January 2008:
January 8, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A MARKETING INNOVATOR AND A MARKETING GURU TO HEADLINE CONCLAVE 2008
LAS VEGAS— Malcolm Gladwell, author of two New York Times bestsellers, The Tipping Point and Blink and Martin Lindstrom, author, consultant, speaker, and brand guru, will serve as keynote speakers of the four-day conference, Conclave, recognized as one of the industry’s premier educational and networking events. The American Gem Society’s International Conclave will be held in Seattle, Washington April 9-12, 2008 at the Sheraton Seattle.
As a staff writer for The New Yorker, Gladwell embedded the concept of The Tipping Point into everyday business culture with his first book of the same name, which spent 28-weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and currently sees 800,000 copies in print. Its success earned famous fans along the way: Starbucks' recently reinstated CEO, Howard Schultz, publicly attributed his company's success to the tipping-point phenomenon and Matt Kahn, director of corporate marketing for Glaceau – the company equally famous for its products, Vitaminwater and Smartwater, as its recent acquisition by Coca-Cola for over $4 billion – makes The Tipping Point required reading for his 35-person marketing team.
As a follow-up to The Tipping Point success, Gladwell challenged the notion of the first impression and unconscious mind and introduced such terms as “momentary autism,” with his second bestselling offering, Blink. Gladwell was deemed one of Time Magazine’s Most Influential People in 2005 and 2007 and has spoken to such companies as Genentech, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Hewlett-Packard. To learn more, visit Gladwell’s website, www.Gladwell.com.
Martin Lindstrom has over 20 years experience in hands-on marketing. He has developed a unique method of branding that rejects the old rules of conceptual branding – vague commercials and awareness messages – and instead endorses a scientific and process-based method of branding. Lindstrom started marketing at age 12 with a trainee position in the LEGO design department. His insight has guided the development of BBDO Interactive Europe and Asia – both the largest Internet solutions companies in their regions – all before the age of 30. He then moved on to become global COO of British Telecom/Look Smart. He is one of the most respected brand experts in the world. His clients include numerous Fortune 500 companies including Pepsi, McDonald’s, Kellogg’s, Visa, and Mercedes Benz. Chairmen and CEOs have all used his principles and agree that when his principles are in place, they are drivers of sales and profits.
Author of four books on branding – Brand Sense, Brand Child, Brand Building on the Internet, and Clicks, Bricks & Brands, Lindstrom will present two topics during Conclave –Brandsense and ROI Branding. The Brandsense address serves as the opening session of Conclave and will set the tone for the conference by empowering attendees with the knowledge and understanding of the five senses of branding – sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. Lindstrom will also tackle a sometimes elusive topic in the world of branding – Return on Investment (ROI). This practical, informative and hands-on session will teach attendees the steps required to build a brand from a ROI point of view; the requirements necessary to fight for market share; and what lifesavers to use when you find your brand losing market share. For more information on Lindstrom and to experience his highlights and branding practices, visit his website, www.MartinLindstrom.com.
For more information on the 2008 American Gem Society International Conclave, please contact Wendy Stevenson at conclave08@ags.org or toll-free at 866.805.6500 extension 1018.
The American Gem Society, founded in 1934 by Robert M. Shipley, is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to proven ethics, knowledge, and consumer protection within the jewelry industry. The American Gem Society is the international professional organization for all Registered Jewelers (RJ), Certified Gemologists (CG), and Certified Gemologist Appraisers (CGA). Members are held to the highest ethical and professional standards in the industry and must pass annual recertification examinations to maintain their American Gem Society titles. Less than five percent of jewelers in the country have met the exacting requirements necessary for membership. For more information regarding the American Gem Society, please call 866.805.6500, or visit their website at www.AmericanGemSociety.org.
