Marketing Visionaries Gather at MplanetTM to Examine Today’s Hyper-Networked Marketing Environment

As the marketing landscape continues to change at unprecedented speeds, the industry’s top minds came together today at the American Marketing Association’s conference Mplanet (Jan. 26-28) to share insight on the opportunities and challenges in today’s technology-driven marketplace.

"Especially in today’s changing climate, marketing has the opportunity to create an enduring brand,” said Dennis Dunlap, CEO of American Marketing Association. "By bringing together our industry’s best and brightest to explore new strategies, media and tactics, Mplanet is helping to ensure marketing’s role in creating a brand’s long-term innovation and sustainability.”

Digital Marketing Lab Learnings

Mplanet, hosted in partnership with Wharton School and Bain & Company, commenced with a pre-conference digital marketing lab Monday afternoon where speakers explored the growing toolkit of digital marketing techniques, social media, mobile marketing technologies and next generation devices.

Stephanie Diamond, president of Digital Media Works, Inc., opened the Digital Marketing Lab. Discussing the importance of storytelling across multiple platforms, Diamond set the stage for the subsequent sessions that reviewed new methods for directly engaging customers and businesses when and where they want.

"Pick your tactics last,” counseled Diamond. "Start with your story and develop your strategy before launching any tactics.”

"There is no single formula when it comes to digital, the best thing you can do is question everything,” said presenter Julie Fleischer, vice president/group director of account planning and innovations with DIGITAS. Fleischer provided additional thoughts on the evolving art of marketing:

• Start thinking about digital marketing as a way to give consumers’ what they need and deliver it where they want it, whether on Facebook, Twitter, Second Life or through other digital media.
• Consider platforms beyond common digital and social media. Explore virtual worlds and gaming, digital advertising, and mobile marketing as targeted extensions to a campaign.
• Digital is still evolving, so what worked for one company or organization may not be exactly right for another.
• Stop thinking about marketing as filling the gaps of that traditional media puts out to consumers. Become the content with your digital marketing, whether with podcasts or videos on YouTube or elsewhere.

Toby Bloomberg, president of Bloomberg Marketing and blogger of MarketingDiva, also talked about the power of social media and the consumer to shape a brand. We are "returning our relationship with consumer back to the days when people knew their neighborhood merchants,” Bloomberg said, but customer opinions now spread more quickly and with reach beyond the neighborhood. Marketers must keep the powerful opinions of customers top of mind when trying to shape a brand top with social media efforts, she said.

"In today’s environment, digital marketing requires a new mindset that focuses on what’s right for the customer and the brand,” said Dunlap. "Empowered customers give brands greater credibility and reach.’”

Mplanet’s Keynote Speakers

During the next two days, Mplanet speakers - executive leaders from today’s most respected brands - will share new models and tools, research, case studies and best practices with attendees in "podium-free” sessions. Giving the opening address, Dunlap will review possible scenarios on the role of marketing in the organization in the year 2015 and the strategic implications for today's marketing leaders.

Anne Mulcahy, Chairman and CEO of Xerox, will share her insights and vast experience on one of the most pressing issues that marketers face today: "Getting Heard in a Sea of Information.” Mulcahy will discuss smart technologies that leverage collaboration, automate information transmission and categorize data for getting your message to the right audiences amid the unprecedented volume of information.

RK Krishna Kumar, Chairman of Tata Coffee and Vice Chairman of Tata Tea and Indian Hotels of Tata Sons Ltd, offers his expertise in "Brands Without Borders: The New Marketing Imperative.” Helping to protect and promote the Tata brand in India and across the globe, Kumar will provide an international perspective on lessons learned working across product lines, customers and cultures.

Larry Grisolano, Senior Communications Strategist for the Obama Presidential Campaign, will reveal the "Marketing Story of the Year and What Marketers Can Take Away from It.” Grisolano will discuss his role in directing and supervising a sophisticated opinion research program that drove the groundbreaking success of the Obama Campaign and how marketers can create similar consumer loyalty online for their own brands.

Conference attendees will have even more opportunities to hear from great marketing minds. Other highlighted speakers include:

• John Hayes, CMO, American Express
• Mary Dillon, EVP & Global CMO, McDonald’s
• Stephen Quinn, EVP and CMO, Wal-Mart
• Michael Fasulo, CMO, Sony
• Cammie Dunaway, EVP Sales and Marketing, Nintendo

"Each speaker was specifically chosen because of the knowledge they bring to the marketing industry,” said Dunlap. "Collectively, the ideas and innovation at Mplanet demonstrate the coming age of marketers in this new marketsphere.”

Presentation Information and Interviews

To view a full listing of Mplanet speakers, please visit www.mplanet2009.com and http://www.mplanet2009.com/speakers.shtml. For further information on a session or to request an interview with AMA or a speaker, media may contact Christine Heath at christine.heath@fleishman.com.

About the American Marketing Association

The American Marketing Association is the largest marketing association in North America. It is a professional association for individuals involved in the practice, teaching and study of marketing worldwide. It is also the source that marketers turn to every day to deepen their marketing expertise, elevate their careers, and, ultimately, achieve better results. American Marketing Association members are connected to a network of experienced marketers nearly 40,000 strong.

For more information on the American Marketing Association, please visit www.MarketingPower.com.