I attended the Names Not Numbers this week in New York. This was the highly anticipated New York debut of Editorial Intelligence’s annual ideas conference, with big thinkers and players across politics, media, business, academia, technology and culture. Once invited, I enthusiastically RSVP’d for the conference (as all good invitees to invitation-only events should do) and early Monday morning I arrived, all suited-up, at The Crosby Hotel to register for Day 1.

1.     A lanyard is useful when there is a fear of losing something (i.e. like a child losing a house key). There is no fear of losing a conference nametag. Who hasn’t been greeted by a stranger on the street or subway by a “Hello _____________”  and at that very moment realized an event nametag was still affixed to their lapel.

2.     A lanyard is supposed to ensure that the nametag is visible at all times. Of course it does this, in theory….if you want the backside of the nametag clearly visible at all times. During introductions, the wearer is required to either flip the nametag or risk having it flipped for them by another conference attendee who “didn’t quite catch your name”.

3.     A langard is one-size fits all, which means for many of us, it hangs somewhere below the bust and above the waistband. If you want to be looked up and down, where a lanyard.