CHICAGO, Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Zocalo Group, a division of Ketchum and Omnicom Group, has been awarded the 2009 Excellence in New Communications Award for Measurement Innovation for the agency's new social media diagnostic tool, the Digital Footprint Index. Released earlier this year, the DFI was developed to improve a marketer's ability to understand, measure and accelerate where and how brands are discussed and recommended across all social media channels.

The Society for New Communications Research, through its awards program, honors innovative organizations that are pioneering the use of social media, information and communication technologies, mobile media, online communities, and collaborative technologies in the areas of media, marketing, public relations, advertising, entertainment, education, politics, and social initiatives. The award winners were announced at the fourth annual SNCR Excellence in New Communications Awards gala at the Harvard Faculty Club in Cambridge, Mass., on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009.

"Zocalo Group's approach to measurement is an impressive example of the successful and innovative use of new tools, technologies, solutions and practices to enhance communications and relationships," commented Jen McClure, founder and president of the Society for New Communications Research.

Paul Rand, Zocalo Group president and CEO added, "It's an honor to receive such critical acclaim for the DFI. In helping brands become the most talked about and recommended in their category, it becomes vital to have a way of measuring that success."

Developed in conjunction with the department of marketing at DePaul University's Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, the Digital Footprint Index enables brands to recalibrate social media marketing programs midstream to more effectively drive word-of-mouth and recommendation where consumers are active and engaged online. The DFI goes beyond simple quantity and sentiment measurement currently available to pinpoint where and how consumers engage with a brand -- gauging how well they understand and share messages -- while tracking the growth of earned conversation across channels and comparing against competitors over time.

"It's not enough to understand how much you are being talked about, how many fans you accrue, or how many followers you amass," said Ryan Rasmussen, Zocalo Group associate. "It's a matter of tying back outputs and outcomes to strategic objectives. The industry is recognizing the need to measure what matters, and the DFI meets that need."

All the winning case studies submitted to this year's SNCR awards program have been published on the Society for New Communications Research Web site.

About Zocalo Group

Zocalo Group is a full-service word-of-mouth marketing agency, helping brands become the most talked about and recommended in their category. Based in Chicago, Zocalo Group was named the Holmes Report's 2009 New Media Agency of the Year for its work in social media, and was also honored for the 2009 Best Social Media Program by the Business Marketing Association. Zocalo Group is a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) and Ketchum. For more information, please visit www.zocalogroup.com.

About the Society for New Communications Research

The Society for New Communications Research (SNCR) is a global nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and education foundation dedicated to the advanced study of the latest developments in new media and communications, and their effect on traditional media and business models, communications, culture and society. The Society creates a bridge between the academic community and practitioners using these news tools and technologies. SNCR's Fellows include a leading group of futurists, scholars, business leaders, professional communicators, members of the media and technologists from around the globe -- all collaborating together on research initiatives, educational offerings, and the establishment of best practices. For more information, visit http://sncr.org or call +1 (408) 266-9658.

SOURCE Ketchum

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