ad:tech Chicago Tracks the Trends Influencing Digital Marketing

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) July 23, 2008 --It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. In today's climate of growing economic uncertainty and diminishing consumer confidence, advertisers are looking for a better return on their investments. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, advertisers spend $220 billion annually on advertising that either fails to reach its intended audience or reaches no customers whatsoever. This expense is approximately half of all advertising spend worldwide. Individuals are far more conscious of how and where they spend their money, forcing companies and brands to be smarter and better about how and where they communicate with them.

ad:tech Chicago, the leading conference for the global marketing community taking place August 5 and 6, 2008 at the Chicago Navy Pier, is the industry event of the season. Celebrating its fourth consecutive year in Chicago, the 2008 ad:tech show will answer the burning questions on the minds of advertisers and marketers today while providing a roadmap for conquering the industry's next frontier.

The Chicago Interactive Marketing Association (CIMA) and William Blair and Company recently surveyed 150 Chicago-area interactive marketing companies to gauge the health of the industry. According to two-thirds of the respondents, the economic turbulence is affecting spending and most predict that online advertising will grow at a rate of only about 16 percent this year compared to a forecast of 19 percent during previous years, which they attribute to the state of the economy . As advertising is becoming less efficient, key opinion leaders are turning to their peers to better understand the market and the fast-paced environment in which it is evolving.

"ad:tech Chicago offers an inside look at the industry by professionals experiencing the same hurdles in reaching both broad and niche audiences," said ad:tech Chairman, Programming & Senior Global Analyst Drew Ianni. "The challenge exists not in knowing who your target is but where and how to engage that person, and understanding the various tools and mediums that help you get there."

Consistent branding and effective messaging are the key ingredients to a successful brand experience, and one that resonates with consumers and creates advocates out of users. Brad Jakeman, Former Executive VP, Marketing, Federated Department Stores, will expand on this topic further during the second day of the conference through his keynote address titled "The Big Idea Strikes Back". Jakeman will discuss the importance of creating a big idea and executing it consistently across all the channels available today to marketers.

"Few marketers have a big idea behind their brands that can be expressed across the full gamut of consumer touch-points--advertising (online and offline), in-store environment, employee training, product design etc.," said Jakeman. "The best brand ideas I've seen have been grounded in a deep consumer insight or human truth, are compelling enough to engage and excite consumers, and seize some white space in the category in which the brand operates. They represent a 'North Star' toward which all aspects of the consumer experience are relentlessly and obsessively directed."

ad:tech Chicago will offer attendees access to more than 120 speakers and 23 breakout sessions with the industry's biggest names, including Amtrak, ConAgra Foods, Dell, Inc., FTD Floral, FOX News, Kimberly-Clark, Kraft Foods, Microsoft, NBC Universal, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, Wal-Mart, Walt Disney and many more. In addition to these brands, the event highlights the local talents of more than 30 Chicago and Midwest-based speakers representing the biggest agencies, publishers and analysts, including the Sun-Times News Group, Carlson Marketing Worldwide, Starcom USA, Cars.com, Leo Burnett North America, HSBC, CBS Digital Media, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune Interactive and many more.

The exhibit hall will showcase key exhibitors from companies such as Casale Media, DoubleClick, Google, Moniker and Yahoo! to name a few. The Navy Pier will also house multiple meeting and business presentation rooms for domestic and international organizations along with ample room for networking. For a list of current exhibitors, please visit

www.ad-tech.com/chicago/adtech_chicago_exhibitors.aspx.

Gold Sponsor: AdShuffle Silver Sponsors include: Avenue A | Razorfish; Casale Media Bronze Sponsors include: AdECN; Google; iContact; Leapfrog Online; Singer Direct Premiere Media Partners include: Advertising Age; Fast Company; Forbes.com; iMedia Connection; Revenue Magazine Media Partners include: BtoB; DIRECT; Digital Moses Confidential; DM News; eMarketer; MarketingSherpa; Mobile Marketer; Personal Life Media; PRWeb; Search Marketing Standard; SmartBrief; Target Marketing; Webmaster Radio; Website Magazine Association Partners include: AIMA; CIMA; MMA; OPA; WOMMA

For public information, please visit www.ad-tech.com.

Editors: For interviews, images or more information, please contact Laura Fries at Edelman, ph: 312.233.1374 or at laura.fries @ edelman.com

About ad:tech: ad:tech expositions, LLC is the leading organizer of conferences and exhibitions for the interactive marketing community worldwide. ad:tech produces the world's largest interactive marketing events held in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, London, Paris, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore and Sydney. ad:tech is produced by dmg world media; based out of the company's headquarters in Larkspur, California. For listings of exhibitors, speakers, events and upcoming conference offerings, visit www.ad-tech.com.

About dmg world media: An international exhibition and publishing company, dmg world media produces over 250 market-leading trade exhibitions, consumer shows and fairs each year and publishes 45 related magazines, newspapers, directories and market reports. dmg world media employs 900 people and maintains a worldwide presence through more than 40 offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, the United Arab Emirates, China, India, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. dmg world media is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc (DMGT), one of the largest and most successful media companies in the United Kingdom. Additional information on dmg world media can be found at www.dmgworldmedia.com.

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