“Speaking specifically to B2B, it’s really important for us to make sure that while we’re trying to connect brands to these audiences, we are also authentically representing ourselves within them,” Choice said. “Because nobody wants to do business with someone who’s not walking the walk.”
Creating local activations for brands
Rebecca Hogan, head of integrated communications at The Weather Company, shared that weather is inherently local and needs to be personalized and hyper-relevant to consumers.
“It’s not only how we’re reaching our own audiences through our channels, but also how we’re connecting brands to our audiences. A lot of brands advertise on our platforms or use our weather targeting data to leverage weather insights to make sure they’re delivering the right content, the right message based on that person’s interest, where that person is in the world, and the type of weather they’re experiencing,” Hogan said.
Matt Wikstrom, chief of partnership sales at United States Olympic and Paralympic Properties, discussed the local impact of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and how the organization is supporting the community by subsidizing local youth sports and offering accessible game tickets.
He noted the 2028 Olympics will be the largest event in history, describing it as “the operational equivalent of seven Super Bowls a day for four straight weeks.”
Wikstrom added that for brands, the Games offer the ability to tell a story.
“If it’s Honda, which is our automotive and mobility partner, how can they showcase their electric vehicles as moving stakeholders around the Games? Or if it’s Delta, they’re actually flying our athletes to the Games.”
