January 16, 2018
Washington, DC

Event Sponsors

Agenda

Tuesday, 01/16

9:00 AM ET
9:00 AM ET
Opening Remarks
9:15 AM ET
9:15 AM ET
Re-org, Re-Allocate, ReThink: The Digital Strategies of 2018
How will the media budgets get spent in the coming cycle, and how will campaigns reorganize themselves around digital and data-driven strategies? What have we learned about the potential and limitations of online spend,the balance of both paid and earned media in a more cluttered, fragmented and polarized environment? Party representatives and leading political marketers discuss how their strategic plans for digital efforts in the 2018 cycle have been informed by the lessons of 2016-17.
Moderator
Alex Weprin, Editor, Digital News Daily, MediaPost 
PanelistS
Julia Ager, Chief Digital Officer, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) 
Ben Friedmann, Chief Digital Officer, Republican Governors Association 
Jess Reid, Digital Director, Kaine for Virginia 
9:45 AM ET
9:45 AM ET
Keynote Interview: Pivoting to 2018
After an historic win in the last Presidential cycle, how will the RNC turn its enormously effective digital campaigning arm to the state campaigns of 2018? How is the role of digital evolving within the party organization and in tandem with state campaigns? We will explore the RNC’s successful online GOTV apparatus and the enhanced role it will play this year. And finally, how will the famously efficient and massive social media buying effort change in light of platform revisions and a new scrutiny of digital messaging?
Interviewee
Doug Hochberg, Chief Digital Officer, Republican National Committee 
Interviewer
Steve Smith, VP, Editorial Director, Events, MediaPost 
10:15 AM ET
10:15 AM ET
10:45 AM ET
10:45 AM ET
From Fake News To Your News: Managing the New Social Channel

The social channel just got more complicated. Not only do campaigns need strategies in place to fight misinformation and outright fake news, but new safeguards erected by the platforms will impact both paid and organic tactics. As Facebook, Twitter and YouTube try to shore up against past abuses to their respective systems, how do political campaigns need to come at this highly effective channel differently in 2018?

Moderator
Kenneth Goldstein, Professor of Political Science, University of San Francisco 
PanelistS
Tyler Brown, President, Hadron Strategies 
Caitlin Donahue, Senior Vice President and Head of Digital, Curley Company 
Thomas Reiker, Deputy Digital Director, National Republican Senatorial Committee 
Cooper Reves, Digital Director, Office of Senator John McCain 
11:30 AM ET
11:30 AM ET
Tweaking The Funding Funnel

Direct Mail and Email were once the undisputed kings of campaign fund-raising. But the integration of new social and online channels, small scale donors, and the priorities of database building all have added nuance to old blast and collect approaches. What is the path to contribute now?

Moderator
Emily Williams, Senior Director, Global Strategy Group 
PanelistS
Matt Compton, Director, Advocacy and Engagement, Blue State Digital 
Samantha Osborne, Founder, Battle Rhythm Strategies 
Ted Peterson, Former Digital Director, NRCC 
12:00 PM ET
12:00 PM ET
Keynote: What a Digital Team Should Look Like in 2018
In the last decade, the digital landscape has shifted dramatically and political organizations have had two choices: to stay nimble or be left behind. DNC Chief Mobilization Officer Caitlin Mitchell will share insights and recent work from the newly created DNC Mobilization team, which combines the former digital and direct marketing teams into a people-first innovation hub and integrates digital into everything the DNC does from organizing to messaging to fundraising.
Keynote
Caitlin Mitchell, Chief Mobilization Officer, Democratic National Committee 
12:30 PM ET
12:30 PM ET
Media Matters?: What Is The Voter Journey Now?

In an America that is as politically polarized as it is attention fragmented, does media really matter anymore? How are voters making up their minds, not only over whom to choose but whether and when to contribute, or even to vote at all? With all of the data being stockpiled by political operatives about attitudes and behaviors, do we really know any better which media buy moves what needle among voters?

 
Moderator
Phil Vangelakos, Sr. Vice President, Push Digital Inc. 
PanelistS
Erica Arbetter, Digital Director, American Action Network and Congressional Leadership Fund 
Morgan Finkelstein, Press Secretary, Center for American Progress, Action Fund 
1:00 PM ET
1:00 PM ET
Lunch
1:10 PM ET
1:10 PM ET
Sponsor Luncheon Presentation
2:00 PM ET
2:00 PM ET
Pennsylvania Ave. Meets Madison Ave.: The Marketing Lessons of The New Politics
Massive, nano-targeted programmatic buying, real-time dynamic messaging, fighting off misinformation, new styles of data driven TV buying - all have become hallmarks of recent political campaigning. But so has cultural insurgency, rejection of urban, cultural elites and celebrations of so-called "flyover America." In this special session at the corner of Pennsylvania and Madison Avenues, we explore how recent elections and political culture have (or should) impact consumer brand marketing.
Moderator
Joe Mandese, Editor-in-Chief, MediaPost 
PanelistS
Jason Jercinovic, Global Head of Marketing Innovation, Havas 
Zachary Moffatt, Senior Advisor, Sen. Tim Scott, 2024 
2:30 PM ET
2:30 PM ET
Regulation, Fake News, Transparency
Are the channels of digital media being artfully used by deft political operatives or woefully abused by bad actors with little interest in democratic ideals? Is technology, let alone public policy or regulation, really up to the task of fighting fake news and dark manipulation of the technology without impeding free speech and open electioneering?
Moderator
Michael Cornfield, Associate Prof./Research Director, Global Center for Political Management, GW Graduate School of Political Management 
PanelistS
Lawrence Noble, General Counsel, Campaign Legal Center 
Randall Rothenberg, Chief Executive Officer, IAB 
3:00 PM ET
3:00 PM ET
3:30 PM ET
3:30 PM ET
The TV Everywhere Strategy
For years, political media buyers have been using advanced data to parse TV audiences with amazing precision. But now programmatic TV, OTT, and digital video are catching up with addressable formats that target the invaluable spot across screens and to specific viewers. What does a video strategy look like now? What messaging - attack, inspiration, explainer - works best when you can target voter sub-segments? When the screen is in your pocket, not the living room? How will video everywhere and addressable TV rewrite the rules of media creation and buying in the 2018 cycle?
Moderator
Lizzie Kendrick, VP, Digital, The Campaign Workshop 
PanelistS
Will Feltus, SVP, National Media 
Steven Passwaiter, VP/GM, Political, Kantar Media/CMAG 
4:15 PM ET
4:15 PM ET
Conference Concludes

Venue

Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, DC
400 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, District Of Columbia, 20001

Within Hyatt's inviting accommodations, you'll find gracious service, deluxe amenities, extensive business facilities - among the largest in the city - plush Grand BedsTM, tempting dining, newly remodeled ballroom level and meeting space. Enjoy easy access to all historic attractions of the nation's capital from Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. The hotel is conveniently located by Union Station for easy transit to exciting DC attractions, including the White House, National Mall, US Capitol and Smithsonian.

Upon arrival of event registration, you will be asked to show proof of the COVID-19 vaccination - AND Booster shot in order to enter the conference. 

Masks will also be required at all times during the conference sessions and in networking areas of the event, except when eating or drinking.

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General

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MediaPost strives for excellence in its coverage of media, marketing and advertising. Our mission is to critically engage key questions for brand marketers, media buyers, sellers and emerging platforms. We choose speakers exclusively for their ability to bring perspective and insight to our stage. All conferences are programmed by proven, expert, unbiased journalists. MediaPost has never and will never engage in "pay to play" conferencing.