Create Purposeful Branding in Advertising

Today's brands are expected to do more than just sell their goods and services. Consumers expect brands to stand for something and to engage meaningfully with the issues that are currently shaping our world. Actions brands take can either launch them into hyper success or bury them in the embarrassing blunders of mediocrity. In the Advertising & Brand Experience Track these conversations have their own dedicated space for marketing, advertising, and branding experts to exchange ideas and learn best practices from one another.

Come join the conversation and learn how to make the right moves to build up the brand you've always aspired to be – because when brands are acting with the best intentions they can create positive lasting change.

Browse Advertising & Brand Experience Sessions

Shaping Perception

Let's talk how. In today’s 24-hour news cycle, breaking through the noise has never been harder – but former political campaigners and leaders of BerlinRosen’s Tech and Innovation practice Shruti Sehgal and Tess Vandendolder will provide insight into how brands can adapt and adjust their communications strategies to stand out during Run Your Brand Like a Presidential Campaign. They’ll share a behind-the-scenes look at how they approach campaigns from startups to Fortune 500 companies, leveraging the same political playbook that we've used to win hundreds of elections.

Creating Positive Social Change

Now, let's discuss why. Though brand hijacking isn't a new concept, there have been a few notable examples in recent memory like Adidas "Billie Jean King-ing" shoes from any brand at the US Open as part of Adidas' effort to encourage young girls to stay in sports; Thomson Reuters' Foundation hijacking the trend of "unboxing" to shed light on the scale and horror of modern-day forced labor; and Columbia Journalism Review's Fake News Stand, which raised awareness of misinformation ahead of the midterm elections. The North Face's Wikipedia hijack was notable too, but for different reasons. With these opposing examples in mind, Chris Beresford-Hill (TBWA\Chiat\Day NY) will outline the role of corporate social responsibility for brands and the need for brand-led social change to be presented authentically and creatively in The Truth Behind Brand Hijacks.

The best brand experiences don't feel like ads. But how does one create ads that don’t feel like ads? Hear the POVs of brands, platforms, and media companies about engaging their customers in today’s digital ecosystem — where consumer expectations like community, engagement, and trust are breeding a new marketing discipline. Will Cady (Reddit), Addie Marino (Facebook), and Adam Warrington (Anheuser-Busch) contemplate how branded experiences can inspire action and drive social change in Marketing in the Age of Digital Community moderated by Laurie Keith (The Ad Council).

More On Purposeful Branding

Though these sessions come from various places across the 22 tracks of Conference programming, they expand further on how to create value through purposeful branding.

• Investing into Esports: Collaborating with Brands | Game Industry
• Look Who’s Talking: Voice, Persona, and Brand | Advertising & Brand Experience
• Brands Should Empower Rather Than Drown Creators | Advertising & Brand Experience
• Featured Session: The Music World Beyond Streaming | Future of Music
• Startups and Corporates in Partnership | Startups
• Big Co Partnerships Are These Entrepreneurs’ Win | Startups
• Reimagining Artist Partnerships in the Digital Age | Future of Music
• How News Partnerships Are Changing U.S. Policy | Media & Journalism
• Round Tables: Branded Content | Film & TV Industry

Browse More Advertising & Brand Experience Track Sessions

For more sessions that cover topics within the advertising, marketing, and branding world, browse through the Advertising & Brand Experience Track sessions.

This Interactive Track gives primary access to Platinum and Interactive Badges while Film and Music Badges enjoy secondary access.

Across our 22 tracks of Conference programming, browse all sessions on the SXSW Schedule and add events to your Favorites list to start planning your SX adventure.

Browse Advertising & Brand Experience Sessions

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Featured Image by Aaron Rogosin