Since the Alphabet Bash began in 2010, Charlotte has only grown as a destination for professionals in marketing, advertising, communications, PR, design, customer experience, social media, product development, and related revenue-driving disciplines. The Bash is an evening where all of our local member organizations come together for a night of networking and a panel discussion with local brand leaders on what their organizations are doing to prepare for the 2020 Republican National Convention.
Hosted by the AMA Charlotte Chapter, the panel consisted of:
John Lassiter, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Charlotte 2020 Host Committee.
Tracy Russ, an experienced strategist and communications executive who created, led and guided numerous high-profile initiatives as Chief Marketing Officer for the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
Morgan Jessup, the Sr. Director of Advanced Advertising Media Sales for Spectrum Reach.
Shelly Chandler, national Customer Experience consultant and speaker with more than 25 years in customer experience strategy and execution at Fortune 500 companies.
The panel was moderated by Dianne Chase, an experienced issue and reputation management consultant, media trainer, presenter and writer.
A key question asked by the audience was, “Who is currently working with a client that is preparing for the RNC?” In response, only three hands were raised.
Tracy Russ, who was CEO for the 2012 RNC, said that we have to plan and encourage marketers about different 'touchpoints’ and creative strategies for customers.
“Collaboration is everything,” was Dianne Chase’s response, “Charlotte is a different environment than it was eight years ago.”
It is critical to be innovative on different strategies for Charlotte to come into the spotlight and be the ultimate tourist destination. Charlotte has changed a lot since the last national political convention came here in 2012.
Next year’s national convention will put Charlotte in the global spotlight again, and the tips shared by our Alphabet Bash panel are critical for local businesses and brands before, during and after the August convention. During the event, a continuous discussion of barbeque peeped back in here and there in conversation. Why barbeque? Why it’s the South, and in the South, we love our barbeque. For example, if there is a small, local barbeque restaurant in uptown Charlotte that wants to gain more foot traffic, then that business must begin their marketing strategy now to get ahead of the game.
Another topic of interest was the importance of safety during the event. Although there will always be differing opinions regarding political stances, safety should always be the priority. With thousands of incoming visitors, along with the current growing population in Charlotte, visiting the Queen City for this event, it is critical to plan and strategize to implement appropriately. When safety is key, everyone will have an enjoyable and memorable experience without having a sense of worry.
This Alphabet Bash was a fantastic blend of old and new faces from Charlotte’s creative community. This was our first year moving from pure networking to an educational event, and we couldn’t have asked for a better topic to discuss than the city of Charlotte on the global stage.
As said by our wonderful President, “I sincerely thank our eight partnering professional organization, attendees from the community, and our panel of experts for making Alphabet Bash 2019 the best one yet!”. ~AMA President, Anna Vordermark
As a special thank you to our platinum sponsor, Tremor Video, and other annual sponsors for making this event possible.
