Category: Client news

Annual Forward Festival Focuses on ‘Next Big Thing’

Posted on by Brian Lee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 18, 2014

Contact:
Molly Walsh
608-616-0840
molly@forwardfest.org

Annual Forward Festival Focuses on ‘Next Big Thing’

(MADISON, Wis.)—Entrepreneurs, creative designers, tech professionals and even foodies will have an opportunity to collaborate Aug. 21-28 at the fifth annual Forward Festival, an eight-day celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship.

“With the growth of the event as well as the involvement of our community, we’re excited to showcase Madison’s entrepreneurial ecosystem across several industries,” Bryan Chan, festival co-founder and president of SupraNet Communications, said. “The environment is all about promoting and creating the next big thing.”

The festival’s main event is the Forward Technology Conference, which takes place Aug. 27 at the Monona Terrace. Jignesh Patel, a UW-Madison professor who sold his software company to Twitter, will be the keynote speaker.

Other highlights of the festival include a pitch contest for female entrepreneurs (Aug. 27), the annual Madison Ruby Conference (Aug. 21-23) and the inaugural Edible Startup Summit (Aug. 25), an event geared toward food entrepreneurs.

Originally started in 2010, the Forward Festival was created by Chan, Nathan Lustig of Magma Partners and Matt Younkle of Murfie to bring together professionals from a wide range of disciplines. That is evident in events such as High Tech Happy Hour (Aug. 21), the Badger Startup Summit (Aug. 26) and the Wisconsin Innovation Awards (Aug. 26).

For a detailed listing of events taking place during the Forward Festival, please visit www.forwardfest.org.

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Resulting media coverage:

Mobile Marketing Industry to Face Stricter Regulations

Posted on by Brian Lee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct. 11, 2013

Contact

Kay-Tee Franke, (608) 575-7819

Mobile Marketing Industry to Face Stricter Regulations

(MADISON, Wis.)—Companies that run mobile (SMS) marketing campaigns will face a new hurdle on Wednesday when the FCC’s update to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act takes effect.

The law will now require advertisers to obtain and hold unambiguous written consent from current and future subscribers before initiating any telemarketing call or text message.

“Most SMS opt-in procedures will have to be revised,” Kay-Tee Franke, president of mobile marketing consulting firm Engaging Results Communications, said. “Unfortunately, the FCC didn’t provide much notice on the new law, so many companies may be out of compliance on day one.”

The FCC is hoping to protect consumers from receiving unsolicited mobile marketing messages, often from unscrupulous companies, according to Franke. Penalties range from $500-$1,500 per call or text message.

“A key takeaway is that any past or current relationship with subscribers doesn’t necessarily equal consent,” Franke said. “That means it will be a large and time-consuming challenge for businesses engaged in mobile marketing to ensure they’re compliant.”

For more information on TCPA compliance, visit www.ercsms.com/services/2013-tcpa-compliance.

Engaging Results Communications aims to help businesses engage with their audiences both effectively and efficiently. It provides mobile technology and services that allow businesses to communicate directly with their audiences anytime, anywhere. The company is based in Madison, Wis. For more information, please visit ercsms.com.

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Resulting media coverage

  • http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82
  • http://www.thewheelerreport.com/
  • http://technews.tmcnet.com/news/2013/10/13/7475329.htm
  • http://www.auto-mobi.info/content/view/557992/55/
  • http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1522049
  • http://joan1911.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/mobile-marketing-industry-to-face-stricter-regulations/
  • http://localmobilebusiness.ca/mobile-marketing-industry-to-face-stricter-regulations-2/
  • http://www.jsonline.com/business/pressrelease/national-press-releases/mobile-marketing-industry-to-face-stricter-regulations-227584491.html
  • http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2013/10/13/mobile-marketing-industry-face-stricter-regulations
  • http://www.abc27.com/story/23679714/mobile-marketing-industry-to-face-stricter-regulations
  • http://www.watchlistnews.com/2013/10/13/mobile-marketing-industry-to-face-stricter-regulations/