Focuses On Three Key Issues: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion; Talent Recruitment; Increasing Significance of Data, Analytics
Building upon the highly successful format of its first Virtual World Meeting in June, ICOM’s North America region followed suit for its regional annual meeting this month.
Tapping into the same “Back to the Future” theme, now designated “Back to the Future II,” and using the same platform of ICOM’s award-winning digital/tech specialist agency TRIMM, based in Enschede, Netherlands, the six-hour meeting on Nov. 4 had the look and feel of a TV show and was open to all staff at each of the member agencies in the region.
ICOM’s annual global and regional meetings are designed to bring members together to share and provide information, education and ideas. The digital format necessitated by the worldwide pandemic has had the benefit of allowing the participation of many more staffers of member agencies.
“We’ve learned that while bringing our members face-to-face is important and remains so, a virtual component has allowed us to broaden meeting participation to every level and every discipline within member agencies,” said ICOM Board Chairman Bob Morrison, also CEO-Morrison, Atlanta, Ga., USA. ”In doing so, we’re able to involve and inspire more ICOM agency folks on what’s ahead as we emerge from operating in crisis mode.”
The focus of this North America meeting was on three key issues agencies face: diversity, equity, and inclusion; talent recruitment; and the increasing significance of data and analytics, specifically tailored to the North America region.
ICOM is a leading global network of independent agencies providing advertising, marketing communications, media, digital and related services in more than 60 countries. Its North America region consists of 19 agencies all across the Americas.
The meeting was opened by ICOM Executive Director Emma Keenan and North America Regional Director Ken Whyte, also senior consultant, Quarry, Canada.
Amanda Forgione, president & COO, Morrison (an ICOM member), Atlanta, and Pryce Jackson, Morrison director of talent, spoke about “Recruiting during a Pandemic, the Great Resignation, and a Total Workplace Reboot.” Aaron Smith, director of digital strategy, FARM (an ICOM member), Buffalo, NY, and Steve Czajkowski, VP-market & business intelligence, from FARM sister company Pathfinder, based in New York, discussed “Using Data to Analyze the Customer Journey.”
In a session sponsored by ICOM member agency Seattle-based DNA, Maridelle Leyva, founder-managing director of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Group, Seattle, talked about “The Power of Belonging.”
ABOUT ICOM
ICOM is among the world’s largest and most geographically diverse networks of independent advertising and marketing communications agencies, with 80-plus member agencies in 60-plus countries. Annual gross income exceeds US$500 million.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Emma Keenan, ICOM Executive Director
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+33-66-348-0137
Nancy Giges, ICOM Media Relations Director
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+1-914-683-5108