It seems like only yesterday we began preparing for the 2022 ANA Advertising Financial Management conference; and sadly it’s already here and gone. And what a wonderful conference it was!

Sponsoring the ANA AFM conference for over a decade has allowed us to witness and be a part of the fast growth and maturation of marketing procurement, globally. From humble beginnings in 2009 where we attended with around 150 others, to over 750 in recent years has shown just how powerful, connected, and supportive this community of professionals really is. Juxtaposed to the growth of AFM, here at Decideware we have been blessed with similar growth over the same period – evidence that we are better together as the agency relationship management space continues to grow.

With over 20 insightful presentations from thought leaders around the world of marketing & marketing procurement, not only was the 2022 ANA AFM conference a great networking opportunity, but also a can’t-miss educational opportunity as well. Careful curation of the schedule and presenters came to a point with talks led by Decideware clients Kellogg, PepsiCo, Nestlé, Clorox, and our very own Ed McFadden, Chief Client Officer at Decideware. With topics ranging from agency relationship management to hot legal topics in advertising, everyone in attendance walked away just a little bit more knowledgeable of the landscape we all operate within.

If one thing was clear from ANA AFM 2022, its this: The landscape we operate in isn’t as concrete as we may have thought. We have the power to reshape our surroundings through high quality work, high quality relationships, and a high level of respect for our fellow people. Marketing B2B and B2C is old news – the future is B4H; Brands for Humans. To deliver on such an initiative, our house must be in order with purposeful agency rosters, mindful compensation frameworks, and robust data analytics to fuel the successes of tomorrow.

To learn more about how Decideware can help bring clarity to your agency relationships, visit www.decideware.com, or reach out to info@decideware.com today.

To learn more about the ANA organization and their Member Growth Agenda, visit ANA.net.

This month Decideware is excited to share our continued support of Michigan State Advertising and Public Relations (MSU AD+PR) students this scholarship year. Here at Decideware we recognize the value of enabling as many bright minds as possible to pursue higher education; we hope that these scholarships are a modest but impactful step in that direction.

Decideware wants to recognize and congratulate MSU AD+PR students Taliah Martinez and Alayna Seaberg. Both of these amazing scholars over the past year have shown a deep desire to learn, excel within the curriculum, and support their fellow students along the way. It is an honor to aid them as they continue along the paths of their young career. They were gracious in providing their perspective on the Decideware Scholarship on their studies:

“Words cannot express how thankful I am to have been chosen as one of the two Decideware Advertising Scholarship recipients. My education and pre-professional career have been of utmost importance to me throughout college, and to be rewarded in this way is very surreal. Thank you very much to the donors, as well as those who chose me as a candidate to receive this great honour. The scholarship will go a very long way for me financially, which I am beyond grateful for. Thank you so much!” – Taliah Martinez

 “I am so grateful to be a recipient of the Decideware Advertising Scholarship for the Fall 2022 semester. Without the support of family, peers, educators, and companies like Decideware, I would not have been granted the many opportunities I have been able to experience throughout my undergrad at Michigan State. Thank you to everyone who has seen and supported my potential, and I express my deepest gratitude to the donors and those who selected me for this award. Knowing that I have unwavering support at Michigan State keeps me motivated to continue my hard work into my future career and beyond.” – Alayna Seaberg

VJ Ratnam, Decideware CEO commented on how this program was part Decideware’s commitment to supporting excellence in the marketing and advertising community

“Decideware has a deep commitment to the advertising community and this program provides us with an opportunity to provide at least some assistance to deserving people about to begin their career journeys.

When we listen to the stories of the scholarship recipients, it is both an exciting and humbling experience. We’re excited for them, and all the students in their cohort, and we wish them the very best in their future endeavours.

This sponsorship was formed in conversations with our good friend Greg Taucher, Professor of Practice @ MSU AD+PR and we want to recognise his commitment to educating MSU students.”

– VJ Ratnam, Decideware CEO.

Greg Taucher, Professor of Practice @ MSU AD+PR is a principal agent to recognize in the creation of the Decideware Scholarship Program. His dedication and commitment to his students is something we recognize and honour through this program. As a long-time friend of Decideware, we want to commend Greg on his contributions to the MSU AD+PR community.

“The Decideware Scholarships are not only recognition and investments in a student’s pursuit of academic excellence, but the scholarships are also investments in the future of the advertising industry. These scholarships are awarded to students who have demonstrated their acumen up and down the advertising management curriculum, with particular focus on courses and seminars where Scope of Work planning and management, along with client/agency P&L forecasting, and client relationships are emphasized.” – Greg Taucher, Professor of Practice, MSU

Decideware Excited to Announce Continued Partnership with ANA in 2022

Decideware is happy to share that we are continuing our partnership with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) in 2022. Specifically, we are looking forward to sponsoring the ANA Advertising Financial Management Conference May 1^st – May 4^th in Orlando, FL where advertisers & advertising agencies from around the globe gather to share ideas, learn from one another, and network across industries.