PREVIEWING:
Creator economy + culture marketing Stage
MAD//FEST 2026
In partnership with
8 June 2026
The relationship between creators and brands is changing and evolving. With audiences craving authenticity as well as brands and creators they can trust and relate to, leaning into the cultural moments that make sense, as well as working with the right creators has never been more important.
This stage is rich with insights about engaging consumers and showing up where it makes sense, exploring the power of community, connection and culture, as well as how brands are tapping into social commerce.
Designed for Culture: How Motorola Shows Up in the Moments That Matter
Join this fireside chat for a look at how Motorola leans into culture and shows up in the moments that make sense. With Wilkin Lee, Head of Marketing, UK+IRE, Motorola and Moderator Theo Gentilli, Founding Partner, Warm Street.
From Content to Culture: Why Creators Matter More than Ever
This session with Hazan Aydin Yesilova, Head of Baileys, Diageo GB will dive into the role of creators as culture translators, how creator partnerships are becoming more embedded in the marketing mix and more.
Influencers: Not just a line item on a media plan
Influencer marketing is having a moment. With the IPA ranking it as the second most effective channel and Unilever doubling down on investment, the industry is no longer just "watching" this space - it’s moving in.
But here’s the thing: influencers aren’t just human billboards or high-reach social ads. They are people. Treating them like media assets misses the point. Success requires a nuanced touch, shifting from simple talent casting to deeper roles like creator-makers and community mouthpieces.
Join us as we unpack the unconventional ways we partner with influencers for the UK’s most culturally relevant brands, with Liz O’Brien, Head of Media Partnerships & Social, Allwyn, Tom Hazelden, Head of Brand, Planning & Content, easyJet, Richard Brown, Head of Advertising and Campaigns, Virgin Media O2, Hannah Mahony, Social & Influence Director, VCCP
Culture Is the New Luxury: How Henessy x Afro Nation Redefined Premium Through Culture
Luxury is no longer defined by exclusivity alone. Today, premium brands are built through cultural relevance, community, access and the ability to show up authentically in the spaces shaping global influence.
This panel explores Hennessy’s long-standing relationship with Afro Nation as a case study in how a legacy luxury brand can move beyond sponsorship to build cultural credibility, community and meaning.
Bringing together Clémence Blum, Director of Global Partnerships at Afro Nation; Tsidi Dagadu, Business Development Manager for Africa and the Middle East at Hennessy; and Sean Fenny, Senior Brand Manager at Moët Hennessy UK, the conversation will unpack how music, diaspora culture, hospitality and experience design are redefining premium for a new generation.
Moderated by Deshnie Govender, ex-CMO of L’Oréal Luxe South Africa and former TikTok marketing leader who led TikTok’s sponsorship of the first Afro Nation Ghana, the session will explore how brands earn their place in culture and why the future of luxury belongs to brands that understand culture, not just consumers.
When is a Cow a GOAT? When Values Meet Culture
What makes a brand truly “GOATed”? It’s not just purpose. In this session, we’ll explore how Ben & Jerry’s connects with fans through shared values—turning belief into culture and marketing into movements. From its three-part mission to nearly 50 years of bold decisions, see how the brand stays relevant, distinctive and loved. With Rahul Gursahani, Marketing Lead, Ben & Jerry’s.
Going Viral on TikTok isn’t a social strategy: How to create content that ladders up to something bigger
Virality is a lottery. This panel shows brands how to win without chasing luck: repeatable formats, clear funnel goals, and a simple test-and-learn engine that scales what works. With Charlotte Tonry, Head of Social & Influencer, M&S, Ruby Furby, EU PR & Influencer Manager, Panasonic Europe, Fin Wallace, Lead Producer, Sidemen and Sedge Beswick, Founder, Consultant, Advisor, Investor, Sedge Consulting.
BRAND
SPEAKERS INCLUDING:
What’s In a Name? When Identity Meets Opportunity
Before most of us walk into a room, our name walks in first. And for many people, that’s where bias begins. Around the world, ethnically diverse names face more hurdles, more judgement, and fewer opportunities, long before talent or potential can be seen.
This session turns that everyday reality into an immersive experience.
Using a live spoken-word poem as the spine, each stanza unlocks a different truth about name bias: the assumptions, the pay gap, the mispronunciations, the microaggressions and the legacy many of us carry. As new voices join the stage, the audience becomes part of the conversation through live interaction. The session ends with a collective commitment: signing the Ethnicity Pay Gap Pledge and turning awareness into industry-wide action.
With Laura Montarroso Daher, Founder, Music Collective / CULTUR=D, Fouad Hammoud, Co-Founder, Co-Host, CULTUR=D, Sheeraz Gulsher, Co-Founder, People Like Us and Yasmin Ali, Poet and Writer, Y.A Poet.
Culture out of Category
As culture marketing expands beyond its traditional home in nightlife, fashion and tech, this panel asks how non-endemic brands are engaging with culture in new and meaningful ways. Expect to learn about the opportunity it can offer to your brand, alongside the strategies, internal journeys and business impact behind cultural investment, and how brands can deliver real value to communities and consumers. Speakers from Barilla Pasta, Chivas, Barclays and more.
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