.ORG in Real-Time Marketing & PR by David Meerman Scott – Marketing expert David Meerman Scott illustrates in his new book how harnessing the power of .ORG can engage audiences and enhance a brand’s market value.What’s in a domain name? With over 8.5 million registrants, .ORG, The Public Interest Registry (PIR), manager of the world’s third largest generic top-level domain, held an intimate breakfast and discussion today with acclaimed marketing specialist David Meerman Scott to impart answers to this fundamental question. The 90-minute session titled, “.ORG in Real Time with David Meerman Scott: Web Strategy, Domain Names, and Building Your Brand,” is part of a series of informative events hosted by .ORG’s

WhyIChose.ORG campaign—a newly launched initiative that aims to educate marketing and communications executives about the positive impacts various domain names can have on online branding and marketing.

Joined by Lauren Price of .ORG and nearly 50 New York-based marketing professionals, Mr. Scott discussed a variety of real-time strategies and tactics to help address challenging questions often encountered or posed when developing web-based marketing strategies. Such questions include: What type of website is best for a brand? Does it really matter if my company or organization registers a .ORG or .NET? Will my brand lose significant marketing value if one domain is selected over another?

“In today’s on-the-go environment, communication is happening faster than ever,” said David Meerman Scott, author of the bestselling book The New Rules of Marketing & PR and the recent title Real-Time Marketing and PR. “The right online marketing strategy can have a profound impact on how to successfully build your brand. Together with .ORG, we are hoping to educate and empower those who want to understand how to achieve optimal marketing value through effective Internet strategies.”

Launched in late September 2010, the WhyIChose.ORG campaign is an unprecedented effort for PIR. Through an integrated combination of online resources, social media and events, the campaign functions as an educational hub for corporations, marketing agencies and associations, aiming to illustrate the benefits of .ORG. In addition to informative sessions like the one today, WhyIChose.ORG also features educational tools in order to demonstrate the proven value of a .ORG domain name. These tools include a series of interactive quizzes and myth-busters, as well as case studies of how entities can maximize .ORG as a portal for consumer information, crisis communications, corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, and the like.

“As more and more Web sites are realizing their online reputation is becoming the brand driver, it is important for companies to truly realize the critical role that selecting the right domain name plays in shaping a brand,” said Lauren Price, at .ORG, The Public Interest Registry. “This session and the WhyIChose.ORG campaign seeks to educate and help people understand how a .ORG domain name can not only confirm your brand’s value, but positively influence your online presence.”

The “.ORG in Real-Time” event took place at the Roger Smith Hotel in midtown Manhattan. For more information on the networking breakfast and discussion with David Meerman Scott and/or the WhyIChose.org campaign, go to www.whyichose.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

PIR is grateful for the endorsement by David M. Scott and has purchased copies of his book to help publicize his message.