Are you attending this year’s IHAF Conference & Awards Show? Registration is open with early-bird savings for IHAF members through July 31. That means you only have a few days left to save $150 on our biggest event of the year.

The theme of this year’s conference is SHIFT—focused on the unexpected changes and unrelenting surges that are redefining the industry. Leading us through this timely topic are a variety of renowned speakers who are sharing how their teams have excelled in today’s dynamic marketplace. A few weeks ago, we told you about one of our keynote presenters, Teresa Herd of Intel, who will be talking to us about how her award-winning internal agency is demystifying tech and disrupting the status quo to propel Intel’s brand and bottom line.

Today, we’re pleased to introduce you to another of our keynote presenters—Alvaro Luque, President of Avocados from Mexico (AFM). Alvaro will take us behind the scenes of this once-fledgling brand to reveal how his team leveraged the power of digital to win the most competitive social conversation in U.S. advertising with its #GUACWORLD campaign—named top digital campaign of Super Bowl 2018 and beating out some of the most powerful, popular brands in the world.

With 25+ years in consumer-packaged goods and produce, Alvaro’s career has shaped his approach to connecting with consumers—turning the produce industry on its ear with marketing strategies that defy typical paradigms to deliver atypical results.

In addition to our keynotes, this year’s conference includes assorted SHIFT sessions, facilitated by industry influencers who will guide us through the pain points and pivots required to stay competitive in today’s changing marketplace. Here’s a look at a few of our planned sessions.

 Playing Nice with Others. Eric Hards, Manager of Visual Communications at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company will talk about the importance of cross-functional relationships in completing daily tasks and why internal agencies are ideally suited as conduits of collaboration.

7 Decision-Science Secrets to Drive Behavior. As a creative campaign strategist for AT&T, IBM, Dell, Nationwide and others, Nancy Harhut, Chief Creative Officer of Nancy Harhut & Associates will discuss how we can increase engagement and response by injecting the proven principles of social science into our creative executions.

 Creating Purpose-Built Creative Teams. With 18 years’ experience in marketing project management, workflow design, process creation and change management, Bill Weiss, Director of Creative Operations for Hello Fresh, will talk about how his team is confronting near and long-term challenges to keep pace with the pace of business while boosting efficiency and building talent.

Breaking Down the Creative Silos. Faculty Director and Professor Wendy Zajack of Georgetown University is also joining us this year. Wendy will walk through some pioneering examples of how to lead agency teams and corporate brands for silo busting that can pave the way for success.

As we inch toward November, we’ll continue adding details to our event agenda, so be sure to touch back to our conference site often! And remember, IHAF members who register by July 31 will enjoy exclusive savings on your tickets. And, if you book your hotel room by October 7, you’ll also receive our discounted rate on your stay. 

Of course, if you are not yet a member of IHAF, this is the ideal time to join us. In the meantime, mark your calendar for SHIFT—the 2018 IHAF Conference & Awards Show on November 8-9 at the Aloft Hotel in historic Boston, MA.