MediaLink

Soccer (football for many) is the world’s most popular sport. Stateside, fandom is exploding, and brands have started to take note.   Tomorrow, 10/9 at 1:40 PM, MediaLink’s Christopher Vollmer, Men In Blazers Media Network's Roger Bennett, Samantha Mewis, and Verizon’s Nick Kelly will take the Great Minds stage at Advertising Week New York as part of United Talent Agency's New Horizons program. Join them to learn how soccer’s growth is creating new opportunities and scoring big for both fans and brands. And don’t forget to check out UTA sessions directly following spanning new horizons where advertising, entertainment, sports, and the creator economy intersect. See you there: https://lnkd.in/gBrRN6Pa #AWNewYork24 #MediaLinked

MediaLink is thrilled to partner with Adobe to support the brand's global creative and marketing transformation.   Recently, we are proud to have advised throughout Adobe's creative RFP, and want to congratulate the teams at Stagwell / 72andSunny and Dentsu Creative as well as all involved.    Read more about Adobe’s transformation in ADWEEK from Kyle O'Brien here: https://lnkd.in/e2aNRG2m #MediaLinked

MediaLink is thrilled to be back at Forbes' CMO Summit, October 8-10, joining the industry's global marketing leaders.    Be sure to catch our very own Andrea Kerr Redniss on Tuesday, October 8 at 2:25pm MDT where she’ll share insights on the lessons that have shaped her journey and what truly drives her as a marketer.    Hope to see you there: https://lnkd.in/e7F2G6Ta   #ForbesCMOSummit #Marketing #MediaLinked

Is text marketing having a comeback?    MediaLink’s Mark Wagman sat down to chat with Ad Age’s Erika Wheless about Apple’s new iOS 18 software, which now supports rich communication services (RCS), allowing marketers to reach audiences with more creative, interactive text strategies. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gxYfQARX #SMS #Marketing #MediaLinked

🌟 Themes from #Brandweek 2024 🌟 It was an inspiring week at ADWEEK’s #Brandweek 2024! Bravo to Will Lee and team for an incredible experience. Jonah Minton and I heard amazing speakers and chatted with many of the brightest marketers in our industry. Here are my top takeaways: 1. Storytelling is the Ultimate Differentiator: Maurice Cooper (Bath & Body Works) discussed how brands can evolve into entertainment franchises, while Deepak Chopra MD (official) emphasized storytelling’s emotional impact, noting, “People don’t remember facts…what they remember is how they felt.” 2. Brand Values and Trust Drive Partnerships: Leaders agreed on aligning brand values with partnerships. Emilie Bridon (Microsoft) stressed that creators who genuinely share a brand’s values elevate campaigns: “Work with creators who authentically share your message, not just repeat it.” 3. Cultural Relevance is Essential: Brands who tap into culture see lasting engagement. George Felix (Chili's) and Jeff McCrory (Mischief @ No Fixed Address) revitalized the brand through the Boyz II Men campaign. Vanessa Wallace (Savage X Fenty) showed how to harness the cultural relevance of a celebrity founder. Sofia Colucci (Molson Coors Beverage Company) highlighted the importance of staying relevant in culture, even if some executions remain small. While Claudine Patel (Opella) described that to do this well you must be a leader who emphasizes fearlessly using your heart and your gut to keep brands relevant in culture. 4. The New Definition of Brand Experiences: Consumers expect more than products—they want engaging experiences. Raja Rajamannar (Mastercard) showcased innovations like the haptic brand signature, creating multi-sensory experiences to enhance accessibility and emotional connections while Stephanie McCarty (Taylor Morrison) spoke about the need for human touches during the build processes to drive brand advocacy. 5. AI Augments Human Creativity: AI is becoming central to brand creativity. Chelsey Susin Kantor said AI amplifies human genius, while Siddharth Taparia (JLL) noted its role in improving marketing strategies and business outcomes. NASCAR’s Tim Clark highlighted AI’s impact on content creation. 6. Brand Purpose Fuels Growth: Jeremy S. Thompson (Edelman) shared that consumers expect brands to take a stand on societal issues. Tinder’s Stephanie Danzi added that purpose-driven campaigns build both trust and commercial success. Cat Canada and Celeste DePaola shared Bobbie’s “Parents Push Harder” campaign with Naomi Osaka is a prime example of a successful cause-driven, influencer-led campaign. 7. Inclusive and Diverse Teams Drive Resilience: Angela Roseboro (Toast) and Lydia Smith, MBA (Victoria’s Secret & Co.) emphasized how diverse teams lead to better outcomes. Caroline Dettman (The Female Quotient) highlighted inclusivity as a key driver of innovation, ensuring brand relevance in an increasingly diverse world. #Brandweek2024 #AIinMarketing #InclusiveMarketing

Brands are embracing agency rosters to more effectively address an increasing array of demands. MediaLink's Andrea Kerr Redniss shares that, “we’re seeing a lot more roster solutions, especially on the creative side … But we are actually seeing that in media as well.” She highlights how this trend enables marketers to leverage specialized expertise, giving them the agility to respond to unique challenges and opportunities. Read the full piece on Ad Age here: https://lnkd.in/diTggzeU #Agency #Marketing #MediaLinked

The MediaLink team is thrilled to attend Brandweek 2024 from September 23-26, joining 800+ industry leaders to dive into the big questions of ever-evolving brand strategy.    We’re looking forward to bringing back fresh perspectives and insights. If you’re attending, let’s connect!    https://lnkd.in/gkK_AgS8   #Brandweek2024 #MediaLinked Heather Dumford Jonah Minton

“If AI can free up people to do fewer manual tasks, imagine what can happen if you can build a more sophisticated in-store experience.” – Devrie DeMarco   This week at #IABConnectedCommerce, MediaLink’s Devrie DeMarco spoke alongside Yahoo’s Mike Brunick, Mediahub Worldwide’s Wendi Dunlap and AdMonsters’ Lynne d Johnson about supercharging creative strategies with AI and the impact on the commerce ecosystem – covering everything from use cases to ethical considerations to the future of creative roles and skill sets. Some key takeaways from the conversation: - Connecting the online experience with the in-store experience is table stakes and absolutely required for major retailers to compete. - AI has the ability to enhance creative strategy, particularly in bridging online and offline retail experiences, especially when it’s integrated into workflows. - The human element is critical – whether that’s ensuring creativity is not lost to automation, mitigating for bias, and striking a balance between personalization and privacy. - Focus on having a longer-term view of lifetime value and remember that the customer is on a journey. Go on it with them! - Be self-aware, be intentional, and use tech with equity. - Don’t get overwhelmed – test a few use cases continually and internally.   #AI #Commerce #RetailMedia #MediaLinked

Is it better to build agency capability or buy it in?    This week, The Drum asked industry experts for their take, and MediaLink’s Christopher Vollmer shared valuable insights. He points out that “with organic growth rates in low single digits for many agency businesses, a robust and active approach to acquisitions has become more critical than ever.” This underscores why agencies should look at acquisitions as a quick way to level up their capabilities, like tech-enabled workflows and innovative data solutions.    Acquisitions aren’t just about growth; they’re a smart move to enhance services and deliver real value.   Check out the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/eq-ma5XD   #Agency #Acquisitions #MediaLinked

MediaLink is thrilled to welcome Emma Mondolino as Executive Vice President, Head of Marketing!    In this newly created role, Emma will focus on crafting and delivering compelling, targeted stories about our advisory offerings to brands, media and technology companies, investors, and retailers. Hailing from Nextdoor, with prior roles at Twitter and Pinterest, Emma’s experience with hyper-growth companies and creating messaging for multiple constituencies is an asset for the business. Read the exclusive story from ADWEEK’s Kyle O'Brien here: https://lnkd.in/gyX9AaNm   #MediaLinked #Talent #Leadership