Top lineup confirmed for Marketing Today Conf.

Achieving The Perfect Marketing Mix
Top lineup confirmed for Marketing Today Conference

A top lineup of local and international speakers has been confirmed for the 2004 Marketing Today conference, to be held at Auckland’s Carlton Hotel on July 28 and 29.

Billed as an opportunity to ‘discover the perfect marketing mix’, the conference is the first of its type to be held in New Zealand. The conference is being co-presented by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ), the Market Research Society of New Zealand (MRSNZ) and the Sales and Marketing Institute of New Zealand. Speakers come from across the communications spectrum, including direct marketing, marketing strategy, public relations, research and loyalty.

“In 2004 marketing is all about integration,” says DMA Chief Executive Keith Norris. “The Marketing Today Conference provides a forum for marketers form every discipline to hear some best-practice thinking and discover how to work in integrated way. Our goal is to encourage marketers in New Zealand to take their thinking to the next level.”

The conference kicks off with a keynote address from Rod Oram, award-winning journalist and now Adjunct Professor at the New Zealand Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Unitec. Oram will be taking a big-picture look at how New Zealanders can make a first world living from our natural environment through integrating our values, products and delivery.

Jon Roska, CEO of Roska Direct, one of the largest independent direct agencies in the US will be a conference highlight. His ‘Ducks in the Henhouse” presentation, which explains the difference between direct markets (ducks) and brand marketers (chickens), has been hit from Orlando to Oslo.

From the local agency perspective, delegates will hear Clemenger BBDO’s Chief Peter Biggs thoughts on leadership, Consultus CEO Jane Sweeney’s insights into promoting New Zealand internationally and veteran adman Mike Hutcheson will be joining the Executive Panel Discussion (along side Montana’s Peter Hubscher, Pacific Blue’s Tony Marks and ASB’s Barbara Chapman) on what it takes to build a successful brand.

Other local speakers include Vodafone’s infotainment guru Kieren Cooney, who will be taking a look into the future of mobile technology for marketers and long-time Air New Zealand marketing executive Norm Thompson will be presenting his vision for revitalising the national carrier’s brand.

Extending the marketing talk into the sales department, Luigi Cappel, self-described ‘wireless evangelist’ and Sales Director for IT Link will be looking at the future of sales force automation.

At the conclusion of the Conference, the Marketing Magazine Marketing Awards will be held at the Sheraton, just up the road from the conference venue.

“Auckland will be the centre of the universe for marketers in New Zealand on the Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 July,” says Keith Norris. “It’s going to be a huge couple of days. I strongly advise all marketers to check their diaries and make sure they can take the Friday off!”

Marketing Today Conference
28 and 29 July 2004
Carlton Hotel, Auckland

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