Agenda | iMedia Future of Marketing Summit New Zealand

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 1

30 July 2025

9:00AM - 12:00PM

Delegate Registration

Delegates will arrive at the hotel to register and check in ahead of the afternoon formalities. A welcome lounge will be set up with refreshments and snacks.

* Hotel check in guarantee from 3pm.

12:00PM - 2:00PM

Marketers-Only Lunch | The Future of Customer Experience Design

Dave Bentley

Managing Director
AKQA

Matt Townsend

Executive Product Director
AKQA

12:30PM - 2:00PM

Networkers Briefing Light Lunch

All networkers will be treated to a light lunch. Discover how to maximise your experience at iMedia, gain valuable insider tips, and ensure all your meetings are scheduled for Business Connect.

2:00PM - 2:15PM

A Moment to Recharge

2:15PM - 2:30PM

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Join Helena Stylman and the iMedia team for a warm welcome. Helena will guide you through the top industry topics identified by our Advisory Board. It’s a great chance to catch up on the latest trends and insights in the field.

Helena Stylman

Managing Director ANZ
iMedia

2:30PM - 2:55PM

Plugged In: The Creative Spark Behind Retail Media

Retail media is evolving fast—and creativity is becoming the game-changer. Alex Lawson from Market Media sets the scene with a look at the creative opportunities shaping this space, before moderating a conversation with NZ Marketer of the Year 2024 Frankie Coulter, Karla Watts from The Warehouse and Kate Heatley from DDB Aotearoa. Together, they’ll unpack the thinking behind the Vogel’s Toaster campaign and what it reveals about the future of brand, retailer, and agency collaboration.

Alex Lawson

Head of Strategy & Media
Market Media

Karla Watts

Head of Client Partnerships
Market Media

Frankie Coulter

CMO
Goodman Fielder

Kate Heatley

Lead Business Partner
DDB Aotearoa

2:55PM - 5:15PM

Business Connect

The dynamic Business Connect session is an experience in itself and unique to iMedia Summits. Attendees will delve into 10 x 10 minute efficient and purposeful meetings. In these quick yet impactful sessions marketers will get the chance to uncover synergies, tap into innovative solutions, and open the door for a prospective business partnership. This session is all about maximising a marketers networking and tech awareness, and driving strategic goals to gain that competitive edge. Delegates are required to request and confirm these meetings prior to the summit.

5:15PM - 6:30PM

Free time

Delegates will be able to use this time to refresh, check-in with work and explore the surroundings.

6:30PM - 7:00PM

Pre Dinner Drinks

7:00PM - 9:45PM

Welcome Dinner

The official Welcome Dinner & networking reception held on the first night is the perfect way to build relationships with key conference delegates, speakers, and sponsors in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Dinner Keynote - Consumerography: Understanding and Engaging with The Future Customer

What’s really driving the next wave of consumer behavior? In this insightful session, social researcher and trends analyst Sophie Renton unpacks the shifting demographics, emerging mindsets, and evolving digital habits shaping the modern New Zealand consumer. From generational shifts to the impact of global and digital trends, this session will help marketers decode today’s customer psychology and prepare for what’s next.

Key takeaways:

A data-driven snapshot of the future New Zealand consumer and the segments reshaping the market.
How to engage Baby Boomers while staying relevant to Gen Z and Generation Alpha.
The impact of global, digital, and social trends on consumer decision-making.
Rethinking engagement strategies in a mobile-first, highly visual, and fast-changing landscape.
Navigating mega-trends to future-proof your brand.

This session is essential for marketing, brand, and digital leaders looking to stay ahead of shifting consumer expectations and create meaningful, lasting connections.

Sophie Renton

Managing Director
McCrindle

Day 2

31 July 2025

6:30AM - 8:40AM

Breakfast

Day 2 begins with breakfast and barista coffee.

8:40AM - 8:50AM

MC Opening

Yvonne Adele

Event Host and Official MC
iMedia

8:50AM - 9:25AM

The AI-Powered Marketer 2.0: Leading Marketing Teams in a New Era

AI is reshaping marketing—writing ads, designing campaigns, and automating creativity. But does it enhance marketers’ roles or replace them?

Join us to explore:

AI as a creative tool or a threat – Does it empower marketers or make them redundant?
The rise of the “1-person marketing team” – Are we upskilling or downsizing?
Authenticity vs. automation – Can AI truly connect with human emotions?
Balancing creativity and efficiency – Is marketing becoming too formulaic?
Future-proofing your team – How to stay relevant in an AI-driven world.

AI isn’t replacing marketers—it’s changing the game. Are you ready to play?

Louise Cummins

Founder
ACAM - Australian Centre for AI in Marketing

9:25AM - 9:50AM

Why Streaming Works

The unique qualities that makes BVOD different, and why it works.

Skipper Lomiwes

Programmatic Manager
TVNZ

9:50AM - 10:15AM

Brought to you by The Radio Bureau

10:15AM - 10:25AM

Brought to you by InfoSum

Richard Knott

GM, ANZ
InfoSum

10:25AM - 10:55AM

Coffee Break

Tea and coffee is served.

10:55AM - 11:30AM

Marketing Mastermind Roundtables

Join us for a series of dynamic roundtable discussions where collaboration leads to innovation. In these 30-minute sessions, you’ll connect with industry peers to tackle common challenges, exchange success stories and explore cutting-edge strategies shaping the future of marketing. Forge meaningful connections, explore best practices, and become an integral part of the marketing community’s evolution.

Round Tables

Brought to you by TRB

11:30AM - 11:35AM

Please head to your chosen Breakout Session

11:35AM - 11:55AM

Breakout

Making Every Dollar Count: MMM Meets Attention Optimisation

In a world where budgets are tight and expectations are sky-high, marketers need sharper tools to prove—and improve—performance. This session explores how Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM) and attention optimisation tools can work together to deliver real ROI. Learn how to connect the dots between what people actually notice and what drives results. We'll break down how to align attention metrics with business outcomes, optimise across channels, and fine-tune your spend for maximum impact. It’s time to stop guessing and start marketing smarter.

From Privacy to Personalisation: Finding the Sweet Spot

With privacy laws tightening and cookies crumbling, marketers are stuck navigating one big contradiction: how do we deliver personalised experiences without overstepping the line? This session unpacks how to stay compliant and connected—turning first-party data into meaningful moments with the help of smart AI. You'll walk away with practical frameworks for building trust, meeting privacy requirements, and still making your customers feel like you “just get them.”

12:00PM - 12:25PM

Breakout

Not Another Trend Report: What Actually Matters for 2025

Every year comes with a new wave of buzzwords, but what’s actually worth your attention? In this session, we cut through the noise and look at the trends that are genuinely shaping the future of marketing—from the rise of retail media to the shift in consumer expectations around brand values, sustainability and community. Get ahead of what’s coming, and learn how to filter the fads from the forces that really move the needle.

Creative That Sells: Why Performance and Brand Don’t Need Couples Therapy

There’s a tired old myth that brand and performance are at odds. The truth? You need both—and when they work together, that’s when the real magic happens. This session tackles how to brief, test and deliver creative that doesn’t just tick awards boxes, but drives proper commercial outcomes. Less chin-stroking, more sales. The answer isn’t either/or—it’s doing both properly, with the discipline that marketing deserves.

12:20PM - 12:25PM

Quick Transition

12:25PM - 12:35PM

Brand Storytelling in the Digital Age: Crafting Narratives That Resonate

People don’t buy products—they buy stories. Learn how to create authentic, emotionally driven narratives that connect with audiences and build lasting brand loyalty.

12:35PM - 1:00PM

Brought to you by MBM

1:00PM - 1:45PM

Lunch

Join us for lunch before you head out on your afternoon activities. Please also use this time to go back to your room and get changed for your activity if required.

1:45PM - 5:00PM

Activity

New Zealand Gin Journey

Hop on the New Zealand Gin Journey at the Gin Gin Venue, where you’ll sip your way through three local gins—each paired with the perfect tonic and garnishes to make those botanicals sing. A Gin Gin expert will walk you through the mystical art of gin-making, revealing secrets behind the distillation process and what makes New Zealand gins truly world-class,
So come for the botanicals, stay for the laughs, and leave with new connections (and maybe a bit of gin-induced wisdom).

Go Karting

Get ready for the ride of your life at Christchurch’s top go-karting track! With the latest and greatest electric karts packing insane torque and power, you’ll feel your adrenaline hit the red zone as you race around the 260m track. Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned speedster, this track will challenge even the most skilled drivers. After 14 heart-pounding laps, it’s time to kick back and enjoy some pizza and drinks in the lounge—because you earned it (or at least survived it).

Paint & Sip

Ready to unleash your inner Picasso? Join us for a 3-hour paint and sip session at the Chateau on the Park, where you'll get to sip wine, snack on nibbles, and (attempt to) create a masterpiece. Our team of expert artists will walk you through everything from beginner brushstrokes to advanced techniques, but don’t worry—we’ll leave plenty of room for you to go rogue. By the end of the day, even if your “abstract” art looks like a toddler’s masterpiece, you’ll still leave with something you can proudly hang on your fridge.

5:00PM - 6:30PM

Free Time

Delegates can use this time to refresh, check-in with work and explore the surroundings.

6:30PM - 9:30PM

Celebratory Dinner

Join us for the Celebratory Dinner

Day 3

1 August 2025

6:30AM - 8:45AM

Breakfast

Day 3 begins with breakfast and barista coffee.

8:45AM - 9:00AM

MC Opening Remarks

Yvonne Adele

Event Host and Official MC
iMedia

9:00AM - 9:35AM

Marketing in Motion: Transforming for Success

Marketing leaders are often laser-focused on what’s going to market- campaigns, content, channels, conversions. But how often do we step back and apply that same level of strategic discipline to the marketing function itself?

Fact: You can’t unleash the full potential of marketing, without proactively evolving the marketing system - the inner mechanics of how marketing gets done and who does it. But a match-fit marketing function is unique to the stage, ambition and context for each business, so how do we work out what the goal-posts are, and the roadmap to get there?

In this 35-minute keynote, Jenn ten Seldam, Wingmaven Co-Founder and ex-CMO for SEEK and former Global EGM of Product Marketing at Xero, will challenge and equip marketing leaders to approach marketing transformation as an ongoing, high-stakes leadership responsibility.

You’ll learn:

Why being as strategic about the shape of your function as you are about your campaigns is the unlock for greatest Marketing ROI
How to determine what needs to evolve now, what should come next, and what can wait till later—so you don’t try to fix everything at once
What shifts when you lead as a marketing architect, not just a marketing operator

This session will resonate with anyone leading at the intersection of change and growth—especially if you’ve started to question whether your current function can keep pace with the ambition of your business.

Jenn ten Seldam

Co-Founder and Director
Wingmaven

9:35AM - 10:00AM

The Rise of the Creator Economy

As traditional marketing strategies evolve, the Creator Economy has emerged as a powerful force reshaping the way brands connect with their audiences. In this session, we will explore the key trends driving this movement and what it means for businesses today. Discover how creators are redefining influence and providing unique opportunities for brands to engage with consumers in authentic and meaningful ways. Learn how we can empower creators to thrive, how brands can leverage these partnerships to enhance their storytelling, reach and ultimately deliver business results.

Mike Harrison

GM
OMD

Jenny Appel

General Manager
OMD Content

10:00AM - 10:20AM

Breaking Down Silos: The Secret to Seamless Omnichannel Marketing

Consumers expect a seamless brand experience—whether they’re browsing online, scrolling through social media, or shopping in-store. This session dives into how to break down internal silos and create an integrated marketing strategy that delivers a consistent, frictionless experience across every channel. Discover how to align your messaging, teams, and technology for a truly customer-centric approach.

10:20AM - 10:30AM

AI in Storytelling: Friend or Foe?

In a world where AI can write scripts, edit footage, and generate content in seconds, where does that leave real storytelling?

In this fast-paced 10-minute session, Josh Hamilton—filmmaker, photographer, and founder of The Edit Suite—dives into the creative crossroads between AI and emotion. Drawing from years of emotionally resonant content, he examines how AI can support the creative process—and where human intuition remains irreplaceable.

You'll leave with a new perspective on content creation, an understanding of how to harness AI without losing the human, and a reminder that the best stories aren’t generated—they’re felt.

Josh Hamilton

Co-Founder & Director
The Edit Suite

10:30AM - 11:00AM

Coffee Break

Tea and coffee is served.

11:00AM - 11:35AM

Special Guest Keynote - Stay tuned!

11:35AM - 12:00PM

Winning the Search Game: How to Drive More Organic Traffic in 2025

Search engines are evolving, and so are the ways consumers shop online. The question is—how do you stay ahead? This session unpacks the latest trends in search behaviour, revealing what truly makes a high-ranking result stand out. Backed by deep data insights, we’ll break down which search features matter most in different industries and how you can optimise your site to drive more clicks. Plus, we’ll explore the growing role of digital trust and personalisation in shaping search visibility. If organic traffic is a priority, this is your roadmap to better rankings and more conversions.

12:00PM - 12:35PM

Smarter Tools, Smarter Marketers: Educating in an AI Era

This panel brings together leading marketing academics and an industry voice to explore how to better prepare the next generation of marketers for an AI- and tech-driven industry. With tools evolving rapidly and expectations shifting in the workplace, we’ll ask: What should universities be prioritising in their marketing programs? What does true career readiness look like in 2025 and beyond? And what can industry do to nurture talent pipelines?