• by September 28, 2004

San Francisco-based Internet media and marketing professionals are gearing up for the launch of BIG--Bay Area Interactive Group--on October 7th. The networking group, similar to New York's successful 212 group, already has more than 550 people signed up for membership, according to John Durham, BIG's president and president of Pericles Consulting.

BIG has 50 corporate members, each of which bring a dozen members to the group, and the organization has also secured five hospitality sponsors including Advertising.com, Atlas DMT, Ask Jeeves, Reuters, and the New York Times Co.'s NYTimes.com.

BIG will hold quarterly "reach" events, like the one planned for October 7th, where attendees will hear Marketwatch Chairman-CEO Larry Kramer speak about the Internet marketplace over the last decade, and educational "frequency" events. The smaller educational events will focus on single topics; Jon Raj, director of advertising for Visa, is chairman of BIG's education content committee.

"We took our time; we've gone very slowly and methodically," Durham said of the group's formation. "The key thing that has made it really good is our signature sponsors that stepped up to help make it work," he said, adding: "We have a great board of directors, committee chairmen, and signature sponsors. The enthusiasm has actually wowed me that people are ready to give back in community and conversation."

In the '90s, the Bay Area was a hotbed of online activity. When the market tanked, the area was hit hard and networking groups went underground, or largely disbanded. As more marketers shift existing dollars online--and in some cases, boost their online expenditures with new dollars--there is further evidence that the interactive industry is in the midst of a comeback.

"BIG is leading the charge of providing a much-needed forum for digital marketers in the Bay Area," said Chris Churchill, CEO of Fathom Online, in a statement. "This group will certainly impact the business landscape from a 'lessons learned' perspective." For more information on BIG, click here.