Time flies, doesn't it? It feels like just yesterday I shared my curated list of agency conferences with you at the beginning of this year. Well, we're already past the halfway mark of 2023, and I'm here to give you an updated list of events happening in the latter part of the year.
But before we dive into the list, I want to stress the importance of setting clear objectives when attending conferences. Conferences are a big investment of time and money, and if you’re going to a conference without a goal in mind, you will waste both.
Now, without further ado, here's the updated list of agency conferences for the rest of the year.
Ad Age Small Agency Conference & Awards
Where: Atlanta, GA
When: July 25 & 26, 2023
How they describe it: Join Ad Age for hands-on workshops, panels, keynotes, peer-to-peer sharing and case studies around topics that are the lifeblood of small shops — plus we crown the 2023 deserving Small Agency Award winners. Recent conferences have delved into important topics such as how to diversify your client base, how to work with procurement departments and how small shops are surviving and thriving during the pandemic.
Inbound 23
Where: Boston, MA
When: September 5–8, 2023
How they describe it: With the energy of an incubator and the intel of an accelerator, INBOUND takes the best of our work — the culture, the innovation, the creativity — and propels it forward for the collective good.
Brand New Conference
Where: Chicago, IL
When: September 21 -22, 2023
How they describe it: The conference consists of eight sessions each day offering a broad range of points of view with speakers from around the world practicing in different environments, from global consultancies, to in-house groups, to small firms.
Content Marketing World
Where: Washington, DC
When: September 26–29, 2023
How they describe it: You’ll be part of the one event where attendees learn from the best in the content marketing industry. We have over 100 sessions and keynotes presented by the leading brand marketers and experts from around the world.
Adobe MAX - The Creativity Conference
Where: Los Angeles, CA
When: October 10–12, 2023
How they describe it: MAX is the annual gathering of graphic, web, and multidisciplinary designers; creative and art directors; social media content creators; film, video, and motion graphics pros; photographers; and creative leaders.
AIGA Design Conference
Where: New York, NY
When: October 12–14, 2023
How they describe it: Connect in-person with your design community at the 2023 AIGA Design Conference in the Big Apple! Prepare to get inspired and re-energized while learning in community from designers at the cutting edge of today's hot topics.
ICON 2023
Where: Nashville, TN
When: October 15–17, 2023
How they describe it: ICON 2023 will bring its special blend of incomparable networking and professional development opportunities for public relations and communications professionals to Nashville, Tennessee, Oct. 15–17 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. Join your fellow attendees from all over the map to share insights and explore new ideas.
DIGITAL FIGHT CLUB
Where: Dallas, TX
When: October 26
How they describe it: We asked top corporate CMOs to give us challenging marketing issues and we’re having top ad agency execs duke it out on stage in a raucous debate. Digital Fight Club returns to IRL and the most informative, exciting non-panel event you will ever experience. We put 2 experts on stage 2 feet from each other in front of “referees” and let them defend their position,
Mirren Executive Leadership Summit 2023
Where: New York, NY
When: November 7–8, 2023
How they describe it: Join 150 Agency C-Suite to address what it now takes to compete and grow in the year ahead. Together, we’ll deconstruct new agency models, capabilities and growth strategies.
Key Takeaway
Hopefully, you find a marketing conference or two that piques your interest. Based on the conference description, past speakers, and past attendees, you should be able to reasonably determine whether you can reach your conference goals. The easy way to think about this is to ask yourself this question: "What am I hoping to get out of this conference?"
The most up-to-date version of this conference list will be kept live on my website: https://www.themeadecompany.com/insights/small-agency-conference. Let me know if you know about other events that should be added to this list.