Recapping Story.tech Chicago

This past February, we held the final leg of our story.tech roadshow in the windy city of Chicago—and in spite of some treacherous winter weather, we had an amazing time with our dedicated audience and incredible speakers.

story.tech Chicago was all about digging into the hot-button issues related to digital video. How should brands ensure their videos show up in brand-safe environments? How can companies use video throughout the entire buyer journey? Prior to the event, we sat down with our panelists and picked their brains on these topics and more.

Our panelists were:

• Brian Nienhaus, CEO @ We Are Unlimited
• Erin Vogel, SVP Creative Strategist, Brand Content @ Spark Foundry
• Georgina Goode, VP and Strategy Director @ Havas | Socialyse

Watch their responses below:

Once the guests arrived, we kicked off the evening with a thrilling fireside chat with Rishad Tobaccowala, Chief Growth Officer at Publicis Groupe. Rishad has been an innovator in the the advertising industry for more than 30 years, and in his current role leading digital strategy for Publicis’ clients, he knows all about the impact that video is having on advertising right now. Throughout the fireside chat, he emphasized the importance of listening to customers telling strong stories through advertising. Watch the full recap of our discussion with Rishad below:

Next, we headed into the panel discussion with our experts. This well-rounded and accomplished group gave of plenty of awesome insights throughout the panel. A consistent theme was the importance of client education. Each panelist agreed that the advertising industry is obligated to provide context to urgent issues like brand safety and measurement, and offer solutions that can drive real business outcomes in this new era of digital video. The discussion had an optimistic note as well. As more brands are using video throughout the full buyer journey (not just for awareness), the panel seemed to agree that there was no better time to be a marketer or storyteller. More touchpoints with the customer just means that there are more stories to tell.

After the panel wrapped up, it was time for the cocktail hour, and then our goodbyes (out into the snowy streets of the city). It was another amazing event, and we’re so grateful to our participants and attendees for helping us put together such a memorable evening.