MUMBAI: Several companies across the globe are trying, and in some cases being compelled, to reduce their marketing and advertising expenses while increasing their turnover.

This trend is making phenomena such as word of mouth marketing an ncreasingly important factor in market strategising.

 
The first-ever international conference on word of mouth marketing will be held from 6-7 October 2005 in Hamburg, Germany. More than 200 prominent marketing experts and researchers from around the world will gather to discuss with other attendees the latest marketing approaches and future trends in the realm of word of mouth marketing.
 
 
The event is being sponsored by the Brand Science Institute. The aim is to provide a forum at which marketing practitioners can productively exchange experiences and explore unresolved word of mouth marketing issues. In addition to prominent industry players such as MTV Europe and Millward Brown, researchers from MIT and Microsoft Research Lab will also be in attendance.
 
 
Brand Science Institute founder Dr. Nils Andres says, "Positive word of mouth advertising is the top priority in today's companies, since the number of target groups is now beyond the reach of classic marketing channels. Our goal in sponsoring this event is to increase the body of knowledge and catalyse research on word of mouth advertising by holding workshops and roundtable discussion on the relevant issues with marketing practitioners, creative directors, and researchers."

This international event is aimed at marketing, PR and advertising managers who would like to obtain a wealth of information regarding current trends and new horizons in the realm of word of mouth advertising. Roundtable discussions held by subject experts will focus on (among other things) social software in the guise of weblogs and moblogs, cutting-edge product placement methods, and the efficacious use of consumers as brand messengers.