Elevate is a tactical gathering in which brands, agencies, content studios, publishers and production companies collaborate to 'elevate' the business of brand-funded content creation and distribution.
Topics at Elevate are be made up of
4 Trails led by 4 Trail Leaders.
These 4 industry experts set the stage for in depth 'Expeditions' in which attendees broke out into groups to discuss and problem solve.
Keynotes, Fireside Chats, and Creative Showcases from our partners
The Elevate stage featured a variety of executive decision makers and innovators who are changing the way we look at marketing and advertising

Elevate host​
Shannon Pruitt
​
"I am so thrilled and honored to host Elevate this year. The addition of the this group of experts makes this year’s Elevate event a can’t miss.
These presentations, White Papers and Expeditions, in addition to the input and experience of the attendees, will create tangible and valuable shared understanding and knowledge that can be later used and socialized within the attendee’s respective companies.
I believe this year’s event will go far to strengthen and support a marketers approach to fund, create and distribute brand stories and will help shape a universal expectation of
the potential outcomes of Brand Storytelling with their consumers."
Conceiving ContenT
The Branded Content space can be chaotic and confusing. When should a brand embrace content marketing? How much time should it take? How much product integration is enough — or too much? How useful are celebrities and influencers? What goals and KPIs make sense? How does a brand find and express its authentic voice. In this trail we shine a light on some of the burning questions facing storytellers and brands alike
at the beginning of
content projects.
TRAIL LEADER
​
David Cohen
Senior Producer
at Variety Content Studio
PLATFORMS
& MEDIUMS
This second trail will provide a critical look into current content distribution ecosystems and
the many ways to reach
your audience.
In Trail 2 we will parse out the various distribution paths from streaming, OTT, linear, digital and social channels. It is a close-up look at content types, deal structures and inherent branding opportunities available to marketers and their partners.
​
TRAIL LEADER
​
Marissa Gluck
Strategic Consultant
& Researcher
MEASURING SUCCESS
As marketers move deeper into brand-funded content, how are they proving that their efforts are driving an increase in revenue for the brand’s
core businesses?
In Trail 3 we’ll learn how marketers evaluate success.
We will also shine a light on how brands think about predictive modeling vs. post-campaign measurement.
TRAIL LEADER
​
Fara Warner
Award Winning Journalist
& Digital Media Expert
Looking
ahead
As we look to the future,
brands must be better equipped to forecast change and be
ready to adapt to an
ever-evolving industry.
In our final trail, we’ll give an insider’s view of how content, media and platform businesses are changing their offerings, products and business models, and give a glimpse into how brands can adapt these strategies to more effectively communicate with their intended audiences.
TRAIL LEADER
​
Jeff Minsky
Lead Industry Analyst
at Myers BizNet
FIRESIDE
CHAT

Jessica Klodnicki
CMO
Skullcandy
KEYNOTE
SPEAKER

Shabnam Mogharabi
Co-founder & General Manager
SoulPancake, a division of Participant Media
​
FIRESIDE
CHAT

Debbie Sterling
CEO & Founder
GoldieBlox​
CREATIVE
Showcase

Cody Ko
YouTuber
