Full Agenda
Tuesday | May 18
HACKING HYBRID EVENTS USING HUMAN CENTERED DESIGN
This 90 minute interactive workshop will be a hands-on, immersive format where we’ll work to empathize, ideate, and capture insights for the planning of hybrid events. Using a real-world event as our basis for exploration, we’ll formulate strategies to deliver the promised experience. We’ll brainstorm new ways to connect attendees, form friendships, and provide the education they need to make 2022 a comeback year for the books. It’s meta. It’s practical. It’s going to be epic. So join us as we hack a real event—could it be yours?—to learn how to use human centered design for your events.
You’ll walk away from this workshop with:
• A framework for how to think about hybrid events for your own brand and team
• Insights into event planning decision making
• A flushed out battle plan you can apply to your own events
You’ll walk away from this workshop with:
• A framework for how to think about hybrid events for your own brand and team
• Insights into event planning decision making
• A flushed out battle plan you can apply to your own events
Presented By:
Allie Magyar
Founder and CEO,Hubb
Naomi Clare Crellin
Founder and CEO,Storycraft Lab
HOW CHEVROLET REINVENTED ITS YOUTH BASEBALL STRATEGY FOR THE COVID-ERA
When the pandemic brought the world to a standstill, Chevy had to reimagine the fan engagement and stadium presence that had always been a central component of its 15-year Major League Baseball partnership. In this session you’ll get a first-hand look at how the Chevy team changed course and found new engagement opportunities with baseball’s biggest fans—youth baseball and softball players. Go behind the scenes of Chevy’s virtual First Pitch campaign that celebrated opening day across broadcast, digital and social media. Learn about the brand’s end-of-season Chevy Cares youth sports award program. Get actionable insights into how your team can turn the challenges of the pandemic into an opportunity to create new connections with passionate audiences.
Presented By:
Cara O'Neil
EVP, Group Account ManagerJack Morton
Emily Weaver
Manager,Chevrolet Experiential Media & Brand Partnerships
Joe Van Marcke
Media Strategy & Planning,Chevrolet
CULTIVATING PROFESSIONAL GROWTH IN A POST-PANDEMIC EVENT INDUSTRY
After a year of reimagining your events in difficult times it’s time to focus on you. Senior event professionals are your personal mentors for an hour as they discuss the latest skills, adaptivity techniques and career-growth strategies you need to lead you into the next phase of your event career. In this rapid-fire skills workshop, you’ll hear what event leaders are looking for in a 2021 event professional, and you’ll walk away with the insights and proficiencies to elevate your role and grow your career path.
Presented By:
Lori Ann Pope
Global Director, Experiential Marketing, Economic Impact//Small Business,Anna Karefa-Johnson
Director of Events & Experiential Marketing,Overtime
Kevin Schwoer
Senior Manager-Events,Verizon Media
Keryn Sethi
Experiential Marketing Manager,Nestlé
VIRTUAL BINGO!
Unwind from a jam-packed event with a Virtual Bingo break brought to you by Interactive Entertainment Group! After joining the virtual session, you will be granted access to an interactive bingo card via your smart device. Each time a bingo ball is drawn, a corresponding animation will appear on screen. If your number is called, simply select the corresponding square on your smart device.
Presented By:
Jessica Heasley
Group Editor and Publisher,Event Marketer
Wednesday | May 19
POD SAVE EXPERIENTIAL: STORYTELLING IN THE POST-COVID ERA
Strong storytelling has always been at the heart of great event campaigns—it’s just the format that’s changed in 2021. Grab a snack, take a walk or just relax and listen in as we take you on an audio journey into the art and science of experiential storytelling in 2021. Hear how some of the top brand marketers in the industry are approaching their brand’s stories in the year ahead, and how they are changing course and updating their strategies to better communicate strong narratives around their brands, products and cultures through live and virtual experiences. Learn to think about your event programs in terms of story, and how to take the challenges of the past year and translate them into compelling narratives and touchpoints that will engage audiences and transcend the limits of time and space.
Presented By:
Andrea Schwartz
Head of Global Event Marketing,Ripple
Mark Henneberger
VP of Events Solutions,Walmart
Jitter Garcia
Senior Director, Event Marketing,Univision
Teresa Terasaki
Program Manager for Brand, Experience and Events,Google Open Source
Cameron Mercer
Head of Event Marketing EMEA, APAC, & Workplace,OPENING KEYNOTE: SXSW’S CHIEF BRAND OFFICER ON THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Kick off EMS Summer’s day two with a peek behind the curtain of one of the industry’s most storied, large-scale events that is no stranger to evolving programming, formats and attendees. The 34-year-old SXSW, a conference and multi-interest festival combined, caters to an array of creatives, innovators and influencers and celebrates technology, culture, film and—oh, yes—music. Fresh off its first, massive digital experience, hear from SXSW’s chief brand officer on how this industry tentpole balances the nuances of maintaining a legacy brand while continuing to reimagine the festival and conference experience. Walk away with ideas to rethink your “annual programming” in this new era of events.
Presented By:
Jann Baskett
Chief Brand Officer,SXSW
INTERACTIVE THINK TANKS
Grab a cup of coffee and join the conversation as we navigate some of the industry’s most pressing topics. Think Tanks are highly interactive, editor- and expert-moderated discussions designed for small group idea sharing, peer-to-peer engagement and candid debate about some of your biggest pain points—and how to solve them.
Here are the two topics to choose from:
• Idea Exchange: The Best Thing I Saw or Did Last Year: Everyone shares the best strategy or engagement they’ve seen or activated in the past year.
• For B-to-B Marketers: What will successful Hybrid Events look like in 2021 and beyond? Predictions and idea sharing.
Here are the two topics to choose from:
• Idea Exchange: The Best Thing I Saw or Did Last Year: Everyone shares the best strategy or engagement they’ve seen or activated in the past year.
• For B-to-B Marketers: What will successful Hybrid Events look like in 2021 and beyond? Predictions and idea sharing.
HOW TO FIT 23,000 MARKETERS INTO A PUB: CREATING HYBRID EVENT EXPERIENCES AT SCALE
MAD//Fest was created by marketers & event planners who were sick of boring events, and has emerged as one of the world’s hottest hybrid, experiential events. Initially, an in-person gathering of thousands of UK-based marketers at a “pop-up” town full of pubs, each a unique experience hosted by a sponsor, MAD//Fest morphed into a virtual experience with 23,000+ attendees from over 50 countries using Socio’s event platform. Now, they run an immersive hybrid experience where true human connection is at the core, virtual and in-person attendees interact, and sponsors are prepped to bring their A-game. So don’t get mad about boring events, learn the secrets of the MAD//Fest hybrid playbook!
Presented By:
Ian Houghton
Co-Founder,MAD//Fest
Andrew Pearson
CMO,Socio
Dan Brain
Co-Founder & Content Director,MAD//Fest
THREE PANDEMIC-ERA BEST PRACTICES ESSENTIAL TO YOUR FALL EVENTS
As marketers prepare for a shift (back) to in-person and hybrid experiences, it might be tempting to ditch those pandemic-era solutions. But don’t! Marrying pre-pandemic tactics with stop-gap efforts from the past year can yield a whole new level of engagement. During this session, you’ll go behind the scenes with Microsoft’s Higher-Education Audience Marketing team to learn what marketing during the pandemic revealed about the importance of community access and cultural relevance, particularly for Gen Z engagement—and how those learnings will inform the brand’s back-to-live strategy.
Presented By:
Stephen Saslow
Senior Audience Marketing Manager, Higher Education,Microsoft
Matt Fasano
VP, Director of Client Services,Riddle & Bloom
INTERACTIVE THINK TANKS
Grab your lunch and join the conversation as we navigate some of the industry’s most pressing topics. Think Tanks are highly interactive, editor- and expert-moderated discussions designed for small group idea sharing, peer-to-peer engagement and candid debate about some of your biggest pain points—and how to solve them.
Here are the two topics to choose from:
• Post-Pandemic Ops & Logistics: Your biggest pain points and challenges—discussed! Venues, health and safety, seating, the list goes on.
• Idea Exchange: Networking, F&B and Engagement at Fall Events: This Fall, events will be back. But they won’t be normal. Ideas for how to connect and engage attendees in 2021
Here are the two topics to choose from:
• Post-Pandemic Ops & Logistics: Your biggest pain points and challenges—discussed! Venues, health and safety, seating, the list goes on.
• Idea Exchange: Networking, F&B and Engagement at Fall Events: This Fall, events will be back. But they won’t be normal. Ideas for how to connect and engage attendees in 2021
CREATE JAW-DROPPING VIRTUAL EVENTS THAT DRIVE RESULTS
Virtual events continue to drive revenue goals, reach broader audiences, and most importantly fulfill a core desire of human connection. However, creating highly engaging experiences that people love, while delivering ROI, is hard to do. Join us as we unpack actionable insights and best practices that brands are leveraging today to deliver meaningful value, drive organic engagement, and wow every minute of the attendee experience.
Presented By:
Roberto Ortiz
Co-founder & CEOWelcome
THE EVENT MARKETER’S GUIDE TO CONNECTING WITH THE ‘CREATOR’ ECONOMY'
With consumers homebound the past year, digital creators and YouTube stars have grown in influence, quickly becoming important partners for many brand and event marketing organizations. Go inside the rise of the creator economy and get a better understanding of how influencer culture and direct-to-consumer brands are being propelled by viewers and consumers—and how event marketers can jump into the fray. Go behind the scenes with Mattel to learn how it leveraged a creator partnership with YouTube celebs Vlad and Niki, and what the brand learned along the way. Get a better understanding of the digital ecosystem and learn how to navigate, source and cultivate the right partners for your marketing campaigns.
Presented By:
Nadi Filsoof
Influencer and Celebrity Partnerships Lead,Mattel
Dan Weinstein
Co-Founder and Partner,Underscore Talent
GLOBAL TRENDS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE FUTURE OF MARKETING
Is your marketing strategy built to keep pace with the latest trends? In this session we’re diving into key market and cultural trends and taking a closer look at how they’re impacting the way brands will market in 2021—and into the future. See which trends have impacted the industry the most so far, and which are predicted to leave a lasting legacy as brands come back to life later this year. Learn how changes in our demographics, culture, politics and technology are driving advances in marketing strategy and tactics, and how you can create an experience marketing plan built to thrive in this new era.
Presented By:
John Capano
Senior Vice President, Client DevelopmentImpact XM
DIVERSITY IN EVENTS: USING DATA TO ENSURE NO ONE FEELS THEY’RE THE ‘ONLY’ AT YOUR EVENT
What does it mean to curate an attendance list? How do you infuse more diversity into your event audiences—creating safe spaces for all who attend? In this session, we’ll dive deep into the practical methods you can employ to truly diversify event audiences. Learn how to better listen to audiences to identify pain points. Understand how to build events just for diverse audiences based on better listening and data. Get into the nitty-gritty marketing details and get actionable insights you can use to make change at an operational level to move the needle—approaches that will ultimately strengthen your event culture and brand mission.
Presented By:
Chardia Christophe-Garcia
Executive Director, Audience & Community Marketing,Forbes
TOP TRENDS THAT WILL SHAPE THE EVENT SPACE IN 2021
Adaptability is nothing new to event marketers, but over the last year it has been the leading strategy in everyone’s playbook. As we all get closer to post-pandemic event planning, we’re exploring the engagement and data strategies that have moved the mark for event marketers. In this session we’re highlighting the trends that are here to stay, what’s to come and what we’re ready to say goodbye to for good. Set up your teams and wow your audiences with cutting-edge engagement strategies. Don’t wait to see what’s working – plan ahead with these trends top of mind.
Presented By:
Nikki Garvey
Head of Ads and YouTube Events & Experiences,Mia Choi
Co-Founder & CCO,MAS
Rob Blasko
VP Creative Strategy,MAS
LESSONS FROM CISCO: HOW TO CREATE A KILLER FOLLOW UP TO YOUR FIRST DIGITAL EVENT WITH HIGH LEVEL TALENT AND ENGAGEMENT
In 2020, Cisco Live was one of the first large user conferences to go digital. Believe or not, they’ve just done it again—hosting their second digital Cisco Live conference in April. Listen in as the brand shares what it’s learned from the past year, from executing not one but two large-scale digital conferences. Understand what insights from the first event shaped the approach to the second, and what data and information you should look for as you plan your follow-up digital events. Get first-hand insights on changes across the entertainment and talent landscapes. Hear what type of talent and performances have been resonating best with digital audiences. Learn how to create fresh engagement strategies that build off the learnings of your first digital event.
Presented By:
Heather Henderson Thomas
Senior Manager, Cisco Live Event Experience, Sponsorship & Operations,Cisco Live
Rick Whetsel
Vice President,G7 Entertainment Marketing
SUPER-LOCAL ACTIVATIONS: MORE THAN A STOP-GAP, COMMUNITY EVENTS HAVE STAYING POWER
A lot of event programs pivoted to local community level when the pandemic hit, but many are discovering that these “temporary” solutions are actually powerful marketing strategies in their own right. In this session, we’ll dive in to learn how brands shifted their focus to smaller targets, and what they learned in the process. Get insights on how to plan and deploy a super-local campaign. Understand the nuances of engaging smaller audiences. And walk away with a new perspective on the value of community events.
Presented By:
Rachell Kerr
Senior Director of Experiential & Brand MarketingDairy Farmers of Wisconsin
EXECUTIVE PANEL: PREPPING FOR THE FALL… AND THE COMEBACK
Wrap up your day with a lively panel discussion on the topic that’s on most event marketer’s minds: how to navigate the fall—and the industry comeback. In this candid conversation, industry leaders will discuss their plans for the second half, and how they plan to develop a new-era communications checklists for their events and hybrid experiences that take into account multi-platform experiences, multi-location attendees, and of course, the big questions surrounding what to ask of attendees, how, and how to communicate health safety and security pre-event.
Sponsored by Freeman
Sponsored by Freeman
Presented By:
Glover Campbell
Client Marketing Manager, Event Experience,Vanguard
Mahiri Wise
Program Manager-Cloud Developer,Relations Events Google
Thursday | May 20
BONUS SESSION: THE 30 SMARTEST PANDEMIC-ERA ACTIVATIONS
As an EMS Summer attendee, you’re getting a bonus session on demand. Starting May 20th, you’ll have access to one of the highest-attended and rated sessions from the EMS Spring program:
THE 30 SMARTEST PANDEMIC-ERA ACTIVATIONS
Last year was tough, but it didn’t stop event marketers from finding innovative ways to carry on in the face of adversity. In this bonus session, the editors of Event Marketer will take you on a rapid-fire tour of the 30 pandemic-era programs that slayed… so far. Listen in and snag some fresh ideas.
*Note: This session will be on demand for 30 days, starting May 20th
THE 30 SMARTEST PANDEMIC-ERA ACTIVATIONS
Last year was tough, but it didn’t stop event marketers from finding innovative ways to carry on in the face of adversity. In this bonus session, the editors of Event Marketer will take you on a rapid-fire tour of the 30 pandemic-era programs that slayed… so far. Listen in and snag some fresh ideas.
*Note: This session will be on demand for 30 days, starting May 20th
Presented By:
Jessica Heasley
Group Editor and Publisher,Event Marketer
Rachel Boucher
Executive Editor,Event Marketer
MY AGENDA
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