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Are you ready to hear from local CEOs who are changing the landscape of Advertising and Media? The American Advertising Federation’s (AAF) Behind the Brand series has a lineup for 2025 that you don’t want to miss.
First up in January, Behind the Brands is featuring Bham Now’s very own Cindy Martin.
Keep reading for what you need to know about this event on Thursday, January 16.
Where to catch the Behind the Brands CEO series kickoff
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Dive into the vibrant world of Birmingham’s advertising scene with the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the leading organization for advertising professionals.
The Behind the Brands series kicks off with Cindy Martin, the powerhouse CEO of Bham Now.
- Where: AmFirst Community Room, 1200 4th Avenue North, Birmingham AL 35203
- When: Thursday, Jan. 16 | 11:30AM-1PM
- Price: $20
- Details – Lunch Included!
Meet Cindy Martin: A Trailblazer in Digital Media
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Kicking off the series is Cindy Martin, a true digital media pioneer with more than three decades of experience.
Cindy is the founder and CEO of Bham Now, The Bama Buzz and Hville Blast, three influential media brands that spotlight the best of our state. She’ll be sharing insights from her 30+ years in digital media, how it led to the creation of Bham Now, and what the future holds for local engagement and digital innovation.
Her impressive career includes founding AL.com and serving as its CEO for 16 years, along with a leadership role at Alabama Media Group. Prior to returning to her roots in Alabama, she was a VP at Magellan Search Engine in San Francisco, one of the first search engines on the internet.
When she’s not driving media innovation, Cindy enjoys hiking, traveling, and growing native plants—proving her love for growth extends far beyond her work.
“There’s no more exciting career than digital media. It has fed my curiosity and insatiable appetite to learn.”
“I’ve had the honor and privilege to be part of the birth and growth of Internet access services, search engines, AL.com and more recently, Bham Now, Hville Blast and The Bama Buzz. Looking forward to what’s next.”
Cindy MartinUpcoming speakers for Behind the Brand Series
Here are some of the upcoming speakers who are also part of the Behind the Brand series. Be on the lookout for these CEOs!
- Brian Ellis, CEO Telegraph
- Feb. 20
- Mark Slagle, Executive Producer 1504
- March 20
- Jason Lovoy, CEO Infomedia and Uptick Marketing
- April 2025
- John Paul Strong, Strong Automotive
- May 15
- Gene Hallman, Eventive
- June 19
- Dr. Jesse Lewis, Agency 54
- July 17
Join AAF on January 16 to hear about Cindy’s journey, the evolution of digital media in Birmingham and the exciting future of Bham Now!
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