Advertising Week New York 2017 kicks off today. UMers, along with our amazing talent across the network, will be featured speakers throughout the week. Check out our schedule of speakers and links for live-stream panels, where available.

Monday, 9.25.17

1:30PM – 2:10PM
Does technology have a heart? Why AI needs EQ
Featuring: Joshua Lowcock, EVP, Chief Digital Officer, U.S., UM
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With the growth in automation and AI, tech has become more advanced and even better at helping marketers build their brands. But one critical piece is missing. Tech can do the who, what, where and when of advertising, but not the why—perhaps the most important part of whether a campaign is successful. So how do brands adapt and find the right path forward? Savvy marketers must bring a new lens and skill set to the machines in order to unlock the true power of technology and data for their campaigns.

2:15PM – 2:55PM
The Changing Technology-Brand-Agency Relationship: Disruption Ahead
Featuring: David Cohen, President, NA, MAGNA
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Agencies are undergoing massive change. New technology has made it clear that media buying and campaign optimization are commodities; ones better handled by machines that can adjust by-the-second. A new crop of ad tech is the great enabler of this, but it’s not rendering agencies extinct – it’s just catapulting them into a new role. This panel will help brands gain an understanding of what technology enables them to do on their own and where they can gain the most value from agency relationships.

3:00PM – 4:00PM
Steering Your Professional Growth: Making the Most of your Networks
Featuring: Lynn Lewis, Global CMO & East Coast President, UM

We all have our go-to “advisory board” when it comes to career advice, professional development, and guidance. It may include your first boss ever, your colleagues from days in the trenches, industry peers you’ve met through networking organizations, or past clients. Making the most of your networks – present and past – is critical to professional growth and innovation. This panel will discuss how to make the most of the networks you have, how to add to your networks, mentorship, using your networks as for innovation and inspiration plus goal setting and holding each other accountable.

Tuesday, 9.26.18

5:15PM – 5:45PM
Emotional Intelligence: Gifs and Visual Expression in Mobile Communication
Featuring: Joshua Lowcock, EVP, Chief Digital Officer, U.S., UM
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Mobile messaging dominates personal communication, with people now relying heavily on visuals to express their thoughts and feelings. Thirty years after its creation, the GIF is exploding as a primary way people communicate — and as a valuable marketing medium for content creators and brand advertisers. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation on the power of visual expression — including data insights from the Tenor Emotional Graph and real-world expertise from top marketers activating consumer engagement using GIFs.

Wednesday, 9.27.18

8:00AM – 10:00AM
IBM Watson Leadership Breakfast
Featuring: Kasha Cacy, U.S. CEO, UM

Join The Weather Company, an IBM Business for a networking breakfast followed by an exclusive look at our new brand and suite of cognitive advertising solutions. The morning will also include a showcase of industry leaders who are embracing data and AI to transform their businesses.

2:15PM – 2:55PM
Fans Come First: How Mobile and Data are Changing the Future of Sports
Featuring: Brian Hughes, SVP, Audience Intelligence & Strategy, MAGNA
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Sports is one of the biggest businesses on earth. Where there’s a team, there’s a huge and fanatic following. But as game days become less about TV sets and living rooms, how do teams, brands and content creators get in on the action and really connect with fans? The smart players are kicking off the future, turning to mobile and data to activate new experiences that make the small screen a vital part of every big game, wherever and however the fans are watching.

2:45PM – 3:25PM
Bridging the Gap Between Advertisers & Publishers
Featuring: Adam Puchalsky, SVP, Managing Director, NA, UM Studios
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Marketers today make a lot of noise about being data-centric, they ask for more data, more verification, and more bang for their buck. The digital shift added new strain and pressure to agencies and CMO’s, but that pales in comparison to the world of publishers. Publishers have overcome an actual existential threat, while the rest of us overcame a bump in the road. So what can we as an industry learn from publishers? As two ends of the same digital ecosystem, do they really sit so far apart?

4:00PM – 5:30PM
UCB Art of the Pitch
Featuring: 30 leaders across the network.

Despite the many changes ad agencies are facing, the art of the pitch has remained ever-relevant. And the pressurized fever pitch pace demands high performance. UCB’s cutting-edge comedy and teaching improvisation comes to the Advertising Week stage, presented by Media iQ. With a customized approach blending comedy fundamentals that double as professional skills, a competitive advantage is sure to be gained.