by Ashley Stokes, Lexi Richards, Genevieve di Leonardo, and Neal Osti, College of Charleston
When putting three of the top minds in marketing together, even the most seasoned of audience members are in for a valuable learning experience.
Nancy Weber, Chief Marketing Officer, Meredith Corporation, discussed the power shift to consumers who are now acting as co-producers of the media as part of the realities of Web 2.0. One third of all Americans go to the web for news, which is changing the consumer-brand relationship. Meredith Corporation has made $600 million in investments in publishing groups alone. It has a reach of 75 million women and reaches nearly one third of all Hispanic women. Weber entailed five core strengths that guide communication messages. With Meredith having its best year ever in 2007, “meeting the consumer on her terms seems to be working.”
Bruce Himelstein, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, provided insight into the necessity to integrate marketing and PR. Underscoring that “every step we make has to be done in sync,” Himelstein feels that PR has become more important than advertising for his company.
Mark McCleary, Vice President of Marketing, Life Fitness, discussed making his brand stand out in a global market. Speaking from success, McCleary gave advice on how to strengthen a brand’s image. His presentation emphasized global agency coordination as vital, an outsiders point of view as invaluable and research as a necessity. McCleary summed up his speech by asserting that value comes from constantly offering new ideas in the marketplace.
In today’s evolving and highly competitive market, these speakers suggested that the seamless integration of marketing and public relations will be imperative to success, meaning that PR no longer has to look up to its brothers and sisters in marketing, but instead has a seat at the table.
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