CONFERENCE RECAPS

Each year #AWNewYork has a ton of tracks. And multiple sessions per track - times 5 days. Plus award shows and networking. If you’re worried it’ll be too overwhelming, this post might help. In it I’ll share some tips on how to get there, how to choose what to see and do, and how to make the most of the experience. Take the train Advertising Week often coincides with some UN summit or other. Which means a cab or car sharing service is NOT the way to go. Act like a real New Yorker and jump on the subway – or risk getting stuck in epic traffic.   Wear comfy shoes & layers There’s no way around it – you’ll have to walk all over hell’s half acre. And stand in lines. So put on your cutest kicks. And don’t forget to bring a sweater or scarf for when they crank up the A/C.                 Charge up Prepare yourself to be overstimulated because brilliance will be coming at you from all sides. You need to be fuele...

1. “BRANDS SHOULD REFLECT WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE IN…”  Dena Wimette, Sr. Global Innovation & Communications Manager at Ben & Jerry’s, started with this in her response to the question “How do you guys do such a good job addressing social issues?” In today’s social landscape, the age of CSR (corporate social responsibility) for the sake of getting a pat on the back is dead. According to former Obama campaign strategist Carri Twigg, “Corporate social responsibility was the thing 10 years ago, then it became sustainability strategy. The new business model of the future will be corporate social opportunity.” 2. WHAT WILL THIS NEW BUSINESS MODEL LOOK LIKE?!  Authenticity is KING! Doing work for social good starts by being good, like actually good. Companies with a solid foundation of core values naturally align with social issues that fit their brand. From an operational approach, Ben & Jerry’s incentivizes community outreach, encouraging employees to volunteer tog...

An immersive technology festival has something to teach you about the human condition. As I arrived at Snug Harbor on Staten Island for the Future of Storytelling festival (FoST), I was met with collegiate style banners in medieval typeface on a columned music hall. Not exactly communicating “tech conference” right off the bat amirite? But what the landscape lacked in ambience, it more than made up for in engaging content. Throughout the day I played games, watched 360 documentaries , explored virtual art pieces, listened to panels of experts discuss the present and future of experiential and digital media, heard my fair share of “it was working just a minute ago” , and even let my emotions guide me through a simulated riot. But the breadth of content I experienced shared one unifying theme: Empathy. Not just its existence within the industry, but its importance in meaningful communication. Only through listening and understanding the experiences of others can we...

On September 28th, 2017, The New School’s Tishman Auditorium hosted the seventh edition of NYC Media Lab Annual Summit . The event celebrated a year of experimentation and innovation in technology, as the result of the tireless work conducted by New-York-based college students came to life on the stage. Along the presentations, a number of noticeable guests from several industries exchanged opinions on technology and how this intertwines with the development of human society as a whole.   Software engineer veteran Ellen Ullman , who presented her book “Life in Code: A Personal History of Technology,” pointed out how social media have fulfilled the human desire to create a “museum of me,” in which we constantly celebrate ourselves by sharing an ideal version of us. Being outside the social media system would force people to reflect on their real nature, and trigger a feeling of loneliness. Radio host Manoush Zomorodi , who shared the segment with Ullman, argued that lone...

Hi BICsters, I took a business law class over the summer through the CUNY School of Professional Studies and wrote my final paper on the regulations surrounding native ads / influencer marketing / sponsored ads (whatever name you like use...). I learned a lot and figured I'd post the paper below in case any of you are curious about this topic, either related to your jobs or BIC assignments. It's a bit long (since the paper had a page requirement :) ), so if you want a short recap,  you can read the conclusion section at the end. Take care! Diana Native Advertising in a Digital Context: Exploring Endorsement Disclosure on Social Media The majority of Americans (about 7 in 10) are on some form of social media today (Pew Research Center). People use social media for a variety of reasons: to stay in touch with friends, to get news, to learn about topics or brands they care about, and more. One quick scroll through anyone’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or other socia...

The Industry is Evolving The Cision World Tour 2017 stopped in NYC this week at the Whitby hotel to talk to PR practitioners about the current trends of Communications in this digital era, and how we, ask PR pros, can do our part to keep up with the ever-changing media landscape. As we move forward, we can see DATA becoming a substantial part of the conversation when discussing media. The cold hard facts and the numbers to support claims is what PR"ist" must have and understanding of, in order to plan, and measure effectively. In PR, it is no longer enough to use the generic model, when you had one-one access to members of the press to share a message. Currently, we are basically required to depend on insights that are data-driven to support our campaigns, the data and the research are the building blocks to an effective campaign. This fact, in my opinion, is very interesting because as I grew closer to the PR field, developing my skills, I somewhat watched the c...

Telling the story is the most important part of effective communication: No matter what you are communicating, you have to be able to tell the story, in order for the information to be delivered and received effectively, and this seminar shared a variety of methods to choose from. Led by Chris Bacon, EVP of Research and Innovation at the ARF, this two-part program taught: The importance of storytelling The elements of a great story Useful methods to tell a compelling story All points that are very useful to me in my career. As a PR practitioner, I am required to be a natural born storyteller. I have to take whatever information I have, integrate in trend and relevant points, and make it impossible to be ignored. I have to make it interesting while sticking to the mantra of: Short. Simple. To The Point Understanding the importance of these factors, and being able to reference them in my day-to-day task has already improved my writ...

Todd Allen, VP Global Marketing at Stella Artois, shares the importance of ROE (return on experience) and how AB InBev wants to monetize experiential marketing to become an entertainment business. Interview with  Todd Allen ( VP Global Marketing, Stella Artois) Interviewer Lukas Derksen (Managing Partner,  Sid Lee) People’s perception and expectations have changed about a premium brand in last couple of years. Previously being expensive was enough, but now that's not good enough in terms of how consumers view premium. You need to have style and substance both. You can’t just be expensive, you have to be worth it. And the biggest shift we have seen over the past couple of years is that consumers value experiences more than material possessions “ providing unforgettable experiences — and capitalizing on the content that comes from it — will grow both brand equity and the bottom line.” What does experienced economy mean to you? The challenge f...