Today, Variety announced the initial programming slate for the 2025 Entertainment Marketing Summit, presented by Deloitte, on April 24 in Los Angeles. The summit will identify the best opportunities to engage today’s evolving audiences and consumers who continue to be fast-moving targets across growing media platforms.
The event will include a keynote conversation with HOORAE, featuring Issa Rae, founder & CEO, HOORAE; Monique Francis, head of marketing, HOORAE; Talitha Watkins, president & head, ColorCreative; Montrel McKay, president of development & production, HOORAE; Stephanie Diaz-Matos, head of music supervision & library, Raedio.
The Entertainment Marketing Summit will also feature a keynote from Nicholas Sparks on how the bestselling author and producer creates stories that are beloved by readers and filmgoers all over the world.
“Variety’s Entertainment Marketing Summit is where some of the most prominent leaders in entertainment come together to share insights on the industry’s most pivotal topics. Deloitte is proud to return as the summit’s presenting sponsor this year,” said China Widener, vice chair and technology, media and telecommunications industry leader, Deloitte. “I look forward to gathering for informative and exciting conversations about the future of the industry and the innovative strategies – including AI integration, creator and social platform marketing and successfully engaging users of changing demographics – to move its marketing into the future.”
Additional programming, with more soon to be announced, include the following:
State of Entertainment Marketing Keynote Roundtable: Hear from the entertainment industry’s top marketers as they come together to explain what it takes to drive today’s audiences to film and TV. Speakers include Dwight Caines, president of domestic marketing at Universal Pictures, and Christian Parkes, Neon’s chief marketing officer.
The Anatomy of a Fan Favorite Campaign: With the right mix of creative and strategy, a campaign can quickly draw in broad audiences to embrace something new. Panelists include James Finn, global head of brand and content marketing, Audible; Shelly Gillyard, VP marketing, U.S. and Canada, Netflix; and Joe Whitmore, EVP global marketing, Sony Pictures Entertainment.
The Right Stuff – Impact Marketing Roundtable: An exploration into how brands are creating purpose with their campaigns and standing out from the competition. Speakers include Taylor Montgomery, chief marketing officer, North America, Taco Bell; Lon Rosen, EVP and chief marketing officer, Los Angeles Dodgers; and Tim Clark, EVP and chief brand officer, NASCAR.
Gen Z Levels Up – Today’s Power Consumer Group: With their growing disposable income and coveted youth, Gen Z is a highly desired audience group for marketers to attract. Speakers include Sulinna Ong, global head of editorial, Spotify; Monica Austin, SVP & chief marketing officer, Blizzard Entertainment; and Patrick O’Keefe, chief integrated marketing officer, e.l.f. Beauty; and Julia Collier, chief marketing officer, J Crew.
Embracing AI for Marketing Success: Diving head-first arguably faster than other fields, the marketing/advertising industry is pioneering real-world use cases for AI. Speakers include Domenic DiMeglio, EVP & chief marketing officer, Paramount Streaming; Angie Barrick, head of global entertainment partnerships, Google and YouTube; and Heike Young, head of content, social & integrated marketing, Microsoft.
Master Class in World-Building – The Force of the Entertainment Franchise: Marketers are increasingly thinking farther out of the box to create new places for fan favorite entertainment storylines and characters to thrive. Panelists include Josh Silverman, EVP & chief franchise officer, Mattel; David O’Connor, president, franchise management and brand strategy, NBCUniversal Studio Group; and Sara Pollack, global head of consumer marketing, Pinterest.
Innovators in Modern Creator Marketing: Creator and social media platforms provide incredible marketing muscle for entertainment projects and consumer brands. But in today’s crowded media landscape – what is making the best impact with audiences? Speakers include Phylicia Fant, global head of music industry and culture collaborations, Amazon Music; Brent Mitchell, vice president, social media & influencers, Sephora; Cameron Curtis, EVP of global digital marketing, Warner Bros.; and Haley Paas, SVP, media & creator marketing, Verizon.
“The Entertainment Marketing Summit has become a hallmark of our annual programming and we are honored to again collaborate with Deloitte for this event,” said Dea Lawrence, chief operating and marketing officer of Variety. “The in-depth conversations at the summit provide one-of-a-kind insights on trends and growth areas for the coming year.”
Additional speakers and panels to be announced. For more information, please visit https://events.variety.com/entmar2025.
