sustainability Yogesh Chaubhan.  Follow #tcsSparkSalon on Twitter.

What was wonderful is that these artists (including my friend Duncan Cameron) used their incredible imagination and artistic skills to communicate complex ideas, emotions and insights in a way I have rarely experienced from business people.  

Where business people often sound alike and often conservative there was a passion that made this event very powerful.  It was a great representation of the values TCS are trying to portray and therefore great content marketing.

The TCS event was opened by poet Becci Louise talking of a distopian future where your children (if you are rich) can be genetically designed to such an extent that they have no life choices left to them.  

All of this reminded me of how Nationwide Building Society have been using poets to market their services.  Check out the advert below.  This is one of the few adverts on TV that made me literally stop what I was doing and watch and listen.  

So conclusion - we can learn a great deal from those who are not in 'business' and if you have an event open with a poet!!