Program Options
Outed: LGBTQ+ Representation in Advertising
Beyond Pride Month, LGBTQ+ representation in advertising is minimal, despite them being the most diverse group of people on the planet.
Kurt Thigpen is “outing” the advertising industry’s standards and points out ways we can do better, as well as some displaying examples of advertisements and companies that are doing it right.
He’ll deliver takeaways on how you can create inclusive, diverse, and respectful advertising campaigns.
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Why Social Impact Marketing is Vital to Your Brand
With younger buyers prioritizing supporting causes – a brand’s social impact in the world could be a deciding factor in the buying behavior of your target audience.
Many want to know that your brand is human, that it cares about things like equal rights for all, protecting the environment, or ending poverty to name some examples. Basically, you aren’t in it just for the almighty dollar.
The causes their money ends up supporting at the end of the day is linked to their core values and principles.
That’s why executing an effective social impact marketing plan is crucial to a brand strategy.
In this talk, Kurt Thigpen will explain what social impact marketing is and how it can help grow your brand, put you in front of the right audiences, and earn devoted customers – expanding your bottom line in return.
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How to Make Your Website Truly Awful
Kurt has seen it all when it comes to web design, and sometimes he has to tell clients their baby is ugly.
In comedic fashion, Kurt roasts some of the worst websites on the internet to demonstrate what brands should avoid at all costs when building a website.
An example of a past short-form presentation at Ignite Reno can viewed here.
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Brand Building to Create Social Impact
In this talk, Kurt goes beyond fonts, logos, wordmarks, and color palettes when speaking about branding.
He knows that the brands that last forever are the ones that intentionally work to create a positive social impact.
Kurt shares key principles a brand should implement culturally, socially, and institutionally to create a social impact, which in turn will add to your bottom line by making you the industry favorite people won’t forget.
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Why Businesses Should Think Digital First
You’ve heard it before. “In these uncertain times,” it has never been more important than now to get your business into the digital world.
To quote Bruce Barton, “In good times, people want to advertise; in bad times, they have to.”
When others are cutting their advertising & marketing budgets out of fear & speculation – Kurt makes recommendations on how you can corner the digital market and double down and invest in digital advertising effectively so your business can thrive even in the worst of times.
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Short Bio:
Kurt Thigpen’s day job is the CEO of Ace Studios, a global social impact agency that believes in uplifting brands that do good.
He is also a writer, former elected official, mental health advocate, and is the current Lt. Governor of AAF District 14, supporting AAF chapters in northern California and northern Nevada.