According to MediaPost
Overall Marketer of the Year: AT&T
AT&T burst forth with advertising and marketing campaigns that had a younger and edgier style, punched up with bright hues and catchy tunes. The hipper look borrowed orange for the primary color from AT&T Wireless, formally Cingular, though the corporate logo remained blue. The bright color was like the stamp of ambition, signaling the carrier’s intention to stand out as a strong global wireless and broadband content provider, delivering not only voice, but also music, movies and television content.
Techology Marketer of the Year: Apple
Despite distractions, Apple pulled off successful marketing and advertising campaigns and product launches throughout the year, with a continued focus on music and video. Aside from the iPhone and Apple TV, the company introduced a new iPod lineup, including an ultra-thin Nano with video capability. But the iPhone was the real star.
Retail Marketer of the Year: Costco
In fact, what makes Costco such an exceptional company is that, save for some select direct marketing efforts, it’s a brand that built its reputation by word-of-mouth.
Entertainment Marketer of the Year: Walt Disney
“‘High School Musical’ is a great example of how we’ve leveraged a Disney Channel Original Movie that our audience loved from the start to become a franchise the whole company could get behind,” says Adam Sanderson, senior vice president/brand marketing for the Disney-ABC Cable Networks Group. From consumer products to live events, “HSM” became nothing short of a phenomenon.
Restaurant Marketer of the Year: Dunkin Donuts
Robert Passikoff, founder and president of Brand Keys research consultancy, raves about the brand. “They’ve done such a good job,” he sighs into the phone. “There’s been a kind of purity to what they’ve done, and they did it in an extraordinarily believable way. … And ‘America runs on Dunkin’ is a natural and believable reinforcer.”
Automotive Marketer of the Year: Mercedes
It’s reviving its nameplate with cars informed by its AMG performance subdivision and its flagship S-Class, rather than mass-market entry cars. With the September launch of its 2008 C-Class cars, it’s clear Mercedes is enjoying the fruits of a successful product strategy.
