8:45am

Welcome

Brandon Gutman, Co-Founder, Brand Innovators
Marc Sternberg, Co-Founder, Brand Innovators
David Teicher, Chief Content Officer, Brand Innovators

Host: Dave Knox, Managing Director, WPP Ventures, Author of Predicting The Turn: The High Stakes Game of Business Between Startups & Blue Chips

Co-Chair: Jonathan Gandolf, Chief Marketing Officer, Braxton Brewing Company

Co-Chair: Jake Rouse, Co-Founder and CEO, Braxton Brewing Company

9:00am

Content Marketing 2.0: From Boardroom to Newsroom

There’s no doubt about it. Content marketing has gone mainstream. Over the past few years, content marketing has evolved from a novelty or step-child within the marketing department to a core competency or crucial strategy for Fortune 500 brands. In addition to investing more marketing dollars than ever in content marketing, leading brands are now viewing content marketing as a dedicated “top of funnel” marketing function, supporting all marketing initiatives. Content marketing has become an integral piece of the marketing process, prominently reflected in the org charts of forward thinking brands. Hear firsthand how a strong content marketing strategy can drive a strong brand strategy.

Moderator: Marc Sternberg, Co-Founder, Brand Innovators

Daniel Ashbridge, Director of SEO, Everything But the House (EBTH)
Abbey Dryden, VP of Marketing and Project Management, Tire Discounters
Jonathan Gandolf, Chief Marketing Officer, Braxton Brewing Company
Jason Loehr, VP Global Media & Insights, Brown-Forman

9:40am

Success Story

Rachel Chambers, Brand Director, Airheads, Perfetti Van Melle

10:05am

Brands as Editors

Let’s face it; there’ s a lot of content out there on the world wide web — maybe too much. Especially, now that every brand is a “publisher.” Breaking through the clutter has become more essential than ever, which is why brands need to think more like editors, creating compelling, interesting, and engaging content and experiences for consumers. Great content must resonate with consumers, in order for them to believe it, share it, and reflect positively on your brand. Learn how leading brands are learning to act and think like editors and what it takes to build a virtual (or actual) newsroom, and consistently publish first-rate editorial.

Moderator: Christopher Wolfel, Co-founder and SVP of Sales, Mavrck

Monica DeMeglio, Senior Marketing Writer, The Ohio State University
Ed Klene, Marketing Director, Sunny Delight Beverages Co.
James Marable, Manager, Recruitment Brand Marketing, Macy’s
Randal Moss, Digital Marketing Manager, ACCO Brands

10:45am

Networking Break

11:05am

Keynote

Dave Knox, Managing Director, WPP Ventures

11:30am

Fireside Chat – Integrating Content Creation and Distribution Channels

Brian Aubert, Sr. AVP, Strategic Capabilities Development, The Ohio State University
Kristen Convery, Sr. Director, Marketing Content, The Ohio State University

11:50am

Fireside Chat

Jake Rouse, Co-Founder and CEO, Braxton Brewing Company

12:10pm

The State of Influencer Marketing

Christopher Wolfel, Co-founder and SVP of Sales, Mavrck

Americans spend 1.7 hours per day on social networks, which is more time than email and search engines combined. As a result, we’ve become a society whose purchase behavior is heavily influenced by the those we choose to connect with online. We’re also a society suffering from ad fatigue, fraud, and blockers. When people get overwhelmed, they tend to revert back to the things they trust, like human relationships. In the context of marketing, this gives influencer marketing a major advantage over other digital advertising methods. From the best practices of leading brands to FTC guidelines, learn the current state of influencer marketing, the seven steps required for success, and the power of content people trust.

12:30pm

Lunch

1:30pm

People, Partnerships, and Production: Three Routes To Creating Compelling Content

Creating content and creating good content that people actually want are two very different matters, and seasoned brand marketers know that the secret to success is in finding the right strategy dictated by broader objectives, market opportunity, and most importantly, customer needs.

Indeed, depending on those variables, three major approaches have emerged through which brand marketers can identify and develop compelling content. Whether it’s through partnerships with existing creative organizations, working with individual people – celebrities and customers alike – or by taking on the challenge head on and producing content in-house, the key is to create something that doesn’t feel like advertising, but is informative, entertaining, or otherwise relevant to people’s lives and interests.

Moderator: Maureen Cronin, Sales Representative, Dstillery

Tony Blankemeyer, Data Commercialization Lead, 84.51˚
Joe Kikta, Social Media Marketing, U.S. Bank
Kristin Limes, Senior Marketing Associate, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Jesus Valdez, former Director, Brand Marketing, Bob Evans & Wendy’s

2:10pm

Keynote – Leading the Customer’s Journey: Making Content Work at Every Step in the Funnel

Randi Stock, Vice President, Consumer Engagement Marketing, Everything But the House (EBTH)
Daniel Ashbridge, Director of SEO, Everything But the House (EBTH)

2:40pm

Networking Break

3:00pm

Content Marketing — The Shift in Tactical Opportunity

There are a lot of broader discussions surrounding content marketing and how brands can connect with consumers better… but.. how? Let’s chat about tactical innovation, the intersection of Brands, Agencies and Platforms and ways to leverage a story that consumers actually want to hear about.”

Andy Brownell, Vice President Newsy Brand Studio, Newsy
Lonny Schwartz, Digital Marketing Manager, Assurex Health

3:25pm

Life at the Intersection of Content and Commerce

The intersection of digital content and commerce is reshaping the marketing industry globally. Until recently content and commerce existed in separate silos, creating disjointed customer experiences. The swift increase of mobile technology, along with the implementation of user-generated content into creative marketing campaigns has changed the game completely. Today, leading brands from a variety of industries are using compelling content to drive commerce online and people into stores. They are creating seamless, relevant experiences that not only inspire consumers, but also delight them enough to take action.

Moderator:Andy Brownell, Vice President Newsy Brand Studio, Newsy

Rick Ruskin, Marketing Lead – Global Connected Consumer, Commerce Team, General Motors/OnStar
Lonny Schwartz, Digital Marketing Manager, Assurex Health
Paras Shah, Sr. Manager of eCommerce, Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products
Eric Ziegenhagen, Director of Digital Engagement, Aparium Hotel Group/Hotel Covington

4:00pm

It’s a Wrap!

‍