We’re proud to partner with Advertising Week again this year to produce the LinkedIn B2B Forum, which will take place Tuesday, September 27, in New York. Even if you can’t join us in New York, you can sign up for the live stream of the B2B Forum. Here’s a brief video we prepared to set the stage for the event:
A Preview of the LinkedIn B2B Forum
This year the LinkedIn Forum, which will feature speakers from General Electric, Wharton School, LinkedIn and more, has a theme of “Beyond B2B.” This theme recognizes marketing’s seismic shift away from corporate messages aimed at buyers toward making genuine connections with actual people. The most effective B2B marketers create engaging customer experiences and forge enduring relationships throughout the buyer’s journey.
At the LinkedIn B2B Forum, our speakers will discuss three aspects of the most effective B2B marketing. First, there’s content. In the always-on world, where we continually are engaged with our desktops, laptops, and mobile devices, content is the way brands engage with prospects and customers.
Second is context. Marketers must understand the mindset in which prospects are receiving the marketing message. On LinkedIn, for instance, members are in a professional mindset.
And last is convergence. This is the simple fact that our lives converge on the tablets and mobile phones we always have by our sides, which provide us with instant access to the information (and entertainment) we seek. Convergence has raised the bar for content: B2B marketers have to delight their prospects just as they’re delighted by the apps they love on their mobile devices.
Here’s a snapshot of the sessions at the LinkedIn B2B Forum:
Taking the Long View — The Future of B2B Advertising
9:35am
In this session Wharton School Professor Jerry Wind and LinkedIn's VP of Global Marketing, Alison Lange Engel, will discuss how the disruption created by the unprecedented speed and scope of technological innovation demand a shift in thinking from reactive to proactive.
The Trap of Short-Term Thinking
9:55am
In an era of big data, we have become increasingly seduced by short-term digital metrics. We are in danger of forgetting that the long-term effectiveness of advertising cannot be measured by a click-through rate. Ife Babatunde Agency Partnership Manager, LinkedIn, explains how we can readjust our thinking to evaluate advertising effectiveness for the long-term.
How to Tell Great Brand Stories
10:05am
Dan Roth, LinkedIn Executive Editor, will explain how companies and professionals can tell great stories that drive engagement on LinkedIn. He will also share LinkedIn’s overall approach to editorial content.
Beyond B2B: Revolutionizing the Customer Experience
10:25am
In this session, I will talk with Russ Glass, Head of Products, Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn, about how B2B marketing has evolved to adapt to the sophisticated new ways customers are interacting with brands.
Lessons from the World’s Most Valuable B2B Brands
10:45am
Millward Brown recently partnered with LinkedIn to release the first-ever ranking of today's most valuable B2B brands as part of WPP’s annual BrandZ™ report. Find out how the world’s top-rated businesses increased their value by shifting focus from product development to brand building and embracing a customer-centric business model. This panel discussion will include:
- Barton Hill, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Managing Director, Citi Treasury and Trade Solutions
- Jia Hyun, Head of North America, Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn
- Andy Goldberg, Chief Creative Officer, GE
- Doreen Wang, Global Head of BrandZ, Millward Brown
The Changing Agency Model: What’s Next?
11:10am
With B2B advertising and marketing spend projected to hit $161 billion this year alone, the role of agencies is evolving and expanding. A panel of experts will discuss the challenges and opportunities:
- Mike Romoff, Head of Global Agency and Partnerships, LinkedIn
- Israel Mirsky, Global Managing Director for Intel, OMD
- Patrick O'Hara, Global Chief Strategic Officer, gyro
- Kim Thompson, SVP, Managing Director, Mediavest | Spark
Don’t forget to register for the live stream of LinkedIn B2B Forum. And for a deep dive into how to get the most out of your content, download The Sophisticated Marketer’s Guide to Content Marketing today.
