Clios after dark, cocktail hour with music by Alley Kay and Kool DJ Red Alert
Alley KayDJ
Kool DJ Red AlertDJ
Honorary Clio Award Presentation to Busta Rhymes followed by fireside chat
Busta RhymesRapper and Producer
Inside the Brief: Emerging Creative Workshop with speakers from Meta, Nascar and PepsiCo
Katie NikolausDirector, Global PartnershipsKimberly-Clark
Julie HoweCreative Shop Americas, Group LeadMeta
Jess SmithVP, BrandNascar
Katheryn RenfroeCreative DirectorPepsi Co
Create or Destroy Reimagining Marketing with Seth Matlins
Seth MatlinsHost, Award-Winning Marketer, and FounderWisdomous Company
Create Or Destroy
Take Control of The Claw – Twitch Brand Partnership Studio
Twitch
Live Podcast: Design Matters with Debbie Millman
Debbie MillmanDesigner, Writer, Educator, and Artist
Design Matters
Live Podcast: Best Brands on Earth from the Clios
Hayley Clover & Matt KerbelCo HostsBest Brands on Earth
Best Brands on Earth
Brands at Clios on Culture
About
A premium, immersive event at the forefront of culture, featuring conversations with athletes, artists, creators, brands, and more about how to be brave enough to pursue bold ideas and what to do when they actually work. Connect over curated meals, hands-on experiences, cocktails, and a live music performance.
Who Is It For
From CMOs and creative directors to strategists, designers, storytellers, innovators, media leaders, and content creators, this gathering brings together a community united by curiosity, collaboration, and bold thinking.
11:00 AM
registration
Registration & Lunch
Cooper room
12:00 PM
Architects of influence
As consumers spend more time with creator-driven and short-form episodic content, forward-thinking marketers are investing in original storytelling that earns attention rather than demanding it. In this session, we'll take audiences inside Roomies, the breakout, in-house-produced web series from Bilt, to explore how character-driven storytelling can drive affinity, deepen audience loyalty, and strengthen cultural relevance. Hear from Bilt's marketing, creative, and production teams, alongside cast members from the show, about building a community that people genuinely want to belong to.
Zoe Oz (Chief Marketing Officer, Bilt), Cyrus Ferguson (Senior Content Director, Bilt), Brooke Brazer (Co-Showrunner and Cast, Roomies), Maddie Land (Cast, Roomies), Moderator: Emily Seal (Executive Director, the Clios)
DRAPER ROOM
12:15 PM
Architects of Influence
Go behind the brief with the brands presenting this year’s Emerging Creative Awards, including PepsiCo Foods, NASCAR and Meta. Creative leaders will share the thinking behind their briefs, offer context on their marketing ethos and answer questions from audience members looking to sharpen their ideas before entering their submissions. This complimentary session is limited to 100 students, independent creatives and professionals with up to five years of working experience. All credentialed participants who attend the session will also receive an exclusive offer to attend the full two days of Clios on Culture. Registration will close once capacity is reached.
Julie Howe (Creative Shop Americas, Group Lead, Meta), Jess Smith (VP of Brand, NASCAR), Katheryn Renfroe, (Creative Director, PepsiCo), Katie Nikolaus (Director Global Partnerships, Kimberly-Clark), Moderator: Luz Corona (Executive Director of Content, the Clios)
Olson Room
12:40 PM
Architects of Influence
The best creative work has always demanded more — more time, more iterations, more big ideas. Now, generative AI is giving creative teams new superpowers, and Meta is building tools that amplify human creativity rather than replace it. Hear from practitioners, agencies, and brands at the frontier of AI-native content on how today's tools handle the heavy lifting — limitless concepting, real-time iteration, culturally resonant ideas at speed and scale — so the people behind the work can focus on the ideas only humans can have. If you believe the best ads haven't been made yet, this is the session for you.
Crystal Duncan (EVP of Brand Engagement Tinuiti), Rory Flynn (Founder, Systematiq.Ai), Moderator: Derek Scott (Creative Strategist, Meta)
DRAPER ROOM
1:15 PM
TASTEMAKERS
For decades, women in sports have had to be more than athletes. Creativity has been the key to financial success as players have taken on roles as brands, creators, entrepreneurs, and cultural forces just to make a living wage. From building loyal audiences to monetizing their identities beyond the game, they rewrote the playbook long before pay equity entered the conversation. Now, as investment rises and the wage gap begins to close, a new question emerges: what happens to the personal brand? Does it evolve, intensify, or become optional? This panel explores how women athletes have shaped culture through necessity—and what that legacy means for the future of sports, media, and influence when survival is no longer the only driver.
Laura Correnti (Founder & CEO, Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment), Sue Bird (WNBA Champion, Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment)
Draper Room
1:45 PM
Break
Networking & Snacks
Cooper room
1:45PM
Live Podcast
Attend a live recording of the new podcast from the Clios that brings you inside conversations with leaders behind the brands that have shaped culture and earned lasting relevance—unpacking the ideas, decisions, and originality that made them what they are, and what any builder can learn from them.Go behind the campaign, past the press release, and into the real, raw conversations about what it takes to create something that has united people and transformed the cultural conversation.
Hayley Clover & Matt Kerbel (Co- Hosts)
Sterling Room
2:15 PM
culture collisions
Few things express a sense of community, identity and loyalty better than fashion, but not every company can produce the season's hottest hat or t-shirt. Or can they? From small business to big tech, brands are making their mark on culture through merchandise that people actually want to wear. On this panel, hear from the local shops and national brands building audience affinity through highly coveted items that have little to do with what they're selling.
Cole Poska (Creative Director, Beyond Studios), Janna-Fay Casanova (Senior Director of Marketing Operations, The Grammy's), Alex Alpert (Artist and Creative Director), Moderator: Luz Corona (Executive Director of Content, the Clios)
Olson Room
2:45 pm
Industry Icons
A candid look back from industry leaders who helped shape modern creative culture. This session reflects on the myths, missteps, and outdated assumptions that once defined the business, and unpacks what today’s leaders should carry forward or leave behind as they build the future of creativity.
Jerri DeVard (Founder & CEO, BECA), Michael Kassan (Founder & CEO, 3C Ventures), Susan Credle (Former Chair and Global CCO, FCB), Moderator: Emily Seal (Executive Director, the Clios)
Draper Room
3:20 PM
Culture Collisions
The New York Knicks’ championship was more than a victory on the court. It was a cultural moment that brought fans, creators, and communities together on TikTok and beyond. In this fireside chat, TikTok's Liza Heller and New York Knicks player, Jordan Clarkson, reflect on how the championship transcended sports to become a shared cultural experience. From fan reactions and creator storytelling to the conversations that brought people together, they’ll explore what happens when a defining sports moment is made for the culture and amplified by TikTok.
Jordan Clarkson (New York Knicks Player), Liza Heller (Sector Director, TikTok Global Business Solutions)
draper room
3:50 PM
Break
Networking & Snacks
Cooper room
3:50pm
Live podcast
witcha black ads
sterling room
4:10 PM
tastemakers
Mark Seliger's iconic images have chronicled culture as it forms, whether that's on the cover of Rolling Stone, in ad campaigns for Adidas, backstage at the Vanity Fair Oscar party, or on the poster for the summer's biggest blockbuster film. His lens has perhaps captured more subjects on the precipice of stardom than any other photographer. And what all of the photos have in common is Seliger's innate ability to get his subjects to reveal something that turns the culture, putting them center stage and capturing a shift in their trajectory. During this session, he'll unpack his creative process and what his work reveals about the people in his frame.
Mark Seliger (Photographer)
draper room
4:40 PM
architects of influence
Rather than chasing trends or inserting themselRather than chasing trends or inserting themselves into cultural moments, the brands with lasting relevance start by creating genuine value for the people and communities they serve. Join Delta Air Lines and Kin for a conversation about what it takes to build ideas that resonate because they contribute, not because they interrupt. Through initiatives like Delta Locals, Overhead Originals, and Faces of Travel, learn how to identify where culture is already thriving, design platforms that amplify community needs and build programs that earn attention by giving something meaningful back. For marketers looking beyond the next viral moment, this session offers a blueprint for building brands that people choose to bring into culture.ves into cultural moments, the brands with lasting relevance start by creating genuine value for the people and communities they serve. Join Delta Air Lines and Kin for a conversation about what it takes to build ideas that resonate because they contribute, not because they interrupt. Through initiatives like Delta Locals, Overhead Originals, and Faces of Travel, learn how to identify where culture is already thriving, design platforms that amplify community needs and build programs that earn attention by giving something meaningful back. For marketers looking beyond the next viral moment, this session offers a blueprint for building brands that people choose to bring into culture.
Kwame Taylor-Hayford (Co-Founder, Kin), Shannon Womack ( Head of Commercial Marketing, Delta Airlines), Moderator: Emily Seal (Executive Director, the Clios)
Olson Room
5:15 PM
tastemakers
What does it take to build work that leaves a lasting cultural mark? Whether it's on stage with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band or on TV as the iconic Silvio Dante in HBO's 'The Sopranos', Stevie Van Zandt has built a legacy by coloring outside the lines. In this special session, the Clios will present Van Zandt with an Honorary Clio Award, and he'll sit down for a Q&A to unpack the creative choices behind his work, the value of staying true to a point of view, and why the most memorable ideas often come from taking risks.
Stevie Van Zandt (Award-Winning Actor and Musician), Moderator: Michael Kauffman (Executive Director, Clio Music)
draper room
6:00 PM
clios after dark
Cocktail hour, Music by Alley Kay and Kool DJ Red Alert
Cooper room
7:30 PM
Clios after dark
Dinner, Honorary Clio Award Presentation to Busta Rhymes & special performance
draper room
9:00 AM
registration
registration & breakfast
cooper room
10:05 AM
culture collisions
Community health extends far beyond healthcare. It encompasses physical well-being, mental health, financial stability, access to information, opportunities to play, and the relationships that help people thrive. Increasingly, brands across every industry are helping shape healthier communities, not just through what they sell, but through the experiences, resources, and connections they create.
Ashley Marusak (Executive Director of Enterprise Sponsorships, CVS Health), Elyse Slayton (CMO, Dallas Wings), Karen Yanick (SVP, Strategy & Integration-Global Partnerships & Social Media Marketing, Bank of America), Prateek Sood (Vice President, Global Commercial Partnership Marketing, Mastercard)
DRAPER ROOM
10:30 AM
Live podcast
Join Seth Matlins for a live recording of his weekly podcast where he is joined by the most influential thinkers across the business and cultural landscapes for unvarnished, actionable, and frequently irreverent conversations on the internal and external forces that combine to shape how value is either created or destroyed.
Seth Matlins (Host, Award-Winning Marketer, and Founder, Wisdomous Company)
Sterling room
10:40 AM
architects of influence
Brands become timeless when they learn to move beyond name recognition and become part of everyday language and behavior. This session explores the creative decisions, cultural instincts, and long-term commitments that allow some companies to transcend category and embed themselves in culture rather than simply advertise to it.
Liza Keller (Head of Integrated Marketing Campaigns, US and Canada, Uber), Lauren Smith (Chief Creative Officer, 72andSunny), Martin Rose (Director Brand Creative Studio, Netflix), Sara Singh (Head of Creative Strategy & Brand Narrative, Taco Bell), Roberta Romanholi (Head of Integrated Marketing & Brand, Kleenex North America), Moderator: Peter Adams (Senior Reporter, Marketing Dive)
draper room
11:00 AM
Culture Collisions
For generations, endometriosis has been one of the most underdiagnosed and culturally invisible diseases in women's health, affecting more than 265 million women worldwide yet rarely represented onscreen, in campaigns, or in conversation. That silence is breaking. Documentaries, creative storytelling, and public advocacy are pulling women's health out of the shadows and into the cultural mainstream. This panel brings together filmmaker Sammy Jaye, actress Brooke Brazer, and celebrity advocate Elsie Hewitt to unpack what it takes to turn silence into story. Together they'll explore why authenticity is starting to outperform the old awareness-campaign formula, what culture gets right and wrong when it finally tells these stories, and what it will take to keep the momentum from fading.
Brooke Brazer (Actress, Writer, Producer), Sammy Jaye (Director & Producer, End of the Cycle), Elsie Hewitt (Actor, Model, and Writer), Moderator: Emily Seal (Executive Director, the Clios)
olson room
11:15 AM
Tastemakers
Hip Hop has shaped the way we dress, talk, shop, and connect, creating enormous value for the brands and industries that tap into its influence. But as Hip Hop culture continues to drive commerce, who gets to participate in the value it creates? This conversation brings together creators, brands and cultural leaders to talk about what it takes to turn influence into opportunity, build partnerships that go beyond a campaign, and ensure the people creating culture have a stake in what they help build.
April Walker (Founder, Walker Wear), Brandice Daniel (Founder & CEO, Harlem's Fashion Row), Courtney-Grace Richardson (Creative Director, Droga5), Jerome LaMaar (Creative Director & Designer), Kelley Walton (Chief Marketing Officer, SNIPES US), Moderator: TT Torrez (Music Executive & Multi Media Personality)
draper room
11:45 AM
Live Podcast
File New is a show about the design we all live within. The branding on an Instagram page, the new packaging on your favorite snack, creative storefronts, app interfaces, the logos we've seen a hundred times and never stop to consider. Ryan Selvy is a Brooklyn-based designer who curates the week's creative stories and creator resources, then asks what YOU think. Because design isn't something reserved only for the people who build it, it's experienced by all. File New shows design in a way you didn’t know you were noticing all along.
Ryan Selvy (Host)
Sterling Room
11:50 AM
architects of influence
Some brands are engineered for visibility from the start. This conversation explores how companies design products, campaigns, and experiences that are inherently shareable, and how distribution is built into the product itself. From meme culture to social-first design, what does it take to create something that travels organically across platforms? How do brands think about aesthetics, humor, and participation as drivers of reach?
Ryan Meegan (Co-Founder & CMO, DUDE Wipes), Jimmy Knowles (Global Head of Experiential, Canva), Shreya Murthy (Cofounder & CEO, Partiful), Kay Hsu (Global Head of Creative Lab, Spotify), Moderator: Rachel Karten (Substack Author, Link in Bio)
draper room
12:20 PM
Break
Networking & Lunch
cooper room
12:40 PM
CULTURE COLLISIONs
As the World Cup played out on American soil, its fandom sprouted in unexpected places. Platforms like Roblox have become one of the most powerful places for sports leagues, teams, networks and brands to build the next generation of fans. This session explores how a cultural sensation on Roblox led to viewership and interest in the tournament among Gen Alpha.
Lisa Willett (Senior Director, Global Strategic Partnerships, Roblox), Ricardo Briceno (CEO, Gamefam), Moderator: Luz Corona (Executive Director of Content, the Clios)
Olson Room
1:00 PM
Live podcast
Attend a live recording of Design Matters, one of the first and longest running podcasts in the world. Design Matters centers on how the world’s most incredibly creative people—designers, writers, artists, musicians, educators, scientists, philosophers, athletes and performers—design the trajectory of their lives.
Debbie Millman (Designer, Writer, Educator, and Artist Host: Design Matters)
Sterling Room
1:20 PM
architects of influence
For years, brands, creators, and media companies relied on platforms to reach audiences. Today, the most successful businesses are building engagement beyond the algorithm through direct relationships with the people they serve. This conversation explores what it takes to turn audiences into communities, communities into fandoms, and fandoms into sustainable businesses.
Tyler Denk (Co-founder and CEO, beehiiv), Jack Appleby (Creator, Future Social), Zach Griff (Travel Journalist, Founder of From the Tray Table), Hope King (Founder, Macro Talk), Moderator: Francis Zierer (Lead Editor, Creator Spotlight)
Draper room
1:55 PM
culture collisions
Music, fashion and sports are among the few cultural forces capable of creating truly shared moments in our modern media landscape. This session explores how sound, style, and fandom shape collective identity across generations, and why certain songs, teams, and moments still cut through to define eras and create a shared sense of belonging.
Julien Christian Lutz (P.K.A Director X), Chad Issaq (Executive Director, VML Live North America), Tom Keough (Senior Director, Collaborations & Lifestyle Marketing, New Era), Flavor Flav (Rapper and Pop Culture Icon), Moderator: Luz Corona (Executive Director of Content, the Clios)
Draper room
2:25 PM
Break
Networking & Snacks
Cooper Room
2:25 PM
Live Podcast
Attend a live recording of the new podcast from the Clios that brings you inside conversations with leaders behind the brands that have shaped culture and earned lasting relevance—unpacking the ideas, decisions, and originality that made them what they are, and what any builder can learn from them.Go behind the campaign, past the press release, and into the real, raw conversations about what it takes to create something that has united people and transformed the cultural conversation.
Hayley Clover (Actress, Journalist, and Host: Best Brands on Earth) . Matt Kerbel (Builder, Marketer, Teacher, and Host: Best Brands on Earth)
Sterling room
2:45 PM
Tastemakers
The "skip ad" button was supposed to kill advertising. Instead, it sparked a revolution. As attention spans shrank, the boldest brands did something counterintuitive. They made content longer. 53-minute films, episodic dramas on TikTok, and :60s stretched into sagas. Long-form branded content is outperforming the scroll, converting skeptical clients into believers, and giving creators room to do their best work. This session explores why going long might be advertising's most powerful move in this moment.
Taste used to be subjective. Now it drives billion-dollar businesses. This session explores how founders and creatives develop a point of view early, scale it without dilution, and build brands that shape what people want before they know they want it.
Dan Scott-Croxford (Chief Creative Officer & Partner, Milk Agency), Stanley Lumax (Executive Director of Talent and Culture Partnerships, JPMorganChase), Iris Chan (VP Growth & Marketing, Maison BETC), Meredith Melling (Cofounder and Chief Brand Officer, La Ligne), Moderator: Aemilia Madden (Editorial & Content Consultant; Author, Taeste Bud)
Draper Room
3:30 PM
Architects of Influence
Can the traditional brief survive AI, real-time data, and always-on production? In this session, panelists will debate where briefs can still work and where they might be outgrown in our new media reality.
Elijah Farmer (Group Creative Director, PepsiCo), Katheryn Renfroe (Creative Director, Frito-Lay North America), Prithvi Malik (Director, Social Strategy, PepsiCo)
Draper Room
3:45 PM
architects of influence
As audiences fragment, trends accelerate, and the distance between inspiration and execution continues to shrink, creative leaders are rethinking how great work gets made. The most relevant brands are turning to data, technology, and new creative tools to spot opportunities, sharpen instincts, and bring ideas to life at the speed of culture. Join creative leaders from Adobe and Code and Theory for a conversation on how the creative process is evolving, why cultural fluency has become a competitive advantage, and how modern teams are using new tools and workflows to create work that earns attention, drives conversation, and stays relevant in an increasingly crowded landscape.
Craig Elimeliah (Chief Creative Officer, Code and Theory), Resh Sidhu (VP of Creative, Adobe), Moderator: Ryan Selvy (Host, File New)
Olson Room
4:05 PM
architects of influence
The world's most enduring media brands have learned that relevance can't be inherited—it has to be continually reinvented. As audiences consume content across an ever-growing mix of platforms, legacy publishers are evolving into creative engines that produce original content, shape culture, and build deeper connections with consumers and brands alike. Join leaders from The Atlantic, Bloomberg Media, and Vox as they discuss how they're balancing editorial integrity with innovation while redefining what it means to remain culturally relevant.
Ashish Verma (Global Head of Creative, Bloomberg Media Studios, Bloomberg Media), Tyler Watson (Executive Vice President of Marketing, The Atlantic) , Yosef Johnson (Head of DCP Studios), Leah Wyar (President, Entertainment, Beauty & Style Group, People Inc.), Moderator: Todd Spangler (Business Editor, Variety)
draper room
4:40 PM
Tastemakers
Creators are building more than audiences. They are building brands, businesses, and communities that have the power to shape culture and influence consumer behavior. In this conversation, a TikTok executive joins two notable creators to share how authentic storytelling can evolve into a scalable creative and business platform. Together, they’ll explore what brands can learn from creators who have turned everyday experiences into highly engaged communities, built successful brand partnerships, and created content that resonates at scale. The conversation will unpack how brands, creators, and TikTok can collaborate to develop culturally relevant storytelling that builds trust, strengthens brand connection, and drives meaningful business results.
Erinn Piller (Head of North America Business Marketing, TikTok), Nicolas Nuvan (TikTok Creator, @nicolasnuvan), Tejas Hullur (TikTok Creator, @tejashullur)
draper room
5:00 PM
Tastemakers
The internet has made it easier than ever for artists to be their most authentic creative selves. The downside is that with so many options and modes of discovery, it's harder than ever to break through. For musicians, editorial curators and active communities of listeners seeking to find their next favorite song can make the difference between singing into a void and playing to an engaged crowd. Asher White knows this firsthand. With more more than two dozen records released on Bandcamp, Asher built a devoted following without a big marketing budget or viral moment. This session will explore how Bandcamp allowed White to forge deeper, more lasting relationships with fans and why a community-first growth strategy can outlast an approach based on maximizing reach and algorithms alone.
Asher White (Musical Artist), Moderator: J. Edward Keyes (Editorial Director, Bandcamp)
Olson room
5:15 PM
Tastemakers
What does it take to go from content creator to cultural force? Jordan Howlett, known to millions as @jordan_the_stallion8, pulls back the curtain on the creator economy: how talent rises to the top, what makes audiences stay, and what brands need to understand before they send over a brief. In this candid one-on-one session, Jordan shares the principles behind building influence that brands, celebrities, and millions of fans want to be part of. And with his platform firmly established, he’ll reveal how he’s using his influence to build something even bigger for his next chapter.
Jordan Howlett (Creator, @jordan_the_stallion8 and Chief Content Officer, Blenders Eyewear), Doug Landers (Co-Founder, Green Light Group), Moderator: Memo Macalpin (Founder, KYZEL)
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