Promotion Marketing Association
A U.S. marketing trade association founded in 1911, later renamed the Brand Activation Association, that ran the annual REGGIE Awards and was acquired by the Association of National Advertisers in 2014.
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- Established
- 1911
- Location
- New York, New York
- Country
- United States
- Founded
- 1911stated by the subject
- Legal entity
- Promotion Marketing Association, Inc. / Brand Activation Association, Inc. (EIN 13-1847138)
- Signature programme
- REGGIE Awards, founded 1983
- Status
- Acquired by the Association of National Advertisers, effective 1 July 2014
Overview
The Promotion Marketing Association (PMA) was a U.S. trade association for the marketing and promotions industry, founded in New York in 1911, according to the Association of National Advertisers, which later acquired it (Association of National Advertisers). PMA ran an annual Marketing Law Conference addressed by senior U.S. government officials: the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection Director spoke at the organization’s 29th such conference in 2007, independently noting that its first law conference had been held in 1978 (Federal Trade Commission), and a senior FTC official again addressed its 32nd Marketing Law Conference in Chicago in 2010 (Federal Trade Commission).
The REGGIE Awards
PMA established the REGGIE Awards in 1983 to recognise promotional marketing campaigns. In 2008, trade publication Chief Marketer reported that the organization’s top “Super Reggie” honor went to 7-Eleven and agency FreshWorks for a campaign that transformed a dozen 7-Eleven stores into real-life Kwik-E-Marts to promote The Simpsons Movie, quoting PMA president Bonnie Carlson describing it as “the largest-scale promotion to hit the convenience retail channel” (Chief Marketer). The REGGIE Awards continue today, now run by the Association of National Advertisers.
Rebranding and acquisition
The organization rebranded as the Brand Activation Association around 2012. The Association of National Advertisers announced its acquisition of the Brand Activation Association on 22 May 2014, effective 1 July 2014, with then-ANA chief executive Bob Liodice stating the organizations were “extremely pleased to bring the BAA into the ANA family,” and Bonnie Carlson, the Brand Activation Association’s chief executive, saying the merger would “accelerate the realization of our core strategies” (Association of National Advertisers). IRS filing data compiled by ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer shows the organization’s final filed fiscal year, ending June 2014, recorded revenue of $1,350,739 against expenses of $1,735,718, leaving net assets of –$678,119, with Carlson’s reported compensation at $192,540 (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer).
What this profile does not claim
No membership count is stated, since the only figure found (“700-plus member companies,” from a trade directory) could not be independently corroborated. No claim beyond “founded in 1911” is made about the organization’s early 20th-century history, since that date rests only on its acquirer’s own announcement rather than independent historical reporting.
Timeline
- 1911
- Founded in New York as the Promotion Marketing Association.
- 1978
- Holds its first Marketing Law Conference, later addressed annually by senior Federal Trade Commission officials.
- 1983
- Establishes the REGGIE Awards, recognising promotional marketing campaigns.
- 2008
- Presents the "Super Reggie" award to 7-Eleven and FreshWorks for a Simpsons Movie-themed promotion.
- 2010
- Holds its 32nd Annual Marketing Law Conference in Chicago, addressed by the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection Director.
- 2012
- Rebrands as the Brand Activation Association.
- 2014
- Acquired by the Association of National Advertisers, effective 1 July; its final IRS filing for the fiscal year shows negative net assets.
What we could not verify
These claims came up in research and could not be confirmed. They are recorded here rather than published as fact or quietly dropped. If you hold a source that settles one, please tell us.
- The 1911 founding date rests on the acquiring organization's own announcement rather than independent historical reporting; no earlier independent source confirming it was found.
- No membership count could be independently confirmed. A trade directory's figure of "700-plus member companies" is not corroborated elsewhere and is not repeated here.
- Most "trade press" coverage of specific REGGIE Award winners closely follows the organization's own award copy; only the Federal Trade Commission speeches and the IRS filing data are treated as fully independent of the organization for this profile.
Sources
5 sources (3 tier 1, 2 tier 2), each opened and read against the claim it supports. Every source is independent of the subject; no first-party material is cited. See the source policy.
Each source below was fetched and read against the claim it supports. Wire-service press releases distributed by or on behalf of the organization (PRNewswire, GlobeNewswire, EIN Presswire) were identified during research and excluded, since they are not independent reporting. The 1911 founding date and the rebranding to Brand Activation Association are stated only by the organization's acquirer (Association of National Advertisers) and the organization's own materials; no independent historical source confirming the exact 1911 date was found.
- Who's In Control Now? Navigating the Tumultuous Change in Marketing to Kids (remarks to PMA's 29th Annual Marketing Law Conference) Supports: Independent confirmation that PMA held its first Marketing Law Conference in 1978, and that its 2007 conference was the 29th annual.
- Remarks to the Promotion Marketing Association (32nd Annual Marketing Law Conference) Supports: Independent confirmation that a senior FTC official addressed PMA's 32nd Annual Marketing Law Conference in Chicago.
- Promotion Marketing Association, Inc. (nonprofit filing record) Supports: EIN, final filed fiscal year (ending June 2014) revenue, expenses and net assets, and CEO compensation.
- ANA to Acquire the Brand Activation Association Supports: The 1911 founding date, the rebranding to Brand Activation Association, and the terms and 1 July 2014 effective date of the acquisition.
- Live From PMA: Simpsons Makeover Wins PMA's Super Reggie Award Supports: The 2008 Super Reggie award to 7-Eleven and FreshWorks, and a direct quote from PMA president Bonnie Carlson.
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