OPENING REMARKS AND HOUSEKEEPING

Mike Kaufman

Senior Vice President, Brand & Media ANA

YOUNGER THE BORING WAY

How did a 116-year-old brand re-engage Gen-Z and emerge as a leader in sport culture without employing festival sponsorships and an army of influencers? New Balance’s Global Senior Director of Brand Strategy, Ian Fitzpatrick, will share the story of a brand rejuvenated by the creative use of mundane tactics — building a highly-considered brand with understatement in an era of creative hyperbole, imperfection in an age of the hyper-real, and a near-religious devotion to gray (or is it grey?) If, as Polaroid founder Edwin Land purported, ‘creativity is the sudden cessation of stupidity, we’ll explore how a challenger brand found its creative edge by what it chose not to do.

Ian Fitzpatrick

Global Senior Director of Brand Strategy and Operations New Balance

HOW GRUBHUB AND KNOWN INVENTED A NEW LEXICON OF EMOTIONS TO CREATE CROSS-CULTURAL BRAND APPEAL

The social conversation around food delivery is littered with "hangry" posts complaining about delayed food orders. But Grubhub's differentiated on-time guarantee makes hanger a thing of the past. So Grubhub and Known asked themselves to name the opposite of hanger–the feeling when the food you've been craving hits your lips. After consumer research to identify a winning lexicon of emotions, Grubhub and Known introduced the world to new feelings like "Chewphoria," "Meatitation," and "Ensushiastic” through a range of channels that would get both channel surfers and commuters excited.

In this session, join Grubhub’s Head of Brand and Creative, Ben Whitla, for a thought-provoking conversation with Mark Feldstein, President and Partner of Known Studios, to discuss how brands are creating effective moments in and out of the home, what you need to create brand appeal cross-culture and cross-channel, and how to create a whole new language around eating.

Ben Whitla

Head of Brand & Creative Grub Hub

IN-HOUSE CREATIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCY COLLABORATION. CHEERS TO THAT!

As the number of in-house creative agencies rises, so does agency-client collaboration. Here, leaders from E. & J. Gallo Winery and its commerce agency Blue Chip will explore the power and opportunity fostered by their emerging creative partnership. Through their collaborative and honest approach, Gallo and Blue Chip have identified each other’s strengths, leading to effective campaign work, learning opportunities and resource sharing.

Key presentation takeaways include role clarity, best practices and examples of campaign work.

Bruce DeFrees

Executive Creative Director E. & J. Gallo Winery

CREATIVITY IS INTELLIGENCE HAVING FUN

Nike, Apple, Budweiser...these are the brands we conjure when creativity enters the conversation. Not necessarily Quest Diagnostics. But looks can be deceiving. Ryan Anderson shares how his team is applying the principles of creativity in uncommon ways to drive growth at Quest. He’ll share how they transformed the leading B2B labs services provider into a direct-to-consumer lifestyle service...and had fun doing it.

Ryan Anderson

Executive Director, Consumer Marketing Quest Diagnostics

THE POWER OF PURPOSE: ACTIVATING CREATIVE NONPROFIT X BRAND PARTNERSHIPS

Although social responsibility is not new, today’s consumers have higher expectations than ever before. A recent study published in the Harvard Business Review found that 70 percent of consumers say that it’s either “somewhat” or “very important” for companies to make the world a better place.

In this presentation, Jennifer Kendra, Senior Managing Director Corporate Partnerships at Save the Children, and Jeff Snyder, Chief Inspiration Officer at Inspira Marketing, present Save the Children’s third annual cross-country summer reading tour. They will discuss how the Summer Reading Program has creatively evolved over the three years and how brands are inventively (and authentically) integrated into the activation.

Attendees will leave this session understanding what makes a successful partnership between a brand and a nonprofit, learn best-practices and common pitfalls, and consumer expectations around cause marketing activations.

Jennifer Kendra

Sr. Managing Director, Corporate Partnerships Save the Children

STAR LIGHT, DATA BRIGHT: HOW SYNCHRONY SHINES WITH THE RIGHT METRICS

Amanda Curtin, Vice President of Content and Social Media at Synchrony, puts her best content forward, and guides customers to meaningful interactions with the brand by using a combination of sentiment and audience journey data. Learn why this system of checks and balances is important for media platforms that optimize only on engagement metrics, then take a page from Synchrony’s playbook when Brooks Richey, Vice President, Bank Content Leader, shares how he incorporates the data into annual planning and content creation.

Amanda Curtin

Vice President, Content and Social Media Synchrony

COMMANDING THE BRAND FOR THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

The journey of creating a new identity and brand for one of the most iconic football franchises in history, the Washington Commanders, has been one of the most challenging and successful transformations in sports. Hear Will Misselbrook, the first ever Chief Creative Officer of an NFL team, and Ryan Moreland, Chief Partnership Officer of the Washington Commanders, share how their brand sponsorship activation disciplines and the creative evolution of the Commanders brand have re-energized their base and maintained loyalty post rebrand.

Ryan Moreland

Chief Partnership Officer Washington Commanders

A REEL CONNECTION: HOW CREATORS AND BRANDS CONNECT TO TELL IMMERSIVE STORIES

As technology has evolved our platform for storytelling, so has the approach to creativity. Traditional methods of brand-building are becoming obsolete and less effective - creating space for more innovative methods to take their place. Building an inextricable link between people, technology and brands requires a versatile and open-minded approach. For brands, partnering with creators represents a new way of brand-building that puts creativity, discovery and authenticity first. In this session, Bianca Bradford, Head of Agency at Meta, will discuss how creators are advancing storytelling through new and immersive formats like Video, Reels, Stories & AR and becoming conduits for brands to enhance customer connections across Facebook and Instagram.

Bianca Bradford

Director, Head of Agency, North America Meta

HOUSEKEEPING

Mike Kaufman

Senior Vice President, Brand & Media ANA

THE POWER OF FOCUS: CHOOSING THE RIGHT ‘STARTER’ FOR PANERA BREAD

Panera Bread is a brand with all the right ingredients.  A history of bold thinking and an obsession with the guest experience resulted in many industry firsts. The birth of the fast casual category, the move to clean ingredients, the transparency around calories, the creation of loyalty programs, the recognition that leftovers could be a force of good in communities, the foresight to plan a menu that is not only delicious but also good for the climate. The challenge is, when you have a lot to say, you risk people hearing nothing at all. And, like any good baker will tell you, the heart of any bread lies in its starter, the central ingredient. To crystalize what Panera is as a brand meant grounding ourselves in our starter and expressing it creatively with the same energy and vibrancy that goes into each recipe. For Panera, and Vice President, Brand Building, Drayton Martin, that’s going back to where we began - generosity.

Drayton Martin

Vice President, Brand Building Panera Bread

WHAT THE LAST TWO YEARS MEANS FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS

As the world slowly begins to turn again, the role of brand experience becomes more meaningful than ever.  Join Cliff Rigano as he discusses how content, creativity, and conversation intersect with the consumer experience in a post-COVID world.

Cliff Rigano

Creative Director, Culture, Content & Experiential Marketing Mast-Jägermeister

WIN THE FAN

Sports fans are being bombarded by content and to stand out brands need to do more as they fight for that valuable attention. Hear how the ESPN Creative Studio team utilizes contextually relevant content, emotional disruption, and cultural currency to win the fan (and their attention) during some of the biggest sports moments and events of the year.

Jay Marrotte

VP, Head of Creative Development & Ad Integration / ESPN Creative Studio ESPN

CREATIVE (RE)BRANDING

Whether you’re talking about a brand kickstarting its existence, an established brand in need of a makeover or fusing together several existing brands, brand building and re-building is not for the meek of heart. If you are – or will soon – be wading into those waters, Sarah O’Grady, Senior Vice President of Brand at Vericast is here for you with inspiration and practical advice to help you succeed. She will share lessons learned from her own experiences and stories from others who have successfully developed, evolved and transformed brands. 

You can expect to learn:
• The most important rebranding strategies used by successful brands to drive growth
• Why a rebrand, consolidation or brand fusion might be necessary in the first place
• How the discovery phase will make or break your brand-building or rebrand
• What brand health is and why it matters to your brand’s future
• How to bring your whole organization among for the journey to a new brand

Sarah O’Grady

Senior Vice President of Brand Vericast

THE BEST ADVERTISING ISN’T ADVERTISING AT ALL

As emerging media and marketing channels continue to explode, it is paramount for brands to curate authentic and engaging ways to connect with audiences. Observing audience behavior and cultural trends demands more agile marketing and begs the question: How can marketers ensure their brands are showing up at the right time, in the right place, and on-tone in this evolving climate?

Considering the importance of emerging mediums, cultural intuition, and new strategic acumen, Marissa Hunter, SVP of marketing at Stellantis North America will share a series of groundbreaking creative brand activations fueling more meaningful consumer connections across the Jeep, Ram, and Dodge brands.

Marissa Hunter

SVP, Head of Marketing Stellantis

HOW CHARLES SCHWAB REVS UP BRAND VALUE BY COMBINING MUSCLE CARS AND PROFESSIONAL GOLF

Golf fans love muscle cars, and combining the two can have a big impact. That was just one of the hypotheses Charles Schwab tested when it took over the title sponsorship of the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, TX. Come hear how Schwab blends data and creativity to reinvent what it means to sponsor golf and attract fans to the tournament (and to the brand).

Mason Reed

SVP, Managing Director, Retail Acquisition & Corporate Marketing Charles Schwab

REIMAGINING RETAIL WITH AMERICAN EAGLE AND SNAPCHAT

American Eagle and Snapchat sit down to discuss the different ways that American Eagle has thought outside of the box to reach customers. We’ll highlight American Eagle’s focus on Gen Z, as well as some of its best-in-class augmented reality campaigns on Snapchat. 

Tom Bates

Brand Strategy, Head of Verticals Snapchat

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES: HOW THE WILDEST IDEAS MAKE THE BEST CAMPAIGNS

As the market has become saturated with advertisements for consumers, leaning into pop culture has proved to be the key to standing apart, especially since 38 percent of people consider brand involvement in pop culture either important or very important. Still, many brands opt to stay on the conservative side and avoid taking big (albeit culturally relevant) risks. When The Narrative Group took a seemingly “boring” product like yogurt and made it bold by championing the sometimes controversial cannabis “holiday” with Harmless Harvest’s “Harmless Hits Different” Pack a Bowl campaign for 4/20, they were met with record-breaking engagement and sales. Alexandra O’Brien, Marketing Director at Harmless Harvest and Rebecca Coleman, President of the Narrative Group will share why bold and sometimes “risky” ideas make pushing the boundaries worth it — resulting in the most successful and memorable campaigns.

Alexandra O’Brien

Director of Marketing Harmless Harvest

DIGITAL AUDIO: THE MEDIUM, THE MESSAGE AND THE MONEY

Designed for brand teams, creatives, and media buyers who want to enhance the effectiveness of their media dollars. By examining digital audio’s unique benefits — addressability, customization, and optimization — and exploring ways to develop creativity that utilizes and amplifies these advantages, clients will walk away with a better understanding of how to unlock the full potential of their digital-audio media spends to give them a competitive edge in the audio space.

Nils d'Aulaire

Creative Director, Studio Resonate SXM Media