Top-rated business and marketing event, The Gathering, has announced an exciting lineup of thought leaders from the world’s boldest brands that will spill their secrets at the ninth annual conference in Banff, Alberta, Canada, on April 20-22, 2022. This year’s speaker topics will explore issues that brands faced in the last year, including the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, weighing in on social issues and being inclusive to minority audiences.
“The past several years have presented organizations with circumstances that even the world’s top brands couldn’t have been prepared for,” said Ryan Gill, CEO of The Gathering. “This year’s speaker lineup brings their most vulnerable learnings and insights to share with our in-person (1,000) and online audience (3,000) of brands, agencies and entrepreneurs, with hopes that The Gathering Community experiences inspiration and empowerment in their personal and professional lives.
COVID-19 Impacted small, medium and large-size organizations throughout the world; The Gathering 2022 will allow leaders to share their stories of trial and triumph during such unprecedented times. Navigating the pandemic as an established 118-year-old business, Sonali Verma, Director, Business Development, Sophi.io/The Globe & Mail, will discuss how to remain relevant as the media industry undergoes a massive digital shift. Launching in an industry that relies heavily on in-person events, Todd Humphrey, SVP of Fan Experience at The Seattle Kraken, will present the journey to building fan excitement online and throughout the city ahead of being able to experience the brand in-person once more.
Social issues have never been more important for brands to acknowledge, support and empower others, as organizations are viewed as active members of and influencers within the broader community. Honouree brands such as The NFL, DoorDash, Call of Duty and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America will share how they are authentically connecting with customers, building social bonds that resonate and creating human connections to help transform the world.
The comprehensive list of this year’s confirmed keynote session topics include:
- Kofi Amoo-Gottfried, CMO, Doordash
Doordash built an internal compass to provide clarity, unlock agile decision-making and inspire innovation rooted in its mission. In today’s social landscape, brands are expected to have a stance on important topics. Kofi will speak to how the internal compass at Doordash provides them with a path forward. - Lyndon Cormack, Co-founder & Managing Director, Herschel Supply Co.
Herschel solved the problem of boring backpacks and evolved into a global brand revered among creatives and customers alike. Lyndon will touch on how the pandemic affected their brand and what lessons it provided for their future. - Tim Ellis, CMO, The NFL
Tim Ellis is renowned across North America, and now as Chief Marketing Officer for The NFL, he’s responsible for the playbook for modernizing The NFL and how The NFL has continued to drive forward its bold marketing approach to ignite real conversation and inspire a positive, lasting impact. - Johanna Faries, SVP/GM, Call of Duty
Call of Duty has reached iconic status and maintained cultural relevance while building social bonds that resonate well beyond traditional gaming circles. Steering the brand is Johanna Faries, whose experience has led Call of Duty to become a household brand name. - Todd Humphrey, SVP of Fan Experience, Seattle Kraken
Todd Humphrey had the unique experience of launching a professional sports brand amid a global pandemic. He will explore how the Seattle Kraken was able to sell an idea that rallied a city, build a captivating brand and accomplish incredible feats of structural engineering. - Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer, Benevity
As the Chief Impact Officer at Benevity, Sona gets an intimate look at how the most iconic brands are becoming purpose-driven, how they build winning cultures, what they do and don't do and how they are creating a movement that is fundamentally altering the relationship between people and brands. - Artis Stevens, President & CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Artis shares his personal story with this pioneering non-profit, describing how it has its sights set on transforming the world, one village and one connection at a time.
Additionally, feature presenters and Honouree Brands for 2022 include leaders across a variety of industries that will share impactful insights, case studies, personal challenges and innovative business practices, including presentations from Mj DePalma, Director of Inclusive Marketing of Microsoft, Ray Adler, VP of Global Head of Games, UNO and Bozoma Saint John, Curator for the Badass Workshop and former Global Chief Marketing Officer at Netflix.
Complete event details, including speakers and in-person passes, are available at www.cultgathering.com.
For those unable to attend in person, all sessions will be live-streamed to The Gathering Online Community. Online passes are available by visiting www.cultgathering.com/buy-passes.
To request a complimentary media pass, please visit here.
About The Gathering
The Gathering is a Forbes top-rated business and marketing Summit that unites global executives to celebrate some of the world’s most beloved brands and their brave leaders. An intimate group of 1,000 professionals gather in a 150-year-old castle, nestled in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. This three-day masterclass features a variety of inspiring thought leaders, valuable workshops, high-value networking, and unforgettable experiences. Started in 2013, The Gathering Summit is hosted annually in the world-class destination of Banff, Canada
Further information
Erica Richardson