Last week Conshohocken-based ad agency DDCworks co-hosted ICOM’s 2014 North America Regional (NAR) Conference at the Le Meridien Hotel in Philadelphia. The conference focused on discussing challenges faced in 2014, ever-changing trends and future of advertising.
ICOM is the leading international network of independent advertising agencies spanning more than 65 countries. All ICOM agencies are owned locally, but work globally to support each other with information, staffing and creative and marketing services.
A total of 21 agencies from Los Angeles, to Canada, to Mexico, and Chicago were represented at the conference. This annual regional Americas meeting was created in collaboration with ICOM Network to connect independent agency partners to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to keep pace with and embrace the constant changes in the marketing and communications industry. ICOM member agencies from around the world also connect annually at an international meeting – most recently, in Athens, Greece.
The two-day networking event kicked-off with a welcome reception dinner at DDCworks, followed by a series of thought-leadership sessions and a historic colonial tour of Philadelphia. The event commenced with a tour of The Barnes Foundation and the Rodin Museum.
The conference itinerary included keynote speaker, Tim Williams, founder of Ignition Consulting Group, which is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The presenter list also featured a diverse mix of the following ICOM partners: Mark O’Brien, CEO of Newfangled, based out of North Carolina; Marcien Jenckes, senior executive at Comcast Corporation in Philadelphia; Ginger Kochmer, division director at The Creative Group in Philadelphia; Paul Bond from Reed Smith Philadelphia; Sam Swaminathan, CEO of New Jersey-based Revenue Mantra; Glen Drummond, chief Innovation officer at Quarry, headquarter in Canada; and Linda Gonzalez from Viva Partnership, located in Texas.
Topics discussed includes:
- How to Thrive in the Post-AOR World
- How to Digitally Market Your Agency
- Presentation of the Future of Television and facilities tour at COMCAST
- Breakout session about Best/Worst Ideas Competition, where attendees will have 5 minutes to tell their best and worst ideas from the past year
- What you need to know about Privacy and Data Protection
- Audience Targeting in Digital Media
- Shift to Total Marketing
“ICOM gives member agencies access to international partnerships, which allows independent agencies to compete with local services while providing global brand strategies. The ICOM NAR Conference is a signature event for gathering, learning and networking among ICOM partners to discuss the best practices and demands of the industry,” said Tim Cifelli, president and COO of DDCworks.