HITS Connections

Media and entertainment executives have more technologies and tools than ever to help boost the audience and profitability of content across multiple distribution platforms. But along with these new tools comes more complexity in how to make data and analytics actually actionable.

Finding that balance will be among the main topics discussed Oct. 8 in Century City, Calif. when the Media & Entertainment Services Alliance (MESA) and the Hollywood IT Society (HITS) host the fourth-annual Data, Marketing and Analytics Summit (DM&A), which brings together marketing, operations and information technology leaders from across the media and entertainment industry.

CTOs, CIOs and CMOs will all be on hand to share their best practices to make use of the mountain lf consumer data available today, and discuss how enterprises are adapting to best be effective with the information.

Here’s a look at what’s on tap for the HITS DM&A Summit:

• In an opening keynote, Shaun Doyle, president and CEO of global analytical consulting firm Cognitive Box, will share case study insights from leading media and entertainment companies that offer best practices for leveraging different data sources to enhance the consumer experience, and get a better handle on audience measurement and segmentation.

• In the presentation “Marketing Disruption: Leveraging Data to Build Consumers’ Personal Connection with Content Producers,” Duncan Houldsworth, EVP and executive director of data strategy for ad agency Deutsch LA, will offer up examples of how studios and retailers can use data today to form a direct relationship with consumers, and make use of the emotional connections fans have with content.

• The first panel of the day — “Data Analytics: Understanding Consumers and Influencing Decision Making” — will see a group of data experts look at the advancements being made in industries to engage consumers with brands and content. Along with Houldsworth and Doyle, Jennifer Cooper, global head of media and entertainment and broadcast industry strategy and marketing for Adobe; Debashis Saha, VP of global data infrastructure and China for eBay; and Vanessa Shanahan, VP and director of analytics and insight for Wunderman, will discuss.

• Mark Orne, SVP of digital entertainment research for Screen Engine, will share his thoughts on the impact and importance of consumer data, especially how media and entertainment companies can use it to test new business ideas, gauge consumer interest and focusing messaging.

• In “Social Measurement Framework: Driving Awareness & Social ROI,” Bob Gearing, director of strategic accounts in North America for Socialbakers, will take a deep dive into how brands and media companies are leveraging social analytics.

• Claudio Ludovisi, president of Ludovisi Ventures, will discuss the intersection of story and branding, and how making an immediate emotional connection with audiences is more important than ever. “As brands all over the world turn more to longer form content, (and I’m deliberately resisting the term branded content), even user generated video, it’s imperative that brand managers go way beyond the traditional content formats and understand the brand’s emotional foundation at a whole different level,” he said.

• Silicon Valley tech investment firm Andreessen Horowitz will unveil some of the most promising data and analytics start-ups its been looking at, companies that could be the “next big thing” for media and entertainment companies to take advantage of.

• The second panel of the day — “Digital Marketing: Technologies, Processes & Structures” — sees industry executives addressing the impact of enabling technologies on personalizing and delivering marketing to a hyper-targeted audience. The discussion will have a focus on how the rules of engagement of marketing with the customer have been redefined. Mike Carrier, practice executive for HP, Ben Collier, VP of product management and data services for Maker Studios,
Grant Gibson, head of programming for Awesomeness TV, Justin Herz, SVP of digital for Warner Bros. and Amanda Kozlowski, SVP of digital marketing for Lionsgate Home Entertainment will be on hand.

• Aaron Edell, VP of operations and professional services for GrayMeta, will share how emerging technologies are being invented to help companies unlock and leverage the mountain of existing metadata already available with content.

• In “A Window to the World: A Vastly Improved Process for Licensing Distribution,” Christian Kennel, executive director of digital media worldwide TV marketing for Warner Bros., looks at the technology that supports Warner’s sales team, which lets purchasers retrieve all metadata, box art, promo materials, master programs and movies. Art Raymond, CEO of Levels Beyond, will introduce.

• The final panel of the day — “Building an Internal, Data-driven Culture” — will have insights into how companies can speed development of the mobility, connectivity and data innovations within business units. Laurie Hutto-Hill, consulting VP and media and entertainment lead for IBM, Doug Montgomery, VP of retail insights for Warner Bros., Tom Moran, manager of solutions development for CenturyLink, and Dr. John Mooney, executive director of Pepperdine’s Institute for Entertainment, Media and Culture, will be on the panel.

• To close the summit, there will be multi-track breakout sessions where industry experts will share ideas, processes, or perspectives in an interactive way with smaller audiences.

The HITS DM&A Summit is being sponsored by CenturyLink, Reach Engine from Levels Beyond, Adobe, HP, IBM, Neudesic, SAS and Sohonet. To register or for more information, click here.