Holiday Gatherings

I spent the weekend in Panama City attending the American Advertising Federation Fourth District Fall Conference. Despite the long drive, and in some ways because of it, it was a productive and worthwhile trip.

Spending a total of 16 hours in the car with fellow members Lindsey Nickel de la O and Deborah Carr allowed us to get to know each other, bond over similar likes and experiences, and work on local club projects. At the event we met with and learned from our peers from all over the state, and heard two great national speakers.

The first, Dana Williams, Director of Integrated Marketing & Communications for Southwest Airlines, gave us a behind-the-scenes-look at their marketing strategy from their humble beginnings in Texas in the early 70’s through today’s use of social media to energize their brand.

The second, Molly Mazzolini, Partner and Director of Brand Integration at Infinite Scale, revealed the massive amount of planning and execution that goes into the design and production of major sporting events. From the industry-standard-setting cityscape they created for the Olympics in Salt Lake City to every piece of branded signage and collateral material for the Super Bowl, they have mastered the spectacle of sports.

From now through the end of December it seems like we have a holiday gathering almost every night. This week’s highlights include the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Holiday Social at the Ritz Carlton Members Club on Wednesday from 5:00pm-7:00pm, and AAF-Suncoast’s joint event with FPRA – Fesitvus for the Rest of Us on Thursday from 5:30pm-8:30pm.

Until next week, 

Matthew Anderson, President
Milestone Marketing Associates, Inc.