09:00WELCOME
09:10KEYNOTE SESSION
WIDEN THE SCREEN: A CASE STUDY ON HOW TO EARN, NOT CHASE CULTURAL INFLUENCE THROUGH ACTION & INVESTMENT
The brands that earn their place in culture are the brands that truly commit to culture; not (just) for the short-term likes or fleeting cultural moments. What does true cultural commitment look and feel like? Hear from Damon Jones about P&G’s transformative "Widen The Screen" content creation, talent development and partnership platform designed to authentically increase reach, representation, relevance and resonance among Black consumers – a model easily translatable to help companies better serve ALL consumers.
Damon Jones, Chief Communications Officer, P&G
09:30EXPLAINER - FIVE HOT TAKES - WHAT THE **** IS CULTURE?
…and what does it mean to move and shape culture? Hear interesting and divergent perspectives n what culture IS, HOW to navigate it, WHY it matters and WHAT good cultural insight and initiatives look like and HOW to lead, (not borrow or exploit) culture.
- The difference between activating in and creating culture
- Why the WHY questions need to be asked
- What we are we getting wrong, as marketers
- Why culture is more than just an obsession with youth
- How do more than just insert yourself in culture
- Culture as an innovation activator and growth driver
Zara Mirza, Chief Brand Officer, TIAA
Shibani Potnis, CMO, Norseland
Josh Dean, Vice President Johnnie Walker and Buchanan's, Diageo
10:00HOW TO MAKE CULTURAL RELEVANCE AND CURIOSITY A CRITICAL MARKETING CAPABILITY 
There’s a big difference between leaning into culture and leaning into culture correctly. And often, it depends on whether an organisation has the right competencies and capabilities, a high level of psychological trust and a commitment to cultural-led marketing.
- Is it possible to cultivate a culture of curiosity?
- How can you move from producing average to truly transformative culturally-led work?
- And how can you sustain momentum, investment and commitment to cultural-led approaches?
In this session, you’ll hear from a brand leader who has created a marketing function which not only embraces but leads culture.
Susan Akkad, SVP, LOCAL AND CULTURAL INNOVATION, The Estée Lauder Companies
10:30WALKING THE TIGHTROPE: HOW NOT TO GET CANCELLED IN ELEVATED CULTURAL MOMENTS
An influencer's human-ness is their greatest strength. But humans also make mistakes, and in today's divisive climate, those mistakes can do irreparable damage to brands and influencers alike. Edelman calls this precarious phenomenon, "The Tightrope" - where the views are incredible, but the fall is deadly. In this discussion, we'll hear from both influencers and brands on how they walk this tightrope, navigating their values, global events and more while the world watches
11:00BREAK
11:30HOW UNEXPECTED BRANDS CAN SHOW UP & MAKE AN IMPACT IN CULTURE
Arguably, high-interest brands (sneakers, jeans, beauty) have significant advantage on lower-interest categories like banks, healthcare and insurance when it comes to occupying people’s hearts and minds. Which makes this session even more impressive! Hear from three marketing leaders on how they define their role in culture, what it means to drive culture forward when the typical consumer is less engaged and how to get stakeholder buy-in into cultural marketing -above and beyond more traditional marketing approaches.
Jim Lesser, Chief Brand Officer, ServiceNow
Jinal Shah, GM & CMO, Zip US
Ramon Soto, SVP, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Northwell Health
12:00ENTERTAIN OR DIE: BRINGING CREATIVITY CLOSER TO THE C-SUITE AND CONSISTENTLY DELIVER CULTURAL IMPACT
Most brands claim they want to be a part of culture but aren’t set up to do so. They can’t move at the requisite speed. They don’t have a way of working with unorthodox talent. They silo creativity to the marketing function. But what if we looked at everyday consumer brands differently?
- Brought creative control into the C-suite, much like a luxury brand
- Treated marketing output and cadence like that of a long-running sketch show
- Allowed creativity to touch product and CX
In this session, you’ll hear from brand leaders and experts setting the standard for C-suite creativity. You’ll hear how being creatively consistent throughout the business lets them be part of culture and win over the public. Because today, it’s either entertain, or die.Dan Salkey, Strategy Partner, Small World
Lach Hall, Executive Chair Marketing, Vacation Inc.
Ana Andjelic, Author, “Hitmakers: How Brands Influence Culture” and one of Forbes' most entrepreneurial CMOs,
12:30EARNING, NOT CHASING CULTURAL INFLUENCE. HOW TO SHAPE, RATHER THAN ATTACH BRANDS TO CULTURE
The brands that do it best are the brands that play a loooong game. Memes undeniably work in the moment - they can fuel short-term awareness, relevance and sales, but what does a cultural long-game look like? One expert will reflect on the duality of short-term, “transactional” cultural hijacking v. long-term brand transformation.
Kelly Buchanan Spillers, Global VP, Head of Digital & Social,, CeraVe DMI, L’Oréal
13:00LUNCH
13:45WHAT’S THE BEST CULTURAL BRAND EVER CONCEIVED? TAKE YOUR VOTE
Cultural relevance is the Holy Grail. So many brands have achieved it in the short-term and some have played the long game - with extraordinary impact - in culture and society at large.
What brand takes the cultural crown? Four pitches. You all get to vote.
14:15IMPACT & SOCIETY FROM INSIGHTS TO IMPACT: HOW HINGE IS FOSTERING IRL CONNECTION FOR GEN Z
Join Josh Penny, Hinge's Director of Social Impact, for a behind-the-scenes look at One More Hour, an initiative to foster more in-person connection time among Gen Z. He'll unpack how Hinge translated stark insights about the loneliness epidemic into a multi-million dollar investment into grassroots community building.
Hear how:
- Identified the cultural opportunity through deep research with Gen Z and 20+ community partners
- Created a program that authentically connected brand purpose with cultural need
- Developed a scalable framework for supporting local social groups
- Built a sustainable model that pays back to communities through direct investment
Josh Penny, Director of Social Impact, Hinge
14:15QUICK FIRE CASE STUDIES – 20-30 minutes each
CREATING A CULTURALLY RELEVANT BRAND MOVEMENT FROM BIG IDEA TO CREATIVE EXECUTION - AND HOW TO PAY BACK INTO CULTURE
These case study sessions will delve into the nitty gritty of how a cultural campaign came into existence from beginning to end in;
- Gaming/ Sports
- Impact & Society
- An Entertainment/Music initiative
14:35ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT TAPPING INTO THE POWER OF READING CULTURE: THE EVERAND EVERYTHING CLUB
Books hold an unprecedented influence in today’s culture. Movements like #BookTok are converting younger readers, creating devoted fandoms, democratizing book marketing, and driving viral literary hits. Book clubs are an essential part of this phenomenon, with an estimated 5 million members in the U.S. alone.
However, while book clubs offer a communal space for discussion, they often come with unwritten rules that can feel restrictive—turning a relaxing pastime into a source of pressure.
The Everand Everything Club (EEC) is a refreshing alternative, redefining the book club experience with creator-led community discussions that welcome readers of all kinds. Join us for an engaging conversation about the future of book clubs and the cultural power of reading today.Gemma Craven, CMO , Everand, Scribd, Slideshare
14:45WHAT THE ***? LESSONS ON HOW NOT TO CULTURALLY MISFIRE
Cultural mishaps are inevitable. With so much at stake, it takes one tweet, one campaign, one error of judgement to destabilise a brand in the minds of consumers. Hear a five-step checklist from a brave brand who has got it wrong, on how to get it right.
14:55CASE STUDY
15:15BREAK
16:45SHAPERS, CREATORS AND UNLIKELY CULTURE ‘MAKERS’ - WHAT’S NEXT?
We’ll hear from those at the forefront of popular culture. What are their predictions on the brands, people, ideas, identities and themes that will bubble up in the near future?
Dario Calmese, Founder & Creative Director, The Institute of Black Imagination
17:15THE VALUE AND ROI OF CULTURE-LED MARKETING - OR - HOW TO ALIGN CREATIVE EFFECTIVENESS WITH CULTURE-LED MARKETING
The long-term payoff and value (for consumers, society and the brand) can be significant. In this session, we’ll hear how.
Devin Colleran, Director, Global Brand, Tinder