Join CMO, Julia Fitzgerald, as she delivers an inspiring keynote at the Iowa AMA conference.  Relevant for marketing professionals at all stages of their careers, Julia's talk will navigate the dynamic landscape of marketing, drawing from her diverse experiences and providing actionable insights for attendees. Key topics include:

1. The Boundless Possibilities of a Marketing Career
   Julia shares her journey through various industries—consumer products, toys, retail, private equity, franchises, and public health—demonstrating the limitless potential within a marketing career. Discover the secrets to maintaining versatile career options and staying adaptable in an ever-evolving field.

2. Embracing the Power of Midsize Firms
   Julia delves into the unique advantages of working with midsize companies, offering pro tips from her book, Midsize, for thriving in this often-overlooked sector. Learn how midsize firms can provide fulfilling career opportunities, and why they might be the perfect fit for your professional growth.

3. Preparing for the Future While Staying Grounded in Fundamentals
   In an era of rapid change and innovation, Julia emphasizes the importance of balancing the pursuit of new trends with a solid foundation in marketing basics. Gain insights into future-proofing your career and staying relevant in a constantly shifting marketing landscape.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from a seasoned marketing expert and visionary. Julia Fitzgerald’s keynote will empower you to map out your marketing journey with confidence.

As the digital landscape shifts away from cookie-based tracking, it's crucial to revisit and refine our media and measurement principles. This presentation explores effective strategies for maintaining robust, data-driven marketing efforts, ensuring accurate audience targeting, and measuring campaign success in a post-cookie world.

 Key takeaways:

• Embrace first-party data: Leveraging first-party data is more important than ever. Build strong, direct relationships with your audience to gather valuable insights and maintain personalized marketing efforts.

• Innovate measurement techniques: Adapt to new measurement methods, such as cohort analysis and probabilistic attribution, to accurately assess campaign performance without relying on cookies.

• Reintegrate fundamental media principles: Focus on the core principles of media planning and buying, such as understanding your audience, selecting the right channels, and optimizing ad placements to ensure effective and efficient media strategies.

Enrique Peña Velasco with International Marketing Communications (IMC) will discuss how businesses can effectively engage and expand their market reach with Iowa's Latino community. Gain insights into the unique challenges and opportunities of this demographic and learn practical strategies for creating impactful, culturally relevant marketing campaigns with specific case studies. As a niche marketing firm, IMC has a deep understanding of the complexities and nuances of a bicultural and bilingual marketplace.

Key Takeaways:

• Bicultural and Bilingual Expertise: Learn how IMC’s expertise in navigating cultural and linguistic differences can help your business connect authentically with Latino consumers.

• Targeted Strategies: Discover the tailored marketing strategies IMC uses to bridge the gap between businesses and the Latino community, ensuring messages resonate on a cultural level.

• Case Studies: Hear success stories from companies that have partnered with IMC to expand their reach and build lasting relationships with the Latino community in Iowa.

Aaron will discuss in-depth his most recent article "How Marketers Are Getting AI All Wrong (And What To Do About It)" published on MarketingProfs. While unions strike and artists file lawsuits over AI job- and value-displacement, marketers wring our hands about so-called AI threatening marketing jobs and making our marketing departments obsolete while we … wait for it … use AI to do marketing.

Operating under this strange dichotomy, marketers have fallen hard for unprecedented hype and are rushing to be the first to master AI tech which, as one scientist puts it, is little more than algorithms that are “haphazardly stitching together sequences of linguistic forms … according to probabilistic information.” Or as a user on Mastodon put it, “mansplaining as a service: superficially plausible but totally fabricated nonsense presented with unflagging confidence.”

In this session, audiences will take away: 

• An alternative view of generative AI, understanding how its technology is anything but intelligent, and how using it is commoditizing marketers’ hard-earned expertise. 

• A clear-eyed and honest look at the ethical trade-offs marketers are making by using these tools. 

• Four specific ways we as marketers can take an active role in creating an alternative, more ethical future for so-called AI that will better serve us and our craft.

Get ready for an electrifying session of quick, impactful exchanges! Our Lightning Round Table Discussions are designed to supercharge your marketing knowledge in record time. In this fast-paced, interactive format, you'll join small groups for a series of rapid-fire discussions, each focused on a different hot topic in marketing.

Facilitated by a round table leader, these mini-discussions are perfect for sharing ideas, asking questions, and learning actionable insights from peers and thought leaders alike. Whether you're looking to sharpen your digital strategies, explore emerging trends, or find fresh approaches to engage your audience, this session will provide you with a wealth of perspectives in a condensed time frame.

Come prepared to connect, contribute, and leave with a notebook full of new ideas and strategies to implement in your business!

Step into the world of social media influence with a panel of top influencers and creators who are successfully navigating this marketing area. During this session, our panelists will offer candid insights on what it takes to build authentic relationships with their audience, the dos and don’ts of influencer marketing, and how they work to align your brand's goals using their unique voice and audience. You'll gain a deeper understanding of the creative process, learn how to approach collaborations with respect and mutual benefit, and discover new ways to leverage the power of social media to amplify your brand.

Whether you're new to influencer marketing or looking to refine your strategy, this session will provide valuable perspectives straight from the creators themselves, helping you forge stronger, more impactful partnerships.

Panelists:
Elli Jennings, Influencer
Macy Krall, Hummingbirds
Akilah Anders, Hummingbirds

Kimberly Johnson

Kimberly Johnson is the CEO and Founder of K. Johnson Studio, a boutique consulting firm specializing in brand transformations and fractional Chief Marketing Officer services for start-ups and small- to mid-sized private companies. With a decade of marketing leadership, she has scaled a start-up to double its growth for four consecutive years and transformed a manufacturing brand into a recognized technology leader.

Kimberly's expertise has earned her numerous accolades, including “Marketing Executive of the Year” by the American Marketing Association of Iowa and the “Best Branding” award for her work at MHT Technologies. She has also been named to the 40 Under 40 list and received awards for Best Special Event, Best Integrated Marketing Campaign, and a nomination for Best Small Budget Campaign for her work at Igor, an intelligent building start-up.

In 2022, Kimberly co-founded the PoE Consortium, a nonprofit industry advocacy group, and was elected its first president in 2023. She grew the consortium from eight to over 40 member companies, including international members. Kimberly holds an MBA with Honors from the University of Iowa and began her career in corporate marketing consulting in Chicago, working with top CPG and retail brands such as Nestle, Tyson, Walgreens, and Bush Brothers.

An accomplished speaker with over 40 engagements, Kimberly also holds a Certificate in Studio Art from the Art Institute of Chicago. Beyond her professional achievements, she is a dedicated nonprofit board member, a former NCAA Division II Academic All-Star Athlete, and has international experience as an English teacher in Hokkaido, Japan. Her diverse background and drive make her a dynamic leader in the marketing and business strategy industry.

Enrique Peña Velasco

Enrique Peña Velasco, born in Colombia South America, came to the US in 1980.   He is the agency director of International Marketing Communications, Inc. (IMC). 

 IMC is a Hispanic Advertising Agency in Des Moines, Iowa.  Enrique started his advertising and marketing career in 1985 doing professional Spanish voiceovers, and acting, and in 2001 started the Hispanic Ad Agency.

 IMC helps businesses successfully reach the Latino community.  As a niche marketing company, IMC fully understands the importance of effectively navigating through a bicultural, bilingual marketplace. 

Aaron Templer

Aaron Templer’s professional and intellectual interests are at the intersection of creativity, brand, influence, and leadership. His nearly 30-year career has culminated in the founding of Three Over Four, a full-service brand strategy and digital marketing agency enjoying its 16th year. Aaron is a professional instructor and former national council President for the American Marketing Association (AMA). The AMA awarded Aaron a lifetime membership for “fearlessly leading, adapting, and creating change through a truly unprecedented time.” Aaron’s first book, Leading in a Social World, is a seven-time award winner and, as one review put it, “turns our perception of social media marketing on its head.” Aaron is an active speaker, has taught as an adjunct professor, and is a leadership consultant, building and delivering programs that empower teams and individuals to realize the power of social capital. Aaron is also a world percussionist and composer of rhythms. Some call him the Gora Dhol Wallah.

Dani Ingersoll

From small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, Dani has been dedicated to helping business owners and marketing teams increase their ROI for over 10 years. With a passion for lead generation and data-driven decisions, she focuses on the big picture, putting together all of the pieces of a marketing strategy to work harmoniously. Outside of work, she has recently started a new and exciting chapter as a mom of a sweet baby girl!

 Elli Jennings

Raised on a farm in Central Iowa, Elli Jennings decided to get her Real Estate license at the age of 18 to join her family real estate business to help people find the excitement in buying real estate and living in Iowa. With a degree in marketing, a natural creative edge, and a passion for the state of Iowa, Elli has taken her skills and interests and has turned them into a passionate and profitable real estate business, marketing herself and her skills through social media marketing.

Macy Krall

I'm Macy! I am a lover of anything small business related, mama to two little girls + wife. 

With over a decade in the wedding industry, I successfully created and sold a thriving Vintage Rental company. Despite the challenges of opening a brick-and-mortar store just two weeks before a pandemic and another while eight months pregnant, my passion for small businesses has never wavered. 

I'm a proud advocate and cheerleader for entrepreneurs and small business owners! Creating socials for over 5 small businesses and continuing to craft content weekly, I love connecting with everyday people in the Midwest who share my passion for supporting small businesses.

 Akilah Anders