The Future of Social Media for Business—Keynote Speaker, Corey Perlman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu8kO_wllGI&t=67s

‍Speaker Page - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/corey-perlman

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Why Corey?

‍Corey delivers on JoyConf’s core goals: energizing your audience, helping them rethink how to build content experiences, and bridging the marketer-developer divide. His ability to simplify complex digital strategies and drive human-centered connection in a tech-first world makes him a powerful opener or closer for either event day.

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Suggested Topic

"Authentically Social: How to Stay Relevant (and Human) in a Rapidly Changing Digital World"

‍In a digital era dominated by automation, algorithms, and artificial intelligence, how do brands—and the people behind them—stay genuinely connected with their audiences? This keynote challenges the belief that scaling digital content means sacrificing authenticity.

Drawing from his bestselling book Authentically Social, Corey Perlman reveals how developers and marketers can partner to build meaningful brand trust across platforms. From integrating AI into your content strategy without losing the human touch, to crafting social media stories that resonate beyond vanity metrics, this talk is both a strategic roadmap and a call to action.

Corey unpacks how high-performing content teams combine data with empathy, tech with storytelling, and structure with soul to stay relevant in a fast-changing world. Tailored for today’s hybrid teams, this keynote bridges the gap between those who build the tools and those who use them—highlighting how shared goals and better communication can elevate the entire digital experience.

Key Takeaways / Learning Outcomes:

• Understand how to integrate AI tools into your content and social media workflows—without losing human voice or vision
• Learn 5 ways to build brand trust across digital channels through authenticity, consistency, and real-time engagement
• Discover best practices for marketers and developers to co-create content that’s both visually compelling and technically sound
• Identify what not to automate: where human judgment, empathy, and tone are irreplaceable
• Gain actionable tips for improving internal alignment between content, development, and marketing teams
• See real-world examples of brands that are successfully balancing innovation with authenticity in their digital storytelling

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Highlights

• Bestselling author of Authentically Social and digital marketing strategist for brands like the PGA Tour, Dale Carnegie, and the FBI
• 15+ years of experience helping companies bridge the gap between marketing and technology
• Known for highly engaging and actionable keynotes tailored to marketers and developers alike
• Regular contributor to publications such as Forbes and Entrepreneur

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^{"Corey's expertise on the subject of Digital Marketing is outstanding, but more important is his delivery of the material and ability to connect with people. He brings energy relevance to all speaking opportunities." -Pamela S. Global Sales Director}

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Shawna Suckow Speaker Reel with Bloopers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_du814IBFA&t=57s

Speaker Page - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/shawna-suckow

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Why Shawna?

‍Shawna’s approach aligns perfectly with JoyConf’s vision to spark energy and collaborative momentum. Her immersive keynote helps solve one of the most pressing challenges for digital teams—how marketers and developers can actually enjoy working together. With a mix of energy, practicality, and real-world frameworks, she’s an excellent candidate for driving engagement.

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Suggested Topic

"Marketers & Developers: How Collaboration (Finally) Becomes the Superpower It Was Meant to Be"

In most organizations, marketers and developers are essential to delivering standout digital experiences—but too often, they’re working in parallel rather than in partnership. This disconnect creates delays, missed opportunities, and creative friction that slows innovation.

In this high-energy, interactive keynote, Shawna Suckow flips that script.

Drawing on 20+ years of marketing experience and real-world insights from hundreds of organizations, Shawna will guide your audience through a transformative session that reimagines how marketers and developers can work together—not just functionally, but creatively and strategically.

This isn’t a passive keynote. Shawna’s session is built for engagement, with real-time collaboration moments and creative prompts that spark dialogue, build empathy, and break down silos. Whether you’re writing code or crafting brand stories, you’ll come away with a new perspective—and a shared toolkit for building better, faster, and with more joy.

Key Takeaways / Learning Outcomes:

• Discover the common misalignments between marketers and developers—and how to fix them with shared language and goals
• Experience live collaboration prompts that illustrate how cross-functional teams can innovate in real-time
• Learn a simple but powerful framework to help teams co-create smoother content workflows
• Explore the neuroscience behind creativity and problem-solving in group dynamics
• Walk away with fresh tactics for running better brainstorms, briefs, and build cycles
• Reignite the “joy” in joint projects through communication strategies that build trust and reduce friction

Highlights

• 20+ year marketing industry veteran turned globally sought-after speaker on buyer behavior and collaboration
• Named one of Meetings & Conventions Magazine’s Top 25 Women in the Meetings Industry
• Creator of innovative, interactive formats that audiences remember—and act on
• Trusted by Adobe, Hilton, Aflac, and leading marketing and digital experience teams worldwide

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^{"Her presentation blew my mind! and it was totally in alignment with other things that have been going on in my life in the last three to four months. She's a fantastic, relevant speaker who engages with her audience, and I highly recommend Shawna Suckow." -Christine Streck, Sales and Marketing Session}

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What a brand wants; What a DAO gets! - with Max Lenderman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcIZEcvXsHM&t=115s

Max Lenderman, CEO of School: GLS 2018 - Project Worldwide - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LfVQA31ebE&t=216s‍

Speaker Profile - https://www.gravityspeakers.com/speakers/max-lenderman‍

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Why Max?

‍Max is a thought leader perfectly suited for JoyConf’s innovation-first ethos. Whether addressing AI’s role in creativity or unpacking the next frontier in digital experiences (like Web3), he pushes the audience to future-ready thinking—exactly what Storyblok’s audience craves. He’s a bold, visionary pick for either opening or closing keynote.

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Suggested Topic

"AI and Creativity: A Workshop for the Future of Ideas"

In today's fast-evolving marketing and advertising landscape, the role of AI is a double-edged sword, perceived by some as a threat and by others as an opportunity. For companies and brands that work with creatives and creative agencies, AI can amplify the output of talented creatives by 10 to 20 times, rather than replacing them. This workshop is designed to demystify AI's impact on creativity and illustrate how it can be a powerful ally for marketers and advertisers.

This isn’t another talk about AI. It's a dynamic, hands-on and thought-provoking workshop that will challenge your preconceptions and provide actionable insights into how AI can amplify your creative potential rather than replace it.

Key Workshop Topics:

1. The Collaborative Power of AI: Discover how AI acts as a creative partner, enhancing human ingenuity through feedback loops, data-driven insights, and pattern recognition. Learn how AI can review and refine creative outputs, ensuring they align with your brand's vision and audience expectations.

2. Innovative Tools and Techniques: Explore the latest AI tools that support creative processes, from generative AI that crafts unique content to algorithms that personalize marketing strategies based on consumer behavior.

3. Real-World Success Stories: Hear about projects where AI has played a crucial role in overcoming creative challenges, leading to groundbreaking campaigns and substantial ROI. These stories will illustrate the practical benefits of integrating AI into your creative toolkit.

4. Future Trends and Ethical Considerations: Stay ahead of the curve by understanding future trends in AI and creativity. We'll also address ethical considerations, ensuring that AI is used responsibly and sustainably in your marketing efforts.

Join Max on a fascinating journey into the future of creativity, where AI and human talent combine to push the boundaries of what's possible in marketing and advertising. Don't miss this opportunity to transform your approach to creativity and stay competitive in a rapidly changing industry.

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Alternate Topic
"Why Web3 Matters to Marketers: Building Loyalty, Community, and Creativity in the Phygital Era"

The marketing and content landscape is once again on the cusp of transformation—and this time, it’s being driven by Web3. While some still write it off as hype, others recognize its potential to fundamentally reshape how brands engage, transact, and build loyalty. From decentralized platforms and smart contracts to NFTs and DAOs, Web3 offers marketers an unprecedented opportunity to reimagine the relationship between brand and audience.

In this forward-looking keynote, experiential marketing pioneer Max Lenderman demystifies Web3 and makes its implications tangible for marketers, developers, and digital teams. He shares how the convergence of physical and digital—what he calls the phygital era—is already unlocking new creative formats, participatory ecosystems, and earned loyalty models across industries.

Max highlights how creators, entrepreneurs, and even major brands are using Web3 tools to shift from one-way messaging to two-way collaboration. Through provocative case studies, future forecasts, and deeply human storytelling, Max challenges audiences to rethink how they define value, trust, and innovation in a decentralized world.

What This Talk Will Do for Your Audience:

• Spark new ways of thinking about content, ownership, and digital engagement through the lens of emerging technologies
• Encourage cross-functional collaboration between marketers, developers, and product teams through shared understanding of decentralized platforms
• Introduce future-ready strategies that blend storytelling, community-building, and commerce in the evolving Web3 landscape
• Leave attendees feeling empowered—not overwhelmed—by the possibilities of innovation, with actionable insights to take back to their teams

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Highlights

• Author of Brand New World and Experience the Message, two landmark books on experiential marketing and emerging tech
• Former CEO of School, a purpose-led brand consultancy, and Creative Director at Crispin Porter + Bogusky
• Leading global expert on innovation, AI, and the future of marketing
• Work featured by Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and The Guardian

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^{“Max is one of a kind. He is creative, business savvy and a progressive thinker. Every idea that Max concepts engages the audience in an innovative manner-this ranges from experiential to cinema to digital. Max is able to think about how the consumer will actual experience the idea, not just how it reads on the page. And he is just plain fun to work with.” - Jason Harris, Co-Founder & CEO Mekanism, Bestselling Author, CEO of the Year (the Drum), Campaign US 40/40, 4A’s 100 People Who Make Advertising Great, Co-Founder The Creative Alliance, Speaker}

^{“I had the pleasure of working with Max as one of our presenters at The Art of Marketing conference in Toronto, Vancouver & Calgary. Without a doubt, Max is a pioneer and leading visionary in experiential marketing. His presentations continue to engage our audiences, through his elaborate case studies and undying passion to interact customers with brands. He has continued to receive rave reviews amongst our attendees, so much so that we're hiring him again for Montreal!” -Christopher Novais, CEO of The Art Of}‍