Agenda & Presentations
Tuesday | Wednesday
See Tuesday's Schedule!
Brands Only Networking Breakfast
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Network with other brands and share solutions in a fun, vendor-free environment. A private forum exclusively for brands in which to exchange experiences, build relationships, and start meaningful conversations. No agencies allowed! Sponsored by Edelman.
Keynote: Pete Healy, VP of Marketing, Perfetti Van Melle
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Pete Healy, VP of Marketing for Perfetti Van Melle USA, is the brains behind the Mentos/Diet Coke viral video. Learn how he helped this video hit go viral.
Buzzing Brands: Creating and Energizing Advocates
9:10 a.m. - 9:55 a.m.
- Ryan Berger, Creative Director, Buzz, Euro RSCG
- Perry Allison, VP, Strategic Accounts, Alloy Media & Marketing
- Brandon Evans, Managing Director/Partner, RepNation
In a world where consumer-powered media is fast becoming king, learn to turn real people into a marketing tool.
- Learn to plan and execute the kind of high-profile activities that get talked about
- Learn what stunts start conversations, and what programs keep them going
- How to get people talking
- How to create brand enthusiasts
- Learn to create a brand ambassador program
- Download Ryan Berger's presentation
- Download Perry Allison's presentation
- Download Brandon Evans' presentation
Lessons from Passionate Fans
9:10 a.m. - 9:55 a.m.
- Kathleen Hessert, President, Sports Media Challenge
- Daphne Kwon, CEO, expo Communications
- Jake McKee, Lead Samurai, Big in Japan
Whether you're talking about sports, pets, or any number of things in between, people are passionate about the things they love. Learn to harness consumers' enthusiasm for their hobbies and turn it into a marketing tool you can count on.
- Create communities of fervent fans
- Building word of mouth around shared interests
- Enabling conversations -- and then listening to them
Blogger Relations: Rules of the Road
9:10 a.m. - 9:55 a.m.
- David Binkowski, Director of Online Outreach, Hass MS&L
- Robert Ricci, VP, Web Relations, Weber Shandwick
- Mike Masnick, President/CEO, TechDirt
Learn to work with bloggers. How to find out what bloggers do and don't like, and how to correctly participate in blog conversations. An introduction to WOMMA's Blogger Relations Code to help you earn respect and stay out of trouble.
- Ethical guidelines for working with bloggers
- Marketers' role in blog conversations
- How to comment appropriately
- How to contact bloggers with a story idea
Blogs: Creating and Using Them to Spread WOM
10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
- Pinny Gniwisch, Founder/EVP Marketing, Ice.com
- Anil Dash, VP, Moveable Type Professional Network, Six Apart
Learn to create corporate blogs in order to promote your brand.
- The importance of transparency
- How to link and promote within the blogosphere
- Blog ethics: The dos and don'ts of messaging via blogs
- Getting maximum visibility for your blog using web 2.0 techniques like tagging and Digg
- Who should write your blogs
- Using podcasts with blogs
- Content that generates word of mouth
Lessons from Brands
10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
- Stuart Sheldon, Director, Brand Activation, Coca-Cola
- Brian Marr, Group Marketing Manager, Windows Vista, Microsoft
- Bob Pearson, VP, Corporate Group Communications, Dell
Real-world examples from the biggest brands: Consumer products, food, healthcare/pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics, retail and more. Learn how smart brands are encouraging and amplifying word of mouth conversations. Combine customer satisfaction with the right tools and tactics to radically accelerate positive promotion.
WOM Around the Globe
10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
- Inus Hwang, CEO, Advantage Marketing Lab
- Axel Maier, Head of Business, Emergence Agentur fuer Oeffentlichkeitsarbeit
- Carlos Garcia-Hoz, Creative Director, 101rpm
While the mechanics of word of mouth may work differently from country to country, WOM is a valid concept among consumers around the world. Though the languages may be different, the motivation to spread the word is still the same. Lean about the similarities and differences when talking about WOM in Europe, Asia and around the globe. Get the most up-to-date information from the international experts.
Social Networks: Creating a Presence and Getting Connected
11:25 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.
- Randy Melcher, VP, Sales, eCRUSH
- Chad Stoller, Organic
- Gordon Gould,CEO/Co-Founder, ThisNext
Social media environments are a hotbed of engaged consumers. Marketers who get involved the right way have the potential to connect to millions of potential customers on a deeper level than just buying an ad.
- How to create content for and within social media networks
- Getting people to connect to you
- Learn what works
Lessons from BtoB Marketers
11:25 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.
- Gary Slack, Chairman/CEO, Slack Barshinger
- Dax Callner, VP, Communications Strategist, Jack Morton Worldwide
Business consumers are a tough but valuable crowd. Learn from the most successful BtoB practitioners how best to target decision-makers and turn them into advocates.
- How to assess needs, address challenges and start conversations within the BtoB marketplace
- Understand the unique word of mouth situations and techniques specific to BtoB marketers
Learning to Listen: WOM as a Source of Consumer Insight
11:25 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.
- Jonathan Carson, CEO, Nielsen BuzzMetrics
- Maxine Friedman, VP, Marketing, Brandimensions
- Rob Key, CEO, Converseon
The power in word of mouth is that it empowers consumers to talk back to marketers, and smart marketers are tuning in.
- Understand how to connect with customer feedback
- Learn to make actionable use of data
- Techniques for responding appropriately
Author Workshops: Small-Group Networking Discussion
12:20 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
- Debbie Weil, Author, The Corporate Blogging Book
- Jon Berry, Co-Author, The Influentials
- Andy Sernovitz, Author, Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking
- George Silverman, Author, The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing
- John Moore, Author, Tribal Knowledge: Business Wisdom Brewed from the Grounds of Starbucks Corporate Culture
- Jackie Huba, Co-Author, Citizen Marketers
- Rex Briggs, Author, What Sticks: Why Most Advertising Fails and How to Guarantee Yours Succeeds
- Greg Stielstra, Author, PyroMarketing: The Four Step Strategy to Ignite Customer Evangelists and Keep Them for Life
Grab your lunch, choose an author and chew over some fascinating word of mouth techniques. Exciting experts will be presenting intense, 20-minute highlights from their books. Your task: Discuss in small groups a case study from the book and apply the lessons you've learned at the conference to your own company's challenges and situations.
- Download Debbie Weil's presentation
- Download Jon Berry's presentation
- Download Andy Sernovitz's presentation
- Download George Silverman's presentation
- Download John Moore's presentation
- Download Jackie Huba's presentation
- Download Greg Stielstra's presentation
Viral Video and Messages: Content That Gets Forwarded
2:10 p.m. - 2:55 p.m.
- Owen Mack, Co-Founder, coBRANDit
- Steve Curran, Creative Director, Pod Digital Design
- Tom Ajello, VP, Creative, Agency.com
Do more than just get people to look at your advertisements -- get them to share them, too.
- Learn to create content that people want to watch and share
- Understand why people forward messages to their friends
- Get your content out there and make sure it spreads
- Use video sharing sites to create viral messages and get them forwarded
Lessons from Small and Mid-sized Marketers
2:10 p.m. - 2:55 p.m.
- Nick Runyon, Director of Marketing, PrintingforLess.com
- Betsy Weber, Chief Evangelist, TechSmith
Word of mouth is the great equalizer. You don't have to have a big budget to make a big splash. Learn strategies for using word of mouth smartly, creatively and on the cheap. How to make the most with what you've got.
Measuring ROI
2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
- Joshua Sinel, CEO, Kaava
- John Goodman, Vice Chairman, TARP
- Ted Wright, Partner, Fizz
Learn how to measure and quantify word of mouth. An introduction to WOMMA's framework for measurement of WOM, and case studies for applying it to various business models.
- How to track word of mouth campaigns' impact on your bottom line
- How WOM impacts your other marketing efforts
Communities: Creating Them and Working in Them
3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
- Leslie Forde, VP Strategic Alliances, Communispace
- William Hanekamp, CEO, The Well Advertising
- Mike Walsh, CEO, Leverage Software
Communities -- discussion groups, message boards and chat rooms -- are all about word of mouth. That's because they're populated by regular consumers talking about the stuff they love.
- Learn the right way to create communities
- Understand the appropriate techniques and etiquette for working inside existing communities
- Know the rules for properly identifying your team
- Download Leslie Forder's presentation
- Download William Hanekamp's presentation
- Download Mike Walshr's presentation
Lessons from Nonprofits, Politics and Advocacy
3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
- Hal Malchow, President, MSHC Partners
- Michael Silberman, VP, Online Organizing, EchoDitto
- Moderated by: Alison Byrne Fields, Vice President/Senior Strategist, 360° Digital Influence, Ogilvy Public Relations and former Chief Strategist, Rock the Vote
Nonprofits and politicians alike were organizing and activating grassroots constituencies long before marketers discovered them. Learn from the top organizers how to activate volunteers, create communities and build support -- sometimes with millions of dollars, sometimes with none. Combining the best techniques from the nonprofit world with the new innovations in word of mouth marketing.
- Download Hal Malchow's presentation
- Download Michael Silberman's presentation
- Download Alison Byrne Fields's presentation
Mobile Word of Mouth
3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
- Nick Desai, Chairman, Juice Wireless
- Andy Jagoe, CEO, 3JAM
- Brad Beckstrom, President, ApolloBravo
These days, everyone has a cell phone. Learn to start conversations in our wireless and portable world. Case studies and ideas for using wireless and mobile technology to generate positive word of mouth.
- Learn to spread word of mouth via mobile phones
- How to market via text message
- Understand how to create mobile buzz
- Learn the rules of wireless marketing