You are at a party, social gathering or meeting. Many of the attendees are unknown to you. It is hard to break the ice and start a conversation. Place pictures, pins or words on your name tag that indicate your interest in travel, gardening, horse racing, math, aviation, whatever... The conversations begin in a very short time; deep and permanent connections are sparked immediately. Sashes with pins or military type chest medals and bars would also work.

***********************

From the Jan, 9, 2009 issue of the Inventors Association of Georgia newsletter:

NEW NAME TAGS For 2009 we are redesigning our member name tags to include 2 extra lines of info to make networking easier. The first line is for words related to your product or product category. The second line is for words showing your areas of knowledge or experience to share. example learning games painting tools elec. engr, car parts woodworking Each line has a maximum of 34 spaces.

Vendor members will get their company name and services. Think about what you want on the tag in advance so you can add it the the new applications when you join.
-- Sunstone, Oct 28 2008

Scrolling LED Name Badge http://www.aventrade.com/sclednaba.html
[batou, Oct 31 2008]

for some reason I kept trying to bone this but couldn't... [+]
-- FlyingToaster, Oct 28 2008


"Ask me about my great big -"
(+)
-- Jinbish, Oct 28 2008


My nametag has a picture of [po].
-- phoenix, Oct 28 2008


I experienced almost exactly this tack at a networking seminar put on by some massively smug and not a little patronising ex-litigator at the behest of my employers. It was as much fun as being jabbed in the face with the wrong end of an echidna.
-- calum, Oct 28 2008


"Hello, my name is _Bob_. Ask me about my _lack_of_social_skills_."
-- baconbrain, Oct 28 2008


What might be a better idea is if the tags were put on people's backs and contained outrageous lies...
-- Jinbish, Oct 28 2008


"It was as much fun as being jabbed in the face with the wrong end of an echidna."
There's a correct end?
-- phoenix, Oct 28 2008


We were wondering that too. How does he know ?

What specied of echidna, by the way ? Male, or female ?

As to the idea - how about a badge that says, "Ask me about Asberger's Syndrome !".

A better idea would be something like the Japanese mobile-phone dating idea; the phones ping one another (using Bluetooth .... It's not our fault ! It's not our fault ! They told us to say it ! It's not our fault !) and alert the owner of someone with a "profile match" is nearby (in a bar or club). They can then communicate by text.

So, a phone which whispers in your earpiece, "Male, 37, brown hair, houseowner, unmarried, likes children and foreign holidays, rich parents.", or maybe, "Female, 29, red hair, filthy temper, likes cats, owns a horse, mad bitch, RUN RUN RUN......"
-- 8th of 7, Oct 28 2008


I met this guy with a joint pinned to his lapel...+
-- xandram, Oct 31 2008



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