Neighborhood America Recognized for Best Social Networking Solution by Industry Peers
ELAvate Wins Prestigious CODiE Award

A high-five.

A pat-in-the-back.

A congratulatory-email.

Whatever form of celebration, there's an energy radiating from all of us at Neighborhood America. It's a feeling of pride; knowing that the long hours and hard work are paying off, and the company is finally being recognized by the outside world.

On May 20th, Neighborhood America shared the stage with some of the world's most innovative technology providers at the Software & Information Industry Association's (SIIA) Annual Codie Awards Gala in San Francisco, California. Our company founders and some top executives were in attendance to accept the Codie Award for "Best Social Networking Solution."

Our CEO Kim Kobza shared his feeling with the company following the big announcement, "I just want to express how proud we should all be of each other. If there was ever a doubt about what a highly dedicated group of individuals can do... you are the expression of that and the finest group that I am humbled to lead... You are the best in the world. About time the world recognizes it!"

For most companies, a win like this would signify a time to sit back, relax, and reap the benefits of winning such an award. Not at Neighborhood America. This is our time. Now more than ever, there's a sense of urgency to tell the world who we are and how we're changing the world… while the world is listening.

Click here to read the SIIA press release.

IMG Academies and Neighborhood America Serve Up New Online Community for Tennis Enthusiasts

Practicing your back swing or dashing back-and-forth on the tennis court doesn't sound as enjoyable in frigid temperatures as it does when you're exposed to the warm rays of the sun. That's why with its good weather all year-round, Florida is the ideal playground for tennis enthusiasts. And boy, do they flock to the Sunshine State.

Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova, Monica Seles, Jim Courier, and the Williams sisters - Venus and Serena - are some of the greatest tennis players in the world. But did you know they all trained at Florida-based IMG Academies (IMGA) Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy?

With its own private academic school on its 300 acre campus and students from over 46 states and 80 countries, IMGA is the largest commercial training academy ever created for dedicated young athletes. IMGA delivers world-class sports training experiences to over 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult and professional athletes each year.

Tennis enthusiasts will soon have the opportunity to extend their passion for the game beyond the courts and into an online environment. Neighborhood America is privileged to work with IMGA to launch the first of its premier sports-specific online communities called the Tennis Court Online.

The Tennis Court Online will be the ultimate destination for everything tennis, connecting world-class athletes, coaches, future stars and fans alike. The community supports member profiles, blogs, videos, photos, and comments - as well as encourages healthy bragging rights, while allowing members to rank and rate their least and most favorite.

"The Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy at IMGA has set the standard for camp/academy tennis training for 30 years," says Ted Meekma, Sr. V.P. IMG, Director IMG Academies. "As the industry leader, we feel obligated to extend our standards of excellence to the on-line marketplace as well. Partnering with Neighborhood America assures us that the Tennis Court Online will be second to none. If you love tennis, you owe it to yourself to check it out (and tell your friends to do the same)."

What sets IMGA and other Neighborhood America customers apart from the competition is the business strategy behind the community. The site was created with the intent to not only facilitate peer-to-peer marketing among athletes, but also to provide a highly targeted audience that will drive advertising dollars from sponsors, manufacturers and others striving to reach a premier niche community of tennis enthusiasts.

The Tennis Court Online is set to launch in the coming weeks.

Tech Helps Reduce Carbon Footprint at 2008 Democratic National Convention

Whether you choose reusable grocery bags, drive fuel-efficient cars, or live in an eco-friendly home, many of us are doing our part to go ‘green.' The green movement that is sweeping the country is due in part to citizens, businesses, and governments that are making choices to lessen their impact on the environment. The City of Denver wants to become the most environmentally friendly city in the nation - a plan called Greenprint Denver.

Denver is hosting the 2008 Democratic National Convention in August. With an estimated 50,000 visitors, including delegates, media, and their friends and families, the city is committed to making this the ‘greenest' convention possible. Multiple businesses, community partners and volunteers are working together to integrate sustainable practices and minimize the environmental impacts of the convention.

The City is utilizing Neighborhood America's technology to bring together nearly 150 committee members from across the country as they start planning ‘green' initiatives for the convention. Members stay connected through a private website that allows them to store documents and images, and track the progress of each team. The web-based technology eliminates the need for paper products, not to mention the fuel associated with members traveling to a central location. Everything can be managed online.

The ‘Going Green' theme of the convention is just the beginning for the City of Denver, which intends to continue these efforts well after the convention wraps up. Neighborhood America is honored to be an ally in the City's fight to become an environmentally conscious leader.

The Value Chain, Value Creation The Value Chain, Value Creation and the Social Web
By Kim Kobza, President & CEO

The Social Web is fundamentally changing the way that value is being created. Not all value created by networks can be monetized. But much value can - how?


This Inflection podcast addresses three themes of value creation for the Social Web. First, how would we think about value creation and the Social Web through the lens of traditional economic principles? What parameters of supply and demand does the Social Web change?

Second, what happens in the value chain that changes economic behavior of producers, consumers, government and its citizens? And how do we respond to take advantage of these changes?

Third, what are three actions that we as individual leaders of organizations can take to leverage the power of the Social Web in our organizations, business and government by understanding the new rules of engagement and the value created through engagement with customers, partners, employees, and citizens?

These are big picture ideas, abstract, with some, but not many tactical suggestions. Nonetheless, all tactics start with big ideas.

To listen to the podcast, visit our Neighborhood Cafe.

Can Ad Banners Find A Safe Home In An Online Community?
by Catharine P. Taylor

MediaPost's Social Media Insider Catharine P. Taylor explores success of HGTV.com's "Rate My Space."

Obviously, in this kind of community, snarkiness isn't an objective, the way it seems to be in many socially networked parts of the online world. This makes it a safe haven for advertisers who might otherwise stay away from social networking. The list of potential advertisers is both broad and deep.

Read the full article that appeared in MediaPost's Social Media Insider.

Social Networkers, Start Your Engines!
by Jeremy Nedelka

RacingOne makes the NASCAR experience even more social than it already is.

A social network is kind of like having tens of thousands of people in one place at one time, all sharing information and interacting with one another about their commonalities. What better place to develop one than at a NASCAR race, where hundreds of thousands of people are gathered to share in an experience?

Read the full article that appeared in 1to1 Media.


Website Merges with a Sarasota Firm and Keeps on Growing
by Michael Pollick

Neighborhood America has become a leader in a field that barely existed a decade ago: creating and maintaining a comfortable place on the Web for corporate and governmental clients to interact with their audience of customers and citizens.

Read the full article that appeared in the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

State Economic Development Council Showcases Neighborhood America MOVO Mobile Solution as Helpful Tool to Inform Citizens

As we gear up for what forecasters are predicting will be an active hurricane season, the Florida Economic Development Council (FEDC) honors the Economic Development Council (EDC) of Collier County with an award for its Mobile Business Alert System. The system came about through a partnership with Neighborhood America after two active hurricane seasons.

There was a need for informing local business owners and residents of storms, hurricanes and other emergencies affecting the region. The text messaging system greatly improved the EDC's ability to get information out quickly and efficiently, allowing EDC staff members to quickly gather critical information such as which businesses would remain open and which had taken adequate measures to prepare for the storm. The system further allowed the EDC to spend more time in essential counseling, prevention and recovery activities.

"The EDC has a responsibility to the community to create and execute on innovative ideas," said Julie A. Schmelzle, EDC Board Chairman. "The Mobile Business Alert System was yet another critical support tool for our community. It all comes down to providing value added enhancements to our community. The FEDC's recognition goes a long way in validating the hard work of staff and volunteers within the EDC."

The EDC earned a total of two Promotional Marketing Awards for its Mobile Business Alert System, as well as its recently printed "Resource to Starting Your Business."

Optimizing Your Digital Marketing Efforts

ROI. Social Media. CRM.


Buzz words that most marketers should be familiar with, but do they know how to turn opportunity into results?

As part of his involvement with the Online Marketing Summit (OMS), Neighborhood America's Senior Director of Sales, Jason Breed, heads to the DM Days New York Conference & Expo on June 10th to present his workshop titled, "Social Media and Measuring Your Online Success." The session is from the "Online Marketing/Interactive Media" track that covers how you can successfully optimize digital marketing efforts, as well as focuses on issues, trends, strategies, and analysis for marketing executives and those responsible for e-commerce.

Breed will explain why instead of merely thinking you need a social media strategy, you need to take it a step further and determine how social media can improve your current marketing and customer acquisition initiatives. Moreover, attendees will learn how to relate these initiatives back to their business goals. Myra Norton, CEO of Comlytics, will join Breed as an instructor, sharing her best practices.

Most recently, Breed led a similar workshop at the Digital Hollywood Spring Conference, the premiere entertainment and technology conference in the country.

For more information on DM Days, visit: http://www.the-dma.org/conferences/dmdays08/

Cracking the Code on Digital Publishing and Advertising

Rodale is a prime example of a publisher successfully engaging audiences online, offering valuable content, and building brand loyalty. And the award-winning technology behind three of their most powerful initiatives on Men's Health magazine - Transform, Challenge, and Belly Off! - belongs to Neighborhood America. This partnership provides Men's Health with business results through a continually growing audience and a steady flow of advertising revenue.

On June 25th, the Digital Publishing and Advertising Conference (DPAC) in New York City will teach attendees how to implement powerful integrated digital practices for their brands.

A session featuring, among other industry experts, Neighborhood America's Media Specialist Kent Kirschner and Men's Health Online Director Sean Nolan titled, "Social Media Integration to Extend the Relationship with the Consumer," will explore best practices for integrating online communities.

"DPAC is one of the biggest conferences of the year in the digital publishing industry and Neighborhood America is proving to be the best social networking solution in the space," says Kirschner. "Major media and consumer brands are now realizing that with Web 2.0, the context is critical. Technology must be adapted to the context that brands have worked so hard to create so that social media initiatives add value and relevance to the experience rather than detract from it."

For more information on the DPAC, visit: http://www.dpaconference.com/