What’s causing the biggest disruption to digital marketing right now? We unpack the biggest shifts in a rapidly evolving ecosystem from the rise of AI agents, LLM-led search, to new platforms and tech breakthroughs. Find out why marketers must rethink their strategies to stay visible and relevant.

We'll explore what you need to prioritise now and the steps you should be taking to future-proof your strategies, teams, and tech stacks.

• What has changed and what else can we expect over the next 12 months?
• How can marketers use AI agents to automate work?
• What metrics matter most in 2025 and beyond?
• The rebirth of SEO: why brands must rethink discovery before they’re left behind
• The decline of traditional funnel models and rise of nonlinear, intent-driven customer journeys
• The “doom loop” of hyper-optimised conversions and shrinking reach
• The changing role of social search and social platforms
• What a future-proof digital marketing team looks like
• How automation is redefining roles, content, and customer expectations

About Adrian

Adrian Vallelonga leads Performance Solutions and Retail Media for Australia and New Zealand at Google. With over 11 years at Google, Adrian has an extensive background in agencies, publishing and digital, driving significant results across various sectors, including Retail, CPG, Automotive, QSR and Entertainment amongst others. His expertise lies in leveraging Google's products and platforms to deliver impactful advertising solutions and new revenue streams for clients, as well as fostering strong client and agency relationships.  

Dad of three and avid sport and skiing fan, he also owns a Pilates and Fitness studio with his wife on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.  He also continues to play touch football, having had the opportunity to represent Australia at the recent World Cup in England in 2024. 

There’s been a real shift in how businesses communicate, connect and convert on LinkedIn. Successful brands are leaning into storytelling and short-form video, mixing professional content with raw and original ideas to capture attention.

Just last year, videos were viewed on LinkedIn more than 154 billion times, up 35% from 2023.

So, how can you make the shift from informational content to emotionally resonant storytelling? How do you get your cast of employees, leaders and creators into brand videos and turn workplace culture into creative currency?

Sought after international keynote speaker Robin O’Connell is here to share what works for the most successful brands on LinkedIn globally and the trends that will shape 2026.

• How to stand out and grab attention in a crowded feed?
• Why brand characters and mascots are the new protagonists in brand storytelling
• Behind the scenes, lo-fi content - giving access and support to employees as you test and learn
• Why marketing is about the story you tell, not the product you sell
• Building authenticity while avoiding ‘LinkedIn cringe’

About Robin

Robin O’Connell is a sought-after keynote speaker and content marketing consultant who has worked with clients across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and APAC markets.

Currently based in Australia, Robin has collaborated with some of the world’s largest brands on their marketing and branding strategies.

With a particular specialty in B2B and employer branding, Robin is currently the head of LinkedIn’s content solutions consultancy team in ANZ. Robin and his team help companies create better, bolder content strategies that connect professionals to brands across APAC.

Learn more about Robin on LinkedIn.

Co-presenting with Brooke Howard-Smith, CEO, WeAreTENZING & Rob Bowring, Head of Brand & Trade Marketing, Mitre 10 New Zealand

#NZRenoTok is a world-first TikTok Live renovation competition that showcases New Zealand's DIY talent. Over six weeks, four teams of creators renovate their own homes, sharing their progress and challenges with the TikTok community. The smash hit show was entirely creator-driven, no camera crews allowed, and the authentic format won over audiences generating over 16 million in reach and video plays across TikTok and Instagram.

Together with Stanley and Resene, Mitre10 and Panasonic jumped at the chance to be part of this exciting new show format to reach and relate to a new generation of customers. At Digital Day Out 2025 they’ll share what they as brands got out of and learnt from the experience.  

• How the format allowed the brands to unlock real-time opportunities
• Dealing with the unexpected – why flexibility and an open mind is key in first-to-market projects 
• Embracing the platform’s unique style – why impact doesn’t have to be expensive 
• Meeting your audience where they are – with heart and personality. 

About Gab

Gab Davenport is a highly accomplished marketing specialist with over 15 years of experience driving growth, transformation, and brand elevation across B2B and B2C markets in New Zealand, Australia, and the UK.

With a deep passion for strategic brand building and business transformation, Gab has delivered results across the full marketing mix for well-established brands across the retail, property, design, and technology sectors. 

Her experience includes leading marketing strategy for Westfield, Huffer, ArchiPro, and Landsec—the UK’s largest commercial property development and investment company. In recent years, Gab founded and successfully exited her own digital agency, AUTHOR, which supported SMEs with brand identity and digital strategy. Following the arrival of her son and the sale of AUTHOR in 2023, she now leads consumer marketing at Panasonic New Zealand, continuing her passion for business transformation and strategic brand leadership. 

18 months ago, Jordan-lee Ikitule, a dad of three from South Auckland, put up a message on social media looking for other dads of children with autism. The idea was to start a local group to meet and share experiences, but it quickly catapulted into something much bigger!

ASD Dads have gone global. Together with Jordan-Lee’s new social enterprise clothing brand, Autism Kids (designed to raise autism awareness and provide safety through QR-coded clothing), Jordan-Lee and ASD Dads have caught the attention of people and organisations across 14 countries. They’re offering workshops, community events, annual ‘Run for Autism’ charity events in multiple cities, and have amassed hundreds of thousands of engaged followers on social media. And they’re not stopping there!

We’re privileged to have Jordan-Lee join us at this year’s Digital Day Out to talk about the power of organic social, about using creativity and content to get your message out and inspire people, and about the doors that open when you’re passionate about your purpose.

About Jordan-lee

What’s causing the biggest disruption to digital marketing right now? We unpack the biggest shifts in a rapidly evolving ecosystem from the rise of AI agents, LLM-led search, to new platforms and tech breakthroughs. Find out why marketers must rethink their strategies to stay visible and relevant.

We'll explore what you need to prioritise now and the steps you should be taking to future-proof your strategies, teams, and tech stacks.

• What has changed and what else can we expect over the next 12 months?
• How can marketers use AI agents to automate work?
• What metrics matter most in 2025 and beyond?
• The rebirth of SEO: why brands must rethink discovery before they’re left behind
• The decline of traditional funnel models and rise of nonlinear, intent-driven customer journeys
• The “doom loop” of hyper-optimised conversions and shrinking reach
• The changing role of social search and social platforms
• What a future-proof digital marketing team looks like
• How automation is redefining roles, content, and customer expectations

About Kat

‘The Best Place in The World to Have Herpes’ by agency Motion Sickness is the world’s most unlikely tourism campaign, underpinned by an important health message. Featuring a first-of-its-kind ‘Herpes Destigmatisation Course’, a competitive global ranking system underpinned by live data, and plenty of irreverent kiwi humour, this campaign took an unusual approach to reducing herpes stigma – framing it as the key to restoring New Zealand’s diminished sense of national pride.

Over 8 weeks, New Zealand rallied behind the cause and climbed the rankings, beating the rest of the world to claim this illustrious title, and changing attitudes toward herpes in the process.

During this reveal-all conversation Motion Sickness’ Executive Creative Director Sam Stuchbury will cover:

• How the agency used local insights to inspire the campaign. 
• The creative use of data, and data science, that inspired the nation to compete. 
• How the agency got iconic Kiwis to be in a Herpes ad pretty much for free. 
• Provoking an important conversation with 13 million impressions.

About Sam

Sam Stuchbury is the founder and Executive Creative Director of multi-award-winning advertising agency Motion Sickness. Sam and his agency use strategy grounded in culture to get brands noticed and change behaviour. Working with clients such as Frank Energy, Les Mills, The New Zealand Government, Les Mills, and Whānau Ora the Auckland based agency is leading the way for the new age of advertising in Australasia. 

Motion Sickness has gained national and intentional recognition for their bold, unignorable, creative work and campaigns. Most recently winning a Campaign Global Agency Of The Year title in London aswell a suite of Golds at Effies and Axis awards. 

What’s causing the biggest disruption to digital marketing right now? We unpack the biggest shifts in a rapidly evolving ecosystem from the rise of AI agents, LLM-led search, to new platforms and tech breakthroughs. Find out why marketers must rethink their strategies to stay visible and relevant.

We'll explore what you need to prioritise now and the steps you should be taking to future-proof your strategies, teams, and tech stacks.

• What has changed and what else can we expect over the next 12 months?
• How can marketers use AI agents to automate work?
• What metrics matter most in 2025 and beyond?
• The rebirth of SEO: why brands must rethink discovery before they’re left behind
• The decline of traditional funnel models and rise of nonlinear, intent-driven customer journeys
• The “doom loop” of hyper-optimised conversions and shrinking reach
• The changing role of social search and social platforms
• What a future-proof digital marketing team looks like
• How automation is redefining roles, content, and customer expectations

About Sophie

Sophie is a senior marketing leader with over 17 years of experience across the full spectrum of the marketing lifecycle. Throughout her career, Sophie has excelled in senior leadership roles at prestigious blue-chip companies, overseeing global teams and driving transformative marketing strategies on an international scale. Currently Sophie is the Global Head of Digital Marketing and Content for ABB’s Electrification Service division, a $100 billion USD technology company based in over 100 countries, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.

A seasoned expert in building and leading high-performing marketing teams, Sophie has consistently established and optimized key marketing functions. Her leadership has been instrumental in launching initiatives that have resulted in substantial commercial success. With a deep well of expertise and a strategic vision, Sophie adeptly harnesses marketing insights to fuel business growth, elevate brand presence, and drive innovation.

What’s causing the biggest disruption to digital marketing right now? We unpack the biggest shifts in a rapidly evolving ecosystem from the rise of AI agents, LLM-led search, to new platforms and tech breakthroughs. Find out why marketers must rethink their strategies to stay visible and relevant.

We'll explore what you need to prioritise now and the steps you should be taking to future-proof your strategies, teams, and tech stacks.

• What has changed and what else can we expect over the next 12 months?
• How can marketers use AI agents to automate work?
• What metrics matter most in 2025 and beyond?
• The rebirth of SEO: why brands must rethink discovery before they’re left behind
• The decline of traditional funnel models and rise of nonlinear, intent-driven customer journeys
• The “doom loop” of hyper-optimised conversions and shrinking reach
• The changing role of social search and social platforms
• What a future-proof digital marketing team looks like
• How automation is redefining roles, content, and customer expectations

About Richard

Richard is the founder of Pure SEO, New Zealand’s most awarded search agency. Richard was a finalist in the 2019 EY Entrepreneur of the Year and is a columnist for M2 Magazine, M2W Magazine, and New Zealand Business magazine.

Richard is a guest lecturer of Digital Marketing and search marketing for the University of Auckland (MBA programme), Unitec, and The NZ Marketing Association. In 2019 Richard wrote the book ‘How to Get to The Top of Google Search, a Practical Guide’ (Penguin Random House).

Richard is an active investor and mentor to a number of high tech businesses and has sat on the board of Entrepreneurs Organisation (New Zealand) and The Well Foundation.

Co-presenting with Gab Davenport, Category Marketing Manager, Panasonic New Zealand, Panasonic New Zealand & Rob Bowring, Head of Brand & Trade Marketing, Mitre 10 New Zealand

#NZRenoTok is a world-first TikTok Live renovation competition that showcases New Zealand's DIY talent. Over six weeks, four teams of creators renovate their own homes, sharing their progress and challenges with the TikTok community. The smash hit show was entirely creator-driven, no camera crews allowed, and the authentic format won over audiences generating over 16 million in reach and video plays across TikTok and Instagram.

Together with Stanley and Resene, Mitre10 and Panasonic jumped at the chance to be part of this exciting new show format to reach and relate to a new generation of customers. At Digital Day Out 2025 they’ll share what they as brands got out of and learnt from the experience.  

• How the format allowed the brands to unlock real-time opportunities
• Dealing with the unexpected – why flexibility and an open mind is key in first-to-market projects 
• Embracing the platform’s unique style – why impact doesn’t have to be expensive 
• Meeting your audience where they are – with heart and personality. 

About Brooke