What You'll Learn at Ad Age's 2013 Small Agency Conference

The annual Small Agency Conference and Awards Show, to be held in Portland, Oregon, is just over one month away. So it's the perfect time for a preview of the event program, which will feature a mix of the inspirational and practical, in addition to a special keynote from Wieden & Kennedycofounder, Dan Wieden. We kick off the day with the NHL Exec VP-Marketing Brian Jennings, who will talk about the league's latest marketing efforts and the challenge to reinvigorate a passionate but less-than-pleased fan base after a lockout that shortened the most recent season by almost fifty percent. How do you infuse creative energy into the banking category, one consumers typically find almost as frustrating as air travel? By reinventing it, of course. Lani Hayward, exec VP-creative strategies at Portland's own Umpqua Bank, will talk about the company's creative mission and a philosophy that takes inspiration for its branches from the likes of coffee shops and museums. Speaking of coffee, "Skip" Colombo, of Portland favorite Stumptown Coffee Roasters, will give us a look inside the complex world of the coffee business, from the buying to the roasting to the selling, the recent rise of the artisanal shops, and how players like Stumptown can compete with deep-pocketed chains like Starbucks. Skip will be joined by two of Stumptown's coffee buyers, who will orchestrate a special coffee tasting for Small Agency Conference attendees following the presentation. Mondelez International's Debra Giampoli will provide insight into the company's agency search process, discussing some of her more memorable experiences over the years, along with the 'do's and don'ts' that she looks for when searching for agency partners. Ad Age's Ken Wheaton will continue last year's favorite discussion on "My Worst Day in Advertising," while Rupal Parekh and industry vets Jamie Barrett, Matthew Bull, Roger Camp and Gerry Graf talk about the movie from big agencies to smaller shops. Don't wait, get your tickets now.

What You'll Learn at Ad Age's 2013 Small Agency Conference

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