IAB UK Engage 2023 – submissions now open

Speaker submissions for Engage 2023 have now closed.

Forget panel overload or lengthy keynotes, Engage is all about bringing you fast-paced sessions that will spark your creativity, shatter your preconceptions, and get you thinking differently. Submissions are now open and any IAB UK member company can submit to speak. Here’s what you need to know. 

This year’s theme: Eng.ai.ge 2023 

ChatGPT. Natural language processing. Machine learning. Avatars. Algorithms. Robotics. As AI blasts into the mainstream through new programmes, apps and tech in the mass market, we’re turning the focus of Engage 2023 to AI, exploring its impact, the opportunities and what we in digital advertising need to know about artificial intelligence.    

We will be looking for sessions that cover three key areas, with these questions provided purely as inspiration and food for thought:  

• Understanding: while AI is not a new concept, it’s fair to say that many in the industry cannot confidently describe what AI covers, how it works and how it is currently used within advertising. What’s the difference between machine learning and artificial intelligence? How does speech recognition work? How do AR and VR fit with AI?  

• Innovation: what is on the horizon with AI? How is it being used to improve advertising and society? What are the cutting-edge technologies and use-cases being developed that will have the potential to change the industry and the world? And how can AI be used to predict consumer behaviour and preferences?  

• The human factor: what is the case for caution when it comes to AI? What is the role of human instinct, curation and emotion that can never be replaced by AI in media, whether in journalism, planning or creative? How can companies ensure that their AI-powered advertising and marketing efforts are fair and unbiased?  

What are we looking for? 

• Snappy, fast-paced sessions - no more than 10 minutes 

• IRL attendance. All sessions must take place in person at The Londoner on the morning of the 25 May. We will not accept any remote speakers who cannot attend on the day 

• Inspiring, innovative stories that showcase all that is great about digital advertising. When putting your proposal together, we want you to: 

Think outside the box:  

• Engage isn’t just about the topics covered, it’s about how they’re delivered. Be imaginative with the style of your session to really bring the story to life. Put forward charismatic speakers who will embody the energy of our dynamic industry and captivate the audience from the moment they step on stage 

Be inclusive:  

• We want to ensure that Engage reflects and supports our diverse industry and shows that we’re taking inclusion seriously. We’re committing to a gender-balanced line-up, but also consider factors including socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicity and race, neurodiversity, physical ability, sexual orientation and age when picking your speaker/s 

What are we not looking for? 

• Sales pitches - a big turn off 

• Sessions that only have relevance to a small part of the industry 

• Recycled content. Sessions that have already been part of other conferences or shared elsewhere aren’t right for Engage. Keep it fresh 

• Average panels where everyone agrees. We’ve all sat through them before and, frankly, life’s too short. 

• Mix up the format to stand out 

When submitting, please ensure you include: 

• What the session will cover 

• What delegates will learn and take away from the session 

• How the session fits with some of themes we’ve shared above 

• How the session will leave the audience feeling 

• Details of anything you would be able to exclusively reveal or share with delegates 

• Who will be on stage, along with videos of them speaking if available 

• Links to any supporting or useful information 

Please submit your proposed speaker or session here. Submissions will close on 23 March. Catch up on last year’s action here, to give you a flavour of what Engage is all about. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]. 

Stay Engaged is back

The virtual companion to our flagship event Engage, Stay Engaged will also return for its fourth year with a series of daily offstage sessions running from May through to August 2023.

This series offers IAB UK members a chance to showcase the very best of digital advertising through keynotes, deep dive interviews and provocative group discussions. Released weekly via The IAB UK Podcast, Stay Engaged 2022 episodes were downloaded nearly 7,500 times.

If you’d like to submit for Stay Engaged, please complete the same form here as Engage, and select the tick box that confirms you’d be happy to be put forward for Stay Engaged. If you have any questions please email [email protected].