Choosing people for our annual Marketers of the Year feature is always an arduous task, but we think we’ve identified the individuals and organizations whose work stood out in 2002 — from FTC crusader Howard Beales to Yoo-hoo’s homegrown guerilla marketers Nate and Josh. It takes a broad brush to cover everything from consumer privacy laws to experiential marketing, but our 14 Marketers of the Year do have one thing in common: Excellence.
The year wasn’t all sunny, of course. Companies and agencies endured lay-offs and budget cuts, and still struggled to move the sales needle. Our 2002 Year in Review allows us to reminisce month by month on such highlights as our Agency of the Year (GMR Marketing) and lowlights like the mailing of unsolicited Prozac samples in Florida.
Elsewhere, Senior Editor Betsy Spethmann explores how marketers are capitalizing on the online auction craze to support existing products and launch new ones. Features Editor Matt Kinsman looks at how brands are refocusing on mom and dad, and Senior Writer Carrie MacMillan previews tie-ins to that annual marketing pile up, the Super Bowl.
Finally, as we begin PROMO’s 16th year serving the marketing and promotions industry, we’d like to introduce our new editor, Kathleen M. Joyce. Formerly the executive editor of CATALOG AGE and editorial director/associate publisher of DIRECTORY WORLD (both published by PROMO parent Primedia Business), Kathleen looks forward to her official PROMO debut with the February issue.
Happy New Year!
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