The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) announced that three prominent veteran business-to-business marketing executives will be inducted into the ANA’s B2B Hall of Fame at a gala awards banquet next month.
The formal induction will be made during the 2018 ANA Masters of B2B Marketing Conference, June 6–8 at the Chicago Marriott Downtown.
The three honorees are:
- Linda Boff: As CMO and VP of learning and culture at General Electric, Linda Boff leads the company’s entire global marketing effort. She drives the positioning of GE and brings digital-first thinking and strategy to GE’s learning and development efforts for 300,000 employees around the world. She was listed No. 5 on Business Insider’s 50 Most Innovative CMOs list and serves as chair of the Ad Council and as a member of ANA’s Executive Committees and Marketing 50. Boff earned a B.A. in political science and psychology from Union College.
- Christoph Becker: Becker is the global CEO and chief creative officer at gyro, one of the largest, most successful business-to-business agencies in the world. He has spent more than 25 years building brands and creative cultures around the globe. Previously, he spent eight years as chairman and CCO of FCB New York, leading its 1,500-person operation. Mr. Becker was also CCO of Bozell Latin America, where he guided the company’s creative success in eight countries. Prior to Bozell, he was at TAPSA Madrid and Ogilvy & Mather Madrid. He has spoken about the reinvention of business-to-business at events including Cannes Lions, Fortune Brainstorm: Tech, the Forbes CMO Summit, and Advertising Week.
- Katherine Button Bell: SVP and CMO at Emerson, she is responsible for the company’s global marketing and corporate branding strategies. She also oversees corporate communications, digital and social marketing strategies, market research programs, and professional development programs for Emerson’s marketing teams worldwide. Before joining Emerson, Button Bell was president of her own consulting firm specializing in market planning, brand-building, and marketing training for Fortune 500 manufacturers. Prior to that, she was executive director of worldwide marketing communications for Converse and director of advertising and public relations for Wilson Sporting Goods. Button Bell holds a bachelor’s from Princeton University.
“Once again we are pleased to welcome a stellar lineup of premier executives to our B2B Hall of Fame,” said ANA CEO Bob Liodice. “Like their predecessors, this year’s inductees represent the best and brightest in tackling business-to-business marketing issues and producing innovations. Our sincere congratulations go out to Linda, Christoph, and Katherine. Welcome to the ANA B2B Hall of Fame!”
The ANA B2B Hall of Fame is designed to pay tribute to business marketing professionals from all sides of the industry who have made significant and lasting contributions throughout their careers while serving as business-to-business advocates and displaying a consistent spirit of innovation and professionalism. Criteria considered for induction include business marketers who have consistently:
- Elevated business marketing and moved the business-to-business industry forward
- Demonstrated outstanding personal and organizational leadership and achievement in their individual field
- Contributed to the future of business marketing by inspiring talent and championing development programs for the next generation.
To be eligible for induction into the ANA B2B Hall of Fame, a candidate must have at least 15 years of business-to-business experience. Candidates do not have to be a member of the ANA to be nominated or inducted.
The ANA B2B Hall of Fame was founded in 2016.
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More