Why NOCA?

Our region is blessed with considerable creative resources. Theater, music and art, and the legions of “artists” who are engaged in these pursuits have earned wide acclaim and support as a “creative community,” and rightly so. There is another creative community with world-class capabilities not so widely recognized in our backyard, the region’s marketing communications industry. An “industry consciousness” among our ranks has been a foreign concept until lately when NOCA entered the picture. NEO marketing communications professionals have traditionally looked at themselves only in terms of their areas of expertise. The “collective prowess” of firms that comprise “centers of excellence” in advertising, public relations, video production, Web design, new media and other specialties has been a lost business opportunity for the region. Significant accounts, project billings and service contracts continue to leak from our region. It is no surprise. As an industry, we have been ineffective in protecting our turf, and promoting our capabilities to local, regional and national buyers of marketing communications services. NOCA was formed to address these realities. For more information, contact Dick Clough, NOCA President at clough1217@aol.com.