Marketing Communication Speaker Series, Emerson College

Beating the Algorithms: Building Equity into Marketing

We know how technology can be biased against marginalized communities; this effect has even been portrayed by films like Coded Bias (2020) and The Social Dilemma (2020). But how does the under-representation of minorities affect marketing? What are marketers doing to counter the baked-in biases of social media and other digital marketing techniques?

Join these two conversations to learn how companies and their agencies are pushing back with strategies that reach and represent communities of color (on February 16) and women (March 16).

Bias in the Eye of the Coder

March 16, 2021, 11:00 a.m. EST

Three industry veterans discuss how biases that are programmed into marketing platforms may perpetuate inequality for women, communities of color, and other marginalized communities, and what marketers can do to reverse the trends.

Chris Konya | MD and Principal at SYLVAIN

Chris drives growth for businesses by developing consumer-centric solutions. Her past work includes inventing the #3 cider in the U.S., providing a growth plan to triple the size of a powerful skincare brand, developing a trend-setting e-commerce platform for a household brick and mortar name, and expanding a pain medication brand into the pain management space. She is passionate about delivering solid strategic thinking and the creative techniques that inspire and fuel it.

Romina Rosado | Executive Vice President and General Manager, Hispanic Streaming | NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises

In this newly created division, Rosado is responsible for developing, producing and programming a robust content slate to super charge the growth of Latinos on Peacock and across all Telemundo and NBCUniversal streaming platforms. Rosado leads cross-company efforts and collaborates with Peacock’s leadership in the development of the service’s Latino content to effectively target and connect with this growing demographic of 200%ers – audiences who are 100% American and 100% Hispanic, hyperconnected, and media super consumers.

Bonnie Ulman | EVP/Chief Insights & Planning Officer, M Booth | Co-Author, Hustle: Marketing to Women in the Post-Recession World

Bonnie leads M Booth’s research and insights practice across all of our practices and clients. Her team is at the forefront of client work, driving a wide range of primary and secondary research while crystallizing actionable insights to help clients succeed in the marketplace. She has led brand strategy and communications campaigns for household names and honed her craft supporting marketing and communications campaigns within the healthcare sector. She is an author of two books (Trillion-Dollar Moms: Marketing to a New Generation of Mothers and Hustle: Marketing to Women in a Post-Recession World) and a nationally recognized expert in marketing to women and mothers.

Moderator: Naa Amponsah Dodoo, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor of Marketing Communications, Emerson College

Dr. Naa Amponsah Dodoo's research revolves around her fascination with evolving new media technologies, its role in digital and social media environments, and subsequent influence on consumer psychology and behavior in offline and online realms. Primarily, she explores the effects of individual traits and contextual aspects of digital communication on persuasion.

Alain Sylvain, in Conversation with Brent Smith

February 16, 2022, 11:00 a.m. EST

Our guest founded Sylvain to be a unique agency that uses innovation, brand strategy, and organizational design to address the challenges of today. Social progress has always been a goal and an animating force behind the work they do. In this session, Alain and Brent will discuss the responsibility of corporations and agencies to address the challenges of today, from race to health to the environment, SYLVAIN uses innovation, brand strategy, and organizational design to address the challenges of today.

Alain Sylvain | Founder and CEO, Sylvain

Alain is a seasoned strategist, entrepreneur and speaker that provokes audiences to think about the issues facing businesses, people and society at large. Having spoken at some of the largest conferences in business and tech around the world, including Collision Conference, Fast Company Innovation Festival, The Atlantic’s Power of Purpose, The Next Web, and the 99U Conference, he’s known for his provocative points of view and not letting anyone off easy. Alain has a vast knowledge of history, pop culture, branding, innovation, consumer insight, leadership and business strategy, and builds his thinking around the unrelenting belief that when culture and commerce unite, real progress is possible.

Brent Smith, Ph.D. | Professor and Chair, Emerson College Department of Marketing Communication

Brent Smith is an accomplished teacher-scholar, consultant, and practitioner with multi-faceted expertise in strategy, analytics, ethics, and global business. He has developed over twenty courses for students in undergraduate, graduate, international, and online programs. Dr. Smith's research has appeared in leading mainstream and niche academic journals, such as Journal of Business Research, Psychology & Marketing, Journal of Business Ethics, Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Journal of Global Marketing, Technology in Society, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Journal of Sport & Social Issues, and Journal of Education for Business.