Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019

10:45 AM – 11:45 AM

Track I: Influencer - Hollywood Advertising - Ahmanson Hall, Live Webcast

Branded & Influencer Entertainment Marketing - Across Platforms - Leveraging Image, Content and Celebrity

Kirstin Benson, VP of Global Entertainment, Getty Images

Gina Jorge, Head of Acura National Advertising, American Honda Motor Co.

Jason Jercinovic, Global Head of Marketing Innovation, Havas

Veronica Belmont, Podcaster and Product Manager for Adobe Spark

Hilary Williams, SVP of Talent, Digital Brand Architects

Andrew Solmssen, Managing Director, POSSIBLE, Los Angeles, Moderator

Veronica Belmont, Podcaster and Product Manager for Adobe Spark: Veronica is a product manager, podcaster, and technology evangelist living in San Francisco. At Adobe, she is a product manager and evangelist on the Adobe Spark team, where she works to help social media creators, marketers, and influencers bring their brands and creative ideas to the masses. As a podcaster, she previously hosted Mozilla's IRL: Online Life is Real Life, where she spoke to people all over the world about how technology and the internet is shaping their existence -- from the relationships we make to the policy that is changing how we even access the web. On the Hugo-nominated Sword & Laser (co-hosted with Tom Merritt), they cover the latest news in science fiction and fantasy,

interview authors, and discuss the monthly book picks. Veronica has also worked extensively as a public speaker, startup advisor, and presenter for companies of all sizes, including IBM, Intel, Sony, AOL, Discovery Digital, and more. In the world of gaming, she was the host of Playstation's first digital magazine, Qore, and is the co-founder of the largest World of Warcraft guild in North America. Veronica was named one of the most influential women in technology by Fast Company, and received the Young Alumni award from her alma mater, Emerson College, in 2012.

Gina Jorge is the Head of Acura National Advertising at American Honda Motor Co., Inc.  In this role, she leads Acura’s integrated advertising strategy in development of brand and retail omni-channel campaigns. Additionally, she oversees global brand alignment across North America, Asia and Latin American markets. She started with Honda in 1998, and has served in several sales and marketing roles including domestic and international sales, digital marketing, multicultural marketing and public relations. Ms. Jorge was born in Montevideo, Uruguay and is fluent in Spanish.  She is a licensed customs broker, earned a BA in International Business from CSU Fullerton and an MBA from the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School.  She actively mentors emerging female leaders and is a board member with Junior Achievement of Southern California.

Kirstin Benson is the VP of Global Entertainment at Getty Images: She joined Getty Images from Time Inc., where she was the co-founder and Editorial Director of Instant — an all-video, first-of-its-kind outlet dedicated to the world of social media stars. Having worked as a digital content creator as well as in front of the camera, Kirstin has a unique perspective on the entertainment, pop culture, and digital worlds. Prior to joining TIME Inc., Kirstin was the Editor-in-Chief of WhoSay, where she oversaw content, social media, and partnerships. While there, she worked closely with talent such as Caitlyn Jenner, Reba McEntire, and more to amplify their messages and syndicate their op-eds across outlets like ABC News, People, Time, and others. No stranger to startups, she served as the Director of Entertainment and Engagement at ConnecTV and was an instrumental member in launching Bonnie Fuller’s digital venture, HollywoodLife.com, at Penske Media Corporation. Kirstin has served as a contributor to Parade Magazine and E! Online, has produced the Primetime Emmys’ Backstage Live! show for the past five years, and is a member of the Primetime Emmy Awards Digital Committee. A graduate of USC with majors in Communication and Theater, Kirstin also holds a Master in Communication Management in the Entertainment Industry from USC Annenberg. In the summer, you can find her jet skiing on Flathead Lake in her hometown of Lakeside, Montana.

Jason Jercinovic, Global Head of Marketing Innovation & Global Brand Director, Havas: Jason' s a veteran digital marketer with a diverse career in advertising and marketing. Jason has been involved in marketing on a variety of levels: from agency to client, spend to buy, as well as from startup to established global engagements. Jason's career has spanned the development of the Internet as a premiere marketing tool. With an energetic obsession in all things digital, Jason has most recently focused on successfully applying social and mobile trends to brand engagement, his work running the gamut from global marketer (Nike) to media super star (Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber). Earlier in his career Jason headed up Havas Worldwide Digital in Australia, working on Global accounts (Intel & Dell) as well as helping to establish success with local clients (Sony Australia, Northern Territory Tourism Commission, Tourism Australia). Also while living in Australia, Jason ran the Asia Pacific-based mobile connectivity and integrated marketing services provider Communicator, funded by Australia's leading private equity/VC firm Allen and Buckridge (A-B.com.au). Prior to re-joining Havas Worldwide Digital in 2011 as the President of Havas Worldwide Digital, Jason was running the Nike Global Brand business at R/GA. Jason currently manages the Global Social Agency of Record business for IBM at Havas Worldwide. Jason is also active in preaching the Digital word to the next generation as a regular on the speaking circuit.

Andrew Solmssen, Managing Director, POSSIBLE, LOS ANGELES:  As Managing Director for POSSIBLE (WPP), Andrew runs the Los Angeles office and serves as part of the executive management team that directs1500 staff across 26 offices in 14 countries. Prior to POSSIBLE, Andrew co-founded Schematic where his clients included Target, Comcast, ABC, Viacom, and Microsoft. He grew the company from 3 people to one of the world's top digital agencies and its sale to WPP in 2007. Before Schematic, he served as Executive Producer at KPE (a division of Grey Advertising) in New York and Los Angeles. At KPE, Andrew spearheaded major initiatives for Variety, Turner, Nielsen, and AOL. Andrew has been a leader in digital since the mid-1990's. His work has received a 3 Gold Cannes Lions, 3 Emmys, OMMA, BDA, W3, Ad:Tech, and many other awards, and he is a regular columnist in trade publications. Recent speaking engagements include International CES, Ad:Tech, Digital Hollywood, OMMA, and NATPE. He is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.