December 2006
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Chicago, December 11, 2006 -- The Word of Mouth Marketing Association applauds the Federal Trade Commission's response to the complaint filed by Commercial Alert in October 2005 urging that government regulate companies engaged in buzz marketing practices. WOMMA had urged the FTC to understand the distinctions between buzz marketing, which is a legitimate marketing tactic and strategy, and stealth marketing, a practice we strongly condemn and oppose. We are delighted therefore that the FTC decided not to recommend formal action in this matter and with its determination that serious offenses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and its encouragement of the interested public to continue to submit information regarding instances of abuse.
Lastly, WOMMA again calls on responsible companies, consumer advocacy groups, and the interested public to join in our fight for ethical word of mouth marketing standards and practices, and to oppose those who violate such standards.
WOMMA and its members are committed to building a profession that is based on ethical practices. Our new Practical Ethics program gives companies tools to prevent unethical marketing practices before they start. It empowers companies to embrace ethical word of mouth marketing tactics, and avoid unethical ones, all while educating employees, vendors, and customers. Learn more at www.womma.org/ethics.htm.
About WOMMA
WOMMA is the official trade association for the word of mouth marketing industry. Our more than 300 corporate members are committed to building a prosperous word of mouth marketing profession based on best practices, measurable ROI, and ethical leadership. Learn more about us at www.womma.org.
To: WOMMA Members, Staff, Supporters, and Friends
From: Andy Sernovitz, CEO
Date: December 11, 2006
RE: Moving on . . .
With mixed emotions, it's time to share with everyone that I plan on leaving my leadership role with the Word of Mouth Marketing Association when my contract expires in a few months. It has been an intense and rewarding experience, but it is time to return to civilian life.
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve such a wonderful organization and such incredible people. I am deeply grateful for the dedication and support from so many WOMMA members and friends, and I thank you for letting me share this experience with you.
Come April 1, I'll be consulting, writing, speaking, teaching, and helping a few startups -- sharing the wonders that I have learned working with the amazing innovators in the WOMMA family. I will also be looking for new ways to teach WOMMA's philosophy of ethical marketing to new communities. And, of course, I will remain passionately involved with WOMMA as an active member and will continue to support and promote our amazing organization.
Experience confirms a lesson that my dad taught me about starting a business: The most important service a true entrepreneur can provide to his company is to get the hell out of the way when the startup days are over.
WOMMA is no longer a startup, just as word of mouth marketing is no longer an experiment. We have built the most exciting marketing organization anyone has ever seen, and done it faster and with more impact than anyone has ever done before. We're a classic startup story: In only two years we went from 10 members and a guy working from his kitchen table to a 330-member powerhouse that is changing the marketing landscape.
We have built what we need to keep WOMMA thriving for the long term: True leadership by dedicated elected members; an active, growing membership; a talented professional staff; and a rich set of programs. We have made our topic top of mind with consumers, media, government, and business -- and established ourselves as the organization of record.
Our leadership on marketing ethics has raised the bar for all business. Little ol' WOMMA has changed the game, and made ethics topic No. 1 in marketing innovation. I hope we will continue to lead and drive the conversation. We must do it because it is the right thing to do ... and because honest marketing is better for business. Our movement is the first business organization to put consumers and business on the same side of the table, for the greater good of our companies, our societies, and our families.
I can assure you that I leave you and WOMMA in very good hands. I knew that I could step out when two special milestones were achieved: True member leadership and a talented professional staff.
We have an elected Board of Directors that is truly representative of the membership, with big vision and boundless talent. They are excellent stewards of our organization and vision. I have faith in them to secure our legacy and take it to new heights.
I have complete confidence in our professional staff to run this organization effectively, efficiently -- and with the same spirit of innovation that has made us so successful. WOMMA's team is exactly what we need. Their skill and dedication will surpass your expectations and make your vision a reality.
Most important, however, are each of you. Ultimately, an association is not about its leaders or its staff. It is about the members -- your active participation, your smart ideas, your willingness to work together to build an industry. You have a rare gift in WOMMA, one that few industries ever have: a platform to help you and your company realize your most ambitious visions. Make the most of the opportunity.
Stick with WOMMA. It is the only way to promote and protect your business and our collective interests. WOMMA members are the good guys.
In the months remaining, I'm looking forward to continuing the smooth transition already well underway. But now is a good time to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this organization possible. The depth of my appreciation for the staff and hundreds of volunteers can never be truly expressed. The same goes to the friends and supporters who sent in a membership check back in the hardscrabble days, just because we looked like we were working hard and it sounded like a good idea. Your faith in me and the idea that this industry must be pulled together have created a legacy that will last long beyond our own involvement. Please accept my genuine gratitude for your trust and this opportunity.
Let's raise a toast to the greatest business there ever has been. Here's to the next 20 years!
At your service,
Andy Sernovitz
December 11, 2006 -- The Board of Directors of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) has announced that effective March 31, 2007, founding CEO Andy Sernovitz will be leaving the organization to resume his consulting, speaking, and teaching career.
Susan Tibbitts, Executive Director, who joined the WOMMA staff more than a year ago, will manage WOMMA, supported by WOMMA's recently expanded staff of eight talented association professionals.
Andy's departure recognizes WOMMA's successful growth from a startup to a substantial organization, the successful completion of Andy's role as entrepreneurial founder, and WOMMA's transition to a long-term management team.
On behalf of the members and staff of WOMMA, the Board thanks Andy for his tireless service to the Association and for the contributions he has made to defining and promoting ethical word of mouth marketing practices. Board President Ed Keller observed, "We are very grateful to Andy for his leadership and vision in helping build WOMMA and the word of mouth marketing industry. We look forward to Andy's continued involvement in WOMMA and wish him every success."
WOMMA just keeps on growing. We're pleased and proud to announce record gains in our membership over this time last year, which we owe to large increases in the number of nonprofit, small business, and standard members who are joining our ranks.
This is an exciting time to be part of WOMMA. We have more members than ever before -- and more are joining every day. It's especially rewarding and encouraging to see more companies joining WOMMA in support of our ethics commitment, which gained fresh momentum this fall behind the release of our Practical Ethics program. Thanks to our veteran and new members alike for your continued support as we continue to evolve as an organization and as an industry.
Welcome to the following 34 companies that joined WOMMA in November:
AdWise Group, American Express, Backfence.com, Batteries.com, BuzzLogic, Career Tours, Chameleon PR, Citrix Systems, Community Analytics, DoubleClick, Doubleday Entertainment, eMarketer, Exclamation Corporation, Fanscape, Frappe Marketing, IAKI, Integral Marketing and Communication, Mamiana, MARS Advertising, Mosaic, Motivation Mechanics, Mountain Equipment Co-Op, Move, Passenger, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, Product Presentation Circuit, re:invention, Six Apart, This Next, TSO, Vizu, and WebEx
It's finally here! Today, WOMMA will put its name in the word of mouth record books when it kicks off its December event, the Word of Mouth Marketing Summit & Research Symposium. With nearly 500 participants, it's the largest word of mouth conference ever.
We're taking Washington, D.C., by storm, starting with our second annual metrics conference, the Word of Mouth Research Symposium, where the industry's top researchers will debut 20 fascinating new word of mouth research papers.
Tomorrow, we'll raise the bar another notch when we open the doors to the second annual Word of Mouth Marketing Summit, which will feature two days of intense learning and networking with more than 70 expert speakers, eight authors, and two incredible keynote speakers -- AOL's Ted Leonsis and Mentos' Pete Healy.
As we commence this groundbreaking event, we'd like to thank our sponsors, our media and association partners, our speakers, our members, our Board of Directors, and our attendees for making this conference possible.
Sign up
Chicago, IL December 5, 2006 -- The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) today announced Coke, Yahoo!, Brains on Fire, and Hass MS&L as the first-ever Wommie Award winners. WOMMA congratulates all of the recipients of this new word of mouth marketing accolade, which was designed to recognize amazing word of mouth campaigns and the smart people who create them.
WOMMA was delighted at the strong member-response that the competition garnered. Members submitted more than 40 case studies to WOMMA's Case Studies Library, all of which can be seen at http://www.womma.org/casestudy.
The Wommie Award recipients and their winning case studies are:
* The Coca-Cola Company -- "Sprite/LOST Experience"
* Yahoo! -- "Yahoo! Answers: A Global Exchange of the World's Knowledge"
* Brains on Fire -- "Creating Teen ViralMentalists for an Anti-Tobacco Use Movement"
* Hass MS&L -- "Creating Buzz for the Canary Project"
"There was an extremely high caliber of work represented in the case studies that were submitted for the awards," said Jim Calhoun, CEO of PopularMedia and Wommie Awards judge. "The collection provides a comprehensive look at how word of mouth is done, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the library grows in breadth and scope as the project moves forward and more studies are added. It's one of the most exciting things about being a part of this very young industry: There is so much possibility in what might happen next."
Wommie Award winners will be recognized next week at WOMMA's Word of Mouth Marketing Summit, Dec. 12-13 in Washington, D.C., where they will have the opportunity to present their case studies to a room packed with industry experts. Learn more about the Summit and register at http://www.womma.org/summit2.
While the 2006 Wommie Awards recipients have already been chosen, WOMMA reminds members that the Case Studies Library is always open for submissions, and companies that missed the 2006 deadline can still contend for WOMMA's 2007 Wommie Awards. In the meantime, the case studies will be on display as a reference for the word of mouth industry and as a great way for WOMMA's member companies to showcase their best work. For more information, or to submit to WOMMA's Case Studies Library, visit http://www.womma.org/casestudy/submit.
About WOMMA
WOMMA is the official trade association for the word of mouth marketing industry. Our more than 300 corporate members are committed to building a prosperous word of mouth marketing profession based on best practices, measurable ROI, and ethical leadership. Learn more about us at http://www.womma.org.
CONTACT:
Andy Sernovitz, CEO
Word of Mouth Marketing Association
312-853-4400
WOMMA's Word of Mouth Marketing Summit and Research Symposium is just one week away! Taking place next Monday, Dec. 11, through Wednesday, Dec. 13, this is the only conference where you can learn to do word of mouth, viral, buzz, and blog marketing -- and it only comes once a year. Don't miss it!
Register now to:
--> Hear amazing keynotes, including AOL's Ted Leonsis, Mentos' Pete Healy, and Ron Fournier, author of "Applebee's America: How Successful Political, Business, and Religious Leaders Connect with the New American Community"
--> Participate in an exclusive networking session led by Douglas Walker, author of "The Official Rock Paper Scissors Strategy Guide"
--> Learn word of mouth strategies from Coca-Cola, Dell, Intuit, Microsoft, and more
--> Receive conference freebies, including a free dinner, a free CD of conference audio, and three free books
--> Research Symposium attendees: Get a free copy of WOMMA's new research anthology, "Measuring Word of Mouth Vol. 2"
Sign up for the Summit
Sign up for the Research Symposium
WOMMA's original research anthology, "Measuring Word of Mouth Vol. 1," was a huge success. The first ever collection of word of mouth surveys and studies, it's still selling today -- more than a year after its release. Now, by popular demand, we're releasing its follow-up, "Measuring Word of Mouth Vol. 2"!
This 200+ page book has all the best numbers, data, and measurements on word of mouth marketing techniques and trends. It features more than 20 exclusive research papers, including award-winning contributions from The Keller Fay Group, Echopinion!, and BzzAgent.
The book will make its debut next week at WOMMA's Word of Mouth Research Symposium, where number-hungry attendees will get a free copy. Reserve your own copy today!
Purchase "Measuring Word of Mouth Vol. 2"
The deadline for this year's Wommie Awards has passed, but don't fret: You can still submit your word of mouth case study to WOMMA's new, always-growing Case Studies Library!
The WOMMA Case Studies Library is a "how-to" resource for marketers who want to see word of mouth in action. It gives readers a better grasp on the different types of word of mouth marketing that are out there and gives contributors an opportunity to showcase their best and brightest work. Plus, all case studies submitted prior to our 2007 Summit will be eligible for our second annual Wommie Awards.
Learn more
With multiple conferences throughout the year and across the globe, ad:tech is easily one of the interactive marketing industry's largest and most influential events. Last month's ad:tech New York was no exception. The event drew more than 10,000 of the world's top marketers -- including scores of WOMMA members!
Thanks to the following companies, who were just a few of the many WOMMA members representing the word of mouth industry at ad:tech:
Allrecipes.com, AOL Digital Services, Bazaarvoice, Communispace, Digital Voodoo, DuPont, The Keller Fay Group, Intuit, Kimberly Clark, Nielsen BuzzMetrics, Nielsen//NetRatings, Organic, Target Marketing, and TechSmith.
View a complete list of ad:tech speakers
Even more companies have joined WOMMA. Welcome to:
Outbreak, BiZBash Media, The Word of Mouth Company, Kiwanis International, buzzRAGE, LaMotta Strategic Communications, HSR Business to Business, Rosenberg Communications, NetVocates, and Wowza.
We thank everyone for their support!
Thank you to WOMMA member company ComBlu, which recently committed itself to the WOMMA Ethics Code ... Congratulations to WOMMA member company The Keller Fay Group, which was featured prominently in a recent issue of The New York Times ... Members Patrick Thorburn of Matchstick, Pinny Gniwisch of Ice.com, and Rick Murray of Edelman spoke last month in Toronto at Word Up! - Canada's Word of Mouth Marketing Conference ... Member Jim Scheinman of Bebo spoke last month at Forrester's Consumer Marketing Forum "Integrating Social Media" in London.
Are you speaking at an event? Quoted in the press? Making a change at work or at home? Tell us about it and we'll spread the word! Email editor@womma.org.
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