Day 2 2025Tuesday, 4 February 2025 - US/Eastern

Explore how data-driven strategies and innovative research can elevate user engagement and drive business success. Dive into real-world case studies and gain actionable insights for creating user-centric designs that align with organizational goals and foster meaningful connections.

In this keynote session, Laura Martin, a Senior Entertainment & Internet Analyst at Needham & Company, LLC, will provide a deep dive into Wall Street's perspective on the media industry. She will share valuable insights into what investors are saying and what they care about when it comes to media companies. This session will cover key trends, financial metrics, and strategic priorities that drive investor decisions and influence the media landscape.

Trends are trending, but do they actually represent the zeitgeist and reveal what's most important to consumers? The solution to trend-mania is "Foresight as Activism." Instead of corralling people to a brand's priority, we can support communities' existing goals and build preferred futures.

Takeaways:

• The trend industry is producing unhelpful insights
• The problem with market research is that it's backwards looking
• Winning brands are adopting a "build with, not for" approach to cultural strategy