We concluded THE EVENT on May 25 (if you don’t count the subsequent revelation that it also was my 80th birthday!) with announcement of plans to confer the first MARKETING MARCOMM Person of the Year (POY) Award at the 2018 EVENT.
I reminded attendees that the MARKETING IMMORTALS pantheon, now numbering 59, debuted a decade ago in 2007, followed five years later by introduction of the MARKETING Awards and, now—the annual POY Award.
Why? (It’s not because we feel compelled to offer a new product every five years). Two reasons:
First, it adds a missing “dimension,” as I termed it, to the marcomm community that has been developed during the three decades of MARKETING’s existence.
And second, it’s long past time to have a major award that isn’t based solely on lifetime achievement. Think about it. From the AAF Silver Medal to the AMA Marketing Legends and from the PRSA Jay Rockey Award to the NATAS Gold and Silver Circles—all are based on the professional accomplishments over one’s entire career.
The Guidelines for 2017 MARCOMM POY Award consideration include:
Open to any marcomm professional—of any age—working in Washington State. This means the millennial who invents a game-changing app this year would be worthy of consideration. It also means that both corporate and agency personnel will be on equal footing, especially with our new emphasis on the growing CMO audience.
For noteworthy achievement culminating during the year at hand. This means the award is focused on achievement in a particular year—rather than a career—but the latter is not ruled out.
Selected by a vote of the MARKETING Awards Executive Committeem from the top three candidates nominated online. That group includes Awards Committee chair Richard Bendix, vice chair Don Morgan, and members Don Kraft, Ted Leonhardt and Wendy Quesinberry—all senior and respected marcomm veterans.
Online voting and selection of the top three candidates will occur between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2018. Details of the nominating rules and process will be provided well in advance of Jan. 1.
Announcement of the 2017 MARCOMM POY Award winner will be made as the climax to THE EVENT on May 23, 2018.
Meanwhile, please keep your eyes and ears open for worthy nominees. I already have a person in mind who will be a strong challenger to all other competitors—but there’s still half a year to go… —LC