Author and Professor Don E. Schultz Communicates Cultural Impact of Search in Today's Marketing Spectrum at Search Engine Strategies (SES) Chicago.

Professor of Integrated Marketing Communication Tells It Like It Is

CHICAGO -- Author and Professor Emeritus of Service at Northwestern University, Don E. Schultz, kicked off the Search Engine Strategies Chicago conference earlier this week, encouraging attendees to ponder the challenge and place of search within the greater marketing spectrum. SES Chicago (http://www.searchenginestrategies.com/chicago) concluded yesterday at the Hilton Chicago.

According to Professor Schultz, there is a significant need for traditional marketing to blend with inbound search in order to create a more holistic industry. Almost all traditional marketing concepts and theory have revolved around outbound communications to consumers. With search, however, marketers of products, brands, and services place the power in the hands of intelligent customers, as they proactively seek out information to educate themselves. Today's marketers need to integrate and align both traditional and new marketing tactics in order to effectively communicate with consumers.

There is no shortage of communication in today's marketplace; search challenges traditional marketing models and Professor Schultz offers important concepts to understand in order to be respected as a well-rounded marketing organization:

- Transitional marketing in today's dynamic marketplace

- Customer-driven media and the need for marketers to know how to respond

- Consumers operating on network marketing models, less influenced by linear solutions

- Calculating brand equity, an organization's most important asset

- Media consumption vs. media distribution

- Holistic measurement of marketing efforts

"Our intent in bringing Don here was to jumpstart the industry's thinking," said Kevin Ryan, Vice President of Global Content for Search Engine Strategies and Search Engine Watch, Incisive Media properties. "The search industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds but it needs to find ways to communicate with traditional marketing. Don's ideas help create the next steps."

For details on SES Chicago and other upcoming events including SES New York '08, visit www.searchenginestrategies.com.

About Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC -- A Division of Incisive Media PLC

Incisive Media PLC is a specialist business information provider, based in the UK with offices in North America, Hong Kong, India and Mainland China. The company's activities are currently built around ten core industry sectors - mortgages; marketing services; financial technology; retail investment; capital markets; risk management; insurance; legal services; private equity and photography. Information is provided via a wide range of channels--in print, in person and online. Funds advised by Apax Partners, a leading global private equity group, recently completed the successful de-listing of Incisive Media from the London Stock Exchange alongside the existing management.

Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC is the marketing services division of the company and incorporates leading websites Search Engine Watch, the ClickZ Network and their associated events series including Search Engine Strategies. These properties were acquired in 2005.