A LOOK AT CURRENT AND FUTURE TRENDS IN SOCIAL MEDIA & DIGITAL MARKETING.
27TH & 28TH AUG 2024
PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
SOS24: alchemy
Where Magic Meets Mastery. Bring your imagination and a thirst for knowledge – Lab coats optional.
More than just a conference, State of Social is an award-winning event – an educational, inspirational experience – where we turn Optus Stadium into a melting pot of marketing talent.
We’re bringing together our industry’s most prolific alchemists to share their stories, case studies, technical smarts and recipes for success, so you can make your own transformative magic happen.
Together, over two days of learning and laughs, we’ll equip you with everything you need to create the perfect conditions for marketing alchemy.
The data. The science. That magical creative spark. Plus, all the skills and smarts to transform it all into awareness, engagement and conversions.
See what our industry’s stars are (and aren’t) doing. Hear what the digital world’s pioneers and players think before it hits the grapevine. Taste the gourmet eats and treats, smell the bottomless barista-brewed coffee and buckle up for those oh-so-special SOS experiences.
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
PROGRAM
*SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Early risers win! Doors are open and the coffee is brewing.
Get in early, grab your lanyard, a quick nibble, and settle in for a day of magic and mystery.
State of Social Founder Meg Coffey takes to the stage to kick things off for 2024.
Be on Social Without Being on Social
Dive deep with Michael Corcoran in his keynote and challenge the conventional wisdom of digital presence. Discover how to transcend the ordinary playbook, crafting a social strategy that’s uniquely yours, defying logic yet delivering undeniable impact.
Michael will unveil the four critical variables that will redefine your brand’s social role, sharing insights on how, with a touch of creative alchemy, you can set your brand apart, tackle challenges, and seize opportunities in ways you never imagined. This session is an invitation to think bigger, bolder, and more creatively about your place in the digital world.
Why the Smartest Thing We Can All Do Is Be Stupid
Are we being too clever for our own good? Paula Bloodworth, Global Chief Strategy Officer at Idris Elba’s creative shop, thinks a little stupidity and silliness could be the key to strategic and creative alchemy.
In Paula’s highly anticipated keynote, she’ll argue that intellectualism holds us back as marketers. She’ll share what she’s learned from working with brands like Nike, Pelaton, Pinterest and the Jordan Brand about disengaging our brains and why it could be a smart strategic move.
How to Create True Alchemy Between Brands and Gaming
If the idea of a ‘gamer’ gives you the willies, let alone hitching your brand to a gaming activation, multi-Cannes-Lion-winning James Whatley is here to educate and empower you, so you know what works, what doesn’t and why.
From the shallow waters of Wordle to the depths of developer-friendly brand activations, James will give you the insights, knowledge and questions you need to ask the next time someone says to you, ‘We should do something in gaming.’
Enjoy a long lunch in the Sports Lounge and take in the sights of the incredible grounds at Optus Stadium. We’ve left you plenty of time to grab a feed and check your emails and then devour the brain food on offer.
Your choice of sessions covering the hottest topics in social media and digital marketing.
RIVER VIEW ROOM 1 | SPONSORED BY JUICEBOX
The Criticality of Meaningful Connections
Anyone can create digital marketing content. But creating meaningful experiences and connections? Not so much. Lucky for you, Juicebox’s Joel Pember will help you identify and hone the skills, smarts, systems and strategies you need to do exactly that – at scale – in his breakout session.
From the human-centred design and behavioural science required to create deep connections, to the new tech and philosophies you’ll need to scale them up, Joel will share a new way of thinking bout connections between people and your brand. And it’ll all be backed by real-world case studies.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 2 | SPONSORED BY CREATIVE FIX
Culture or creativity: what comes first?
Explore how the best creative ideas have the power to shape culture, how culture and cultural groups can help drive more effective creative and how brands can find their own unique creative voice.
Discover a unique blend of panel discussion and live podcast recording in this session, delving into the interplay between culture and creativity hosted by Andrés Lopéz-Varela.
| Level: All | Theme: Creative | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 3
Anatomy of an Idea
Once upon a time, there was a great idea for a brand story. But then, nobody knew how to develop it and turn it into a story people would love… Don’t worry, that’s not the end, because award-winning documentary filmmakers Nia Pericles and Paul Williams are here to help you tell stories worth telling.
Hone your ability to identify what makes a great story idea. Get practical tips on how to shape your story and then pitch it. And prepare for a future of more immersive storytelling, where virtual reality (VR) could transform how we create and consume stories.
Your choice of sessions covering the hottest topics in social media and digital marketing.
RIVER VIEW ROOM 1 | SPONSORED BY DOUBLEVERIFY
Why Transparency Matters: Protection and Performance in Social Environments
Are you getting the biggest bang for your digital marketing and media bucks? Are you sure? Make sure with DoubleVerify’s Imran Masood.
Explore the critical issues affecting digital and social marketing effectiveness – namely suitability, standardisation and transparency. Learn how to manage shifting consumer expectations, brand reputation, privacy regulations and misinformation/disinformation. Find out why you need to standardise measurement and transparency standards and how to use verification to maximise quality and drive better business outcomes.
| Level: A Good Grasp | Theme: Data-Driven | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 2
From Clickbait to Critical Thinking: Media Literacy for a Digital Future
Understanding, let alone navigating, the minefields and rabbit holes, quagmires and shifting sands of today’s media landscape has never been harder. Our breakout panel discussion will help you confront the spectres of fake news, manufactured outrage and outright misinformation.
Hosted by State of Social fave Carmen Braidwood, our panel featuring legal eagle Taleesha Elder from Bennett, online outrage and community expert Larah Kennedy from Quiip and our very own social media maven Meg Coffey will pull back the curtain on the media landscape.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 3
Don’t Despair, Small Budgets Can Unlock Big Ideas!
Can you really have champagne creative on a beer budget? Sea to Summit’s Bec Smith knows you can, so leave your despair and frustrations at the door and find out how and why some of the best creative ideas come about because of – not despite – a tight or even non-existent budget.
In Bec’s inspiring breakout, you’ll explore how to leverage communities, platforms and trends to do big things with an itsy-bitsy spend; how to make your budget go further, get the biggest bang for your buck and leverage self-funded marketing models; and how to unlock your inner creative genius.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
Your choice of sessions covering the hottest topics in social media and digital marketing.
RIVER VIEW ROOM 1
The Alchemy of Experience Design: Turning Customer Insight into Memorable Moments to Build Trusted Brands
How do you create products, services and experiences your customers want to tell the world about? It’s the 24-carat question that Synergy’s Principal Experience Designer Emma Hollins will answer in her experience-design breakout.
Get practical takeaways on how to build empathy and advocacy for customers within your organisation. Understand how your customers think and feel and what’s important to them. Then, turn those customer insights into compelling value propositions, memorable moments and a brand customers love and trust.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 2
The Blank Phone and Social Media Account Experiment
Can we trust what we see on our socials? Can we trust social platforms to do the right thing? The Guardian’s Josh Taylor set up a blank phone with new social media accounts to investigate.
What content did the platforms serve up? What does it tell us about the platforms’ algorithms and intentions? Join Josh for the inside story on his blank-slate social experiment and how the content you (and your customers) see is being manipulated.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
Take a quick break and find your friends in the Sports Lounge. Grab a snack, charge the phone.
Join Tom Goodwin to explore the future of digital marketing and the forces that will shape digital and social alchemy for years to come.
What will digital marketing gold look like in the future? How will we create it? What tech and trends will win out? How will AI affect digital and social, not just next year but beyond? Prepare to have your assumptions challenged and your expectations elevated by Tom’s exclusive keynote, packed with big ideas and practical advice.
A ‘Social First’ State of Mind
Renowned CMO-for-hire and creator-economy expert Lia Haberman is going to spill the beans on the emerging social trends you need to watch (and ignore), the new apps and platform features you should embrace, and the right way to build a social-listening, social-co-creation, social-first culture.
From learning to give customers and creators the keys to co-creation to understanding why it’s so important (and the risks if you don’t), Lia’s practical tips and real-world examples will enable you to ditch your control-freak mindset and channel your inner co-creator in our social-first world.
A quick recap and it’s time to move on to drinks!
Day One is done. Let’s have a drink and reminisce.
Get your gold coins or cards ready because Dogs’ Refuge Home is back for our famous Barkout Session – that’s right, you get to cuddle puppies and DRH gets a donation!
Your choice of sessions covering the hottest topics in social media and digital marketing.
RIVER VIEW ROOM 1
What’s Old Is New Again: How To Speak to Gen-Z Through Organic Social Media
What’s the best way to speak to Gen-Z? Social media superstar Georgia Tappy will explain how to listen, cut through the noise and engage and entertain Gen-Z (yes, entertain – they’re not Gen Zzzzz).
In Georgia’s workshop, you’ll explore the pros and cons of different channels, from newsletters and Reddit subs to Threads, Instagram Polls and Facebook Groups. You’ll learn how to create valuable content that leverages brand love, how to repurpose it and harness social media trends sustainably, and crucially, how to get Gen-Z to listen.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 2
Self-Care, Burnout and the Busy Mind
You don’t need Happiness Co’s Julian Pace to tell you burnout is rife. With the pressure on to do more with less, the evidence is everywhere. So how do we protect our mental health and wellbeing? Even better, how do we create a power-up culture to combat burnout?
Learn new strategies for avoiding burnout and get tips and tools for unleashing motivation. Find out why and how you should set and communicate boundaries in our always-connected world of work, so you have the time and space to enjoy the life and person you want to be.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
Your choice of sessions covering the hottest topics in social media and digital marketing.
RIVER VIEW ROOM 1 | SPONSORED BY QUIIP
Managing the Social Media Outrage Economy
What do you do when your brand or campaign gets caught in the outrage culture wars on social media? Ask Quiip’s Larah Kennedy.
In an evolving social media landscape where outrage is capital and algorithms are primed to feed off it, what exactly are collective outrage and manufactured outrage? How are they impacting brands on social media? And what can you do to manage and mitigate this online toxicity? Find out with Larah during her deep-dive workshop.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Client Focused |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 2
Playful is Powerful
Is there a formula for unlocking the magic of creativity, both in yourself and others? Can you really play your way to creative marketing gold? (Spoiler alert from ECD Richard Berney: Yes, you can.)
Richard’s workshop will leave you inspired by the power of creativity and ready to become its master. Pulling back the curtain on a career running creative projects, teams and agencies, he’ll break down the delicate art and process of unleashing playful creativity.
| Level: All | Theme: Creative | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 3
From Diversity Angst to Brand Magic: The Messy Business of Inclusion
Take a moment to consider your biases (yes, we all have them) with Brandable’s Tess Palmyre and examine how they’re holding your brand back. How they’re limiting your brand’s appeal. And how you can make your brand more welcoming by harnessing the power of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Enjoy your very own DEI eureka moment. Master the art of learning from new voices and perspectives. Discover how you can navigate conflict and differences to form a safe, brave space where everyone can thrive. Create inclusive brand magic that resonates with growing diverse audiences.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
Your choice of sessions covering the hottest topics in social media and digital marketing.
RIVER VIEW ROOM 1
So You Want a Viral Video Strategy? It Starts With…
All eyes on Lily Hoffmann. She’s about to equip you to go beyond the quest for views and a viral flash in the pan, just as she did with her groundbreaking video-first social campaign (winner of the 2023 AMI National Marketing Excellence Award for Social Media Marketing). In her must-see workshop, she’ll show you how to gain broader brand awareness and deeper brand salience, including with younger audiences. From convincing your boss to invest in video, to the value of both evergreen and trending video content, you’ll leave empowered to assess your current approach to video and take it to the next level.
| Level: You’ve Got a Good Grasp | Theme: Creative | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 2 | SPONSORED BY BENNETT
A Social Media Law Update
Get all the answers to all those nagging social media law questions and hypotheticals with Bennett’s Dave Stewart.
Online safety and privacy. Posting no-nos and influencer no-gos. New laws and old legal myths. Join one of Australia’s leading intellectual property (IP) lawyers for everything you need to know to stay on the right side of the law and avoid ending up on the wrong end of a court case.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 3
Universal Fan Engagement: Lessons from Fandom to Power Social Community Cultivation
In her fan-tastic workshop, Dr Georgie Carroll will help you achieve brand fandom, just like your favourite sports teams, celebrities, bands, movies and TV shows.
Drawing on a host of case studies, Dr Georgia will reveal what fan-fave brands can teach us about nurturing community, loyalty and a passionate fanbase and explain how you can apply the fundamentals of fan engagement through your socials to create your own fandom.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
Enjoy lunch in the Sports Lounge and take in the sights of the incredible grounds at Optus Stadium. We’ve left you plenty of time to grab a feed and check your emails and then devour the brain food on offer.
Your choice of sessions covering the hottest topics in social media and digital marketing.
RIVER VIEW ROOM 1 | SPONSORED BY BONFIRE
20% Less Traffic: How AI Answers Will Change Your Search Marketing Strategy
If your brand relies on digital marketing (yes, that’s everyone) you’re going to want to be at Bonfire’s workshop, delivered by SGE expert Will Bal.
How does Google’s Search Generative Experience work? What has Bonfire’s SGE testing revealed? How will SGE change the search marketing landscape? What does it mean for SEO? And crucially, what do you need to do about it? Get all the answers you need – in plain English – from Will.
| Level: A Good Grasp | Theme: Data-Driven | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 2 | SPONSORED BY OOH!MEDIA
Give Us Your Faking Attention: The Rise and Faux of Fake OOH
Josh Gurgiel is coming straight from inspiring advertisers and agencies to push the creative boundaries of Out of Home (OOH) at POLY – oOh!media’s creative and content innovation hub – to inspire you at SOS24.
The rise of FOOH or Faux Out of Home (giant eyelashes in London, giant handbags in Paris, a giant Barbie in Dubai) blurs the lines between viral video and OOH, online and offline, reality and CGI fantasy. But is FOOH effective, or a fad? What does it mean for social and OOH advertising? And where next?
| Level: Intense | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 3
The Alchemy of Branding
How have big-hitting brands like UNIQLO, DKNY and Belvedere succeeded through digital content and branding? Find out from Ken Leung, the creative maverick who took them beyond viral success to build enduring brand legacies through image-making, content creation and celebrity partnerships.
Join Ken for his inspiring workshop where he’ll be brutally honest about what has worked for him, what hasn’t, and how you can apply his learnings to brands of any size or scale. Learn how to simplify: identify one clear message you need to communicate. Discover how to amplify: expand that message in electrifying ways. And master authenticity: stay true to your brand DNA.
| Level: Intense | Theme: Creative | Category: Any Business |
Your choice of sessions covering the hottest topics in social media and digital marketing.
RIVER VIEW ROOM 1
Unlock the LGBTIQA+ Golden Pot at the End of the Rainbow
Ashara Wills (she/her) is providing more than a workshop. It’s a toolkit for embracing diversity and strategies that are as inclusive as they are impactful and effective.
Go beyond reaching more diverse audiences. Get a handle on community dynamics and explore the transformative power of authentic storytelling. Take a deep dive into the art of engaging with the LGBTIQA+ community and create content that unlocks new audiences, growth and sales.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 2
Tales From the World of the Emoji Overlords
Ever wondered what it’s like to have every person in the world come to you with their fantastic emoji idea? Emojipedia’s Jeremy Burge knows that feeling well.
In his fun and anecdote-packed workshop, he’ll answer all your emoji-related marketing questions about the Unicode approval process, how brands have tried to subvert it and failed (or succeeded), and whether you should base any new marketing around an emoji proposal.
| Level: All | Theme: Niche | Category: Any Business |
RIVER VIEW ROOM 3
Teach Me Something and Be Real with Me
Social media producer Scotty McDonald says that if the TikTokification of social video has taught us anything, it’s that you don’t need a production company to cut through and connect on social.
In his workshop, he’ll explain how to set aside perfection, be yourself in front of camera, create content that brings value to your audience – the stuff people WANT to learn, engage with and share – and establish yourself as a trusted, knowledgeable guide.
| Level: All | Theme: Creative | Category: Small Business |
Take a quick break and find your friends in the Sports Lounge. Grab a snack, charge the phone.
The TikTok Honeymoon Is Over (and That’s a Good Thing)
When it comes to video, you can’t afford to be vertically challenged. In his must-see keynote, Dave Jorgenson – the Washington Post’s TikTok guy – will explain why and how you need to use vertical video effectively, everywhere.
Just like Netflix gave way to dozens of streaming platforms, vertical video doesn’t just belong to TikTok now. It’s time to become a vertical video virtuoso and discover how to use it to reach and engage with myriad demographics across your social channels and platforms … even Reels.
State of Social Founder Meg Coffey takes to the stage to close things out for 2024.
Two epic days are done. Time to let the drinks flow.
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$995+GST
UNTIL 20 AUGUST
TWO DAYS OF FUN
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“you hit the nail on the head when it comes to organising an event for marketers. The two days of the event are two of my favourite days of the year and something I really look forward to!”
“This is the only event my team comes together for and we’ve had so many great conversations out of it.” – brad l.
“AMAZING CONFERENCE, THE BEST SOCIAL AND DIGITAL CONFERENCE I’VE ATTENDED IN AUSTRALIA.” – ELIZA T.
“DEFINITELY THE BEST MARKETING AND OR SOCIAL MEDIA CONFERENCE I’VE BEEN TO.” – SARAH B.
In the spirit of reconciliation, State of Social acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
SPONSORS
State of Social ‘24 would not be possible without a dedicated group of supporters and friends.
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