Advertising Week New York is here! As the largest gatherings of advertising professionals, designers, tech innovators and marketers to celebrate the best of creativity in brand communication, it remains one of the weeks that I look forward to every year. With so many panels, keynotes, breakfasts and happy hours going on, it’s hard to choose which events to pack your schedule with.
I have seen all of the following speak before, so here are my can’t miss sessions for 2019.
Turn Up the Volume
Mon, September 23 at 9:30 AM
Story Crafters Stage
With the proliferation of platforms and varying content distribution strategies, just how much content should your brand produce? In this presentation, Gary will share his thoughts on content creation to garner maximum consumer attention.
Reinventing Retail – How to Think Like DTC Startups
Mon, September 23 at 12:45 PM
Culture Builders Stage
In today's retail environment, it may seem that only the digitally strong will survive, but online upstarts are proving physical retail is still part of a well-rounded customer experience. As they step into channels like brick-and-mortar and wholesale, these brands aim to deliver a holistic customer experience to their already digitally-connected following. In an ever-evolving landscape, DTC brands are reinventing the consumer journey, experimenting with customer service and retail concepts, both physically and digitally.
Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid. But Do It
Tue, September 24 at 9:00 AM
Ad Shapers Stage
In the world of today, standing out is not just a nice-to-have but the only way to survive. Through a series of award-winning case studies, Burger King will share some of the principles on how to develop work that truly stands out and how that creates value for the brand and the business.
Stepping Outside of the Arena
Tue, September 24 at 1:15 PM
Roundel Stage @ IMAX
How can brands and public figures maintain their core strengths while expanding their scope to new territories? Hear from Olympic Tennis Athlete & Entrepreneur, Serena Williams, and Verizon Media CEO, Guru Gowrappan, in an intimate fireside chat about the evolution of their brands.
Transparency & Accountability: The Story of the Sleeping Giants
Wed, September 25 at 4:15 PM
Impact Makers Stage
After the 2016 election, anonymous Twitter account Sleeping Giants urged people to collect screenshots of ads on Breitbart, and then questioned brands about their support of the site—correctly guessing that many companies didn't know where their ads were running. Amid an era where facts can feel ambiguous, our connected world also means we live in glass houses where honest truth is vital. Hear the story of Sleeping Giants, and explore what our changing world means for increasing brand transparency and accountability.
Breaking Barriers: The New Paradigm in Brand Building
Wed, September 25 at 5:00 PM
Ad Shapers Stage
Katie Couric sits down with the founders of break-through, contemporary traditional and direct to consumer brands who are re-defining the relationship between product launch, sales growth, consumer behavior, and the evolution of brand loyalty.
The Creator Disruption: Redefining Influencer
Thu, September 26 at 4:00 PM
Ad Shapers Stage
Mike Hondorp, CMO of Whalar, the first-ever Cannes Lions-winning influencer marketing platform, will be joined on stage by legends of the industry: Roxanne Taylor, former CMO of Accenture; Kay Hsu, Global Director of Instagram's Creative Shop; and Bob Greenberg, founder and chairman of R/GA. They'll have a discussion on the creative disruption being driven by collaborations between brands and creators with influence. The shift in consumer behavior towards mobile has unlocked creativity on a global scale, and broader distribution of content has disrupted the traditional ways to be heard. We discuss creativity in influencer marketing and what the inclusion of new and numerous creative voices means for brands and advertising now and in the future.
And of course I have to throw in a shameless plug to be sure to catch Mekanism during the following sessions:
- Mon, September 23 at 11:00 AM From Boxes of Crayons to Boxed Wine: How Betches Help Franzia Stay Relevant
- Tue, September 24 at 11:30 AM Finding Your Own Leadership Style In a World Full of Dated Paradigms
- Wednesday 9/25 at 3:30pm The Conscious Creative Movement
- Thu, September 26 at 3:00 PM The Soulful Art of Persuasion: How to Evolve Your Brand in an Age of Distrust
Hope to see you in New York!