• by Nina Lentini  @Nina_Lentini, August 7, 2020

2020 is proving to be a real test of an auto marketer's mettle. But help is on the way. Coming up, we'll have executives from Lexus, Honda, Ford, Hyundai and Audi talking about the rapid change of consumer habits due to the pandemic, social injustice and economic volatility. 

MediaPost's Marketing:Automotive takes place virtually Aug. 11 - 12. You can register right here.

On Day One, Lisa Materazzo, VP of Lexus Marketing, will present a "fireside chat" on how the brand has adapted its marketing strategy for the moment, including experiential, digital and media. In a new age of social distancing, the luxury leader continues to treat guest to an "in home" experience. Find out how.

Jessica Fini, manager of social media at American Honda, will present a case study on "Social Influencers and the New Normal." See how the brand's "Kitchen Derby" activation got more than half a million Instagram impressions as part of how Honda's campaigns have evolved in the changing media environment.

For a fifth year, MediaPost is naming its picks for top automotive marketers and agencies. There was a large array of choices, and a panel of industry observers, experts and marketers had the arduous task of finding the best of the bunch. 

Then stay tuned for the Marketer of the Year Trophy presentation, which goes to Joy Falotico, who has helped transform Ford Motor Co.’s Lincoln luxury division into a brand worthy of going head-to-head with the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover and others. She'll sit for an interview with MediaPost's Tanya Gazdik, senior editor of automotive and conference organizer.

On Day Two, we'll hear from Angela Zepeda, CMO of Hyundai Motor America, who will discuss how the brand is responding to the pandemic and getting back to business. As the pandemic approaches its sixth month, what does that mean going forward? What changes will have lasting affect and what will automotive marketing look like for the rest of the year? Zepeda will share answers to those very questions.

Shawna Burtscher, head of experiential marketing at Audi, will present a case study on "Audi and Major League Soccer," along with Santa Shuaib, VP, partnership marketing for MLS. They'll discuss how both parties have benefited by their partnership and explore how sports sponsorships like this one have been affected by COVID-19.

Day Two closes with an off-the-record roundtable discussion of ... the 2021 marketing plan. Don't miss it!