Happy New Year!

Entering 2012, AMADC is about as fresh, positive and exciting as it gets since this year marks our 80th Anniversary as a Chapter.

In the next few weeks, we will unveil celebration plans and a whole new look for the organization as we approach the official launch of our milestone year. In the 12 months to follow, we will be partnering with some very high profile and strategic business partners to provide additional member value. Together, we will be introducing new, dynamic programming and a series of original events that will continue to move our industry forward, as we have done consistently for the last 80 years.

Thank you for your membership, and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!

- Mike

Grow Your Network with AMAConnect™

AMAConnect™ is the American Marketing Association’s (AMA) online community exclusively for marketers and is a great new member benefit. AMAConnect™ provides a cutting edge platform for conversations with trusted peers, an exclusive source of information and resources, a network for your expertise and a place to learn and stay current. Participate today, blog, engage in forums, ask and answer questions, follow peers, and grow your network, plus much more.

Visit www.marketingpower.com to get connected.

How To: Identifying and Activating Communities of Interest on the Social Web
February 15, 2012

This session will cover: How these new social channels are driving your customer’s buying decisions and affecting your marketing efforts; How to identify the communities that matter the most to your brand; and How to engage and activate those areas to intersect the buying.

Speaker: Matt Goddard, CEO, R2integrated

Read more and register at www.amadc.org/2012/02/HowTo

AMADC Taps R2integrated as Strategic Learning Partner

January 23, 2012 – Washington, DC –The DC Chapter of the American Marketing Association is pleased to announce its educational partnership with R2integrated. R2i will assist AMADC with the execution of its growing “How To” marketing education series providing critical content support, expertise, and leading guest speakers to the region’s marketing professionals.

As the third largest chapter of the American Marketing Association, and the leading network of marketing and communications professionals in the DC metro region, driving the innovation, professional development and career advancement of its members led AMADC to a partnership that will provide thought leadership and enhanced learning services. R2i was selected for its leadership in the DC region, its demonstrated innovation and its breadth of experience with social and digital media.

Read the full press release at www.amadc.org/news

AMADC Education and Networking Opportunities

AMADC is proud to deliver integrated, strategic and tactical marketing education on current trends and issues that apply to virtually any business or organization. Our monthly webinars and programming provide fresh insights, best practices and case studies delivered by recognized marketing leaders from a variety of companies.

Each month, AMADC offers members and non-members the opportunity to network at some of the trendiest spots in DC while enjoying free appetizers and happy-hour drink specials. Be sure to check out our calendar of events for upcoming programming, satellite socials and unique networking opportunities.

New Member Welcome

Welcome to these new members of the Chapter who have joined in the last month!:

Rachael Barnum, Jessica Martin, Eric Kronthal, William McGahan, Christina L. May, Christy J. Hanson, Amy Freedman, Clarice Casamina, Anthony F. Shop, Saunya Y. Connelly, Dennis F. Goris, Ann Canela, Lisa E. West, Courtney Shirley, Melissa Beazer, Adam R. Koussari-Amin, Melissa E. Adams, Adam Berlew, Patrick Ryan, Gloria M. Garcia, Stephanie J. Spano, Amit S. Patel, Susan Apollonio, Brendan H. Ayers, Marie-Laure Curie, Daniel R. Bronstein, Jean Swartz, Betsy A. Ensley, Steve F. Francis, Mike McHenry, Lawanda Toney, Jennifer L. Downs, Mary A. Schwenk, Susan P. Mehler, Jeffrey G. Jorney, Lori Crowe, Jonathan P. Harris, Kurt J. Harris, Joseph Cephas, Laurie M. Montanus, Christina B. Johnson, Catherine Ahn, Peter Isaacson, Lynn Evans, April Delfavero, Ravi Pimplaskar, Roland Fiege, Warren Getler, Cristina Jurach, Christina Cravens, Lesley Dort, Michael Panarella, Krystal Person.

Members-Only Resources

Did you know that as an AMADC member you have access to members-only resources on the Chapter website, amadc.org/members-only/webinars, and marketingpower.com? Log in with your member ID for exclusive access to archived recordings of AMADC programs.

Better Together: AMADC Offers Group Membership

The AMA Group Membership program is available to professional marketers and academics in the same organization or parent company regardless of geographic location. A group is defined as four or more people receiving a paycheck from the same employer.

You already know the benefits associated with AMA membership; why not pass them along to your colleagues? As members of the American Marketing Association, your team will tap into resources that help them address day-to-day challenges and stay at the forefront of marketing thinking and practices.

Contact AMADC’s Membership Committee, Wade Osborne, at wade.osborne@amadc.org today to find out how you can begin to build a stronger, more diversified team.

AMADC is proud to have Wen Phan serving on its leadership team as Director of the "How-To" series programming in 2012. In this volunteer role, he works with AMADC’s team, community thought leaders, partners, and sponsors to deliver high-value, relevant content to our membership. Wen is passionate about the intersection between marketing, strategy, design, and technology.

He is also a Product Manager for Terasys Technologies, a wireless electronics provider for the Department of Defense. In this role, Wen is responsible for both product marketing and development. Prior to joining Terasys Technologies, Wen was with Northrop Grumman as a Process & Operations Specialist and Sr. Member of Technical Staff.

Before re-locating to Washington, DC, Wen lived in Los Angeles for 10 years and originally hails from Honolulu, Hawaii. In his spare time, Wen enjoys reading, DJing, running, traveling, and spending time with his girlfriend, Tina.

He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering and Minor in Speech Communications from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Read more about Wen at www.amadc.org/news

Step into the Spotlight

If you recently landed a new job, were published in an industry periodical, or received an award, we want to hear from you! Email info@amadc.org with a brief description of your professional achievement and your information could be featured in the next e-newsletter, on the amadc.org website, and through our social media channels.

Help Strengthen the Marketing Community – Volunteer!

Have you been actively involved in the creation, or disbursement, of a college scholarship program? AMADC is currently seeking volunteers to help build its brand new, legacy marketing scholarship program. This short-term volunteer position will assist AMADC with laying the foundation for a program to develop the next generation of marketers. For more information about the marketing scholarship program, please contact Chris Lorence, VP of Giving, at chris.lorence@amadc.org.

AMADC is also seeking a topnotch PR Director to volunteer on its Communications team. This volunteer will be in charge of promoting AMADC’s message, news and accomplishments to the public and media on a regular and timely basis.

To apply for either of the above-mentioned volunteer opportunities, please contact Nelissa Okamoto, VP of Member Engagement, at nelissa.okamoto@amadc.org or at 240-372-7050.

To learn more about AMADC’s Volunteer Program, click here.

Reach Your Target Audience with AMADC

AMADC sponsors benefit from unique recognition and receive increased opportunities to connect with the most talented and respected marketing professionals in the DC region.

Whether your objective is to increase brand awareness, impress and retain existing customers or acquire new opportunities to open doors to your audience, AMADC is guaranteed to have a sponsorship package that will assist you in reaching your goal.

Contact Brad Ettinger, VP of Sponsorship, at brad.ettinger@amadc.org to find out more about AMADC sponsorship opportunities for your company.

Want to Win Voters, Members or Media? Think Soda, Beer, French Fries

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.”

In the for-profit sector, marketers develop brands very carefully to own a unique position in a consumer’s mind. They do this by creating products with distinct attributes in price, promotion, product and placement – the “Four Ps.”

The Four Ps have been marketing mix gospel for decades. The narrower your target market and thus brand definition, the more powerful your brand. Think Volvo versus Chevrolet. One stands for safety, the other… many things.

Yet, in Washington, many organizations fight for sameness. They purport to be the true representative of “all-American values” with red, white and blue colors and the shortest name or acronym possible. Their communication strategy is cluttered; they try to be all things to all people. In short, the General Motors of politics.

I suggest that many advocacy organizations could increase their influence by narrowing their focus and creating a distinct, defendable mental position in the minds of their target audience. They should invest strategic thinking into determining the emotional benefit their organization offers that distinguishes itself from its competition in what analysts call our “attention economy” (the result of the fact that, as Nobel Prize-winning economist Herbert Simon phrased it, “the rapid growth of information causes scarcity of attention”). Capturing attention is where profits and influence can be found.

Read the full article at www.amadc.org/news

AMADC is Your Social Media Hub for Industry News & Trends

Whether you are new to the local Chapter or a long-time member, there are a number of ways to add value and spice up your membership by getting plugged in to the latest job posts, industry insights, and event announcements through our social media networks.

Love Twitter's real-time interface and short bursts of information? Follow us at @amadc and check out our AMADC member list to connect with other Chapter members. Don't see your handle on the list? Shoot us a DM or email Eileen Bramlet, Vice President of Communications, at eileen.bramlet@amadc.org and we'll add you after we verify your membership.

If you are among the millions of users engaging with brands on Facebook, you can join the AMADC Chapter group or become one of our fans. If you're new to the Chapter, have a question about a best practice, or come across an article you just have to share, we welcome and encourage your posts.

Maybe LinkedIn's more traditional networking set-up is more your style. You can connect with the Chapter there too. Join fellow, local marketing professionals in our LinkedIn group for job posts, industry news and weekly discussions.

Join them all so you can be part of Where Marketing Power Plays!

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