Adobe Summit 2016 is kicking off this week and as usual, stands to be one of the industry's more important conferences for marketers and digital strategists. Here's a look at some of the planned highlights and themes customers can expect out of the conference.
CX In the Spotlight
The event's opening keynote will feature Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen along with GM and EVP Brad Rencher, who'll be joined by guests from Comedy Central, McDonald’s and Royal Bank of Scotland to discuss how companies can develop effective customer experiences.
While the talk will inevitably spend some time pitching Adobe's Marketing Cloud software suite, the fact that at least three extremely high-profile customers will be featured adds significant value.
The featured speaker from McDonald's is Andy Gonda, vice president of global digital and data, while RBS's representative for the keynote is Giles Richardson, head of digital analytics. Comedy Central CMO Walter Levitt will appear for the cable network.
How to Drive Change
The second major keynote will take a higher-level approach, focusing more on business strategy than the application of technology. It will be led by Adobe VP of Strategy John Mellor and CMO Ann Lewnes, who will host a series of celebrity guests including George Clooney, Donny Osmond, and champion soccer player Abby Wambach. The panel will discuss how to "become the biggest change agent within your organization."
Going Vertical
A series of "Super Sessions" on the event's final day will target five vertical industries: Financial services, high tech/b2b, media and entertainment, travel and hospitality, and retail/e-commerce. While all of these industries face similar marketing challenges—such as with personalization and content strategy—these sessions look to provide a deep dive into more specific issues.
The Bottom Line
If one theme emerges above all else during this year's Adobe Summit, it will likely be the notion that marketing without the intelligent use of data may not be worth doing at all. That's the point Adobe drove home with a well-received commercial titled "The Gambler," as Constellation Research VP and principal analyst Dr. Natalie Petouhoff wrote in a recent blog:
This was an interesting way to make the point that this ain’t your grandpa’s marketing anymore. It takes a lot more sophistication and data is definitely part of the game. So my point is you have to be on the field to even begin playing the game. So get on the field, come to love data and win with it. You’ll be glad you did when you start to see your campaign bring in a winning steak.
Petouhoff will be in attendance at Adobe Summit. Follow her Twitter coverage at @drnatalie.
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