This week we embrace a significant event in the global social marketing community!

The World Social Marketing Conference opens today just outside of Washington, D.C., at the Renaissance Arlington Hotel. This is the conference’s first visit to the United States, and Vanguard is delighted to be an active supporter of the event.

I can’t tell you how excited I am that the D.C. area is playing host to this premier gathering of social marketing practitioners and evaluators. As a communications and social marketing firm based in the nation’s capital, Vanguard has the privilege of working on federal initiatives designed to make our country healthier, better educated, safer and more inclusive. We likewise partner with nonprofits and associations that share the same goals.

We strive every day to apply social marketing principles to all our work. Yet, it’s not always easy. We are subject to the shifting priorities of public policymakers and the constraints of funding fluctuations. Our approach is to prove ourselves at every juncture and demonstrate effective outcomes every day.

During the World Social Marketing Conference this week, we look forward to sharing what we’ve learned from our 30-year history of working on some of the nation’s most pressing social issues. And, more importantly, we look forward to learning from our global colleagues who are using social marketing to address critical concerns, including ocean health, underage drinking, tobacco use, child nutrition and the spread of communicable diseases.

We are assured rich discussions, which I’m confident will strengthen the practice of social marketing and inspire all of us to work even harder for a healthier planet and global population.

If you’re attending the conference, we are sponsoring the opening reception this evening and invite you to join us there. You can also stop by our “Office Hours” event to learn more about how social marketing can enhance your organization’s work. Office hours are Wednesday morning from 8 to 8:45 AM.

Over the next few days, I hope you’ll follow Vanguard’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages for updates on the conference and opportunities to engage in conversations about the latest in social marketing and what’s on the horizon. Let us know how you are influencing positive social change through social marketing.