Spartan SGX coaches will lead a light virtual warmup to get your blood flowing and minds open for the conference. Exercises will combine stretching, bodyweight movements and breathing exercises that you can take with you throughout the day. Spartan is the world’s leader in extreme wellness and endurance sports. Time: Approx 20 minutes. If you miss the live workout, you can watch a recording of it at anytime.

Sam Stauffer

Director of Training Spartan

WELCOME REMARKS

Bryan Clurman

Associate Director, Brand Engagement The Clorox Company

HOUSEKEEPING REMARKS

Leah Marshall

Director, Influencer Marketing ANA

OPENING REMARKS

Bill Duggan

Group Executive Vice President ANA

CIGNA: THREADING THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

Cigna Corporation is a global health service company dedicated to improving the health, well-being, and peace of mind of those they serve. They deliver choice, predictability, affordability and access to quality care through connected, personalized solutions that advance whole person health, both in body and mind.

As an expanding category leader, Cigna has both defined and refined corporate best practices through its strategic brand activation platforms around sponsorships and partnerships. Always staying true to their mission, “community” is at the heart of any Cigna engagement.

Stephen will highlight how Cigna maximizes its successful partnerships and programs (such as the Achilles Foundation, the Walt Disney World Marathon and its Health Improvement Tour) to create both synergy and efficiency, in its B2B and B2B2C efforts, while still keeping “community” at the core.

Stephen Cassell

SVP - Chief Brand Officer Cigna Corp.

RIND-BLOWING MARKETING FROM WISCONSIN CHEESE

From breaking a Guinness World Record to creating the most popular lounge in SXSW history, the team at Wisconsin Cheese has been making headlines around the globe. More importantly, with a new strategy and ambassadors in every U.S. state, they are truly changing perceptions and revolutionizing marketing for a 170-year-old industry. Join Suzanne Fanning, CMO for Wisconsin Cheese, as she shares why they did it and what they have learned about the marketing power of human connection, passionate fan engagement and word of mouth, along with how they’ve coped (and thrived) in the post-COVID world. Brie-lieve us — there’s so much more to this cheesy story. Get ready to have your rinds blown!

Suzanne Fanning (@SuzFann)

Chief Marketing Officer Wisconsin Cheese

GROWING A EMPOWERED ORGANIC INFLUENCER COMMUNITY

Social justice now ranks as high for Gen Z consumers as sustainability and diversity. This young demographic has become empowered to hold their favorite brands accountable, demanding that brands reflect their perspectives and speak out vocally about them. Learn how UOMA Beauty has used advocacy and its core brand values around beauty equity and social justice reform to engage and activate its social following while turning its UOMA Tribe into brand loyalists and advocates. 

Delali Kpodzo Conrad

Head of Marketing UOMA Beauty

REGULAR EGGS ARE TOAST: HOW JUST SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED A NEW PRODUCT DURING COVID

The market for plant-based foods is booming, with U.S. sales reaching $5B in 2019. But, even with more consumers looking for vegan options, how do you launch a new product during a pandemic? Enter social commerce.

Consumers typically discover and even sample new products in-store, but with COVID health and safety restrictions in place JUST lost access to a major channel in driving awareness and trial for their new item launch. But, by using influencer marketing and targeted messaging JUST was able to combine product education, usage occasions, purchase incentives, and product feedback into one cohesive campaign.

Join Tom Rossmeissl, Head of Global Marketing at Eat JUST, and Leah Logan, VP Social Commerce at Inmar Intelligence, as they share how social commerce was used to make in-store product discovery and trial virtual and successfully launched JUST Egg Folded at Whole Foods. 

Thomas Rossmeissl

Head of Global Marketing Eat JUST Inc.

B2B IS SEXY: THE BUSINESS OF STORYTELLING

In today’s virtual world, you need to be the Swiss Army Knife of creative, innovative, and engaging digital content to cut through the noise. But in the non-sexy world of B2B marketing, how is this even possible? Join Ursula Ringham, Head of Global Influencer Marketing at SAP, as she shares insights of how influencers can elevate your brand, build awareness, create pipeline and bring the sexy through good storytelling.

Ursula Ringham

Head of Global Influencer Marketing SAP

80 YEARS AND ONLY ONE GREY HARE

Over the past 80 years, Bugs Bunny has made his mark on the world, entertaining audiences of all ages with his zany antics and endearing, timeless appeal.  Born in an era when cartoon stars were cute and innocuous, Bugs Bunny dared to be different with a quick wit, a brains-over-brawn attitude and an unflappable demeanor, which continues to make this bunny from Brooklyn as relevant as ever.

Join Josh Hackbarth and hear how Warner Bros continues to keep this “Wascally Wabbit” (and the rest of the Looney Tunes) top-of-mind through elevated and innovative approaches to content, experiences, product collaborations and influencer partnerships.

Josh Hackbarth

Vice President, Franchise Management & Marketing Warner Bros. Consumer Products

FROM MARKETING IN AN EVER CHANGING WORLD TO MARKETING IN A WORLD WE'VE NEVER SEEN

For years, marketers have planned against a fairly predictable seasonal and retail calendar, leaving room for agility in an ever changing world. But how do you plan when the calendar is upended, budgets flex seemingly by the day, and consumer behavior changes by the minute? White Castle and Blue Chip will share how to stay agile in the face of uncertainty and how that agility should impact how brands plan going forward.

Jamie Richardson

VP, Marketing White Castle

SUPER CHARGING THE SUPER FANS

Learn how Chipotle is creating more advocates by activating in unexpected ways with influential brands fans. To drive massive engagement within the digital community, the iconic brand partnered with some of their biggest super fans to create share-worthy content. Join Tressie Lieberman, VP, Digital Marketing and Off-Premise as she shares how Chipotle has taken over key events, celebrated milestones and created movements across TikTok and unexpected platforms like Depop. Learn more about Chipotle’s strategic approach to partnering with the right creative talent to unleash and amplify their passion for the brand. From TikTok Timeouts at the Super Bowl to Chipotle Together during quarantine, the brand has navigated challenges and opportunity to  co-create and drive culture.

Tressie Lieberman

Vice President, Digital Chipotle

CLOSING REMARKS

Leah Marshall

Director, Influencer Marketing ANA

Spartan SGX coaches will lead a light virtual warmup to get your blood flowing and minds open for the conference. Exercises will combine stretching, bodyweight movements and breathing exercises that you can take with you throughout the day. Spartan is the world’s leader in extreme wellness and endurance sports. Time: Approx 20 minutes. If you miss the live workout, you can watch a recording of it at anytime.

Sam Stauffer

Director of Training Spartan

BUILDING A FUTURE PROOF INFLUENCER MARKETING STRATEGY FOR A POST-2020 WORLD

While 2020 forced advertisers, agencies, and creators to pivot in new directions, it showed the resilience of the industry as a whole. Influencer marketing has remained a channel that allows brands to dial up or down, as necessary. The lessons learned in 2020 show that matters like Diversity & Inclusion and representation are far greater than 'trending topics'. 

Krishna Subramanian, CEO and co-founder of Captiv8, and Maya McDonald, Brand Activations Lead at Kraft Heinz will discuss themes and elements that will be prevalent for influencer marketing programs for 2021 and beyond. We will walk through top points to consider when putting together an influencer plan in a post-2020 world. Learn which data and practices marketers should pay attention to, and how to ensure your influencer marketing strategy is set up for success. 

Krishna Subramanian (@ksub15)

Co-Founder & CEO Captiv8

OPENING REMARKS

Bryan Clurman

Associate Director, Brand Engagement The Clorox Company

HOUSEKEEPING REMARKS

Leah Marshall

Director, Influencer Marketing ANA

ACTIVATING BRAND PURPOSE THROUGH MEANINGFUL MARKETING

Frito-Lay is a collection of humble snacks that have a big purpose in the every day. In a world where anxiety and uncertainty seem to reign supreme, its brands have the unique ability to fuel optimism, bring joy and smiles and create little moments of escape.

Join Marissa Solis, Frito-Lay SVP, to learn how the company and its brands have brought joy and relief to consumers during the pandemic through purpose-driven activations, while prioritizing authenticity. Solis will touch on meaningful partnerships, diversity, equity and inclusion, and prioritizing fans in America today.

Marissa Solis (@msolisfrito)

Senior Vice President - Core Brands, Partnerships, Media Frito-Lay North America

ACTIVATING TO OUTSMART CANCER ONE BOOB AT A TIME

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women under 39. In the U.K. it especially lacks awareness with younger people and needs a high impact message to break through. Hear Kristin Hallenga’s inspirational story as a 23 year old founder of CoppaFeel! and 11-year breast cancer survivor. They are the first breast cancer charity in the U.K. to solely create awareness among young people, with the aim of instilling the knowledge and tools they need to get to know their bodies. They like to talk about a serious message in a light-hearted way, empowering people to start healthy habits for life. She’s coming over the pond to share their out-of-the-box brand activation marketing strategies they’re using to raise breast cancer awareness to get it diagnosed at the earliest stage possible.

Kristin Hallenga (@krispob)

Founder CoppaFeel!

NATIONWIDE AND THE NFL: COMMITMENT TO PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY

Learn more about one of Nationwide’s most successful and effective platforms – their partnership with the NFL and Presenting Sponsorship of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award – as it represents a unique intersection of our brand marketing, business growth support, and community focus. Hear from VP Sponsorships Jim McCoy on how Nationwide has elevated this unique platform with the NFL to amplify the efforts of NFL players past and present.

Jim McCoy (@mccoyj5)

Vice President, Sponsorships, Meetings and Events Nationwide

UPLEVEL THE REACH AND POWER OF INFLUENCER MARKETING

When consumers trust influencers more than they do branded ads, and even make product decisions based on their recommendations, you know you have a powerful marketing tool. But as platforms and consumer habits evolve, using that tool has grown increasingly complex. Not only is it tough to connect the right influencers to your audiences’ wants and needs, it is nearly impossible to reach your ideal consumers organically. The net result is a lot of unfulfilled promise.

This session will address the inherent challenges of influencer marketing to enable you to realize the full potential of this powerful marketing channel. You can expect to learn about a three-pronged approach to influencer marketing that:

• Leverages consumer insights and strategy to efficiently make a beneficial brand-influencer-consumer connection
• Harnesses technologies to amplify and target your content effectively
• Enable influencer marketing to drive marketing results across multiple communication and sales channels

Sinead Norenius-Raniere

Vice President, Influencer Marketing & Paid Social Valassis

THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT. HOW UBER EATS IS BUILDING A CULTURE-SHAPING BRAND BY MOVING BEYOND THE OLD MODEL OF INFLUENCE?

Using celebrities to promote a brand is one of the oldest tricks in the book.  Yet the rules of celebrity endorsement rely on a top-down model of influence that often fails to deliver longer-term cultural voltage and relevance for brands.

Join Global Head of Brand Marketing at Uber Eats, DyShaun Muhammad, as he explains how and why they deliberately avoided the tropes of traditional celebrity endorsement in launching their global creative platform, ‘Tonight, I’ll be Eating…’.  In their quest to build a truly culture-up brand, Uber Eats uses the power of influence not just to reflect the culture-scape around them, but to shape it.

DyShaun Muhammad

Global Head of Brand Marketing Uber Eats

SPARTAN RACE: CREATING A LOYAL BRAND ACTIVATION ARMY

Spartan is the global leader in extreme wellness and endurance, creating daily content that connects and inspires its 10-million strong community. Hear from Spartan's VP, Head of Marketing, Donny Jensen, on how the brand successfully pivoted from live events, taking its Brand Activation playground to the digital realm to strengthen the connection with its passionate community, which has become part of the lifestyle far beyond race day. From daily health and fitness content, to a new Spartan Fit app, virtual events, and episodic YouTube series with fitness-industry pros, Spartan is growing a loyal army with millions if macro and micro influencers that live and breathe the Spartan lifestyle. 

Donny Jensen

Vice President, Head of Marketing Spartan Race

LEANING INTO THE PRUDENTIAL MISSION BY ACTIVATING BRAND PURPOSE IN A TIME OF CRISIS

Helping American’s Retire with Dignity is Prudential Financial Retirement’s mission. Their focus has been on helping workers achieve total financial wellness and reach their retirement objectives. But life happens and the pandemic has upended many lives. Prudential responded by shifting their focus from retirement savings and accumulation to helping their participants access their funds in smarter ways to meet immediate needs.

Recognizing participant’s needs and quickly shifting marketing’s focus could have been an impossible task, but Prudential leveraged partners and technology to deploy assets, messaging and tools, enabling them to help participants sooner while saving thousands of hours in resources.

Prudential and BrandMuscle will share how Prudential leaned into their mission, how they leveraged BrandMuscle to quickly shift messaging in market and how they plan to move forward and help participants on the road to recovery.

Wendy Wojdyl

Senior Director, Content Marketing Prudential

ANA INFLUENCER MARKETING ADVISORY BOARD UPDATE

The ANA has been addressing the measurement and ROI hurdles to influencer marketing growth through a newly formed Influencer Marketing Advisory Board, an invite-only leadership community of senior-level marketers from across all industry sectors committed to increasing trust and transparency, reducing fraud, improving measurement, and spearheading industry commitments in influencer marketing. The Board has established as top priorities the establishment of industry-wide standardized measurement definitions to address the variance across platforms and inconsistent usage and reporting by different partners, as well as commitments for representation in influencer marketing including influencer selection that highlights and amplifies diverse voices, ensuring representation is intentional and not token, equitable pay systems and the prioritization of agencies that offer transparency, and ensuring supplier and partner diversity across all facets of influencer marketing. This session will feature the Board chair overviewing the 2020-2021 priorities and initiatives in the areas of measurement and representation.

Casey DePalma

Senior Director/Head of PR, Influencer Mktg & Digital Engagement, NA Unilever

CLOSING REMARKS

Leah Marshall

Director, Influencer Marketing ANA