New Digital Age partner MAD//Fest London has switched the drizzle of its traditional November date for a new-look summer MAD//Fest London on 7-8 July for 4,000+ industry leaders.
MAD//Fest said that the switch will meet the demand for a “unique summer festival experience” that brings the industry together to explore the latest trends, innovations and brand strategies in the marketing industry.
In a bold move, MAD//Fest plan to transform a giant east London car park into an outdoor summer festival under a giant canopy (sadly the English weather can’t be entirely trusted). NDA is a media partner of MAD//Fest London 2021.
2021’s festival theme is ‘Where Do We Go From Here’ and in true MAD//Fest fashion, the event will feature 150+ global CMOs, challengers, futurists, agency leaders, activists and media powerhouses across 5 stages. The event will feature a dedicated creative stage for the first time, as well as tracks covering tech, innovation, experience and media.
MAD//Fest London has also decided to ramp-up its popular PITCH//IT initiative in which start-ups pitch for £20k pilots from the world’s top brands. In November, The Q and Spirable secured £20k pilots from Diageo and McCormick respectively after competing in a virtual edition of PITCH//IT at MAD//Anywhere.
In addition to meeting demand for a summer destination industry event, MAD//Fest said the move and outdoor venue would enable the event to grow significantly and launch in the US in November. Currently outdoor events in the UK are permitted larger capacities than traditional indoor conferences. 2021’s MAD//Fest will be a hybrid affair, with attendees able to watch all the action from afar with a virtual ticket.
“The summer switch for MAD//Fest is huge and has been incredibly well received by brands, the big tech platforms, madtech players, agencies and start-ups. Industry leaders have been crying out for a fun, vibrant and distinctive London-based summer festival that brings together marketing, media, tech and creative leaders. Here it is,” said Ian Houghton, MAD//Fest London’s Co-founder and Commercial Director.
“2020 was a challenging year for anyone in the events industry. MAD//Fest adapted quickly with innovative digital formats such as MAD//Anywhere, MAD//Fest x DMEXCO@home and the 99//Club Digital Festival with New Digital Age. Going forward, these digital lessons will shape the future of the business, the MAD//Fest brand and our event experience.
“Now that there is vaccine optimism and palpable excitement about the return of physical events, we can now focus on what we do best – launching bold, creative and distinctive MAD//Fest events that challenge the idea of what an industry event can do,” he added.
Contact ian@madfestlondon.com to find out about sponsorship and exhibition opportunities.
A limited amount of preview rate live and virtual tickets for MAD//Fest London are available now.