In addition to frequent presentations at the ad:tech Conferences, iMedia Summits, CMO Executive Summits and other events I program, I’ve given a wide range of invited talks at Anheuser-Busch, Google, Yahoo, Red Bull, Paramount Pictures, the IPG Media Lab, USC’s Annenberg School and College of Letters, Arts & Sciences, the University of Notre Dame, the Boston Ad Club, Digital Hollywood, the e-Voter Institute, the National Communications Association, U.C. Berkeley and elsewhere.
Currently, I’m working on a book-length project called “The Shakespeare Strategy” that explores how Shakespeare created one of the most successful media, business and culture brands in human history and how businesses today can use his strategies to advance their own successes. I gave a talk on this topic at the iMedia Brand Summit in March of 2011: here’s a video:
More strictly on the digital side, here’s a video of me giving the keynote address at TechEvent 2008 in Mexico City:
If you’d like to have me speak at an event or see one of my presentation decks to get a sense of how I present information onstage, or for a list of where I’ve spoken, please contact me.
Topics I speak about
I give talks on subjects as wide-ranging as changes in the media landscape, how audiences and consumers are changing their behavior, how companies can best embrace interactive media, how marketing budgets aren’t changing as fast as as the media habits of consumers, politics and the internet, best practices in online and offline writing, Shakespeare and stage history, early modern literature and comic books (really, comic books).
What others say about me onstage…
Kevin Doohan, Director of Digital Marketing for Red Bull, had this to say:
“I’ve always considered Brad’s advice kind of a digital marketing ‘secret weapon.’ His knowledge of the space and of where we are headed is insightful and valuable. That said, Brad’s advice isn’t for geeks only. I engaged Brad to create ad:tech custom sessions for the brand marketing teams at ConAgra Foods when I was there and, more recently, to speak with the Red Bull marketing team at our headquarters about digital trends for Red Bull key consumers. Brad delivered brilliantly. Both sessions exceeded my high expectations. The sessions helped our newly-inspired and informed marketers deliver better outcomes than ever.”
Carol Phillips, President of Brand Amplitude and also an Adjunct Professor of Marketing at the University of Notre Dame said this about a recent talk:
“Brad Berens’ keynote speech ‘The Big Trends of Social Media’ at the Notre Dame Marketing Symposium in March 2010 managed the neat trick of being both be meaty and mesmerizing. Packed with startling facts and insightful anecdotes, Brad’s remarks provoked thoughtful discussion and provided the right frame for the rest of the symposium. Everyone remembered his concept of importance of ‘social friction’ and why it matters long after the conference ended.”
At an iMedia Brand Summit, Tim Murphy of Anheuser-Busch Digital Marketing said this about an internal talk I gave at the brewer’s St. Louis HQ to help sell interactive within the marketing department:
“We had our own Summit, and, in fact, Brad Berens came in… and we had 10 or 11 speakers. That’s what triggered it for us. Brad was presenting, and the CMO turned around [to ask], ‘Murph, can we do that? Can we do that?’ If you can bring in some outside speakers to validate what you’re doing, it will help tremendously, because that’s what set us off… It was enlightening for our management. We’re talking with them for months, and then within two hours after Brad’s presentation, it was over. It was great.”
I was pleased to give the keynote address at the High Tech Marketing Alliance’s Infuse 2006 Marketing Innovation Summit in San Diego, California. HTMA President Shlomi Ron had this to say about my talk:
“Brad definitely knows media, his ability to convey his message using fun games transformed our audience from a passive listener to active participant that could experience and even ‘touch’ some of the ideas delivered.”
And Executive Director Gary Young said this about a talk I gave to the Independent Writers of Southern California:
“I want to thank you for a dynamic, fun, clear, and generous presentation to the Independent Writers of Southern California. Not only did you give lots of information, but you made it understandable to everyone attending.”
