Large-scale, in-person events are back on the minds and schedules of marketers and ad industry professionals now that the world has returned to most pre-pandemic activities that were unheard of not too long ago.
"Industry-specific events that bring together advertisers, brands, and agencies are becoming more crucial, particularly in a soft market. These events allow for direct conversations with buyers and offer a clearer ROI on event spending," said Uri Lichter, CEO of ad tech firm Intango, over email.
While the array of marketing-related events can be extensive, including long-running tentpoles and emerging gatherings, it’s also clear there’s a new normal driven by an evolving marketing space with new criteria for what qualifies as a must-attend event.
For marketers, this could mean fewer general technology events or large trade shows, but more events centered on growing sectors of the ad market, such as AI, retail media, affiliate and search. However, key marketing-specific conferences that bring together leaders and stakeholders from throughout the industry still rate highly, according to several industry professionals.
With that in mind, Marketing Dive compiled a list of the top conferences for marketing leaders, from trade organization conferences to new events focused on the convergence of culture, technology and marketing.
