The Association of Coupon Professionals Celebrated 10th Annual Industry Coupon Conference
Recent Event the Only National Conference in 2015 Dedicated Exclusively to Coupons; Keynote Delivered by Buzz Marketing Group's Tina Wells
Drexel Hill, PA, May 5, 2015 (Newswire.com) - The Association of Coupon Professionals (ACP) recently celebrated its 10th Annual Industry Coupon Conference, “The Modernization of Coupons: Evolution or Revolution?” The event marked a decade of successful and growing annual gatherings which convene established industry thought leaders and many first-time attendees.
The Annual Industry Coupon Conference brings together national and international representatives from retailers, manufacturers, coupon processors and solution providers that support manufacturers or retailers. As the only national conference dedicated exclusively to coupons in 2015, it highlighted throughout its programs the current industry landscape and future trends as well as changing consumer shopping habits and the impact of emerging technology.
The conference kicked off with a Coupon 101/102 education workshop. The workshop reviews all aspects of the couponing industry in an informative and interactive format designed for individuals new to couponing, or those who need an update and refresher course.
“This year featured many new faces in the coupon world, driven by a need to understand the dynamics between print and digital coupons,” said longtime ACP board member and co-chair, Andy Rumpelt of Kantar Media. “The energy and expertise was remarkable and clearly demonstrated the strength and viability of coupons, and the relevant challenges marketers and retailers are facing.”
As part of the conference proceedings, Jackie Broberg, General Mills was elected President and Joanne Walk, Hormel Foods was elected Vice President, both to two year terms. Additional board members elected were: Jane Michels, Coupons, Inc.; Val Stark, S.M.S.; Cheryl Riley, Kellogg Company; and Earl Ellsworth, Universal Marketing.
The conference was developed under the leadership of the Association of Coupon Professionals in collaboration with the Joint Industry Coupon Committee, Food Marketing Institute, the Grocery Manufacturers of America, GS1 US, Coupon Information Center and the Brand Activation Association.
As the keynote presenter, Buzz Marketing Group CEO Tina Wells shared her expertise on how to influence millennials, while also addressing Generation X, and how the adoption of technology and use of social media will forever change the coupon industry.
As is conference tradition, a spotlight award for Lifetime Achievement was presented. Ron Fischer of Redemption Processing Representatives, Inc. was given this year’s honor.
The Conference Planning Task Force was led by co-chairs Beth Buresh, Inmar and Andy Rumpelt, Kantar Media.
Sponsors included: Gold: Catalina, HP; Silver: Coupons.com, Inmar, You Technology, Pinpoint Data, WS Packaging Group, Chetu, CoupSmart, Premier Packaging Group; Bronze: Arrowhead, Invisipon; Events: Mandlik and Rhodes, Brand Technologies.
The ever-changing coupon industry is evolving with new technologies, and shifting consumer behavior in an unpredictable economy. There was much to see, hear, and learn at the Industry Coupon Conference. This year’s presenters included industry experts from every discipline of the coupon process, and provided a rich learning experience for all attendees. Highlights included:
- Patti Mandel, Marketing Strategist and Innovator, demonstrated how to develop successful promotion plans given a volatile marketplace.
- Linh Peters, Spartan Nash, described how her “Yes Rewards You” digital coupon program was successfully built, and how it engages and influences shopping behavior.
- Mark Heckman, a consultant with expertise in digital technology and content, customer loyalty programs, and retail marketing, was back again to moderate a Digital Coupon Panel with digital coupon leaders that explored the successes, opportunities and challenges of this emerging coupon vehicle.
- The Operations Track tackled key issues with a template of “Issues, Experts, Best Practices and Discussion”. Topics included GS1 Databar, Counterfeits and Coupon Fraud and Digital Coupons.
- Inmar and Kantar Media presented the latest trends and consumer insights in the Promotion Track such as the factors that have led to the doubling of Load-to-Card (L2C) coupon redemptions, as recently reported by Inmar.
Next year, the conference will go from the Alamo to the Queen City, when delegates will convene in beautiful Charlotte, N.C., April 19-21, 2016.
About the Association of Coupon Professionals
The Association of Coupon Professionals is an industry trade organization whose over 60 manufacturer, retailer and solution provider members, create a forum that fosters expertise, education, and leadership to enrich the development, distribution, and redemption of coupons, ensuring they remain a viable sales and marketing tool.
For more information about the conference, contact John Morgan, ACP Executive Director, at 610-789-1478, John.Morgan(at)couponpros.org, or visit couponpros(dot)org.
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