AAAA Association News

Tips, Tools and Tactics Webinar: Jan. 22, 2009

AAAA SmartBrief | Jan 05, 2009

Digital marketing is causing a strategic inflection point in our industry -- are you prepared to lead the cultural, economic and technological thinking that clients desperately need? Do you have 60 minutes to learn what client CMOs and Marketing Directors really need?

Nancy Hill and the 4A's management team recommend that all member personnel with responsibility for business development, creative, or digital services register for the next Tips, Tools & Tactics Webinar, "The Digital Services Your Clients Really Want" featuring June Blocklin, Partner, Gilbert & Company -- Jan. 22, 2009, 5 p.m., EST.

This Webinar is free, and for 4A's members only! Visit our Web site to learn more and register online.

Retirement Plan Myth: "Having 75% employee participation in a 401(k) is good enough"

AAAA SmartBrief | Jan 05, 2009

That may or may not be true. Your plan may still fail some of the year-end tests if employee deferrals are inadequate. Are you able to maximize your own contributions each year? Has failing the year-end tests made your plan difficult to administer? 4A's Benefits has developed some innovative strategies to address these issues, resulting in increased satisfaction among not only plan sponsors, but participants as well. For more information -- or a review of your current retirement plan-please contact Tom Kennedy, tkennedy@aaaabenefits.com, or Elyse Congdon, econgdon@aaaabenefits.com.

4A's Kicks Off 2009 Institute of Advanced Advertising Studies

AAAA SmartBrief | Jan 02, 2009

The Institute of Advanced Advertising Studies (IAAS) is one of the 4A's longest running and most praised training programs. The IAAS puts young, promising agency professionals into a real-life marketing environment and challenges them to apply their best thinking and efforts to deliver an integrated plan and creative solution for a discerning client.

In the New York Institute, Jan. 26 to May 15, teams of approximately five to seven compete with each other for the client (and judges') approval. They will work their way through a comprehensive training process that includes informed and detailed sessions on:

Team-building
Positioning and branding
Strategy development
Creative brief writing and creative development
Media planning
Internet and interactive advertising
Marketing integration, including a review of direct marketing, sales promotion and public relations applications

The course runs over a 15-week schedule, culminating with a full presentation to the client, review by a panel of industry professionals, and a graduation ceremony where the winning team is announced and their work is featured. All graduates receive a certificate of completion, issued by the 4A's. For more information, visit the 4A's Web site.

Tips, Tools and Tactics Webinar: Jan. 22, 2009

AAAA SmartBrief | Dec 31, 2008

Nancy Hill and the 4A's management team recommend that all member personnel with responsibility for business development, creative or digital services register for the next Tips, Tools & Tactics Webinar, "The Digital Services Your Clients Really Want," featuring June Blocklin, Partner, Gilbert & Company -- Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. EST.

This webinar is free, and for 4A's members only! Visit our Web site to learn more and register online.

4A's Business Barometer indicates decline in consumer confidence approaching the holiday season

AAAA SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008

The BIGresearch December 2008 Consumer Intentions and Actions (CIA) survey, conducted Dec. 2 to Dec. 9 shows that the confirmed recession has brought on a decline in consumer confidence following a slight increase in consumer confidence in post-election November. Purchase intentions for jewelry and/or watches have declined from December 2007 while home improvement purchases have remained relatively flat year-over-year.

For more information, and archives of prior Barometer charts, visit the 4A's Web site.

Have You Been Visiting the 4A's Business Development Blog?

AAAA SmartBrief | Dec 26, 2008

It's the people, stupid! Shumaker, Moorman, Beals, Sutter, Woodruff, Snow, Langton and other new business pros share their views on key agency growth and business development opportunities on the 4A's Business Development Blog.

The 4A's established the blog as a community resource for members (and a select group of industry new business experts) to share ideas, advance best practices, and improve both the effectiveness and efficiency of the industry's business development activities. Read what your colleagues have to say and then add your post to the community discussion.

To access the Business Development Blog go to www.aaaa.org/bizdevblog, log in to the 4A's Web site, and join in the discussion.

2009 4A's Media Conference and Tradeshow

AAAA SmartBrief | Dec 24, 2008

Over two-and-a-half days of thought-provoking presentations, panel discussions and breakout sessions, leading media gurus and experts from the agency, media and advertiser sides of the marketing communications industry will gather at the 2009 4A's Media Conference & Tradeshow, March 4 to March 6, in New Orleans, to discuss the most exciting and challenging aspect of today's media landscape: the consumer.

Empowered, thoughtful and in control, consumers will be featured center stage in live focus groups during the Conference.

With more than 50 speakers and nearly 100 exhibitors, the Media Conference & Tradeshow is the 4A's media event of the year. Visit the 4A's Web site to register today.

2009 4A's Quantitative Research Workshop for Junior Planners

AAAA SmartBrief | Dec 23, 2008

Ever wondered what superior quantitative research training at an affordable price can do for you?

The 4A's is pleased to present the 2009 Quantitative Research Workshop, Jan. 13, 2009, in Santa Monica, Calif. The workshop is limited to only 30 participants, and provides an intensive and fun training experience at the affordable price of $395 for the entire workshop, including lunch.

During the daylong workshop, participants will learn the basics that every account planner needs to know about quantitative research. Led by Hall & Partners' Shawna Friedman and Heather Griffiths, junior planners will sharpen their planning skills and learn to apply some general principles for effective research, including:

Creativity with discipline
Fresh, collaborative thinking
Structured content intertwined with brainstorming
Breakout session to give participants a real feel for the art and science of quantitative research
Research at each stage of the development cycle-including the latest techniques/hot topics.

Space is limited to 30 participants. This workshop is open to 4A's members only. Visit the 4A's Web site to learn more about this great program and to sign up.

2009 Executive Leadership Program

AAAA SmartBrief | Dec 15, 2008

The 4A's Executive Leadership Program (ELP) is held once a year, and is a specialized, intensive weeklong program that helps top-level professionals deal with general management issues through a team-oriented simulation where participants run an advertising agency for three years.

The program is intended for current or potential general managers, and consistently receives rave reviews from participants. The 2009 ELP will take place from Jan. 12 to Jan. 16 in Santa Monica, Calif.

4A's members can visit our Web site to learn more about this once-a-year opportunity and reserve their spot today.

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