Second General Session
Thursday, April 20 ~ 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon

Advertising doesn’t build brands, publicity does, says marketing expert and bestselling author, Laura Ries. She fervently believes it’s only the credibility of public relations that truly builds a brand in the minds of consumers.

Ries points to some of the most successful modern brands, including Palm, Starbucks, eBay, Red Bull and even Harry Potter, as evidence. She also notes how campaigns driven solely by advertising have been unsuccessful, citing the failure of many dot.com companies, most notably the Pets.com sock puppet strategy. Agree or disagree with the notion, this session will provide valuable ideas for all marketers to consider.

Laura Ries is president of Ries & Ries, an Atlanta-based marketing strategy firm. Together with her partner (and father) Al Ries, Laura has consulted with many Fortune 500 companies. She has appeared on the Fox News Channel, CNBC, ABC World News Tonight and makes regular appearances as a branding expert on CNN. She is a frequently quoted marketing expert in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Associated Press, Advertising Age and other publications. In 2002, Business 2.0 named Laura a “management guru” and issued trading cards with her picture and information.

Special thanks to John Deere and Osborn & Barr Communications for sponsoring this session.