Creativity & Innovation

SXSW is always an energizing experience—a melting pot of creativity, technology and collaboration where some of the most meaningful conversations happen in the most unexpected ways. This year was no different. Over three whirlwind days in Austin, I had the opportunity to speak on two thought-provoking panels, engage in insightful discussions with industry leaders, and immerse myself in groundbreaking activations that showcased the future of gaming, AI and immersive storytelling.

As I reflect on my experience at CES, I know that this year is one I’ll never forget.The groundbreaking technology I encountered and the inspiring conversations I had were all taking place while the devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles, in my home state of California. At the time I’m writing this, the fires remain uncontained, destroying over 57,000 structures and forcing the evacuation of more than 153,000 residents. Needless to say, this cast a somber undertone over CES–many attendees, including several of my colleagues, were personally impacted and had to fly out to support their families.

Get ready for Advertising Week New York, where the brightest minds in the industry come together to push boundaries and explore the future of marketing, media and tech. This year, we’re proud to participate in two dynamic panels that highlight the power of creative storytelling and how we’re shifting perceptions around the most critical issues of our time.

At the Ad Council, the phrase “advertising for good” isn’t just a tagline—it’s the core of everything we do. This concept resonates deeply across our industry, and we’re fortunate to collaborate with some of the most innovative platforms that share our commitment to leveraging advertising for positive change. To bring this topic to life, Ad Council’s President and CEO, Lisa Sherman, and Smartly CEO, Laura Desmond, will lead a panel called, “Advertising for Good” at Smartly Advance.

Establishing an authentic connection with target audiences can be a game-changer in delivering nuanced critical messages. Together, with our partners, we took this approach in a recent collaboration to reach young adults. By tapping into the existing level of trust in the video gaming community, we were able to create genuine connections and share important mental health resources. Join us for a deep dive as we discuss how Gen Z, a generation deeply immersed in gaming culture, found value in the authenticity of our message and how we engaged them using some unique trusted messengers.

As the vice president of emerging media and technology at the Ad Council, I’m always exploring new and emerging technologies that can help drive impact across our many social cause campaigns. I was eager to explore web-based augmented reality (WebAR) as a way to reach people with our messages and after months of building, we just launched our first WebAR partnership with our long time partners at Feeding America. For those of you unfamiliar with this technology, WebAR enables users to interact with digital graphics superimposed onto their real world environment through a web browser, without the need for a dedicated app. The user gets to this experience through scanning a QR code or tapping through to a website. This accessibility makes WebAR a powerful tool for marketers, enabling a broad audience to seamlessly access the experience across various devices. The immersive nature and gamification of a WebAR experience can boost engagement, making complex messages more resonating and impactful.

In the ever-evolving social media landscape, staying ahead of the curve isn't just a goal—it's a necessity. From social media managers leading day-to-day operations to CMOs directing marketing strategy, brands understand that to stay relevant they must make an investment in social. And events like AdWeek’s Social Media Week are crucial for keeping brands at the forefront of industry trends and innovations.

As the vice president of emerging media & technology at the Ad Council, I always look forward to attending CES, the most influential tech conference in the world—attracting over 3,000 exhibitors and 130,000 attendees, all showcasing breakthrough technologies that will shape our future. I love to learn how technology innovations are not only shaping the marketing industry, but most importantly solving the biggest challenges in our world today. Below are some of my key takeaways from 2024.

Last week, we participated in Advertising Week New York (AWNY), an annual conference that unites the brightest minds in marketing, advertising, media and technology. The conference presented a remarkable opportunity for us to engage with industry experts and witness our own leaders and Board members address several pressing issues affecting the nation. Join us for a recap of AWNY, where we'll examine the key insights and creative innovations reshaping our industry, including the four pivotal themes that emerged.

Join us for Advertising Week New York, the premier event for industry leaders to discuss and explore the latest trends, innovations and challenges in marketing, advertising, media and tech. As industry leaders gather, virtually and in-person, we are excited to host three engaging panels and feature our award-winning “Tear the Paper Ceiling” installation. Our experts will join key leaders to discuss harnessing creativity for impact and changing the narrative around substance use disorders.