Regional Summits

Decoding Desire in the Age of AI Summit

Sep 15 • Hosted by Havas • New York

Consumers have never had more choices, more information, or more control. They move seamlessly between digital and physical worlds, trust new sources of influence, and expect brands to understand their needs, values, and motivations in real time.

But what makes people truly want a brand?

In an age of AI, fragmented attention, and endless options, awareness alone is no longer enough. The brands that win are the brands that create desire. Hosted by Havas, this summit brings together senior marketing leaders to explore how consumer behavior is evolving across commerce, health, and culture – and how the most successful brands are leveraging creativity, media, data, and human insight to build meaningful connections that drive preference, loyalty, and growth.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

9:25 AM Welcome Remarks

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

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

Tracey Barber, Global Chief Transformation and Growth Officer, Havas Creative Network

Maggie Connors, Chief Marketing Officer, NA, Havas Worldwide

Allie Meagher, Vice President, Content & Community, Brand Innovators
9:30 AM The Desire Gap: The Force Behind the Most Wanted Brands

Attention can be bought. Desire must be earned. In this opening conversation, Havas brings together leading brand, creative, and media leaders to explore why desire has emerged as the defining driver of growth—and what today’s marketers need to understand about consumer decision-making in the age of AI.
9:55 AM The New Rules of Consumer Desire

What drives preference when consumers have more choices than ever? Explore how expectations, trust, relevance, and emotion have evolved—and what brands must do to create lasting desire in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Joy Doyin Ogunneye, Global Innovation & Brand Comms Lead, Aveeno Face, Sun & Hair, Kenvue

Margaux LaPointe, Director of Innovation & Brand Expansion, Banza

Elaine Lawson, Vice President, Amazon Acquisitions and Secured Card Marketing, Synchrony
10:20 AM Craft at Scale: Technology Powers It. Talent Shapes It.

Consumers expect brands to show up everywhere, but more content doesn’t automatically create more desire. As AI accelerates production, hear how leading brands are investing in the people, skills, and creative judgment needed to maintain quality, consistency, and emotional impact at scale.
10:45 AM Networking Break
11:05 AM Creating Desire Through Creativity

In a world of fragmented attention, memorable creative has never mattered more. Explore how bold ideas, storytelling, and cultural relevance create desire and differentiate brands in crowded markets.

Sally Barton, Director, OREO Equity, Mondelēz International

Shamira Faruqui Amin, Senior Brand Manager, Skrewball, Pernod Ricard

Mai Shi, Head of Marketing, Luckin Coffee
11:30 AM The New rules of Media Investment

As consumer attention fragments and AI reshapes discovery, the old rules for media investment are being challenged. This conversation will explore how marketers are rethinking where the next dollar goes – from the metrics that matter and channels worth betting on to what they should stop buying altogether – and how human judgment and technology come together to build the media portfolio of the future.

Evan Marin, Vice President, Sales, East & Canada, Channel Factory

James Meyer, Vice President, National Sales, Captivate

Moderated by: Holly Dunn McManus, Managing Partner, Head of Investment & Activation North America, Havas
12:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM The Longevity Mindset: Building Brands for Longer Lives

The SuperAging era is reshaping what consumers want from life—and from brands. As people increasingly prioritize vitality, performance, and long-term well-being, brands across categories have an opportunity to build deeper relationships rooted in trust, credibility, and future-facing value. Join leaders across the health and wellness industry as they explore how the Longevity Mindset is redefining consumer desire and creating new opportunities for brands to remain relevant throughout longer, healthier lives.

Mike Marcus, Senior Director of Brand Marketing , 1440 Foods

Nicole Portwood, Chief Marketing Officer, Suja Life

Moderated by: Danielle Kramer, SVP Sales, GroundTruth
1:25 PM Culture Isn’t a Channel: Why Desire is Earned, Not Engineered

Cultural relevance is one of the most powerful drivers of desire. But it can’t be bought, programmed, or manufactured overnight. The brands that earn a place in culture do so through a sustained commitment to listening, showing up authentically, and creating ideas people genuinely care about. Hear how leading brands are building cultural relevance that translates into preference, loyalty, and long-term growth.

Taki Nakatani, Global Brand Director, Suntory Global Spirits (House of Suntory Whisky)

Caitlin McGlynn, Head of Marketing, Drizzilicious
1:50 PM Networking Game
2:35 PM The New Architects of Desire: From Followers to Fandoms

Creators have become some of the most powerful forces shaping what consumers discover, trust, and ultimately want. But the most influential creators do more than drive engagement—they unite passionate audiences around shared interests, giving fandoms a place to connect, participate, and grow into vibrant communities. Join leading marketers and creators to explore how influence is evolving from promotion to participation, and what brands can learn about cultivating connection, community, and lasting desire.

Jennifer Ballou, Senior Partnerships and Portfolio Manager, Mondelēz International

Simge Dogrular, Head of Brand, Growth & Innovation, Tony’s Chocolonely

Charisse Winecki, Head of Oral Health Marketing, Waterpik
3:00 PM Happy Hour & Networking Break
3:30 PM The Creative Advantage

As media channels multiply and consumer attention fragments, creative has become one of the few enduring competitive advantages. This conversation explores how brands are producing bold, culturally relevant work that captures attention, builds emotional connection, and drives long-term business impact.

Victoria Katsarou, Vice President of Digital Marketing and E-commerce, Ergobaby

Katie Walmsley, General Manager, Social Media & Creative, Microsoft
4:00 PM Designing for Desire: How Great Experiences Build Better Brands

The best experiences aren’t built around what brands want customers to do—they’re built around how people actually behave. As expectations continue to rise, leading organizations are rethinking every touchpoint through a more human-centered lens. Discover how brands are using insights, design thinking, and emerging technology to create intuitive experiences that drive preference, loyalty, and long-term growth.

Sanya Deshpande, Director of Partnerships, OURA Ring

McCall Gridley, Head of Partnerships, Grubhub

Moderated by: Eric Amato, Vice President, Industry Verticals, Comcast Advertising
4:30 PM Wrap & Happy Hour