Incentive - December 2007 - (Page 10)

IN THE NEWS Industry leaders, cont. from page 8 Attendees of the 2007 SITE Academy in London mug for the camera SITE Academy Coming to New York T he Society of Incentive & Travel Executives’ Young Leaders Program will hold the third SITE Academy in New York on August 3 to 6. The small program for industry members under 35 is designed to target “the next generation of SITE leaders,” says Brenda Anderson, the organization’s CEO. “This is the group that is teaching us how to work with this generation—the millennials.” The program is designed for about 100 participants, is balanced between planners and suppliers, and covers topics from general incentive travel knowledge to destination-specific advice, says Cosimo Bruzzese, director of sales for New York–based destination management firm Briggs Inc. It is also a mentoring and networking program, he adds. Last year’s SITE Academy, in London, was so successful 100 percent of the attendees said they would refer a colleague, Anderson adds. —L.J. be was the only really solid conA second goal of the meeting clusion to come out of the was to try and bring together the meeting. Who that is or how it two main factions of this industry: will be accomplished is another incentive providers and the reprequestion, although both the sentatives of brands that provide Incentive Marketing Associaawards for program winners. The tion (IMA) and Incentive Federproblem is that the two groups ation are possible answers. don’t have the same priorities, says This issue took on a new Pete Mitchell, director, b-to-b sales, importance following the release for Samsonite. Rodger Stotz, Maritz Inc. of the Incentive Federation’s “The next sales call I make with U.S. Incentive Merchandise and Travel Market[incentive houses] Carlson, BI or Maritz will place study, which showed that despite growing be my first,” says Mitchell. “Brands are the to more than $46 billion a year—a $20 billion last thirty seconds of the conversation” with increase in six years—the percentage of comclients. He quotes one incentive house execupanies that use noncash incentive programs tive saying his company “is not in the busiremained virtually flat at one-third. Indeed, in a ness of selling brands, we sell solutions.” Holrecent membership survey by the IMA, the top lander said much the same thing, noting that request was for the organization to do more when it comes to participants, “I want you to aggressive outreach to Corporate America, says win, but I don’t care if you get a television or Jeff Beegle, chief marketing officer of MotivAca lawn mower.” tion and an IMA board member. And on the flip side, no incentive house— “There are many factions in this industry,” or even every incentive planner combined— says Rodger Stotz, vice president, managing orders nearly as many Sony HDTVs as Best Buy, for example. Incentives are, as a numconsultant, Maritz Inc. and one of the priber of participants noted, a small part of mary speakers at the meeting. “It is at least any brand’s overall business. worth the effort to figure out how they fit “It’s a noble effort,” says Hollander. “But together and how they can all work together.” realistically, we’ve got competitors, people with Millennials are an opportunity, Stotz divergent interests. It will be good if we can adds, noting, “Employee recognition seems to have taken on a life of its own.” work together, but there is a long road ahead.” Nielsen Motivates Billboard and Incentive magazine’s own parent company knows how to motivate magazine editors by inviting musicians into our cafeteria. Chicago jazz musician Wayne Baker Brooks signs an autograph for Julio Atehortua, of Nielsen Business Media, after a performance by the band. 10 | Incentive | December 2007 | incentivemag.com http://incentivemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Incentive - December 2007

Incentive - December 2007 Contents Editor’s Note: Revved Up In the News Cover Story: Rolls-Royce Empowers Its Own Case Study: Booz Allen Hamilton Beating Your Best Incentive Primer: Add Value to Your Event Keeping Safety In Mind Incentive Interview Potentials Here and Now Research: Corporate Gifts Facts Report Tabletop Awards: Travel Gift Cards Travel News Viva Puerto Vallarta Indigenous Spas Advertiser Index Off the Cuff: Ambassador Christoph Bubb Luxury Brands Special Supplement

Incentive - December 2007

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