Leadership in Brand Marketing Summit @ SXSW in Austin - Brand Innovators
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Leadership in Brand Marketing Summit @ SXSW in Austin

Mar 07 - Mar 10 • Hosted by Lamberts Restaurant • Austin

Brand Innovators is once again taking over Lamberts in Austin for our 13th annual Leadership in Brand Marketing Summit at SXSW! Featuring top marketers from brands like Indeed, Poppi, Vuori, AT&T and more, this iconic activation offers unparalleled opportunities to connect, learn, and grow alongside industry leaders. Don’t miss the chance to build your network, enjoy incredible food and ambiance, and be part of this must-attend event for marketers at SXSW.

Friday • March 7 • 2025

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

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

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

    Pearl Tam, SVP, Content & Community, Brand Innovators

  • 10:15 AM 2025 Outlook & Beyond: Media Innovation & Trends

    Gabe Alonso, Vice President, Integrated Marketing & Experience, El Pollo Loco

    Matthew Fantazier, Head of Integrated Media, Kenvue

    Carmen Graf, Global VP, Marketing; Advertising, Media & Events, Indeed

    Moderated by: Jim Jansen, Chief Revenue Officer, Qloo

  • 11:00 AM Fireside Chat

    Allison Stransky, CMO, Samsung Electronics America

    Moderated by: Nuno Leal, Principal, Marketing, Product and Data/AI, Consulting, Ernst & Young LLP

  • 11:30 AM Beyond the Click: AI, Brand Investment, and the Future of Advertising

    Carmen Graf, Global VP, Marketing; Advertising, Media & Events, Indeed

    Moderated by: Jeff Hilder, Head of Sales-Central Region, Quantcast

  • 12:00 PM Fireside Chat

    Scott Hudler, Chief Marketing Officer, Whataburger

    Moderated by: Bobbi Meyer, Director, National Advertising Sales, Atmosphere

  • 12:30 PM Cultivating Brand Resonance & Lasting Loyalty Through Digital

    Scott Hudler, Chief Marketing Officer, Whataburger

    Becky Kimbro, SVP Brand Engagement, Spurs Sports & Entertainment

    Meenakshi Nagarajan, Senior Vice President, Chief Digital Officer, Panera

    Pat O’Toole, Chief Marketing Officer, Unleashed Brands

    Moderated by: Kerel Cooper, Chief Marketing Officer, GumGum

  • 1:15 PM Building Brand Love: The Intersection of CX, Loyalty & Digital Innovation

    Meenakshi Nagarajan, Senior Vice President, Chief Digital Officer, Panera

    Moderated by: Shane Dwyer, Head of Sales, Lyft Media

  • 1:45 PM From Perks to Potential: Scaling Experiences with Authenticity

    Natalie Lennox, General Manager, Experience Strategy, Delta

    Moderated by: Kelly Covato, GM, Business Development, Travel, The Trade Desk

  • 2:15 PM Redefining Partnership: Building a Modern Advertiser-Platform Relationship That Delivers

    Adam Kruse, Director of Partnerships and Programmatic, Novartis

    Moderated by: Griffin Connor, Director of Business Development, The Trade Desk

  • 2:45 PM Brand Storytelling that Engages and Inspires Future Audiences

    Michelle Froah, Global Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer, ETS

    Amy Hannah, Vice President of Brand Marketing, Kendra Scott

    Joanne Lovato, Vice President, Marketing, Dallas Stars

    Ben O’Meara , Chief Brand Officer, Huckberry

    Moderated by: Bryce Adams, SVP, Partnerships, Open Influence

  • 3:30 PM Reimagining the Future: How eBay is Transforming Their Brand for the Future

    Lisa Clunie, Co-Founder and CEO, JOAN

    Emily O’Hara, Global Head of Brand, eBay

    Moderated by: Jamie Elden, Chief Executive, Listrak

  • 4:00 PM Fireside Chat

    Ashleigh Edmonds, Head of Marketing, Mac & Cheese, Kraft Heinz

    Moderated by: Tom Edwards, Executive Director, Consumer AI Leader, Consulting, Ernst & Young LLP

Saturday • March 8 • 2025

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

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

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

    Pearl Tam, SVP, Content & Community, Brand Innovators

  • 10:15 AM - Upstairs Stage CMO Panel: How Challenger Brands Drive Impact

    Paulie Dery, Chief Marketing Officer, AG1

    Andy Judd, Chief Marketing Officer, Poppi

    Kathryn McKeon, Chief Marketing Officer, Vital Farms

    Karen Riley-Grant, Chief Marketing Officer, Vuori

    Moderated by: Seraj Bharwani, Chief Strategy Officer, illumin

  • 11:00 AM - Upstairs Stage Disruption in Antiquated Aisles & Brand Virality

    Woodie Hillyard, CEO & Co-Founder, W

    Moderated by: Erica Wiggins, Director of Marketing & Communications, George P. Johnson

  • 11:30 AM - Upstairs Stage Obsess the Customer while Staying True to the Brand

    Karen Riley-Grant, Chief Marketing Officer, Vuori

    Moderated by: Lance Wolder, Head of Strategy & Marketing, PadSquad

     

  • 11:45 AM - Patio Stage Fan Loyalty Through Community Building

    Kecia Christiansen, Director, Experiential Marketing, Activision

    Moderated by: Jason Apfelroth , Director of New Business, OS Studios

  • 12:00 PM - Upstairs Stage Culture’s Favorite Soda: Revolutionizing Soda for the Next Generation

    Andy Judd, Chief Marketing Officer, Poppi

    Moderated by: Jonathon Brown, Chief of Growth, TrendHunter

  • 12:15 PM - Patio Stage Fireside Chat

    Chief Johnson, Lead Entertainment Marketing, PUMA

    Moderated by: Zak Cosman, Vice President, SaltXC

  • 12:30 PM - Upstairs Stage Building a Sustainable Brand

    Angela Clark, Head of Digital , Patagonia

    Karuna Rawal, Chief Revenue Officer & Chief Marketing Officer, Nature’s Fynd

    Moderated by: Joanna Havlin, Director, Buyer Development, Scope3

  • 12:45 PM - Patio Stage Disruptive Storytelling: Creating Unforgettable Brand Moments

    Justin Johnson, Head of Market Development, Acorns

    Vivian Krause, Marketing Director, Walmart

    Vallory McCormack, Director of Marketing, Portillo’s

    Rob Pennington, Senior Director Of Marketing, H-E-B

    Moderated by: Kelly Vaught, Partner, BeCore

  • 1:00 PM - Upstairs Stage Fireside Chat

    Paulie Dery, Chief Marketing Officer, AG1

    Moderated by: Kristi Tropp, SVP, Managing Director, Involved Media

  • 1:30 PM - Upstairs Stage The Founders Love Affair: Risk, Divorce & Betting On Yourself

    Ariel Kaye, Founder & CEO, Parachute

    Jessica Schaefer, Founder & CEO, Lushi

    Moderated by: Michele Calhoun, Head of Consumer Health & Wellness, GoodRx

  • 1:30 PM - Patio Stage You Had to Be There: The Power of IRL to Grow Your Brand

    Katie Babineau, Chief Marketing Officer, Beyond Yoga

    Moderated by: Suzanne Fritz-Hanson, VP Creative, Executive Creative Director, Experience Marketing, George P. Johnson

  • 2:00 PM - Upstairs Stage Sales Shouldn’t Be Soulless: How Liquid Death Proved Creativity and Performance Can Coexist

    Matt Cook, SVP, Group Creative Director, The Variable

    Alexa Maltzer, VP, Client Strategy, Power Digital

    Benoit Vatere, Chief Media Officer, Liquid Death

    Moderated by: Joe Parrish, Co-Founder and CCO, The Variable

  • 2:00 PM - Patio Stage Amplifying Engagement with Brand Activations and Partnerships

    Daniel Rabinovich, Senior Director, Brand Partnerships, Barry’s

    Sarah Rosen, Senior Director – Global Sponsorships and Flagship Events, Dell Technologies

    Hannah Stabler, Head of Social & Influencers, Formerly Hopdoddy

    Moderated by: Matt Miller, President, Executive Creative Director, X-FCTR

  • 2:30 PM - Upstairs Stage Fireside Chat

    Russell Wager, VP, Head of Marketing, Kia

    Moderated by: Julie White, Vice President of Brand Partnerships, Captiv8

  • 2:45 PM - Patio Stage How Delta Drives Brand Loyalty Through Experience Marketing

    Alexandra Covington, Marketing Strategy Consultant, Delta

    Jamie Gottlieb, Senior Manager, Member Experience Strategy, Delta

    Natalie Lennox, General Manager, Experience Strategy, Delta

    Moderated by: Julie Haferkamp, SVP, Sales Brand Activation Events, Spiro

  • 3:00 PM - Upstairs Stage Scoring Big for Equality: Inspiring the Next Generation of Female Champions

    Patrick O’Keefe, Chief Integrated Marketing Officer, e.l.f. Beauty

    Moderated by: Sam Saez, VP of Enterprise Sales, Bazaarvoice

  • 3:15 PM - Patio Stage Why Health is Relevant to All Marketers

    Andrea Palmer, Chief Executive Officer, Publicis Health Media

    Moderated by: Katie Carr, Chief Revenue Officer, Swoop

  • 3:30 PM - Upstairs Stage Fireside Chat

    Kelly Molnar, VP Global Marketing, Crocs

    Kate Rush Sheedy, SVP, Strategy + Insights, GSD&M

    Moderated by: Joe Montesano, Senior Director, adMarketplace

  • 3:45 PM - Patio Stage Engaging Future Audiences through Brand Storytelling

    Krista Dalton, SVP Ecommerce & Chief Marketing Officer, Tecovas

    Moderated by: Matt Grandchamp, VP, Sales, NowThis

  • 3:55 PM - Upstairs Stage The Creative Compass: Navigating AI, Automation & Brand Excellence

    Melissa Ramos, Sr. Creative Director, Yeti

    Moderated by: Ryan Cook, SVP, Sales, Celtra

  • 4:20 PM - Upstairs Stage Purpose-Driven Strategies for Disruptive Brands

    Tim Huelskamp, CEO, 1440

    Shannon Jones, Co-Founder, VERB

    Melanie Masarin, Founder & CEO, Ghia

    Ben Mand, CEO, Guayaki Yerba Mate

    Moderated by: Samantha Owen, Director, Digital Marketing, KFC

Sunday • March 9 • 2025

  • 7:30 AM Morning Run Club in Partnership with Hustle

    Led by pro triathlete and fellow brand marketeer, Grant Grafentin, the run club will take you on a 4 mile tour of some of the best trails and paths Austin has to offer. Pace groups will range from 7 to 12 min/mile, and we will leave at 7:30 AM sharp from Lamberts. Post run, swag and refreshments will be awaiting you upon your return at La Condesa!

    Sign up here

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

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

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

    Pearl Tam, SVP, Content & Community, Brand Innovators

  • 10:15 AM - Upstairs Stage State of the Industry – 2025 Marketing Trends with Marketing Leadership

    Luiz Felipe Barros, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Channel Factory

    Senna Bayasgalan, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer, b1BANK

    Ken Lagana, Chief Revenue Officer, Media.net

    Meghan Shookman, Vice President of Brand Marketing, Olipop

    Moderated by: John Starkweather, Associate Vice President Advertising, AT&T

  • 11:00 AM - Upstairs Stage Fireside Chat

    John Starkweather, Associate Vice President Advertising, AT&T

    Moderated by: Brittany Smartt Batchelor, Regional Vice President of Sales, Kargo

  • 11:15 AM - Patio Stage Building Brand Love and Lasting Loyalty Through Data & Storytelling

    Gabe Alonso, Vice President, Integrated Marketing & Experience, El Pollo Loco

    Jack Meredith, Vice President, Marketing, Kettle & Fire

    Annika Welander, Chief Operating Officer, Someoddpilot

    Moderated by: Tom Donohue, Group Strategy Director, BTDT

  • 11:30 AM - Upstairs Stage Think Like a Scientist, Lead Like a Marketer

    Charlotte Blank, US Chief Marketing Officer, Jaguar Land Rover North America

    Moderated by: Geoff Schiller, Chief Revenue Officer, Vox Media

  • 12:00 PM - Upstairs Stage Women in Marketing Leadership

    Jenna Berg, VP of Brand Marketing, G6 Hospitality

    Lina El-Beshbeeshy, Global Brand Director – Paper Mate, Newell Brands

    Rachel Goldflam, SVP Brand Marketing, Veronica Beard

    Charlotte Mostaed, Chief Marketing Officer, Health-Ade

    Moderated by: Gabrielle Heyman, Vice President, Global Brand Sales and Partnerships, Zynga

  • 12:00 PM - Patio Stage Fireside Chat

    Fernando Silva, Vice President of Marketing, Mars Petcare North America

    Moderated by: John Newall, Senior Vice President Marketing, Smartsheet

  • 12:30 PM - Patio Stage AI-Powered CRM: The Secret to Driving Growth and Customer Loyalty

    Ashley Travis, Sr. Director Media, Loyalty, Digital Merchandising, Pizza Hut

    Moderated by: Laura Tron, SVP of Clients and Head of Experience at DEPT®

  • 12:45 PM - Upstairs Stage Fireside Chat

    Kelly Mahoney, Chief Marketing Officer, Ulta Beauty

    Moderated by: Dani Mariano, President, Razorfish

  • 1:00 PM - Patio Stage Understanding Impact of your Media Dollars in Cross-funnel Marketing

    Kellie Barnett, Sr. Director, Head of Media, Consumer , Frontier Communications

    Moderated by: Simon Wyld, Vice President Tech and B2B, System1

  • 1:15 PM - Upstairs Stage Growing Challenger Brands

    Chris Epple, Head of Marketing, Americas, Harman/JBL

    Jeremy Ho, Head of Strategy, Havas New York

    Moderated by: Mike Dayton, Chief Growth Officer, Shockoe

  • 1:30 PM - Patio Stage Future of Consumer Engagement and Brand Authenticity

    Curtis Calloway, Director of Brand Marketing, Doritos, PepsiCo

    Samantha Owen, Director, Digital Marketing, KFC

    Melissa Peace, Director, Brand Marketing, Expedia Group

    Moderated by: Michael Kania, Associate Vice President, Marketing, Kepler

  • 1:45 PM - Upstairs Stage Relevance at Scale: How Cultural Data Supercharges AI Personalization

    Fabio Ranieri, Head of Omnichannel GTM Product Experience, HP

    Ashley Travis, Sr. Director Media, Loyalty, Digital Merchandising, Pizza Hut

    Moderated by: Gian Martinez, Co-Founder & CEO, Winnin

  • 2:15 PM - Patio Stage Fireside Chat

    Marnie Kain, VP Brand, Grubhub

    Moderated by: Wes Freas, Strategic Enterprise Partnerships, iSpot.tv

  • 2:45 PM - Upstairs Stage The Rise of Anti-Perfection Culture: Embracing Authenticity in Modern Consumer Behavior

    Phil Winkelman, VP, Customer Success, Suzy

  • 3:00 PM - Upstairs Stage Brands on Tap: Winning with Today's Alcohol Consumer

    Rebecca Dye Yonushonis, Chief Marketing Officer, New Belgium Brewing

    Anson Sowby, CEO, Battery

    Moderated by: Jack Jenkins, Chief Revenue Officer, Teton Ridge

  • 3:30 PM - Upstairs Stage Fireside Chat

    Jenn Garbach, Chief Marketing Officer, PNC

    Bre Rossetti, Chief Strategy Officer, Arnold Worldwide

    Moderated by: Phil Winkelman, VP, Customer Success, Suzy

  • 4:00 PM - Upstairs Stage Fireside Chat

    Kalen Thornton, Global Chief Brand Officer, Pizza Hut

    Moderated by: Matt Grandchamp, VP, Sales, NowThis

  • 4:30 PM - Upstairs Stage Scaling DTC Brands While Maintaining Authenticity

    Carly Gomez, SVP Marketing, Fabletics

    Moderated by: Lisa Rosenberg, Global President, Consumer Brands, Allison Worldwide

Monday • March 10 • 2025

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

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

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

    Pearl Tam, SVP, Content & Community, Brand Innovators

  • 10:15 AM How to Win with Brand Partnerships and Influencer Marketing

    Ryan Bares, Global Social Influencer Marketing Manager, IBM

    Kelsey Greer, Sr. Director Brand Partnerships & Concepting, PepsiCo

    Kara Mjones, Head of Digital Marketing, Torchy’s Tacos

    Justin Soffer, Chief Marketing Officer, Tiff’s Treats

    Moderated by: Brittany Smartt Batchelor, Regional Vice President of Sales, Kargo

  • 11:00 AM Fireside Chat

    Sarah Moore, Chief Marketing Officer, Cracker Barrel

    Moderated by: Ann Saulsbury, Director, US Retail and Consumer Goods, Microsoft

  • 11:30 AM The Role of AI in Identifying Customer Pain Points and Delivering More Personalized Solutions

    Alex Masters-Goessling, Vice President, Customer Care, EA Games

    Moderated by: John Dubois, EY Americas AI Strategy Leader, Consulting, Ernst & Young LLP

  • 12:00 PM Fireside Chat

    Leandro Balbinot, Chief Technology Officer, Whole Foods Market

    Moderated by: Michele Calhoun, Head of Consumer Health & Wellness, GoodRx

  • 12:30 PM Winning Hearts (and Carts): Creating Emotional Connection at Launch

    Raphael Bouquillon, VP, Account Management, SPCSHP

    Andrea Gilman, Chief Marketing Officer, Early Warning/Zelle & Paze

    Moderated by: Johann Wrede, Chief Marketing Officer, UserTesting

  • 1:00 PM Calculated Chaos: The Strategy Behind Taking Creative Risks

    Matt Johnson, Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, HAYMAKER

    Terry Minogue, EVP, Creative Marketing, Paramount Global/Pluto TV

    Moderated by: Alex Banks, Senior Vice President, Americas, System1

  • 1:30 PM Driving Loyalty & Embracing Fans through Innovation and Experiences

    Taylor Montgomery, Chief Marketing Officer, Taco Bell

    Moderated by: Adam Carl, Senior Director, Large Customer Sales, Reddit

Speakers

Bryce Adams

SVP, Partnerships, Open Influence

Gabriel Alonso

Vice President Digital, El Pollo Loco

Katie Babineau

Chief Marketing Officer, Beyond Yoga

Leandro Balbinot

Chief Technology Officer, Whole Foods Market

Ryan Bares

Global Social Influencer Marketing Manager, IBM

Raphael Bouquillon

VP, Account Management, SPCSHP

Katie Carr

Chief Revenue Officer, Swoop

Lisa Clunie

Co-Founder and CEO, JOAN

Sarah Collinson

CEO, Havas New York, Havas Creative Network

Matt Cook

SVP, Group Creative Director, The Variable

Jessica Correa

Chief Marketing Officer, Unleashed Brands

Zak Cosman

Vice President, SaltXC

Paulie Dery

Chief Marketing Officer, AG1

Shane Dwyer

Head of Sales, Lyft Media

Rebecca Dye Yonushonis

Chief Marketing Officer, New Belgium Brewing

Ashleigh Edmonds

Director Marketing & Strategy - Mac and Cheese, Kraft Heinz

Lina El-Beshbeeshy

Global Brand Director - Paper Mate, Newell Brands

Jamie Elden

Chief Revenue Officer, Listrak

Tom Edwards

Executive Director, Consumer AI Leader, Consulting, Ernst & Young LLP

Chris Epple

Head of Marketing, Americas, Harman/JBL

Matt Fantazier

Head of Integrated Media, Kenvue

Michelle Froah

Global Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer, ETS

Jenn Garbach

Chief Marketing Officer, PNC

Andrea Gilman

Chief Marketing Officer, Early Warning/Zelle & Paze

Carly Gomez

SVP of Marketing, Fabletics

Carmen Graf

Global VP, Marketing; Advertising, Media & Events, Indeed

Yadira Harrison

Yadira Harrison, Co-Founder, VERB

Jeff Hilder

Head of Sales-Central Region, Quantcast

Jeremy Ho

Head of Strategy, Havas New York

Jim Jansen

Chief Revenue Officer, Qloo

Jack Jenkins

Chief Revenue Officer, Teton Ridge

Matt Johnson

Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, HAYMAKER

Andy Judd

Chief Marketing Officer, poppi

Marnie Kain

VP, Brand Marketing, Grubhub

Michael Kania

Associate Vice President, Marketing, Kepler

Sarah Leinberger

Head of Brand Experience Advanced Marketing Solutions Strategic Initiatives, General Mills

Natalie Lennox

General Manager, Experience Strategy, Delta

Joanne Lovato

Vice President of Marketing, Dallas Stars

Kelly Mahoney

Chief Marketing Officer, Ulta Beauty.

Alexa Maltzer

VP, Client Strategy, Power Digital

Ben Mand

CEO, Guayaki Yerba Mate

Gian Martinez

Gian Martinez, Co-Founder & CEO, Winnin

Melanie Masarin

Founder & CEO, Ghia

Vallory McCormack

Director of Marketing, Portillo's

Kathryn McKeon

Chief Marketing Officer, Vital Farms

Terry Minogue

EVP of Creative Marketing, Paramount Global/Pluto TV

Kara Mjones

Head of Digital Marketing, Torchy's Tacos

Sarah Moore

Chief Marketing Officer, Cracker Barrel

Charlotte Mostaed

US Chief Marketing Officer, Jaguar Land Rover North America

Meenakshi Nagarajan

Senior Vice President, Chief Digital Officer, Panera Bread

Emily O’Hara

Global Head of Brand, eBay

Ben O'Meara

Chief Brand Officer, Huckberry

Samantha Owen

Director, Digital Marketing, KFC

Andrea Palmer

Chief Executive Officer, Publicis Health Media

Joe Parrish

Joe Parrish, Co-Founder and CCO, The Variable

Rob Pennington

Senior Director Of Marketing, H-E-B

Daniel Rabinovich

Senior Director of Brand Partnerships, Barry’s

Fabio Ranieri

Head of Omnichannel GTM Product Experience, HP

Karen Riley-Grant

Chief Marketing Officer, Vuori

Lisa Rosenberg

Global President, Consumer Brands, Allison Worldwide

Bre Rossetti

Chief Strategy Officer, Arnold Worldwide

Ann Saulsbury

Director, US Retail and Consumer Goods, Microsoft

Brittany Smartt Batchelor

Regional Vice President of Sales, Kargo

Andrew Sneyd

Executive Vice President, Brand, FanDuel

Anson Sowby

Chief Executive Officer, Battery

Hannah Stabler

Formerly, Head of Social Media & Influencers, Hopdoddy

John Starkweather

AVP, Advertising, AT&T

Allison Stransky

CMO, Samsung Electronics America

Erica Tam

VP of Brand, Bloom Nutrition

Kalen Thornton

Vice President Sports, Entertainment, and Gaming, PepsiCo

Ashley Travis

Sr. Director Media, Loyalty, Digital Merchandising, Pizza Hut

Laura Tron

SVP of Clients and Head of Experience at DEPT®

Benoit Vatere

Chief Media Officer, Liquid Death

Kelly Vaught

Partner, BeCore

Russell Wager

VP, Head of Marketing, Kia America

Marquee

Presenting

Supporting

Venue

Lamberts Restaurant
401 W 2nd St
Austin, TX 78701

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