Advertising Research Foundation Announces 59th Annual Re:think Conference

NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's leading advertising research conference, The Advertising Research Foundation's (ARF) Re:think 2013, convenes March 17 here with a series of thought-provoking programs ranging from how brands are courting the "promiscuous consumer," to the truths about successful digital marketing – while also examining such critical issues as how marketers need to better understand the Chinese consumer and whether social media has become the world's largest focus group.

The Advertising Research Foundation will be hosting the annual gathering of advertising and marketing researchers and brand experts for the 59th straight year, March 17-20, at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. Headlining the three-day conference are J.Walker Smith, executive chairman of The Futures Company; and Steven Kotler, co-founder and director of research of the Flow Genome Project.

Matthias Hartman, CEO, GfK, will also be a keynote speaker on the vast opportunities for the research industry to invest heavily in expanding emerging markets.

Re:think 2013 will offer nearly three dozen learning sessions, Key Issue Forums, presentations, panel discussions and keynote sessions covering a wide range of marketing-centric research topics. See link for agenda:  http://www.thearf.org/rethink-2013.php

Presentations include inside looks at how T-Mobile utilized next-generation polling technology and large-scale data mining to attract the elusive "persuadable" wireless consumer; how research will play a vital role in the $30 trillion emerging markets growth opportunity; and Facebook's take on measurement systems that help put the right message in front of the right audience in a program entitled "Cracking the Code: Truths and Insights about Success in Digital Marketing."

The ARF will also be expanding its Key Issues Forums, a series of exclusive presentations that will include 40 never-before-presented white papers submitted by such leading companies as ESPN, Facebook, The Coca-Cola Company and Millward Brown.

Also, CBS and Nielsen will unveil in their Platinum Learning session a new generation of analytics for categories beyond CPG—retail, restaurant, travel, telcom, entertainment, and financial services. This breakthrough technique will show how to connect consumer behavior to the media planning process—like never before.

Researchers and consumer insights experts from Google, Nielsen, CBS, McKinsey, ExxonMobil, Facebook and GfK, among others, will also be presenting programs or leading panel discussions on a host of critical business challenges and insightful solutions for successful marketing in the digital age.

"Re:think 2013 will be the most groundbreaking marketing research event of the year," says Bob Barocci, president, the Advertising Research Foundation. "In addition to showcasing some of the finest minds in the industry, we will be introducing an ongoing study on online research quality.  Re:think 2013 is a must-attend event for advertisers and their agencies."

Delivering the initial keynote session will be The Futures Company's Smith, with a trailblazing presentation on the "Global Enraged" consumer and the new Kinship Economy. One of the country's leading analysts on consumer trends, Smith details how the seething temper of the Global Enraged in this difficult economic time is spurring consumers to remake politics and business. 

The ARF's second keynote speaker at Re:think 2013 is Steven Kotler, an acclaimed expert on ultimate human performance who has explored one of the most dynamic business tools – "Flow States," which is being adapted by corporations to create more innovative problem-solving and smarter decision-making.

About the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF):


Founded in 1936 by the Association of National Advertisers and the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the ARF is dedicated to aggregating, creating and distributing research-based knowledge that will help members make better advertising decisions. ARF members include more than 400 advertisers, advertising agencies, associations, research firms, and media companies. The ARF is the only organization that brings all members of the industry to the same table for strategic collaboration. The ARF celebrates more than 75 years as the industry's authoritative source of advertising knowledge. The ARF is located at 432 Park Ave. South, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10016 and on the Web at www.thearf.org

SOURCE ARF