The 4A’s, the trade association representing the advertising agency business, announced today the creation of the 4A’s Data Advisory Council, a cross-section of industry thought leaders with expertise in data and analytics that will collectively help the 4A’s formulate education initiatives and guidance to benefit its member agencies.
“We are mindful of the growth and proliferation of data and how that is transforming advertising,” said Nancy Hill, president-CEO, 4A’s. “By establishing this new advisory council the 4A’s aims to amplify and shape the necessary conversations around this vital topic.”
Among those who have been named to the 4A’s Data Advisory Council thus far are:
* Donnovan Andrews, VP, Media Sales and Operations, Bazaarvoice Media (Council Chair)
* Celiena Adcock, Partner Development Lead, Data & Audience Partnerships, Facebook
* Heidi Browning, SVP, Strategic Solutions, Pandora
* Joe Fernandez, CEO, Klout
* Adam Gitlin, Global Managing Director, Data Group, Annalect
* Dana Hayes, Head, Global Partner Development, Acxiom
* Brian Lesser, CEO, Xaxis
* Chris Paul, GM, Vivaki
* David Reed, SVP, Revenue Operations, MediaMath
“The goal of the DAC is to assemble business leaders who are using data to deliver a superior product to their customers. With their help, the goal is to educate, inform and elevate conversations around data usage in the marketing industry,” said Andrews. “I am excited to be a part of this initiative as we are in the early days of big data application and the 4A’s is well-positioned to deliver guidance and leadership on these matters.”
The Data Advisory Council’s first major initiative will be to help program a 4A’s conference on data, scheduled for October 2013 in New York.
Utah Leaders and Locals Rally To Keep Sundance Film Festival In The State
With the 2025 Sundance Film Festival underway, Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees are making a final push — one that could include paying millions of dollars — to keep the world-renowned film festival as its directors consider uprooting.
Thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read "Keep Sundance in Utah" in a last-ditch effort to convince festival leadership and state officials to keep it in Park City, its home of 41 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox said previously that Utah would not throw as much money at the festival as other states hoping to lure it away. Now his office is urging the Legislature to carve out $3 million for Sundance in the state budget, weeks before the independent film festival is expected to pick a home for the next decade.
It could retain a small presence in picturesque Park City and center itself in nearby Salt Lake City, or move to another finalist — Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said. "This is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home forever."
Last year's festival generated about $132 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance's 2024 economic impact report.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez told reporters last week that they had not made a final decision. An announcement is expected this year by early spring.
Colorado is trying to further sweeten its offer. The state is considering legislation giving up to $34 million in tax incentives to film festivals like Sundance through 2036 — on top of the $1.5 million in funds already approved to lure the Utah festival to its neighboring... Read More