Whether it is a cool iPad app, a Facebook promo or an engaging blog concept, great new interactive ideas must get green-lighted before they see the light of day. In many companies this can be a frustrating experience. This panel will provide advice on how to get to “yes” from marketing executives who have approved (and killed) ideas like yours. A discussion of examples from the panelists’ respective companies will be followed by an “open mic” session where the members of the audience get to make one-minute quick pitches for advice from the panelists. The attendee with the best pitch will get a $100 gift card to celebrate his/her creative idea by exploring Austin’s exceptional eateries (or drinkeries) during the conference.
Andrew Runyon serves as Director of Digital Marketing and Publicity for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures handling the digital marketing efforts for the Walt Disney Studios, Touchstone Pictures, Marvel Studios, and Dreamworks theatrical film banners. His team is responsible for amplifying the overall film-marketing campaign online including: digital strategy development, online creative and advertising production, social media, digital publicity and blogger relations, integrated media promotions, as well as original content creation and syndication. Andrew has worked at Disney since graduating from Azusa Pacific University with a BA in Business Web and Information Technology in 2004.
Fara Howard serves as Executive Director of Global Site Design for the eDell organization at Dell Inc. Her global team is responsible for the evolution of the user experience and visual design of Dell.com. Her specific responsibilities include managing the digital design, account services, user experience architecture and product launch design and copy teams.
In Fara’s more than seven years at Dell, she has successfully led multiple teams, with a specific focus on digital. Prior to joining Dell in 2003, Fara worked in consumer brand management for Gatorade and managed Cerner Corporation’s surgery software consulting practice. Fara has an MBA from the University of Michigan and a BSed from the University of Georgia. Outside of work, Fara enjoys playing sports, traveling and spending time with her husband and two sons.
John Ellett has a passion for encouraging and supporting marketing leaders who have the courage to be change agents in their organizations. As CEO of nFusion Group, LLC, a digitally focused marketing agency based in Austin, Texas, John has the privilege of helping some of the country’s leading marketers advance their organization’s ability to engage customers in new and innovative ways. With experience as a marketing leader himself during the rapid growth years of Dell and the early days of the IBM PC, he provides a unique perspective that has made him a trusted advisor to marketing executives around the country.
John regularly shares his insights on marketing and marketing leadership at www.Marketing-has-Changed.com and is a frequent presenter at industry conferences and major universities. In 2011, he will publish his first book, The New Marketing Leader’s Manifesto, a framework for new marketing executives based on research and discussions with successful CMOs.
