Erin Mulligan Nelson Honored at 2010 AAF Advertising Hall of Achievement

Bazaarvoice, the market and technology leader in transforming customer conversations into long-term business value, today announced that Bazaarvoice CMO Erin Mulligan Nelson has been inducted into the prestigious American Advertising Federation (AAF) Advertising Hall of Achievement based on her tremendous impact on marketing and advertising. The Advertising Hall of Achievement is the industry’s premier award for young advertising professionals age 40 and under, and represents the advertising innovators who are the best of the best nationwide. As a 2010 inductee who began her career at P&G and most recently served as CMO of Dell, Nelson is honored for her long and distinguished career that demonstrates the power of authentic purpose to drive brands and business. She is also recognized by her peers and colleagues as a true customer champion and a dedicated mentor who excels at inspiring the people around her.

“It is a great honor to be inducted into the Advertising Hall of Achievement alongside some of the most innovative and interesting executives in marketing and advertising today,” said Nelson. “Over the course of my career, my passion for marketing has grown into a passion for purpose – uncovering the purpose of the brand and the organization. This is best accomplished by looking at things through the eyes of your customers and listening closely to what they have to say. Building brands and businesses through the voice of the customer has been the most rewarding experience of my career, which is why I am so inspired by Bazaarvoice and its focus on customer conversations as the cornerstone of business success.”

“Erin is an enthusiastic mentor and true customer champion who pioneered the use of social media as a revolutionary tool to gain value from customer conversations,” said Brett Hurt, founder and CEO of Bazaarvoice. “Her particular areas of strength are perfectly matched with the Bazaarvoice business, especially her skills in customer-centricity and people development, as our growth continues to accelerate worldwide.”

Throughout her 20-year marketing career, Nelson has been driven by three values: find the core purpose of a brand, be a customer advocate by seeing things through the eyes of the customer, and serve as a dedicated mentor. Prior to joining Bazaarvoice, Nelson served as senior vice president and CMO of Dell, where she was responsible for bringing the company’s brand to life for Dell customers, employees, and stakeholders around the world. While at Dell, Nelson was also the executive sponsor of the largest employee resource group at Dell, Women in Search of Excellence (WISE), and served on executive committees for corporate philanthropy, diversity, and sustainability. Before becoming CMO for Dell in January 2009, Nelson spent three years in Europe as the vice president of marketing for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for Dell. During her 12-year tenure at Dell, she also held leadership positions across marketing and sales in the Consumer, Small and Medium Business, Public, and Large Enterprise business units.

Nelson previously worked in brand management at Procter & Gamble, corporate strategy at PepsiCo, and management consulting with A.T. Kearney. She serves on the board of directors of the Ad Council and Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA). She is also a member of the University of Texas McCombs Business School Advisory Council.

About the Advertising Hall of Achievement

The Advertising Hall of Achievement is the industry's premier award for outstanding advertising professionals age 40 and under. The American Advertising Federation established this program in 1993 as a way to recognize young talented individuals who are reinventing the profession of advertising. Information on the seven 2010 inductees can be found here.

The Hall of Achievement includes 117 members whose expertise span all spectrums of the advertising industry—from the publishing world to the online digerati. These superstars are change agents, who make headlines and continue to shape the future of advertising. Honorees are selected by the Council of Judges. This distinguished panel, representing all disciplines of the advertising industry, assembles to evaluate and recommend those individuals most deserving of induction.