Relationship Marketing

speaker bios below

Welcome and Introductions (11:00-11:15AM ET)
Pamela Gross - ANA

I. 100 Years of Loyalty (11:15am-12:00pm ET)
Having just celebrated the monumental milestone of 100 years in business, it is no surprise that White Castle has always had an incredibly loyal customer base. They even coined themselves “Craver Nation” long before loyalty programs became a norm and consumer expectation. When you’ve got customers willing to travel hours by car or sometimes even plane and wait hours in line to satisfy their craving for your product and brand – what does that program look like? How do you make it about more than just the next transaction? White Castle will share how their loyalty program, Craver Nation, came to be, how they engage with their members, and the challenges they’ve overcome along the way.

Speakers:
Aaron Lahman, Digital Marketing Manager - White Castle
Paige DeVriendt, Loyalty Program Supervisor - White Castle

II. Innovation Through Creativity, Technology, and Data (12:00-12:45pm ET)
Avocados From Mexico (AFM), the No. 1 selling brand of avocados in the U.S. recognized for their forward-thinking, award-winning marketing strategies, recently unveiled Avocado Nation - a multi-area digital platform powered by Artificial Intelligence that allows AFM to leverage its consumers' content preferences to deliver highly personalized experiences. Inside Avocado Nation, avocado fans everywhere can access entertaining videos by AFM's premier content partners; get fitted with AFM's debut sportswear collection; and, for the first time ever, earn rewards for purchasing avocados through AFM's new loyalty program. In this session, hear how AFM is bringing together creativity, technology, and data to deliver personalized engagement for its consumers.

Speaker:
Ivonne Kinser, Head of Digital Marketing and E-Commerce - Avocados From Mexico

Closing Remarks (12:45-1:00pm ET)

**Schedule subject to change

SPEAKER BIOS

Aaron Lahman, Digital Marketing Manager - White Castle

Aaron has 14 years of experience across the QSR and CPG industries, starting on the creative side at Elmer’s Products, Inc. before getting a Masters in Marketing & Communication and moving into the digital space. For the past 5 years Aaron has been managing all things digital at White Castle. From social media, email marketing, the brand website and now loyalty, there is never a dull moment when interacting with White Castle’s passionate Cravers.


Paige DeVriendt, Loyalty Program Supervisor - White Castle

Paige joined White Castle in October 2019 in the newly created role of Loyalty Program Supervisor and is responsible for managing their app-based loyalty program – Craver Nation. Before joining White Castle, Paige worked at Alliance Data, a loyalty marketing provider in Columbus, Ohio, assisting many retail brands in their loyalty marketing strategy. Prior to this, she worked at an advertising agency on a QSR brand.


Ivonne Kinser, Head of Digital Marketing and E-Commerce - Avocados From Mexico

Ivonne has been leading the digital marketing efforts for AFM since 2014 when she created the capabilities from the ground up. She also leads the company’s Innovative thinking agenda and innovation training for the organization, which put Avocados From Mexico in the 2020 Fast Company list of Top 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2020, and in the 2021 Most Innovative Companies Fast Company list.

In 2018, she became one of the five women honored with the Changing the Game Award Brainwave category. An award given by the prestigious She Runs It organization which recognizes women within the marketing industry who are true catalysts of innovation by fearlessly making bold moves and reinventing the rules of marketing to transform their brands, and their organizations.
The previous year, the American Advertising Federation had included her in the list of “20 Women to Watch in Dallas Advertising” and awarded her the Shining Star Award, which recognizes women in the Dallas advertising industry who are breaking glass ceilings.