Adweek Announces Actor, Comedian and Entrepreneur Kevin Hart to Keynote Opening Night of Brandweek Summit

Expanded Speaker Lineup Unveiled for the Inaugural Symposium, Sept. 23-25 in Palm Springs

Kevin Hart

Actor, comedian and entrepreneur Kevin Hart is set to headline the opening night of the inaugural Brandweek summit, kicking off three days of enlightenment, inspiration, entertainment and networking. Taking place Sept. 23-25 in Palm Springs, California, Brandweek provides an opportunity for 300 senior executives and emerging talent from established and disruptive brands to gain the best insights and state-of-the-art practices in the industry. Hart, who acts as CEO of Laugh Out Loud and Hartbeat Productions, will be interviewed on stage on Sunday, Sept. 23, in a fireside-style conversation. The discussion will touch on topics including how Hart’s multiplatform comedy network Laugh Out Loud, created in partnership with global content leader Lionsgate, is helping its brand partners reach an engaged multicultural audience, as well as what it means to be a brand in the entertainment industry and the evolving nature of celebrity/brand relationships.

“I’m honored to keynote the first-ever Brandweek,” says Hart. “From connecting with my 100 million social media followers each day to launching the Laugh Out Loud network with Lionsgate, which has created some of the most viral brand campaigns on the internet, I understand the value of building a strong brand. I look forward to discussing how to disrupt the marketplace and bring the next wave of innovation.”

I'm honored to keynote the first-ever Brandweek. From connecting with my 100 million social media followers each day to launching the Laugh Out Loud network with Lionsgate, which has created some of the most viral brand campaigns on the internet, I understand the value of building a strong brand. I look forward to discussing how to disrupt the marketplace and bring the next wave of innovation.

Kevin Hart, Actor, Comedian, Entrepreneur, CEO of Laugh Out Loud and Hartbeat Productions

In addition to Hart, Adweek is also excited to announce an expanded roster of brand leaders who will contribute their insights to the conversation at Brandweek. The full speaker lineup to date includes:

●      Glen Hartman, Head of Accenture Interactive, North America

●      Jeanine D. Liburd, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, BET Networks

●      Frank Cooper III, Senior Managing Director and Global CMO, BlackRock

●      Alexandra Williamson, Chief Brand Officer, Bumble

●      Jeff Brooks, CMO, Casper

●      Michael Dubin, Founder and CEO, Dollar Shave Club

●      Nicholas Horbaczewski, CEO and Founder, Drone Racing League

●      Marci McCue, Founding Team Member and CMO, Flipboard

●      Jonnie Cahill, CMO, Heineken USA

●      Babs Rangaiah, Executive Partner, Global Marketing, IBM iX

●      Jen Sey, CMO, Global Brands, Levi Strauss & Co.

●      Cheryl Kaplan, Co-founder and President, M.Gemi

●      Lee Nadler, Lead, Urban Growth and Transformation, Mini USA

●      Heidi Browning, EVP, CMO, NHL

●      Lee Applbaum, Global CMO, Patrón Spirits

●      Rick Gomez, CMO, Target

●      Tony Robbins, Investor, Entrepreneur and N.Y. Times Best-selling Author

●      Jay Tucker, Executive Director, Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment and Sports (MEMES), UCLA

●      Debra Langford, Assistant Dean, Diversity and Inclusion, USC Marshall School of Business

Additional speakers and event details will be released soon.

The Brandweek curriculum is designed to foster collaborative discussion, with no panels and no sales pitches. Instead, attendees will collaborate to problem-solve in response to challenges issued by CMOs across key topics including:

·      The role of brands in society

·      Digital commerce for brands

·      Emerging technology

·      Culture and talent

Between ideation sessions, guests will enjoy keynote addresses, fireside chats and entertainment from high-profile performers to be announced soon.

A limited quantity of tickets for Brandweek are available now. Apply to attend at Brandweek.com.

Contact: pr@adweek.com (for press inquiries) or events@adweek.com.

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About Adweek
Adweek is the leading source of news and insights serving the brand marketing ecosystem. First published in 1979, Adweek’s award-winning coverage reaches an engaged audience of more than 6 million professionals across platforms including print, digital, events, podcasts, newsletters, social media and mobile apps. As a touchstone of the advertising and marketing community, Adweek is an unparalleled resource for leaders across multiple industries who rely on its content to help them do their job better.

Source: Adweek