Content Marketing

INTRODUCTIONS (11:00AM – 11:10AM)
Paul P. Robinson, Director of the Content Committee, ANA

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION (11:10AM-11:30AM)

I. The Future of Content: How Brands can Adapt to The New Normal (11:30AM – 12:15PM)
Hear from Meredith’s award-winning content studio, The Foundry, as they share results of a recent research project on The Future of Content. Meredith’s The Foundry will explore how marketers can adapt to—and thrive in—our new lived reality, with a focus on three guiding principles: 1. Flexibility First: Getting content to market quickly has never been more important, which makes nimble processes and close collaboration with agency and production partners key. 2. Be Real: From the nature of stories to the style of production, content must reflect the world as it is today in order to be authentic, and 3. Less is More: Brands should create lower- frequency, high-impact value exchanges via holistic branded and utility-driven environments. Included int his presentation will be case studies and recommendations on how to put your best foot forward for 2021 and beyond.

Speakers:
Will Roth, Vice President, Content + Strategy, The Foundry at Meredith Corp
Dan Rubin, Vice President, Strategy + Marketing, The Foundry at Meredith Corp

II. Taking A Bold Stance For Social Justice With Two Industries That Rarely Do (12:15PM – 12:55PM)
Over the past year, Bubba Wallace, who is the NASCAR circuit's only black driver, spoke openly about demanding the removal of confederate flags from all NASCAR events. And weeks later, when a noose-shaped door pull was found in his stall during a race, he again found himself as a trending topic — complete with a Trump tweet asking Wallace to apologize.

Root Insurance, a five-year-old insure-tech company, chose this moment to dive into their first-ever sponsorship. To kick-off the relationship, they aimed to create a bold brand film to highlight exactly why they chose Bubba Wallace as a partner. Working with director Wesley Walker and Tool of North America, Root proposed a bold retelling of Bubba’s summer in film form. It was a commercial-style and stance that NASCAR athletes are rarely portrayed in, and it was a topic that had executives from all parties in deep conversation, particularly when the film had a launch date several days before the 2020 presidential election.

In this talk, Kelly and Wesley will discuss how they created this content, how they structured the balance of creating content that was authentic but bold enough that people would talk about, and how they plan to transcend a moment in time to future positioning. Within this discussion, they will cover the challenges the film was met with, and how they strategized to overcome those challenges to stay true to Root's position

Audience takeaways: 
1. The process of storytelling in real-time
2. The power of representation among cast and crew
3. Gaining partner approval without compromising the integrity of the work

Speakers:
Kelly Ruoff, Chief Brand Officer, Root Inc.
Wesley Walker, Film Director, Tool of North America

WRAP-UP (12:55PM – 1:00PM)