No matter how much tiger blood flows through his veins, Charlie Sheen's debut show in Detroit was nothing short of a disaster. As Tom Asacker points out in this brilliant article (link to PDF download), "He seemed to believe that 'Charlie Sheen' was the brand, and that people were exchanging their time and money simply to be in the presence of 'the Warlock.'” Though they lack the "wild and crazy" promise, it reminds me of some association shows to that still think people should come just because it's the industry show, then blame attendees for their dissatisfaction with the experience. It's not enough to have a good brand—you have to be able to deliver (preferably over-deliver) on your brand's promise.
What else can conference and convention organizers learn from Charlie?