IAA Jordan hosts renowned speakers in Box Basics conference

"The remarkable success of previous conferences was largely due to the Chapter's ability to host a number of the world's greatest marketing communications minds. The impressive line of speakers at "Box Basics" will be presenting different topics of high importance to the industry," IAA Jordan President Mr. Mustapha Tabba said during a press meeting held yesterday at King Hussein Club. "We are always aware that one of the Chapter's major responsibilities is to help industry practitioners develop their knowledge and skills."

For her part Head of the Conference Committee Ruba Batayneh pointed out that the increasing importance of the conference is a result of the industry's accelerated growth. "Jordan is one of the countries that is witnessing a boom in the marketing communications industry and this annual advertising and marketing communications conference creates a vital platform for the participants to learn leading-edge trends and best practices of the industry delivered by a prominent expert speaker faculty."

Speakers at "Box Basics" 2007

"The challenge inside the box" is one of the topics that will be presented at the conference. Amir Zweil, Regional Category Director, Unilever, Dubai, will offer the participants tips on the real challenges they will need to face to create brilliant advertising, while Andy Owen, CEO and owner of Andy Owen & Associates, UK, will introduce some of the secrets and techniques on how to write effective copy that really sells.

This year the conference will focus on "Luxury Brands" where Antony Lawrence, Chief Marketing Officer, Jumeirah Hotel Group, UAE, will discuss the strategy behind the Group and the "stay different" story as well as the Peacocks tail and where Jumeirah is positioning itself in the eco system of luxury brands. Chris Savage, Chief Executive, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Australia, will also be tackling issues related to "Brand Shield" such as anticipating and managing threats to corporate and product brands in an increasingly complex and hostile consumer-driven world, and how to asses and manage the risks from all media channels online and traditional as well as the role communications agencies have to play in safeguarding client brands.

Among the topics that will have a presence at "Box Basics" is budgeting for campaign. Chris Staples, Founding partner and Co-Creative Director, Rethink, Canada will reveal to the participants ways of rethinking the way to approach the media as well as production and the creation of big ideas in order to get the most value from even the most limited budget.

For his part, Ed Jones, Regional Creative Director, Saatchi & Saatchi, UAE, will uncover the problems and opportunities involved in developing the creativity of communications in the Middle East.

Elliot Polak, Founder & CEO, Text Appeal, UK, will discuss in his presentation the "brand - emotion - culture" triangle and its challenges via international examples.

Since the screening of the award winning ads of the year have received wide acclaim in past conferences, Herve de Clerk, who is taking part in the conference for the third time, will take the participants on a journey showing 2007 Gold Winners from around the world. De Clerk is a founder and Dream Leader from AdForum.com, Switzerland.

Other disciplines such as marketing will also be discussed in the conference. Ian Ewart, Head of Global Advertising, Barclays Wealth, UK, will address the issue of adopting an integrated approach across channels to proactive, and reactive, service, sales and retention activity, use customer value to develop profitable business, getting the right message to the right customer at the right time through the right channel in addition to integration with brand and company values.

Tim Keiningham, Senior Vice President, Ipsos Loyalty, Canada & Ms. Lerzan Aksoy, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Koç University, Turkey will share some ground-breaking new research that will turn the expectations of customer loyalty upside down and demonstrate that you can no longer depend upon conventional thinking regarding the benefits of loyalty.

From the real estate sector, the conference will host Steve McCartt, General Manager, Emaar Jordan - Emaar Properties PJSC, whereas Philippe Vogeleer, Chief Strategy Officer / Secretary General, Jordan Telecom Group / Orange Jordan will be discussing the telecommunications industry.

Batayneh also said that there are still additional prominent speakers to be added to the long, impressive list that was announced, saying that their names and topics will be revealed shortly.

"The two day conference will give participants the opportunity to benefit from the comprehensive insight the industry experts and successful practitioners will offer. "The main objective of "Box Basics" is to remind the industry workforce of the fundamentals while inspiring them to stretch beyond their conventional thinking to stimulate creativity in order to create an overpowering impact on the consumer,"

Tabba concluded.

Simultaneous translation will be provided throughout all the sessions of the conference to ensure that maximum benefits are attained.