ARF Hires Social Media Supremo

In the US, the ARF (Advertising Research Foundation) has appointed Lynne Johnson in the new role of Senior Vice President, Social Media. Overseeing the organisation's social media development and strategy, she will also spearhead the launch of its Social Media Council.

She joins from FastCompany.com, where she was Senior Editor / Community Director, blogging and overseeing both content and community functionality. In the previous ten years she held similar leadership roles at Vibe and Spin magazines, as well as BlackPlanet.com, and worked as a consultant. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of arts org the Literary Freedom Project, and Interactive One, the interactive arm of Radio One and TV One.

She holds a BA in Journalism from SUNY New Paltz and an MBA in Media Management from the Metropolitan College of New York, and is an adjunct professor in the Audrey Cohen School for Human Services at the Metropolitan College of New York.

ARF President and CEO Robert Barocci says Johnson is 'one of social media's movers and shakers' and comments: 'We created this post because the power of social media is the most important new force in our industry, and with Lynne at the helm, we are committing The ARF to taking that power to the next level.'

'Social media enables marketers to have conversations with consumers, so you get advertising, PR, customer care, and marketing research all at the same time. Lynne will light this path forward for the marketing and media community', concluded Joel Rubinson, Chief Research Officer of The ARF.

The NYC-based ARF has more than 400 members including advertisers, advertising agencies, associations, research firms, and media companies, and is online at www.thearf.org .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.