Michael P. Davies, executive producer of ABC-TV’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, will host the keynote session of the 45th annual PROMAX & BDA Conference and Exhibition, slated for June 14-17 in New Orleans.
PROMAX & BDA president Glynn Brailsford said the keynote (June 14, 1-2 p.m.) will center on the series that has lifted ABC to the top of the primetime ratings race. Brailsford observed that Davies’ involvement in the conference "underlines the importance of promotion, marketing and design for a successful show."
The confab offers an all-time high of more than 100 sessions, workshops and discussions spanning such topics as Internet marketing and promotion, syndication promotion, trends in graphics, building audiences for new media, Web site development and music promotion. More than 250 speakers, from a broad spectrum of the industry, will participate. Among the highlights: Vince Manze, executive VP/creative director, NBC, will chair a panel, "Selling The Wild, Wild Web"; painter laureate Pete Max will explore the creative process; and Buena Vista Television executives Peter Martin, VP, creative services, and Sal Sardo, senior VP, marketing, will co-chair "Battle of the Promo Cutters," in which five creative teams fashion the most effective PSA possible from the same footage and the same brief, with the audience picking the winner.
Also offering a diverse mix is the exhibition portion of the event. Brailsford noted that the number of registered new media, international and technology exhibitors has exceeded last year’s totals within each category. And the overall tally is already on par with ’99 event figures at this time last year.
Currently, there are 80 exhibitors and 143 booths registered for PROMAX & BDA, with additions being made regularly. Last year, 89 exhibitors and 140 booths were registered for the event. Additionally, though their numbers continue to increase, many exhibitor categories have already surpassed last year’s total number of registrants, such as new media with 14 (12 total in ’99), international with eight (six in ’99) and technology with 12 (9 in ’99).
"It’s obvious that the increases in the numbers of new media, international and technology companies exhibiting and PROMAX & BDA reflect the trends in the business,"
said Brailsford. "The canvas is certainly broader, and the role of the marketers, professionally, has never been more vital. This truly is a golden age for the marketing, promotion and design industries."
Additionally, all events-sessions, the exhibition floor, the awards ceremonies-will take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
"This year the main session hall and exhibition hall are side-to-side, providing for greater integration, intimacy and traffic between the two areas," said Mary Powers, 1999-2000 chairperson, PROMAX board of directors.
Both PROMAX, the international association of promotion and marketing professionals in the electronic media, and BDA, its sister organization representing broadcast graphic designers, have this year received a record number of formal entries for their annual international awards, which will be presented during the confab.
PROMAX Awards entries rose slightly to a new record level of 4,510. Meanwhile, submissions for the BDA Design Awards were up nearly 10 percent from 3,800 in ’99 to 4,100 this year.
The BDA Awards Show is set for June 15, 8-10 p.m., hosted by Brad Garrett, co-star of CBS’ Everybody Loves Raymond.
The PROMAX Awards Show is slated for June 16, 7:30-9:30 p.m., emceed by Entertainment Tonight co-hosts Bob Goen and Mary Hart.
Additionally, during the PROMAX ceremony, the Pinnacle Award will be bestowed upon Pam Masters, director of broadcasting and presentation for the BBC.
The Pinnacle Award recognizes those individuals who have made indelible imprints on the profession, are at the height of their careers and who continue to break new ground. Masters was chosen to receive this year’s Pinnacle Award because of her experience and current role at the BBC where she brought branding and identity to the forefront, winning assorted awards around the world.
