I am so pumped that Dana Anderson is speaking at the Forrester 2011 Marketing Forum in early April. Dana is Kraft Foods’ Senior Vice President of Marketing, Strategy, and Communications, and she’s one smart lady. She works across the Kraft portfolio to bring fresh marketing ideas and innovation to icons like Oreo and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Dana also has a wicked sense of humor. Her keynote “The Bad Boys’ Guide To Digital Bliss” will illustrate what marketers can learn from Robert Downey Jr. and Jay-Z – not your usual marketing role models!

I asked Dana a few questions on how to drive digital change in a traditional organization. Her answers point to both the fundamental shifts that will characterize the next decade and the perennial truths of marketing (great ideas start with great teams). We hope you can make it to San Francisco to hear more . . .

CO: What are the biggest changes that marketers should expect in the next digital decade?

DA: Whew, 10 years is a long time in the digital world. Facebook is only seven years old and Hulu is only four years old. While I wish I could predict how things would be in 2021, I can tell you the hints I’m seeing right now that foretell a very exciting future for marketing. 

Interested in managing and growing the European business within Forrester's largest Marketing & Strategy Leadership Board? Then I would love to speak with you. We are hiring a Senior Advisor for our Forrester Interactive Marketing Council, based out of London. We're looking for someone who loves interactive marketing as much as we do and is motivated to help our leadership board clients be successful practitioners in the space. You'd be joining our growing European IM team: Nate Elliott, Lauriane Camus, James McDavid, Lucilla DeSarlo, and me. Experience in interactive marketing and client-facing work is a must; interest in football and good food a plus. ;-)

Here's the job description. You can apply for the position directly from the page. Hope to hear from you!

Hot on the heels of our new blog platform, Forrester has launched an online community for interactive marketers focused on the key business challenges that interactive marketers face every day. The community is a place for interactive marketers to exchange ideas, opinions, and real-world solutions with each other. Forrester analysts will also be part of the community, helping facilitate the discussions and sharing their views.

The community is open to all interactive marketers, whether you’re a Forrester client or not.

Here’s what you’ll find:

• A simple platform on which you can pose your questions and get advice from peers who face the same business challenges.
• Insight from our analysts, who weigh in frequently on the issues. 
• Fresh perspective from peers, who share their real-world success stories and best practices.
• Content on the latest technologies and trends affecting your business — from Forrester and other thought leaders.
   
  

I encourage you to become part of the community:

• Ask a question about a complex business problem.
• Start a discussion on an emerging trend that’s having an impact on your work.
• Contribute to an existing discussion thread from a community member.
• Suggest topics for upcoming Forrester research reports.
• Create a community profile.
• Share your perspective with others.
   
  

Click here to go to Forrester’s Online Community For Interactive Marketing Professionals and bookmark it for easy reference. See you in the community.

Forrester forums always go by in a blur - so many ideas and conversations crammed into 2 short days. I'm still synthesizing, but even so, there are some key insights that I've jotted down from my seat in the speaker's gallery:

As spring approaches, we are entering high planning season for our upcoming Forrester Marketing Forum. This is my third year designing the event content, and my co-host Carl Doty and I are working with the keynotes on their speeches. Things are shaping up nicely!

We just caught up with Pam Kaufman, CMO of Nickelodeon, and her team. Nickelodeon (producer of my son's favorite SpongeBob SquarePants) is undergoing a big effort to link their family of brands to the parent Nickelodeon brand. Forrester's event will be the first time that they've told their story externally. Pam has great passion and enthusiasm for her brand and this effort - I can't wait to hear more . . .

If you have a specific question that you'd like to ask Pam during the Q&A, then feel free to comment here or send me an email (coverby@forrester.com).

We hope to see you at the forum. Our Early Bird rate expired March 12, but if you call our Events Team at 617.613.5905 with discount code MFXBLG, and they’ll extend the $200 discount for you.