AI is not here to replace creativity; it is here to supercharge it. In this fireside chat, Amit Jain, CEO of Luma AI; Marcos Ribeiro, Senior Director of Advertising & Brand for Macy’s; PJ Pereira, Creative Chairman at Pereira O’Dell, Founder of Silverside.ai, and Chief Creative Officer of Serviceplan Americas; and Sil Curiati of STORY, will explore how AI is transforming advertising and entertainment.
From divestment to investment, from boycotts to unwavering support, one thing is clear: consumers are tired of trying to deduce what brands stand for and just want clarity so they can make their own decisions. This panel of ad-marketing professionals will address how brands must be clear about their foundational values (whatever they may be). We will discuss how standing behind core brand values, no matter which way the wind blows, is always good business.
In a world where people express themselves through reaction GIFs, emojis, and memes, how do we define success? This session will explore how emerging tools like GIPHY are helping brands measure cultural velocity, not just impressions. Messaging offers a new form of opt-in engagement, where search and share data provide valuable insight into what users want your brand to mean. Performance here isn’t about persuasion or conversion, but participation, and that’s a more powerful signal than a swipe or a skip.
In today’s fragmented, saturated media landscape, brands, creators, and athletes are turning to the real world to deliver breakthrough impact. From bold billboards and building wraps to airport takeovers, immersive activations, and moving media, out of home (OOH) doesn’t just command attention-it fuels content, shapes culture, and drives commerce. This panel will explore why OOH has become the channel of choice for those seeking cultural relevance, authentic connection, and influence that extends far beyond the screen.
America’s Finest News Source, The Onion, has crammed a decade of plot into the last two years: It sold to new owners, staffed up, relaunched a subscription print edition, nearly bought Infowars (long story), and opened America’s Finest Creative Agency to bring its humor to brands. In a conversation economists are already calling “an upcoming session at Advertising Week,” The Onion’s Leila Brillson and Jordan LaFlure take us behind the scenes of the mischief-making institution that always keeps legal on its toes.
Transformers One: New Adventures is more than a web series. It’s a case study in how iconic franchises can evolve through platform-first storytelling and creator-led content.
In this behind-the-scenes session, you’ll hear how Hasbro and TheSoul Publishing brought a bold new vision to Transformers through a 14-episode, stop-motion YouTube series infused with meme-worthy humor, lo-fi creator aesthetics, and a strategy built for global, Gen Alpha audiences.
At one point, Coach was everywhere. The brand’s iconic monogram bags defined 2000s aspirational style. Since then, the brand has redefined itself for the next generation, without abandoning its roots. In an era where Gen Z demands authenticity, self-expression, and cultural relevance, Coach has emerged as a surprise favorite, becoming a beloved handbag brand among Gen Z.
This transformation wasn’t luck. It was the result of intentional, data-driven brand reinvention.
Cultivating a loyal fanbase is every brand’s dream. But some companies have turned fandom into the foundation of their business. While traditional social platforms chase fleeting attention, brands like Duolingo, Crunchyroll, Wavemaker and WEBTOON Entertainment are building lasting connections with engaged communities. In this session, you’ll hear from executives at these culture-shaping companies to learn how they create and activate fandoms and how you can apply those strategies to turn customers into devoted fans.
The Wizard of Oz at Sphere is a new fully immersive experience in Las Vegas that is redefining experiential storytelling. Using Sphere’s cutting-edge technologies, audiences are transported, making them feel – for the first time – like they have stepped inside the timeless story, from the moment they first approach the venue to when they walk out the doors. Hear from members of the Sphere team in a candid conversation on the inspiration, challenges, and innovations that went into creating this first-of-its-kind experience.
Sports fandom has gone way beyond the stadium. Today’s fans are living it 24/7 – bingeing highlights on TikTok, following players across leagues and teams, rocking jerseys like high fashion, trading cards like NFTs, and even turning to podcasts and betting apps to stay connected.
In this session, Justin Sternberg from Fanatics Advertising will unpack how sports have become one of the biggest engines of pop culture and what that means for brands. From LeBron to Messi Mania to Caitlin Clark breaking the internet, fans are following players like influencers and treating jerseys, gear, and merch as cultural currency. As Pop Culture consistently evolves, there has always been one constant – fandom.
In a media world saturated with messages, the B2B brands that stand out do more than advertise – they live inside culture. Join Kieran Kent, CEO of Propeller Group, for a deep dive into how to infuse storytelling, community, and pop culture into content strategies that drive real engagement. This interview will explore how B2B content, events, and brand experiences can bridge siloes in sales and marketing – and what it takes to make cultural creativity both scalable and strategic.
Sports have become one of the most powerful cultural accelerators, creating moments that dominate headlines and social feeds worldwide. But as fast as fandom moves, measurement has struggled to keep up. In this conversation, Jay Prasad, CEO of Relo Metrics, will explore how AI is redefining sponsorship measurement, helping marketers capture brand impact in real time. From global tentpole events to local fandom, discover how data and culture together can unlock stronger ROI and smarter strategies for brands.
This session explores how sports fandom provides a model for brands to move beyond transactional loyalty and foster true fans. We’ll discuss insight from our research that reveals how embracing fandom principles such as community, identity, gamification, recognition, and personalization allows consumer brands to unlock deeper engagement and lasting advocacy – particularly among Gen Z, who expect authenticity, interactivity, and participation.
