Luca De Meo, the Chief Marketing Officer of the Fiat Group and CEO of the Alfa Romeo and Abarth automobile companies, received the 2008 Chief Marketing Officer of the Year Award.

Luca De Meo, Chief Marketing Officer of the Fiat Group and CEO of the Alfa Romeo and Abarth automobile companies, received the 2008 Chief Marketing Officer of the Year Award at a ceremony in Frankfurt, Germany. The CMO of the Year Award is presented annually by the global management consulting firm Booz & Company. This is the third such Award to be made.

The nominees for the award are nominated by third parties only and the Jury is composed of international CEOs and marketing experts from renowned organizations and companies, marketing and business media as well as Booz & Company. The Jury selected the winner through a four-step evaluation process covering: Strategy and organization; Brand and marketing communication; Product and pricing; Customer intimacy.

This year’s Award to Luca De Meo, recognises the work of the team of Fiat Automobiles, the successful market launch of the Fiat 500 in 2007 and the innovative use of unconventional marketing measures such as the ‘500 Wants You’ interactive website where customers were invited to participate directly. This innovative campaign touched all sectors of communication: from advertising and viral marketing, to fashion and photography, as well as asking customers to express their wishes for the new car.