Crafting Powerful Brands Summit – From Challenger to Champion

Thursday, November 13, 2025

• 9:00 AM Breakfast & Registration
• 10:00 AM Welcome Remarks

  Brandon Gutman, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Brand Innovators

  Marc Sternberg, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Brand Innovators

  Linda Bethea, CMO, Danone

• 10:10 AM Reimagining Danimals: Evolving a Legacy Brand for the Next Generation

  Sasha Alavian Read, Brand Purpose Strategist, Danone

  Lauren Koprowski, Creative Director, Brand Design Strategy COE, Danone

  Allison Linke, Senior Brand Manager, Yogurt – Danimals, Danone

  Moderated by: Matt Knust, CPG Practice Lead, InMarket

• 10:40 AM From Purpose to Profit

  Discover how brands that lead with purpose build stronger connections with consumers — and turn that trust into growth. This session will unpack real-world examples of embedding purpose authentically into every touchpoint without losing sight of performance.

  Svanika Balasubramanian, CEO & Founder, rePurpose Global

  Meriel’ Peterich, Director of Social Marketing, Freshpet

  Moderated by: Joseph Pagano, VP Sales Leadership, Transunion

• 11:10 AM Culture as a Brand Catalyst

  Stories shape the way consumers see, feel, and connect with brands. Learn how marketers are crafting human-first narratives that resonate emotionally, reflect cultural relevance, and drive both engagement and loyalty.

  Simge Dogrular, Head of Brand Communications and Activations, Americas, pladis Global

  Reggie Gustave, Senior Brand Manager, Jameson, Pernod Ricard

  Moderated by: Rose Petrillo, Director of Brand Partnerships, Atmosphere TV

• 11:40 AM Networking Break
• 12:00 PM Reinventing Legacy Brands

  Iconic brands aren’t immune to disruption — but reinvention is possible. This panel will highlight how established players are embracing innovation, refreshing positioning, and staying competitive while honoring their heritage.

  Brian Boline, Commercial Planning & Activation Director, Crown Royal & Convenience, Diageo

  Sampo Salonen, Global Brand Lead, Innovation, Pandora Jewelry

  Moderated by: Dana Sergenian-Hingtgen, Vice President of Brand Sales, MRI Simmons

• 12:30 PM Lunch
• 1:30 PM What Gen Z Wants (and What Brands Need to Know)

  A cross-generational look at marketing to Gen Z – told through the lens of both the consumer and today’s brand leaders. This session explores how Gen Z discovers and connects with brands, while also reflecting on what balance looks like: Gen Z’s perspective on their parents’ work/life struggles, and how leaders strive to model authenticity at work and at home.

  Finley Bethea, Gen Z’er

  Eric Flinn, VP, Executive Creative Director, Danone

  Moderated by: Jordan Pique, VP, Retail & CPG Industry Lead, GSTV

• 1:55 PM Performance Marketing with Heart

  Data and performance matter, but they don’t have to come at the expense of brand building. This conversation explores how to integrate creativity with analytics to deliver campaigns that both perform and inspire.

  Danielle Salowski, VP, Industry Lead, Fetch

  Laurie Shackell, VP, Client Partnerships, Warner Bros. Discovery

  Moderated by: Arthur Sylvestre, VP, Digital Commerce, Danone

• 2:25 PM Networking Game
• 3:10 PM Agility at Scale

  Marketing success today requires speed, adaptability, and innovation — even for the biggest brands. This panel will showcase how teams stay nimble while managing complexity, using agile approaches to test, learn, and evolve in real time.

  Tatiana Kuzmowycz, VP, Brand, WHOOP

  Tia Webb, Formerly Director of Marketing Communications & Content – Absolut Vodka, North America, Pernod Ricard / The Absolut Company

  Moderated by: Tony Song, Head of Network & Advanced TV Sales, Scripps

• 3:30 PM Networking Break
• 3:40 PM Staying True to Your Brand: The Tequila Test

  As brands scale, the challenge is holding onto the purpose and roots that make them meaningful. This session explores how staying anchored in a clear brand purpose allows tequila brands to evolve, expand, and connect with broader audiences without losing their essence.

  Karen Harris, Senior Vice President Marketing, Tequila and Mezcal, Diageo

  Moderated by: John Baez, SVP of Partnership Strategy, Fuse Media

• 4:05 PM Consumer Insight as Strategic Armor: Challenger vs. Legacy

  What happens when disruptive challengers and established leaders share the same stage? This session brings multiple perspectives together to explore how deep consumer insight drives agility, innovation, and staying power. Hear how challenger brands break through and how legacy brands evolve to defend and grow — offering a 360° view of what it takes to win in today’s market.

  Kevin Doherty, Senior Brand Manager, Breyers , Magnum Ice Cream Company

  Jean-Paul Jansen, CMO, Mars Petcare NA

  Andy Reichgut, CEO, Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods, LLC

  Moderated by: Dave Sommer, SVP, Head of Customer Development, Bazaarvoice

   

• 4:35 PM Building a Challenger Mindset

  Explore how challenger brands disrupt categories, redefine value, and punch above their weight. Learn from marketing leaders on creating a strategy that balances bold ambition with focused execution to drive measurable growth.

  Susana Chen, Co-Founder, Never Have I Ever Shop

  Amit Sharma, Head of US Marketing, CEVA SANTE ANIMALE

  Moderated by: Scott Gedney, Executive Sales Manager, T-Mobile Advertising Solutions

• 5:10 PM Closing Remarks and Wrap