About MCEI

MCEI began as the S.P.E.A. (Sales Promotion Executives Association) in America. At the end of 1954, Stanley Goodman, Irvin Towers and some colleagues decided to create in New York a "think tank" open to the top executives of companies interested by sales promotions.

During the Second World War the American industrial production was concentrated on the armament in the broad sense of the word (weapons, ammunition, armoured vehicles, aircraft etc). After the hostilities, the United States government moved gradually out of this wartime type economy in order to meet the essential needs of the consumers. 

Factories were reconverted into production of "civil" goods (cars, equipment, household, toys, construction etc). Initially the consumers wanted at all costs to forget the days of war and to compensate for the market restrictions, It was a true economic revival causing a considerable increase in the demand which could not be met immediately , causing imposing and significant delivery delays.

However, ten years after the war, the industry had accumulated stocks clearly exceeding the real needs for consumption. A serious competition battle was set up, bringing a pressing need for the producers and distributors to promote the sales in order to find a place for the new companies entering the market. Therefore, at that time, sales promotion in the USA benefited from dynamic creativity and very significant investments.

It was in particular the time of POP actions ("Point Of Purchase") to attract the customer and give him the desire and the need to buy more. It was the time of "sweepstakes", "couponing", and innumerable other premiums and incentives (gadgets and gifts included in the packaging etc).

This is why, quite naturally, a group of "promoters" constituted an association under the name of SPEA (Sales Promotions Executives Association) to exchange their experience, define the professional code of ethics and the methodology applicable to this new discipline in the commercial development.

"The promotion man is the world's truly great revolutionary. He stimulates the latent wants and desires of people and provokes them to seek a higher level of living. He makes possible business expansion thus creating jobs and the means for society to grow. Sales promotion is a proud profession. S.P.E.A, with its world-wide affiliates, is a leader in that profession. Therefore, S.P.E.A. has a responsibility to develop the knowledge and promote the interchange of ideas that will make sales promotion continuously more effective throughout the world." JOEL W. HARNETT Past-President, Sales Promotions Executive Association, New-York

As time went on, with less of an emphasis on ‘sales’ and more on Marketing and Communications, the word ‘sales’ needed to be dropped. Consequently a unique international association, Marketing Communications Executives International, was born......

Marketing Communications Executives International
MCEI spans the entire spectrum of business management and marketing communication techniques, not being committed to any medium, but bringing together a wide universe of ideas involving all media and ways of action. The organisation is made up a great diversity of top-level people in marketing, advertising, public relations, sales promotion and other disciplines in the business field.

Through Conferences and Workshops there is an educational emphasis on study and training and on new techniques and trends. In addition to the World Congress every two years and the seminars, MCEI Chapters conduct regular meeting programs providing further educational opportunities. Through newsletters and other media - ideas, news, meeting, highlights and case histories are shared.

There is an opportunity for every member to expand his or her expertise in the full range of marketing communications and management areas, with recognition and rewards being sought after outcomes - especially in the coveted "Marketing Excellence Award", of which three are given each year by an international jury of renowned experts.

Conviviality, cordiality, user-friendliness and solidarity is the image and aim of MCEI worldwide, with an emphasis on a very special spirit of dynamics and effective networking.

Click here to view International Chapter Information

Annecy - France; Melbourne - Australia; Brussels - Belgium; Geneva - Switzerland; Osaka - Japan; Rome - Italy; Seattle - USA; Taipei - Taiwan; Tokyo - Japan; Trujillo - Peru; Istanbul - Turkey; Casablanca - Morocco