Is your marketing vision 20/20?

Guest post by Marissa Freeman, UW undergraduate and VP of public relations, UW American Marketing Association

Over 150 students and professionals gathered in PACCAR Hall in February for a full day of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, a case competition and a career fair as part of the first annual UW American Marketing Association Regional Marketing Conference. The conference’s theme was “Vision 20/20: A Clear Vision into Marketing in the New Millennium,” and it was sponsored by Eddie Bauer. Foster’s EY Center for Undergraduate Career Advancement and the UW American Marketing Association co-facilitated the event.

Professionals from 4th Avenue Media, KeyBank, Razorfish, Eddie Bauer and Edelman participated in the conference and students from UW, Seattle University, Pacific Lutheran, University of Montana and Western Washington University attended the conference. During the breakout sessions, marketing professionals led students in discussions about how to stand out in the marketing industry. The breakout sessions covered how marketing in a digital world means understanding the language of a digital market. Mel Carlson, founder of Delightful Communications, shared his take on how social media is more than a way to flood people with information, but rather a way to begin discussions with customers. He made the point that conversations online have shared the B2C dynamic for the better.

Keynote speakers included Lucas Mack, founder of 4th Avenue Media, and William Boucher, senior vice president of marketing at KeyBank. Mack opened up the conference with encouraging our attendees to understand “the why” behind their actions and how it fits into their larger story. Standing out in the marketing industry means finding creative ways to tell a story. Story telling is at the core of the marketing world, as suggested by Mack, and helps marketers connect with their audiences like never before. Adding the story telling element to any marketing campaign allows for the target audience to understand why they should look more into a product or idea. Mack also shared his personal mantra: “Discover truth through story, discover story through truth.” This helped attendees see how crucial it is to be open and excited about advertising and marketing so the truth behind the product or idea’s story comes to life.

Students shared that the conference as a whole was worth the early wake-up call. While marketing classes teach the core ideals of the industry, nothing can compare to hearing from professionals in a more casual, intimate setting. The UW AMA’s Regional Marketing Conference created an environment for students to raise their hand and open up a discussion between marketers in Fortune 500 companies and aspiring marketers.

The buzz throughout PACCAR Hall was one of excitement, intellect and passion. There was an excitement for conversations, the intellect of those professionals in attendance and students’ passion to learn. The UW AMA and EY Center for Undergraduate Career Advancement are proud to have hosted the first annual Regional Marketing Conference and look forward to organizing this event again next year.