Whitehouse, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/28/2009 -- Whitehouse, NJ – Ed Delia, president of Delia Associates, has announced that Richard Palatini has joined the branding and online marketing firm as Director of Creative.

Palatini, whose creative experience and credits encompass both art and copy, joins Delia Associates after more than 15 years at Gianettino & Meredith in Murray Hill, New Jersey, where he most recently held the title of Senior Vice President and Creative Director.

"My move to Delia Associates was in the stars for a while," said Palatini. "Just look at our writings and our branding philosophies. Ed Delia and I have been preaching from the same pulpit for years. Ed has perfectly positioned his agency to make the most of any marketing budget, which has been my personal mission throughout my career."

Entering its 45th year, Delia Associates has established itself as the "Brand Leadership Company" of New Jersey, and specializes in identifying and creating a distinctive brand identity for its clients through a blend of traditional and online media. In recent years, Delia Associates has helped many niche businesses achieve market leadership, in addition to consistent business growth through the deployment of innovative online marketing programs.

A graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University, Palatini's range of experience includes clients in the financial, telecommunications, automotive, package goods, healthcare, education, electronics, hospitality, real estate and home decor industries. Palatini has been responsible for the efforts of multi-disciplinary advertising teams and multi-channel branding campaigns for market leaders like AT&T, Benjamin Moore, Chevrolet and Bonita Banana. In addition, Palatini has been an Adjunct Professor at Kean University for the past 6 years, and in 2007 received the Presidential Excellence Award for Teaching. He is currently co-authoring a book on creativity entitled The Idea Relationship: A New Paradigm In Creativity and Concept Development, to be published in May 2009. He has also been a featured speaker, lecturer and workshop facilitator on both the professional and academic levels.

In announcing the appointment of Palatini, Ed Delia praised his new creative director's online and offline diversity, as well as his branding philosophy. "Rich Palatini's leadership has built strong, lasting relationships between brands and people across all forms of media," said Delia. "His own unique brand of practical creativity has launched products, re-invigorated companies, and established category leaders, with few wasted steps. And what's most important to me, he has demonstrated the ability to lead a seasoned team of professionals to new levels of success in a variety of highly competitive industries."

When asked to point out a few past achievements that remain a source of pride, Palatini said, "In fact, what I'm most proud of is my work ethic and creative methodology. I don't commit marketing dollars to ideas I pull out of thin air. I analyze a client's critical communications requirements, identify deficiencies and dig for insights before developing a plan of action to improve a company's brand/customer relationship."

Delia Associates provides branding and online marketing services to small to mid-sized companies throughout the Greater New York Area. Ed Delia, a Professional Certified Marketer (PCM), is frequently called upon to speak on the topics of branding and online marketing before major trade organizations and business groups nationwide. For more information about Delia Associates, visit: http://www.delianet.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Whitehouse, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/21/2008 -- Ed Delia, branding specialist and president of Delia Associates, is scheduled to address packaging, cosmetic and personal care professionals at the 16th annual HBA Global Expo. The title of Delia's presentation will be "Achieving Brand Leadership in the Age of E - for Brands and the Brands Behind Them."

The HBA Global Expo trade show and Conference Program is expected to attract close to 20,000 attendees to New York's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, from September 9 to the 11th. Delia, who earlier this year was designated an "Expert Speaker" by Vistage International, the world's leading chief executive organization, is scheduled to talk on the morning of Tuesday September 9th. His presentation will be part of HBA's session entitled "The Challenge of Innovation and Branding: Essential Insights."

Delia is one of less than a dozen marketing professionals in New Jersey to be named a Professional Certified Marketer by the American Marketing Association. That honor put Delia in the ranks of only 250 other professionals in the U.S. In addition, Delia has been recognized for his achievements by NJBiz, New Jersey's leading business publication, and was named one of the Top 40 Under 40 Executives in New Jersey.

Delia's career in marketing began in his early teens, writing press releases for clients of the family firm. In 1998, he was named president of Delia Associates, assuming full control of the company founded by his father in the early 60's. Under his direction, Delia Associates has contributed to the success and growth of a wide variety of clients, from large international corporations to regional businesses.

In September 2003, Delia Associates introduced a proprietary brand development system to bring the power of branding to emerging and mid-size companies, and has since been dubbed "The Brand Leadership Company." The company's services include brand strategy, e-marketing, traditional advertising, public relations, and direct marketing services.

Beyond the demands of a growing business and providing branding guidance to CEOs and marketing executives on a regular basis, Delia is committed to the welfare of his immediate business community and donates a significant portion of his time to the healthy economic development of Somerset and Hunterdon counties. He has served as a board member of the YMCA of Hunterdon County and was the chairperson of its PR/Marketing committee, and is active with the Hunterdon County Polytech Academy. Delia is also an active member of the New Jersey Chapter of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), serving on the board for the past four years as well as the Chapter's President.

Other organizations that Delia has been involved in include: Hunterdon Young Professionals & Executives; Somerset Business Education Partnership; Hunterdon Economic Partnership; New Jersey Packaging Executives Club; Philadelphia Drug Association; The Center for Great Expectations; and the Hunterdon County and Middlesex County Chambers of Commerce.

For more information about Ed Delia and Delia Associates, including upcoming speaking engagements, visit: http://www.delianet.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Whitehouse, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/20/2008 -- The advantages of moving fast and being first have never been more apparent in the world of business. Everything is moving at the speed of e. Information is shared instantaneously and globally. Markets are affected by minor shifts in supply and demand overnight. There is little time for lag time in our e-driven environment, and no putting off until tomorrow what must be done today. All this spells good news if you truly want to take a position of brand leadership within your business category.

If you move fast, you can strike first and own a position of leadership in any field, even in an area of business that works outside the limelight and has a supportive role. You just have to keep up to the minute with market trends and opportunities, and be ready to seize the moment at any given moment.

Don't worry about the size of your business. The smaller you are, the more agile you can be, making it that much easier to capitalize on e-branding opportunities. Search marketing, social networking, podcasts, blogs, and other e-branding tactics take large corporations months and many exhausting meetings to bring them on stream. Small and mid-sized companies are nimble enough and entrepreneurial enough to make it all happen that much faster.

If you win the race, you own the space.

Remember, first is where you want to be, no matter what business you are in. Because he or she who wins the race, owns the space. Once you've staked your claim as leader of a specific business segment or category, no one else can be first. You own the top spot, and the market recognition that can only be claimed by a category leader.

Now, not everyone can be first. So if you just happen to get caught one step behind, don't drop out of the running. Take full advantage of being second, instead. Tell the world you wanted to wait just long enough to learn from the other guy's mistakes. Or, do what Avis has been doing from the dawn of the rental car business: turn being second into your pledge to try harder for your customers.

Whatever you do, do it fast.

Don't over-think things when it comes to communicating your brand. The world-renowned scientist and lecturer, Edward Lorenz, who died earlier this year, shared this piece of wisdom with his adoring students, "You're only wrong if you never make a decision in the first place."

When it comes to branding, it is always better to take action, and then adjust your actions along the way, than to agonize over perfection and miss an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage. We're living in an age of instantaneous change. Every time you delay a branding initiative – whether online or offline – there is probably a competitor out there not delaying - taking swift action instead, and building new customer relationships that could be yours.

Perfecting your brand is a process, not an event.

Of course, consistency and continuity are critical to strong brand development. But don't sweat the small stuff at the expense of what really matters. There's always the opportunity to keep refining your image along the way. Even the Coca Cola's of the world keep evolving. Don't waste time trying to make everything perfect. The famous and highly successful film producer Joseph E. Levine put it this way, "If I tried to make my movies perfect, I never would have finished a single one."

Your business can't afford to wait for you to make it perfect, no matter what "it" is. You just have to keep making the best decisions you can, based on the best information at hand. But do so quickly, because in the age of e, tomorrow's too late.

About the author:

Ed Delia is a frequent speaker on branding and is the president of Delia Associates. The firm provides marketing and branding services to small to mid-sized companies. Entering its 44th year, Delia Associates has positioned itself as the "Brand Leadership Company," and specializes in identifying and creating a distinctive brand identity for its clients through a blend of traditional and online media. More information is available at http://www.delianet.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Hermitage, PA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/09/2008 -- When Mountain Dew launched its Green Label Art series in May of 2007 it was the first time a major carbonated soft drink (CSD) was offered to the North American consumer in an aluminum bottle.

According to representatives from Mountain Dew and CCL Container, the response to the 2007 Green Label Art Series was so positive that the brand once again asked artists to create designs for 2008.

Mountain Dew spokesperson, Nicole Bradley, explained that twelve distinctly different designs were launched in 2007, and another twelve are heading to the marketplace in 2008. "Six bottle designs were released nationally in February of 2008 and were available through early April. A new set of six designs will be released in August through October," said Bradley.

Being involved in a packaging first is nothing new for CCL Container, North America's leading producer of impact-extruded aluminum packaging. CCL received industry-wide recognition when it designed and produced the world's first aluminum beer bottle. Since the debut of the "bottlecan" in 2003, CCL Container has been a driving force in the production of impact extruded aluminum bottles, which is how the brand managers for Mountain Dew came to CCL in the first place.

According to Bradley, the aluminum bottle provides the premium product feel the company wanted for their Mountain Dew brand, which held a 7.4% share of the CSD market at the end of 2007. But the fact that aluminum allows for 360° high-impact color graphics is what led the people at Mountain Dew to CCL. "Aluminum provides a perfect canvas for high impact graphics," said Bradley. "CCL proved to be very flexible and accommodating of our needs on this project."

The bottle used for Mountain Dew's initiative is CCL's 16 oz. "traditional" aluminum bottle style. However, CCL now offers "Full Body Shaping" for its aluminum bottles, allowing top-to-bottom custom shaping and product differentiation. And whatever shapes a CCL bottle can takes, marketers can choose from a variety of closure systems.

Aluminum bottles continue to increase in popularity within the beverage industry for more than their eye appeal. They are durable, resealable, and fast chilling; and are also 100% recyclable.

All of the Green Label Art bottle designs from 2007 and 2008 can be found on the Web site http://www.greenlabelart.com, which also features video clips that profile the Green Label Art artists. The clips highlight the various different approaches and applications the artists used to create the designs including: tattoo design, cut-and-paste materials, paint, charcoals and computer graphics. In addition, the Green Label Art site offers an interactive design tool and a tutorial for those interested in creating their own designs as well as details on several events across the country where the artists' Mountain Dew bottle designs and other projects have been on display.

When asked if Pepsi faced any challenges in bringing the new Mountain Dew bottle cans to market, Bradley explained that being the first brand to launch a new package always presents challenges, but they were successfully met by a concerted effort from suppliers, co-packers and bottling partners. "The people at CCL were a big help," said Bradley.

CCL Container is North America's leading manufacturer of recyclable aluminum cans and bottles. The company's manufacturing facilities are located in Hermitage, PA, Penetang, ONT and Mexico City, Mexico. All facilities are ISO 9002 Registered.

For more information about the Mountain Dew limited edition aluminum bottle series visit
http://www.greenlabelart.com.

For more information about CCL Container visit: http://www.cclcontainermedia.com.

For a downloadable version of this release and photos, please visit :
http://www.cclcontainermedia.com/pr/pr-md.html

For more information on CCL's products and services, please contact:

Charlie Herrmann
Tel: (724) 981-4420
Fax: (724) 981-7226
CCL Container U.S. Operations:
One Llodio Drive
Hermitage, PA 16148

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Whitehouse, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/06/2008 -- CCL Container, the leading producer of rigid aluminum packaging in North America, has named Charlie Herrmann to the position of VP Sales and Marketing.

Reporting directly to Graham Lloyd, president of CCL Container, Herrmann will be based in the company's head office in Hermitage, PA. Herrmann will be responsible for the entire North American sales force of CCL Container, along with the company's technical director and customer service personnel.

Upon making the announcement of Herrmann's appointment, Graham Lloyd stated, "There is no more capable individual in this industry than Charlie to build on our reputation in the industry, and further secure our leadership position."

Charlie Herrmann began his career with Monsanto, and then went on to hold senior positions with Avery-Dennison for over 20 years. Prior to accepting responsibility for the sales and marketing efforts of CCL Container, Herrmann held the position of Vice President Marketing & Research & Development at Avery Dennison's Industrial & Automotive Product Division. A graduate of the University of Colorado with a degree in Economics, Herrmann also holds a Masters Degree in Marketing Management from Northwestern University.

Noting the leadership role CCL Container has taken in the industry over the last several years, Herrmann made clear his reasons for taking on the company's sales and marketing responsibilities. "I am very excited to be joining CCL Container at a time of great opportunity and challenges in the aluminum can industry as it works to meet growing demand in both traditional aerosol markets as well as in new markets including the beverage industry. Coming to CCL puts me in a position to make an impact on a number of categories within the packaging industry."

CCL Container is North America's leading manufacturer of recyclable aluminum aerosol cans and bottles for a broad range of market sectors, including beverage and foods, personal care, health care, household and automotive. The company's manufacturing facilities are located in Hermitage, PA, Penetang, ONT and Mexico City, Mexico. All facilities are ISO 9002 Registered.

For more information about CCL Container, visit: http://www.cclcontainermedia.com or http://www.cclcontainer.com.

For a downloadable version of this press release, please visit http://www.cclcontainermedia.com/pr/pr-herrmann.html

For more information on CCL Container's products and services, please contact:
CCL Container
One Llodio Drive
Hermitage, PA 16148
Tel: (724)981-4420
Fax: (724) 342-1116

For further press information, please contact:
Ed Delia
Delia Associates
Tel: (908) 534-9044
Fax: (908) 534-6856
E-mail: edelia@delianet.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Whitehouse, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/16/2008 -- Ed Delia, branding specialist and president of Delia Associates, has been given the designation of "Expert Speaker" by Vistage International, the world's leading chief executive organization. Established in 1957, Vistage International has over 14,000 members in 16 countries, and offers a range of programs, each tailored to the continuing education needs of chief executives, senior managers and professional service providers.

Upon receiving the news, Delia remarked, "I'm truly grateful to be recognized by such a prestigious organization. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Vistage members I have met to date, and the Vistage staff has proven incredibly supportive and responsive at every turn, exactly what one would expect from a world-class organization. To be designated an 'expert' is flattering to say the least, especially in a world where we all must continue the learning process every day."

In addition to his Vistage designation, Ed Delia is only one of less than a dozen marketing professionals in New Jersey to have been named a Professional Certified Marketer by the American Marketing Association. That honor put Delia in the ranks of only 250 other professionals in the United States. Delia has also been recognized for his achievements by NJBiz, New Jersey's leading business publication, and was named one of the Top 40 Under 40 Executives in New Jersey. Recently, Delia was named Outstanding Business Person of the Year by the Somerset Business Partnership.

In 1998, Ed was named president of Delia Associates, assuming full control of the company founded by his father, Michael A. Delia, in 1964. Under Ed's direction, Delia Associates has contributed to the growth of a wide variety of clients, from large international corporations to regional businesses.

In September 2003, the company introduced a proprietary brand development system to bring the power of branding to emerging and mid-size companies. The process results in the creation of a unique brand identity for those who follow the prescribed steps. "The brand-building techniques I teach are understandable, actionable and measurable," says Delia. "I believe in a systematic approach, with an emphasis on self-analysis and discovery."

Beyond the demands of a growing business and providing branding guidance to CEOs and marketing executives on a regular basis, Delia is committed to the welfare of his immediate business community and donates a significant portion of his time to the healthy economic development of Somerset and Hunterdon counties. He is also an active member of the New Jersey Chapter of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), and has served on the board for the past four years.

Other organizations that Delia has been involved in include: Hunterdon Young Professionals & Executives; Somerset Business Education Partnership; Hunterdon Economic Partnership; New Jersey Packaging Executives Club; Philadelphia Drug Association; The Center for Great Expectations; and the Hunterdon County and Middlesex County Chambers of Commerce.

Delia Associates, The Brand Leadership Company, helps turn small and mid-sized organizations into highly profitable brands. The company's services include brand strategy, online marketing, and traditional advertising, public relations, and direct marketing services, functioning as a one-stop shop for small and mid-sized companies.

For more information about Ed Delia and Delia Associates, including upcoming speaking engagements, visit: http://www.delianet.com.

For more information about Vistage and its many programs for chief executive officers, company presidents, and their advisors, visit: http://www.vistage.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Whitehouse, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/01/2008 -- Delia Associates, a full-service marketing and branding agency specializing in meeting the needs of small- to mid-sized firms, has begun to put its clients in control of their own Web content, with the law firm of Norris McLaughlin & Marcus among those clients recently availing themselves of content management solution.

According to Ed Delia, president of Delia Associates, technology has caught up with the content management needs of companies, large and small. "Ten years ago, it was inconceivable for a company of any size to manage its Web site content," noted Delia. "You had to have an IT professional on staff either full or part time, or pay monthly fees to a Webmaster. Today, we can set up our clients with content management tools that enable any computer literate member of their organizations to make changes to content on a daily basis."

In the case of Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, a well-established firm that provides a wide range of legal services to the business community from its offices in New Jersey and New York, the firm's motivation to self-manage their online presence was based on the sheer volume of ever-changing content. According to Ed Miller, Jr., the firm's chief marketing officer for the last eight years, "With over 500 pages of Web content, and 1,000 links to articles and news items written by or about the firm, something always needs updating. We had to empower ourselves with the ability to keep our content fresh on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Clients, other attorneys and hundreds of people interested in our work visit our site every day."

According to Delia, Norris McLaughlin & Marcus is typical of most professional services companies. "The firm has over one hundred attorneys, all of whom are very active in their fields of practice and in their communities. They make news on a daily basis, and it's in the firm's best interest to keep its clients, fellow employees, and every stakeholder in the company's successful operation up to date on all levels of activity."

Entering its 44th year, Delia Associates has directly contributed to the success and growth of a wide variety of clients, from large international corporations to regional businesses. The firm has positioned itself as the "Brand Leadership Company," and specializes in identifying and creating distinctive brand identities for its clients through a blend of traditional and online media.

Ed Delia regularly speaks on the subjects of brand development, strategic marketing and technology-driven communications. He is one of nine professionals in New Jersey to have earned a Professional Certified Marketer designation from the American Marketing Association, joining an elite group of just 250 marketing professionals in the U.S. who hold that distinction.

For more information, please visit: http://www.delianet.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Whitehouse, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/31/2008 -- Ed Delia, branding specialist and president of Delia Associates, will conduct a "how to" presentation at Farleigh Dickinson's Rothman Institute on April 10, 2008.

The presentation will be held in the Rothman Institute Forum from 8:30am to 11:30am, and is entitled "Small Brand Leadership: A Step-by-Step Approach to Defining and Delivering a Profitable Brand."

According to Delia, the three-hour workshop presentation is designed specifically for small- and mid-sized business CEOs, presidents, and marketing executives, as well as their family members. "I'll be guiding participants through several interactive exercises that will help them work on their brand identity during the program itself," said Delia. "The goal of the program is to offer a systematic approach to brand building that is accessible and actionable."

Unlike many branding presentations that focus on the development and protection of global brands such as Coke, Budweiser, and Federal Express, Delia concentrates on how best-practice branding techniques can be applied to small- and middle-market organizations.

"Global brands with large marketing budgets no longer have an exclusive on the art and science of brand building," contends Delia. "In fact, new technologies are making brand building more productive on an R.O.I. basis for small companies than for the global giants."

Key components of the workshop include the tactics necessary to define a company's brand identity, and the importance of brand development to the growth of any business. Delia advocates a systematic approach to brand building. On the front end, Delia puts great weight on the necessity for self-analysis and discovery in order to uncover the true personality and core value of a brand. He puts equal emphasis on the science of tracking branding activities and quantifying the benefits of staying true to one's brand identity.

Delia's firm provides full-service marketing and branding services to small- to mid-sized companies. Entering its 44th year, Delia Associates has positioned itself as the "Brand Leadership Company," and specializes in identifying and creating a distinctive brand identity for its clients through a blend of traditional and online media.

More information about Ed Delia and Delia Associates is available at http://www.delianet.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Whitehouse, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/26/2008 -- Delia Associates, a full-service marketing and branding firm located in Whitehouse, New Jersey, has introduced "Beyond-the-Booth," a trade show communication program designed to help companies make the most of their presence at trade shows, and avoid the last minute panic typical of most companies in the weeks before major industry exhibitions."

It doesn't take a degree in marketing to know how important trade shows are to a company's sales success," points out Ed Delia, president of Delia Associates. "However, human nature is such that most companies have to put in a big last minute push just to get their booth to the show on time, and a lot of opportunity is lost in the process."

The answer, according to Delia, is to have a pre-, mid- and post-show plan, and to work your plan like your business depends on it, because it does.

"Taking a booth at an important industry show is a rare opportunity in this e-centric world to make eye contact with the decision makers who decide the fate of your company on a daily basis," says Delia.

According to Delia, most small and mid-sized marketers do not have someone dedicated to their trade show presence, and many do not even have a director of sales and marketing. "That's why we put together our 'Beyond-the-Booth' trade show communications program. It's for small to mid-sized companies with modest budgets, but with so much to gain by taking full advantage of the face-to-face interaction of a trade show."

All of the elements of the program have been put to the test for many on Delia Associates' roster of clients over the years. However, only recently has the agency's tactical skills been packaged for off-the-shelf employment, and not every element of the marketing firm's trade show program must be utilized in order to take advantage of the agency's formula for trade show success. In fact, Delia Associates' package can be modified to meet the needs and budget of most trade show-bound marketers.

The pre-show package includes the preparation of print advertising, press releases, pre-show mailings, invitations, E-blasts to customers and prospects, Web site banners informing visitors about upcoming shows, and a separate landing page to arrange and schedule meetings.

Delia Associates' package at the show includes the design and production of visual displays, show literature, the selection of giveaways and premiums, and the arrangement of photography to take full advantage of a company's presence at the show.

Post-show elements of the package include assistance in triaging leads and identifying those that warrant immediate follow-up, generating follow-up direct mail and e-mails, assistance in posting show floor pictures on your Web site, and conducting a post-show strategy session to decide how to act on what was learned at the show and how to make the most of newly identified opportunities.

"Even if you don't have someone dedicated to your trade show presence," says Delia, "you can enhance your brand's image significantly by what you do and say before, during and after the show. That is what prompted us to develop a comprehensive communications package to address this need."

For more information on Delia Associates' "Beyond-the-Booth" trade show communications package, please visit: http://www.delianet.com/beyond_the_booth.php

Entering its 44th year, Delia Associates has positioned itself as the "Brand Leadership Company" of New Jersey, and specializes in identifying and creating a distinctive brand identity for its clients through a unique blend of traditional and online media. In recent years, Delia Associates has helped many niche businesses achieve market leadership, in addition to consistent business growth. Ed is a frequent speaker on the topics of branding and technology-driven marketing. He was recently designated a Professional Certified Marketer by the American Marketing Association, joining an elite group of just 250 marketing professionals in the U.S. with that distinction. For more information, please visit: http://www.delianet.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Polytech Career Academy Gives Students a Competitive Edge

Whitehouse, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/07/2008 -- For the sixth year in a row, Delia Associates, a full-service marketing and branding firm, participated in the job shadowing program offered by the Hunterdon County Polytech Career Academy. This year, Albert Alvarez, an aspiring graphic designer, was the beneficiary of the real-life experience the program provides.

Located in Flemington, the Polytech Career Academy offers career and technical education programs that provide opportunities for students to explore vocations and gain career-related experience through specialized internships and shadowing programs. Polytech partners with local businesses to make these programs a regular part of their overall career development mission.

"Polytech's programs provide students with a solid foundation to enter the workforce," said Ed Delia, the president of Delia Associates. "We've looked forward to" hosting these students every year, and are always impressed with their maturity and desire to learn."

Teresa Diaz, the Commercial Arts & Animation instructor at Polytech, explains how Polytech's program emphasizes more than art and production skills. "Our program gives students a taste of what it's like to maintain a successful business. It allows our students to see the ins and outs of dealing with clients, billing, meeting deadlines, etc."

At Delia Associates, Albert did, in fact, do more than simply watch what was going on. "They showed me how to lay out and shoot pictures for a magazine ad," Albert tells us. "Then I helped design the envelope for a stationery package. I even learned how to design a Web page using Photoshop."

"Yes," confirmed Delia, "we never work in hypotheticals with these young men and women. They want a real-world experience and that's what we give them. In fact, two of our senior art directors took Albert under wing during the course of his stay with us."

If you ask Albert, it sounds like the experience was a good one. "The people were some of the nicest you could ever hope to meet. They were funny, polite, upbeat, and very professional at what they do."

What's next for Albert Alvarez? Turns out he has a few self-imposed steps to take before he enters the real world of marketing communications and brand development. "I plan to go to Raritan Valley Community College in the fall," explains Albert, "then go to a professional design school in either New Jersey, or as close to home as possible in Pennsylvania."

"We all wish him great success," said Delia. "Albert is welcome back here anytime."

Entering its 44th year, Delia Associates has directly contributed to the success and growth of a wide variety of clients, from large international corporations to regional businesses. The firm has positioned itself as the "Brand Leadership Company," and specializes in identifying and creating distinctive brand identities for its clients through a blend of traditional and online media.

Ed Delia regularly speaks on the subjects of brand development, strategic marketing and technology-driven communications. He is one of nine professionals in New Jersey to have earned a Professional Certified Marketer designation from the American Marketing Association, joining an elite group of just 250 marketing professionals in the U.S. who hold that distinction.

For more information on Delia Associates, visit: www.delianet.com.

For more information on Hunterdon County Polytech Career Academy, visit http://www.hcpolytech.org

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Whitehouse, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/02/2008 -- Ed Delia, president of Delia Associates, a full-service marketing and branding firm located in Whitehouse, New Jersey, will be the guest speaker at a program being held on Tuesday, March 4 at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The program, entitled "Careers in Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations," will be held in the Holland Union Building (HUB) Social Hall West at 12:00 noon.

Delia, a graduate of the class of '95, plans to talk about his own career in marketing, which began in his early teens working for the family firm. Much of his time today is devoted to providing branding guidance to CEOs and top marketing executives throughout the Greater New York Area.

Unlike many branding firms that focus on the development and protection of global brands such as Coke, Budweiser, and Federal Express, Delia's company devotes itself to brand building for small and mid-sized organizations.

"Global brands with large marketing budgets no longer have an exclusive on the art and science of brand building," contends Delia. "In fact, new technologies are making brand building more productive on an R.O.I. basis for small companies than for the global giants."

It's a learning process. Every day I gain a greater respect for the power of branding through the experiences of our clients and even some of their competitors," says Delia.

Delia advocates a systematic approach to brand building. "The brand-building techniques I teach are understandable, actionable and measurable," says Delia. On the front end, Delia puts great weight on the necessity for self-analysis and discovery in order to uncover the true personality and core value of a brand. He puts equal emphasis on the science of tracking branding activities and quantifying the benefits of staying true to one's brand identity.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm