Early Bird Registration Now Open

FutureM, the annual event showcasing the future of Marketing, unveiled its first round of sessions for the 2013 national gathering of brand innovators, business leaders, investors and influencers. This year’s theme, “Innovation at Intersections,” will explore how digital technology and media are colliding with new industries and ideas to reshape the modern marketing landscape. Early bird registration for FutureM, taking place in Boston October 16-18, 2013 at the Hynes Convention Center, is now open at: FutureM.org.

FutureM’s call for proposals is open! I hope you are thinking about submitting a proposal, strategizing with your team on an idea that brings your company’s expertise to life. Understanding the criteria we use to select sessions is important during your thought process; below please find examples and ideas to make sure your session is set up for success and earns a gold star.

Criteria #1: Forward thinking and innovative topics about modern marketing.
Criteria #2: New and unique ideas, either in format or topic.
FutureM is about the future of Marketing, so sessions that are forward-thinking and futuristic are a must. Consider choosing a topic that is innovative - delve into areas that may take a little vision or have a unique viewpoint on an ongoing debate. You don’t necessarily have to be a visionary predicting what Marketing will look like in 2020. But we are looking for ideas based on thoughts about what the future holds for us, even if the future is more like tomorrow than 2020. Speaker proposals from your PR team to get your executives a stage for their sales pitch aren’t what we are want; these proposals are the first to be cut because they don’t incorporate the kind of deep and curious thinking we’re looking for.

What is the best way to show us you are meeting these criteria? Incorporate your vision in the topic/name of your session. Don’t be afraid to be a little provocative. Here are some great session titles from 2012:

Did you see our announcement yesterday? FutureM is officially accepting session proposals for this year's event! Opening the call for proposals marks the first big milestone in our journey to create FutureM 2013, and we hope as many of you as possible will join us as session partners (or as sponsors which we're also seeking, and soon as attendees and supporters when registration opens later this spring!). The full press announcement is posted below, with more information found on FutureM.org.

FutureM, a three-day event experience on the future of Marketing, is now accepting session proposals for its October 2013 event. The brainchild of MITX (Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange) and a group of marketing and media leaders from the Greater Boston area, FutureM invites companies, organizations, venture firms and university groups from across the nation to submit a topic idea that explores what’s new and what’s next in Marketing.

Throughout November we'll be sharing recaps, follow-ups and reflections on FutureM from our amazing event partners. This post is by Mark Badger. Mark, a UX Director at Roundarch Isobar, has spent over 15 years honing his skills in conceptual design, digital strategy, and experience design. From his first website in 1996 to work with global corporations, Mark has delivered elegant and intuitive digital experiences for clients in retail, financial service, lifesciences, technology, and government. Studying traditional architecture as an undergrad has led him to design structures and environments built from code rather than concrete for brands such as Fidelity, The Hartford, Hilton Worldwide, and Google’s Motorola Mobility Division.. To read more posts by other marketing and design leaders at Roundarch Isobar, please visit their blog.

A few weeks ago at FutureM, marketing and technology innovators came together to discover what’s next for the marketing industry. During the event, I sat down with MITX board member Rick Jensen, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Constant Contact, to discuss the future of marketing and how Constant Contact is evolving to meet the growing needs of its customers.

Throughout November we'll be sharing recaps, follow-ups and reflections on FutureM from our amazing event partners. This post is by Dan Smith. Dan is the Vice President of Marketing at Dailybreak, where he leads both B2B and B2C marketing efforts. Prior to joining Dailybreak, Dan led marketing, customer acquisition, loyalty, brand management, social media, and public relations at Gazelle.com, the industry leading consumer electronics trade-in company.

Throughout November we'll be sharing recaps, follow-ups and reflections on FutureM from our amazing event partners. This post is by Amy Rosenthal, and it was originally posted on the High Start Group's blog.

Throughout November we'll be sharing recaps, follow-ups and reflections on FutureM from our amazing event partners. This was originally posted on Corey's blog.

Throughout November we'll be sharing recaps, follow-ups and reflections on FutureM from our amazing event partners. This post is by John Francis. John blogs at www.ontios.com and www.platformsconsulting.com on a variety of topics including: strategy, positioning and early stage technology adoption and the evolving role of platforms in technology. John consults to both emerging and established software and technology companies and can be reached at jfrancis@ontios.com.

Guest post by Brian Shin, Visible Measures.

In the world of marketing, there are a number of incremental changes. We hear a lot about optimizing, making things just a little better. These improvements are good. They signify industry progress and the evolution of technology, all of which marketers can leverage to help them reach their business objectives. But there are few true game changers.

Consumer centricity is one of those game changers.