Brand Purpose Committee Meeting

This event is virtual only and no in-person option is available.

Announcements & Introductions (11:00 - 11:10 a.m.)

Member Discussion: Brand Purpose: The Compass That Guides Everything (11:10 - 11:45 a.m.)
Brand purpose isn’t a tagline. It’s a compass. One that should guide every business decision, not just marketing campaigns. But despite its importance, few brands get it right.

In this interactive session, Brent Rivard, veteran marketer and founder of Geezer Creative, invites ANA members into a candid discussion about what it really takes to build a meaningful brand purpose. Drawing on 30 years of experience and lessons from building brands like Budweiser, Mazda, Mini Cooper, Internova Travel Group and Geezer Creative, Brent will explore why most purpose statements fall flat, how specificity drives connection, and how emotional resonance must be matched with real action.

Expect a lively group dialogue covering:

• The difference between purpose, mission, and marketing fluff
• How to craft a purpose that makes bold, strategic choices
• Why tension and cultural challenge are essential to standing out
• A three-step framework to build purpose from the ground up—by starting with your audience’s pain, hope, and proof
• Real-world examples from members and leading brands

This session is designed for active participation, so bring your examples, your challenges, and your questions. Whether you're refining an existing purpose or building one from scratch, this is a hands-on conversation for marketers who want to lead with clarity, not clichés.

Speaker:
Brent Rivard, Partner & CEO, Geezer Creative, Former CMO Internova Travel Group

Session I: Light Up the Lawn. Light Up a Life: Holiday Giving in Action (11:45 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.)
When it comes to pediatric care, Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the top children’s hospitals in the country. With thousands of causes calling for attention in the fourth quarter, combined with donor declines and economic tensions, the only way to break through was to convey the true impact of supporting the hospital.

Nationwide Children’s hospital in partnership with their agency, Hart Associates, created an experience that would connect with consumers emotionally and move beyond the rational. We connected the donation to an experience for the patients in the hospital and one that donors could see in real time. Thus, “Light Up The Lawn. Light Up A Life.” was born.

Our debut year exceeded fundraising expectations by 43% and became the largest fundraising total in brand history elevating us to the #1 charity of choice in the region. A key to success for the campaign that drastically improves ROI beyond the fundraising performance is the inclusion of brand health metrics and employee engagement goals that also benefit from this annual holiday effort.

We are moving into our 4th year of the campaign and continue to raise the bar each year in terms of fundraising goals. Precise audience targeting with a robust media plan paired with careful messaging to connect with audiences rationally and emotionally have thrusted this campaign into one of the highest fundraising campaigns for the hospital.

Speakers:
Andi Hickman, Senior Director of Corporate Marketing, Nationwide Children's Hospital
Leslie Bloom, VP, Consulting and Advisory, Hart

Break (12:20 - 12:25 p.m.)

Session II: Partnership with Purpose: Feed the Children and PepsiCo’s 31-Year Impact (12:25 - 1:00 p.m.)
Feed the Children is a global movement committed to ending childhood hunger. The organization believes that no child should go to bed hungry, and so it provides children and families in the U.S. and around the world with the food and essentials kids need to grow and thrive. Through its programs and partnerships, the organization feeds children today while helping families and communities build resilient futures.

Feed the Children and PepsiCo will share how their 31-year partnership has driven measurable community impact. From the “Five Rs” framework for partnership success to the launch of Feed the Children’s Food and Essential Hub program, which serves over 123,000 students and families, discover how aligning social impact with business objectives—a hallmark of brand purpose—creates meaningful results.

Speakers:
Julie Laird Davis, Sr. Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Individual Giving, Feed the Children
Brittany Wilson, Manager, North America Social Impact, PepsiCo

**Schedule subject to change