Wunderman Thompson will power this year’s ADFEST Biz School, a future-fit business course for a new generation of marketing leaders, which runs during ADFEST 2020.

Now in its second year, ADFEST Biz School prepares marketers for the transforming marketing landscape and is open to mid- to senior-level client marketers from across the region.

To find out more, we spoke to one of last year’s participants, Kyle Towb who took part in Biz School while reporting for ADFESTbuzz.

You took part in the inaugural Biz School at ADFEST 2019. What can you tell us about the experience?

It was a unique experience because not only was I able to learn from worldwide industry leaders, but I also had the opportunity to engage with each of them on a more personal level. This structure allowed for more direct communication and feedback, which I could apply to my work and business goals. I would highly recommend this workshop to delegates of ADFEST 2020 and coming years!

There were eight lectures over four days. Were there any key learnings that have lived with you since then?

I can clearly recall each instructor and their unique value proposition as they were each more focused on interacting with the class and helping us grow together. To name a few: Pinit Chantaprateep showcased a superb way of maximizing the connection between products and influencers with Double A’s work on the OK GO ‘Obsession’ music video.

Christine Wang, General Manager for E-Commerce of Publicis China, revealed the background and history behind China's creation of Double 11 and other holidays and the ever-improving technology that supports them. We had the chance to hear from Richard Lee, former CMO of PepsiCo, who gave powerful insights into how marketing can be an art of beautiful heart-to-heart storytelling. We also got to hear from Anthony James, a LinkedIn Power Profile with nearly 350,000 followers, as he took us through a workshop on how to market ourselves and be more successful on the platform.

You also had the opportunity to work on a presentation. What was the brief you were given?

Our brief charged us to bring ADFEST into the future while further positioning the event for brands looking for innovative/creative ways to grow their market share and solve their business challenges.

What are you working on right now?

I am based out of Dallas, Texas though I do frequent Thailand and Japan. While I have a number of clients in different industries, the most exciting project as of late relates to my work with Social Venture Partners, a worldwide organization with headquarters in major cities around the globe, which is made up of top philanthropists from each region. We are working on innovative ways to create systemic change and a collective social impact for the betterment of our community through a variety of resources.

How long have you been coming to ADFEST and what do you enjoy most about the festival? 

I have been coming to ADFEST for the past four years. Having visited festivals around the world, there is nothing quite like the inviting nature and intimacy of this event. Nowhere else in the world can you go and get such a variety of world-class work, while interacting with the creators on such a personal level. In a world where everyone seems too busy, this is one place that I can go to and look forward to an environment in which everyone seems genuinely happy to learn, interact, and grow together.

* Kyle Towb is a reporter for ADFESTbuzz based in Dallas, Texas.