Jess Zafarris would like a word.

You don’t need a sesquipedalian vocabulary (look it up) to know that words have power. But are you harnessing their full potential? With a more creative, thoughtful and playful approach to language, could you take your brand, campaigns and content to a new level?

Say hello to prodigious author, podcaster and creator Jess Zafarris

An adjunct professor at the University of Florida and author of several bestselling books on etymology (word origins), Jess is the word nerd’s word nerd, sought out by everyone from SXSW EDU to The New York Times. And just as importantly for us social marketers, she’s also the reel deal, with more than 150,000 devoted followers on TikTok and Instagram.

She educates and empowers writers and content creators around the world, and we’re positively eupeptic (nice) that Jess is flying in to inspire us to new social storytelling heights.

Jess’s keynote: Word Magic for Social Pros

Every word has a story, and that story can become a creative tool for marketers. From ‘hello’, ‘miniature’ and ‘synergy’ to swear words, memes, portmanteaux and genericised trademarks, she reveals the humour, history and human behaviour packed into the language we use every day.

In her fascinating keynote, Jess will show you how to unlock boundless creative potential with a more curious and intentional approach to developing marketing and social ideas and cultivating a more original brand voice. Using wordplay, coinages and cultural language to tap into humour, emotion and passion, you’ll also learn how to cut through generic AI phrasing with razor-sharp word choices.

Jess joins our rollcall of marketing heresiarchs (now we’re just showing off for Jess) on our keynote program. Find out who else is taking centre stage at SOS26, and start planning your program.