Each webinar will dive into Stagwell’s client work, market insights, and thought leadership across core areas such as Digital Transformation, Creativity & Communications, Performance Media & Data, and Research & Consumer Insights, as well as special topics such as the Company’s M&A strategy, political advocacy firms, and approach to artificial intelligence.

Upcoming: “The Next Five Years in Marketing”

Kicking off the series is “The Next Five Years in Marketing,” an in-depth exploration of the transformative technology, consumer, and client forces poised to shape the industry’s future. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, June 11 from 1-2PM ET, and feature:

• Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO, Stagwell
• David Sable, Vice Chair, Stagwell
• Julia Hammond, President, Global Solutions, Stagwell

Penn will present the trends shaping the next five years in marketing, followed by a roundtable discussion and Q&A with Sable and Hammond.

To register, visit this page. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions in advance by emailing ir@stagwellglobal.com.

Investors can stay up to date on the latest offerings and events in this series by visiting Stagwell’s investor site here.

About Stagwell
Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at stagwellglobal.com.

Contact:

Ben Allanson
ir@stagwellglobal.com 

NEW YORK and CANNES, France, May 23, 2024 – Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, announced today a new roster of athletes and brand partners confirmed to activate at Sport Beach 2024 (June 17-20), the flagship sports business destination at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (Cannes Lions).

As sports, business, and culture increasingly converge, Stagwell will host conversations with athletes and brands working together to connect with consumers in an authentic way. Four-time NBA champion and media personality, Draymond Green, will be featured in programming. Manchester United legend Eric Cantona, former professional soccer player Karen Carney, professional soccer player Mary Earps, football player DeAndre Hopkins, basketball player Flau’jae Johnson, pilates instructor Amanda Kassar, Super Bowl champion and seven-time Pro Bowl honoree Jason Kelce, two-time Super Bowl champion and star NFL tight end Travis Kelce, and dancer and entertainment icon Jess King will also participate in featured programming and appearances. These athletes speak to several growing trends in sports and business, including the integration of sporting icons into the global apparel business, the growth of women’s sports and the proliferation of athlete-driven media.

“Sport Beach puts athletes and marketers together for real conversations – and serious play,” said Stagwell’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer Beth Sidhu. “Our attendees can expect Sport Beach to be a different kind of experience at Cannes Lions that capitalizes on the many intersections within sport, creativity and culture.”

Event Highlights

• Wine & Spirits Festival: NBA 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony and business partner Asani Swann will host the first-ever Wine & Spirits Festival at Cannes Lions on Thursday, June 20, featuring tastings of their flagship wine brand VII(N) The Seventh Estate, alongside:
  • Casa Azul Tequila Soda from two-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce
  • Garage Beer by Super Bowl champions and brothers Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce
  • La Fête du Rosé from co-owner and Golden State Warriors point guard Chris Paul
  • Le Portier premier cognac from NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe
  • The Paloma by Don Julio, the official cocktail of Sport Beach 2024
• Pickleball with the Pros: Patrick Mouratoglou, legendary tennis coach of Serena Williams and current coach of Danish star Holger Rune, and Recess Pickleball, will each lead a pickleball clinic at Sport Beach ahead of a team tournament sponsored by Snapchat.
• Podcast Recordings: Sport Beach will host recordings of some of today’s most popular podcasts including:
  • “A Touch More” with Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe
  • “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce”
  • “Nightcap” with Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson
• AR Comes to Sport Beach: Stagwell’s ARound, a shared augmented reality platform for teams and stadiums, will showcase a new interactive experience at Sport Beach that unites fans and brands for an immersive and engaging event.

Athletes

• Eric Cantona (soccer) – Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., through the Snapdragon® processor brand, is bringing Manchester United legend Eric Cantona to Sport Beach. Eric Cantona is one of Manchester United’s most iconic players and a legend of the game. After joining the club in 1992, signing from United’s bitter rivals, Leeds United, he went on to win four Premier League titles in five years including two League and FA Cup Doubles. He wore Manchester United’s iconic No. 7 shirt and was known for turning up his collar – a trademark look. He is also affectionately nicknamed by Manchester United fans as “King Eric.” In 2003, Cantona was voted as Manchester United’s greatest ever player by Inside United magazine. He was an inaugural inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 and in 2021 Cantona was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
• Karen Carney (soccer) – Karen Carney is the lead female analyst and pundit for men’s & women’s football on Sky Sports and ITV Sport – working across the Premier League, The WSL, The FA Cup and men’s & women’s tournament football. Karen played professional soccer for Arsenal, Chelsea, Birmingham City, Chicago Red Stars and has 144 caps for England. In 2023, Karen chaired the recent UK governments report into the Future of Women’s Football, where she led the review and continues to work with the government to help futureproof the sport.
• Mary Earps (soccer) – Mary Earps is an English professional footballer who plays goalkeeper for Manchester United in the Women’s Super League and the England national team. She was awarded FIFA Best Goalkeeper in 2023 and again in 2024. She also founded MAE27, a clothing line focused on empowering others.
• Draymond Green (basketball) – Draymond Green is an American professional basketball player for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. Green is a four-time NBA champion, four-time All-Star, NBA Defensive Player of the Year, two-time All-NBA Team member, seven-time All-Defensive Team member, and two-time Olympic gold medalist. As an active player, Green is a prominent media figure, hosting and producing “The Draymond Green Show” podcast, broadcasting for TNT, and featuring in commercials, shows, films, interviews and events.  Green’s on-air and executive producer success ignited his creation of the media and production company, “The New Media.”
• DeAndre Hopkins (football) – DeAndre Hopkins is an American football wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers and was selected by the Houston Texans in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. Hopkins is a five-time Pro Bowler, has been named to five All-Pro teams and signed with IMG Models.
• Flau’jae Johnson (basketball) – Flau’jae, a multifaceted superstar from Savannah, Georgia, shines both as an LSU women’s basketball champion (2023) and a rising music artist. With a rich musical heritage inherited from her late father, Camouflage, a renowned recording artist, she has signed a distribution deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation (EQ). Celebrated for her performances on “The Rap Game” and as the first rapper to earn the Golden Buzzer on “America’s Got Talent,” Flau’Jae continues to captivate audiences. Her recent single “AMF” featuring NLE Choppa precedes her upcoming debut EP “Best of Both Worlds,” showcasing her diverse talents. An influential social media figure, Flau’Jae engages over 3 million engaged followers across platforms, building a strong community known as “The Flauk.”
• Amanda Kassar (pilates) – Celebrity pilates trainer Amanda Kassar has been cultivating a loyal group of clients at her exclusive private pilates studio, Pilates By Amanda, for over seven years. As a certified pilates trainer for over ten years, Kassar has been able to refine her technique and teaching style by listening to her clients and honing in on their feedback they respond most positively to. Amanda is also the founder of Core Club, a video-based class subscription app.
• Jason Kelce (football) – Jason Kelce is a Super Bowl champion and seven-time Pro Bowl honoree who recently retired from the Philadelphia Eagles. Jason and his brother Travis teamed up in 2022 to launch the wildly popular original series, “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce,” which recently reached #1 on the Spotify sports chart and #1 overall on the Apple podcast charts. In 2022, Jason founded Underdog Apparel, with all proceeds benefitting Jason’s non-profit, the (Be) Philly Foundation. Jason has also given significant time and resources to benefit the Eagles Autism Foundation. Jason will be making his broadcast debut this season on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown.
• Travis Kelce (football) – The star NFL Tight End, Travis Kelce, is a 3x Super Bowl Champion and 9x Pro Bowler with the Kansas City Chiefs. Consistently ranked as the #1 Tight End in the league, this future Hall-of-Famer continues to break records for 11 seasons straight. In March 2023, he took to the stage at NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” as one of the few athletes ever invited to do so. In addition to launching his podcast “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce” with his brother Jason, Travis developed a clothing line “Tru Kolors,” hosted his first sold-out music festival, “Kelce Jam,” and launched 87 & Running, a foundation to empower underserved youth to achieve success by providing resources and support to their communities.
• Jess King (dancer & entertainment icon) – Jess King is a fitness, wellness, and entertainment icon, notably recognized as a founding instructor at Peloton, a celebrity DJ, wellness entrepreneur, and motivational speaker. Known for her energized and music-loving rides and runs on the Peloton bike and tread, Jess channels her passion for revolutionizing fitness by bridging the gap between fitness and entertainment, exemplified in her signature Peloton ride series, the Jess King Experience. Beginning her journey on the bike in 2014, she has since amassed an international following of riders and runners.

Media Partners

• Ben Lyons is a Senior Creative Advisor to Stagwell and Sport Beach. He is a multi-platform, award winning On-Air Talent, Producer, and Marketing Strategist at the center of elevated sports storytelling.
• Page Six is a world leader in celebrity and entertainment news. As a daily must-read for those who want to stay in the know, Page Six features breaking news and the inside scoop on the latest top stories. Page Six has evolved into an iconic and powerful brand reaching audiences across all platforms including digital, video, print, social, podcast and TV.
• Sports Business Journal (SBJ) sits at the epicenter of the sports industry. SBJ provides the news, the networking and the data to equip the most powerful executives in sports business to make more informed decisions, deals and partnerships. SBJ’s award-winning media content is delivered via multiple media platforms, unparalleled networking opportunities through its hallmark events and awards and market-leading data.
• The Athletic, founded in 2016 and acquired by The New York Times in 2022, is the world’s leading direct-to-consumer digital sports media company committed to elevated sports storytelling. The Athletic has the world’s largest sports newsroom, with 500 full-time employees covering more than 250 professional sports and collegiate teams in the US and globally. Through a personalized subscriber experience built around the teams and leagues that fans follow, The Athletic delivers content and insight across a range of formats from written to audio, video and social – delivering powerful stories and smart analysis that bring sports fans closer to the heart of the game. From breaking news and live commentary to deeply reported long reads and exclusive interviews, subscribers rely on The Athletic for every sports story that matters.

Brand Partners

• Apollo Jets revolutionized the private jet charter industry and continues to set new standards. We are known for our commitment to providing tailored service and access to the largest network of private jet operators. As one of the largest and most respected charter brokers in the US, we have the resources and expertise to deliver world-class service that exceeds expectations.
• BOSS is made for bold, self-determined individuals who live life on their own terms, with passion, style, and purpose. Collections offer dynamic, modern designs for those that embrace who they are fully and unapologetically: as their own BOSS. The brand’s heritage tailoring, performance suiting, casualwear, denim, athleisure, and accessories cater to the style needs of the discerning consumer. Licensed fragrances, eyewear, watches, and kidswear complete the brand. The world of BOSS can be experienced in over 489 own stores worldwide. BOSS is the core brand of HUGO BOSS, one of the leading companies positioned in the premium segment of the global apparel market. The group offers collections in 131 countries at around 7,800 points of sale and online in 73 countries via hugoboss.com. With approximately 19,000 employees worldwide, the company, based in Metzingen (Germany), posted sales of EUR 4.2 billion in the fiscal year 2023.
• Channel Factory is a global technology and data platform that maximizes both performance efficiency and contextual suitability and alignment, turning YouTube’s 5 billion videos and 500 hours per minute of new content into brand-suitable, efficient advertising opportunities. Channel Factory’s mission is to create a suitable video ecosystem that connects creators, brands, and consumers – by enabling advertisers access to the most relevant videos, channels, and creators.
• DIRECTV Advertising is a pioneer in the converged addressable space, delivering industry leading audience-based, digital, and innovative media solutions. Employing our decades of experience, we empower advertisers to address and engage their audience at scale while continuously measuring campaign impact against brand goals to unlock insights and optimize future campaigns.
• Eastside Golf focuses on the future of the game with a deep respect for its past. We recognize that golf, once an exclusive domain, is now a space for everyone, offering its benefits and values to all. Under the progressive and inclusive leadership of Olajuwan Ajanaku and Earl Cooper, we are committed to making golf accessible and welcoming to everyone. All the while growing our brand and delivering premium luxury apparel that speaks to a variety of golfers.
• Gatorade returns to Sport Beach as the official hydration partner for the second year. The Gatorade Company, a division of PepsiCo, provides sports performance innovations designed to meet the needs of athletes at all competitive levels and across a broad range of sports.
• Kansas City Chiefs – Founded as the Dallas Texans in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) by sports pioneer Lamar Hunt, the franchise moved to Kansas City in 1963 and became known as the Kansas City Chiefs. The team currently competes in the West Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL) and has won four Super Bowl championships. Under the guidance of the Hunt Family and the leadership of Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, the mission of the Kansas City Chiefs is to Win with Character, Unite our Community, Inspire our Fans and Honor Tradition. For more information about the Kansas City Chiefs, visit Chiefs.com.
• LG Ad Solutions is a global leader in connected TV and cross-screen advertising, helping brands find hard-to-get unduplicated reach at optimal frequency across the fragmented streaming TV landscape. We bring together LG’s years of experience in delivering world-class smart TVs to consumers worldwide, with big TV audience data and Video AI designed to connect brands with audiences across all screens. Learn more at tv.
• OpenX is an independent omni-channel supply-side platform (SSP) and a global leader in supply-side targeting, transparency, and sustainability. Through its 100% cloud-based tech stack, OpenX powers advertising across CTV, app, mobile web, and desktop, enabling publishers to deliver marketers with improved performance and dynamic future-proofed solutions. With a 15-year track record of programmatic innovation, OpenX is a direct and trusted partner of the world’s largest publishers, working with more than 130,000 premium publisher domains and over 100,000 advertisers. As the market leader in sustainability, OpenX was the first adtech company to be certified as CarbonNeutral™ and third-party verified for achieving its SBTi Net-Zero targets. Learn more at openx.com.
• PadSquad is a leading innovator in digital advertising, specializing in interactive and engaging ad experiences across screens. With a focus on high-impact strategies for digital, PadSquad empowers brands to connect with consumers in meaningful ways through innovative ad formats and cutting-edge technology.
• Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. through the Snapdragon brand is bringing Manchester United back to Sport Beach. Snapdragon processors power many of the devices you love from smartphones to PCs and XR devices to vehicles, and so much more, and has been bringing extraordinary experiences to fans of the No. 1 sports team in the world. Don McGuire, Qualcomm CMO, and Eric Cantona, Manchester United legend, will share how Snapdragon and Manchester United are taking their partnership to the next level with never-before-seen exclusive content – the intersection of technology and sports will never be the same.
• Relo Metrics is an AI-powered sponsorship analytics platform that enables brands to track and optimize their sponsorship investments and powers teams and leagues with the insights they need to retain and grow revenue. The company tracks sponsor exposure across live broadcasts, social media, and streaming platforms and delivers actionable insights via a fast, single-solution platform. For more information, visit www.relometrics.com
• Samba TV has transformed the TV from a pane of glass on the wall to a window into the heart of audiences. We are the global leader in television technology powering real-time insights and audience targeting to enable unparalleled marketing efficiency and effectiveness. Our proprietary first-party data from tens of millions of opted-in televisions, across more than 20 TV brands sold in over 100 countries, provides advertisers and media companies a unified view of the entire consumer journey. Our independent measurement has future-proofed advertising for the next generation, empowering advertisers to connect with their audiences on any platform, across every screen. To learn more, visit samba.tv.
• Snapchat enhances relationships with friends, family, and the world. To help us connect during one of the busiest industry events of the year, they’ll be bringing us together through sport as the official sponsor of the Sports Beach pickleball tournament. Sport Beach will also leverage Snapchat’s proprietary in-stadium Camera Kit integration—the same technology found at SoFi Stadium and the Barclays Center—which allows fans to experience the joy of Snapchat’s most popular Lenses on the Jumbotron together.
• The Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA) is a non-profit 501c3 professional membership organization comprised of Black CxO’s. Members are committed to four key pillars; share, learn, elevate and pay it forward in order to create opportunity, access, and equality for the current and next generation of Black marketing leaders.
• Vacation® Inc is an award-winning sunscreen company from Miami USA on a mission to make sunscreen fun. Founded by Marty Bell, Lach Hall, and Dakota Green, the trio works alongside Dr. Elizabeth Hale, Board Certified Dermatologist and an SVP of The Skin Cancer Foundation, as well as world-renowned perfumers Carlos Huber and Rodrigo Flores-Roux to create products that are both unique in the category – take their whipped cream-inspired “Classic Whip Sunscreen Mousse” – and which make the wearer look, feel, and smell like they’ve been to paradise and back. Vacation® Inc launched in June 2021 and quickly became a viral sensation, beloved for its “leisure-enhancing” sunscreen and nostalgic 360-degree brand world inspired by the sun-soaked days of 1980s beach culture. You can find Vacation® sunscreen products at retailers nationwide including Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom, and Target, and on www.Vacation.inc.
• Wilson Sporting Goods Co. is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. The Company brings more than a century of innovation and heritage to the world of sport – celebrating the iconic moments made possible by Wilson across Racquet Sports, Baseball, Softball, American Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer and Golf. Wilson is part of Amer Sports Group, a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange.
• Zillow Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow and its affiliates help people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, dedicated partners and agents, and easier buying, selling, financing and renting experiences.

For the full roster of leaders, innovators, and cultural influencers joining Sport Beach 2024, visit sportbeach.com.

To learn more about partnership opportunities on the ground at Sport Beach, reach out to cannescomms@stagwellglobal.com. Sport Beach will be produced by TEAM in partnership with Cheerful Twentyfirst.

About Stagwell

Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

Media Contact
Kara Gelber
pr@stagwellglobal.com

Recognizing that news is the foundation of a thriving democracy and a critical marketing vehicle, Stagwell is launching a series of ‘Future of News’ studies and events to fuel discussions on the importance of advertising in news.

Stagwell’s inaugural research for the series examines the concept of brand safety—the measures taken to ensure a brand’s advertisements don’t appear alongside content that could potentially harm that brand’s reputation. Because the current approach to brand safety disproportionately hurts the news industry, Stagwell created a study to determine the real impact of ad adjacency.

The groundbreaking survey reveals that ads placed adjacent to news topics such as politics, inflation and crime perform as effectively as those placed next to business, entertainment and sports stories.

“Our research shows brands shouldn’t fear advertising on news—but rather relish it.  News junkies, who make up 25% of Americans, are one of the most valuable yet under-tapped marketing audiences,” said Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of  Stagwell. “Instead of feeding the vicious cycle of news demonetization that hurts quality journalism the most, advertisers should kickstart a virtuous cycle of investing in news that allows brands to reach valuable audiences and gives quality news content the financial stability it needs to thrive.”

Additional findings include:

• Among Gen Z, the average purchase intent for brands whose ads were placed next to high-quality news articles on the Middle East conflict was 65%, compared to 66% for inflation and 67% for crime—differences that are statistically insignificant. Purchase intent was 69% for sports (widely considered a ‘safe’ news topic) illustrating a minimal four percentage point difference between the ‘riskiest’ and ‘safest’ topics.
• Among more affluent American households, the average favorability ratings for brands whose ads were placed next to high-quality, yet political news articles on former President Trump and President Biden were each 72%—just two percentage points less than brands whose ads were placed next to a non-political entertainment story.
• Among moms, the average purchase intent for brands whose ads were placed next to articles on inflation (a potentially negative story), and business (a more neutral story) were each 70%, showing no difference between the two. Purchase intent was only two percentage points less for brands whose ads were placed next to a news story about crime with the words “subway shooting” in the title—words that get blocked as a matter of course with today’s brand safety practices.

“Brand safety considerations have become prevalent in the media and marketing industries, but they require serious scientific evaluation and more rigorous metrics to assess whether brands really face dangers from news adjacency,” said Dritan Nesho, CEO of HarrisX, which conducted the study. “Our study shows clearly and repeatedly that ads next to news content that is currently considered ‘not brand safe’ performs on par with ads next to what is currently considered ‘brand safe.'” 

Stagwell is committed to initiating data-driven discussions with advertisers about their investment in news. This topic and more will be discussed at tonight’s inaugural Future of News summit which will be held at Stagwell’s global headquarters in New York.

Interested parties can request a copy of the research here. For additional questions, please contact hello@stagwellglobal.com. 

Methodology

The Future of News Study was conducted among 49,990 U.S. adults from March 29 to April 19, 2024. HarrisX, a Stagwell company, conducted the quantitative survey-based online interviews. The sampling margin of error is +/-0.44% for the total study.

The survey data was weighted to a nationally representative sample of American adults across key demographics, including age, gender, region, race/ethnicity, education, income. Click here to read the full methodology.

About Stagwell
Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

About HarrisX
HarrisX is a leading global research consultancy that regularly conducts major market research, public policy polling and social science studies and consulting engagements in more than 40 countries around the world. It is a proud member of Stagwell Global (STGW). Learn more at www.harrisx.com.

Contact:
Kara Gelber
pr@stagwellglobal.com

This summit also marks an occasion to formally debut Stagwell’s new partnership council of U.S. publishers, media buying platforms and social platforms, including Ad Fontes Media, Axel Springer, Axios, Business Insider, POLITICO, The New York Times, The Trade Desk, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. Together, the council will launch a transformative platform to challenge the advertising industry to reinvest in news.

“The Future of News Summit will reframe the conversation by debuting research that illustrates the power of news audiences to drive business and debunks common brand safety myths,” said Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn. “According to our prior research, 90% of voters think the country should have freedom of the press, and yet news monetization is increasingly under attack. Live at the summit we’ll bring both brand and publisher partners together to discuss ways to navigate this climate and maintain consumer trust.”

Penn will kickoff the program and reveal key findings from the research, followed by two panel discussions featuring journalists and brand leaders who see news as the foundation of a thriving democracy and a critical vehicle for marketing ROI.

Panel I: Being A Journalist Today – Stories from the Field: A moderated conversation about the journalists today who are breaking down barriers, holding truth to power, and shining a light on the issues that matter most- despite the most difficult and dangerous of circumstances, featuring: 

• Hannah Beckler, Business Insider: Beckler is the Senior Editor, Investigations at Business Insider. Most recently, she reported on the eight US state prison systems that deploy patrol dogs to attack and terrorize incarcerated people, for which she received a National Magazine Award.
• Jason Conti, Dow Jones: Conti is the EVP and General Counsel at Dow Jones, publisher of The Wall Street Journal. As general counsel, he oversees the company’s legal department. Conti also leads the company’s legal efforts to secure the release of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been wrongfully detained in Russia for over a year.
• Jason Rezaian, The Washington Post: Rezaian is a writer for Global Opinions. He served as The Post’s correspondent in Tehran from 2012 to 2016. He spent 544 days unjustly imprisoned by Iranian authorities until his release in January 2016. He is a CNN contributor.
• Megan Twohey, The New York Times: Twohey is an investigative reporter at The New York Times whose work has prompted changes to the law, criminal convictions and cultural shifts. Twohey is most known for being one of the journalists who broke the story of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s long pattern of sexual harassment and abuse, which helped ignite the #MeToo movement and shared in the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.
• Moderated by Ray Day, Stagwell Vice Chair

Panel II: Why News Works for Brands: Investment in advertising on news platforms is not only brand safe, but also lends itself to a strong return on investment. This session will be an interactive dialogue with business leaders sharing their perspectives on the value of news and how to maximize impact through tailored marketing, featuring:

• Tara Carraro, U.S. Steel: Tara Carraro serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for U. S. Steel where she is responsible for reputation management and communications strategies designed to help deliver on its Best for All® strategy. She also has executive responsibility for Community Relations and non-governmental Stakeholder Engagement.
• Will Doherty, The Trade Desk: Doherty is the Vice President of Inventory Development at The Trade Desk where he oversees strategic partnerships with publishers which includes legacy media, television networks as well as new and emerging channels. Doherty has been responsible for launching products including OpenPath and championing Unified ID 2.0 amongst the publisher side of digital media.
• Dan Gardner, Code and Theory: Gardner is co-founder of the technology-first creative agency Code and Theory and ON_Discourse, a new membership media company focused on the business of technology, prioritizing expert-driven discourse to drive perspectives.
• Shenan Reed, General Motors: Reed is the Global Chief Media Officer at General Motors. She comes to the automaker following three-and-a-half years as SVP, Head of Media at L’Oréal USA and 20+ years of media agency experience.
• Moderated by Lou Paskalis, Ad Fontes Chief Strategy Officer

Interested parties can request a copy of the research here. For additional questions, please contact hello@stagwellglobal.com

About Stagwell
Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

About HarrisX
HarrisX is a leading global research consultancy that regularly conducts major market research, public policy polling and social science studies and consulting engagements in more than 40 countries around the world. It is a proud member of Stagwell Global (STGW). Learn more at www.harrisx.com.

Quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals Joe Burrow; former Brazilian soccer player Roberto Carlos; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett; professional climber Alex Honnold; former NFL wide receiver Chad “OchoCinco’ Johnson; American snowboarder and 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist Chloe Kim; tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou; former American football player and sports television personality Shannon Sharpe; 7-time World Champion skier, philanthropist, and businesswoman Mikaela Shiffrin; and American college basketball player JuJu Watkins will participate in featured programming and appearances. 

“Now more than ever, athletes are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sport – and the smartest brands are there to meet them,” said Chief Brand and Communications Officer Beth Sidhu. “We look forward to bringing our athletes and brand partners together in year two of Sport Beach, where they’ll once again redefine what it means to build meaningful connections that drive business, fandom, and culture.”

Athletes

• Joe Burrow (football) – A star quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe has solidified himself as one of the NFL’s best. Following a successful career at LSU, which included a 2019 National Championship, Joe was awarded the prestigious Heisman Trophy. Entering the NFL as the #1 overall pick in the 2020 Draft, Joe has gone on to set numerous franchise records in his first four seasons with the Bengals, and helped lead the team to an appearance in the 2022 Super Bowl. He was also named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year that season.  Off the field, Joe is passionate about giving back to the communities that have fostered his growth, and launched The Joe Burrow Foundation, which focuses on addressing the issues of food insecurity and childhood mental health.
• Roberto Carlos (soccer) – Widely regarded as the greatest left-back of all time, Roberto Carlos, across the course of his 25 year career, recorded 3 Champions League and 4 La Liga triumphs alongside the greatest prize in football; the World Cup for his national side, Brasil. After a successful spell with Brazilian side Palmeiras, Roberto left for Europe where he played in Spain, Turkey and Russia.
• Myles Garrett (football) – Myles is an American football defensive end for the Cleveland Browns and the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He played college football at Texas A&M, where he received unanimous All-American honors in 2016, and was selected first overall by the Browns in the 2017 NFL draft. Garrett has been named to five Pro Bowls, three first-team All-Pros, and is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
• Alex Honnold (climbing) – Alex is widely recognized as the most accomplished and daring rock climber of his generation, gaining national attention for his free solo ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, immortalized in the Academy Award®-winning documentary Free Solo. This monumental feat solidified his status as a superstar of the climbing community. Beyond climbing, Honnold is known for his humility, environmental advocacy, and philanthropy aimed at preserving climbing areas and promoting access to the outdoors. Whether conquering towering cliffs or advocating for conservation causes, he continues to push the boundaries of human potential, inspiring others to reach new heights in their own lives.
• Chad “OchoCinco” Johnson (football) – Famously known for changing his last name to Ochocinco in 2006, Chad Johnson was drafted 36th overall in the 2001 NFL draft. Fans worldwide quickly embraced his vibrant personality and playmaking ability, making him one of the most prominent figures in sports. Throughout his 11 year NFL career, he earned six Pro-Bowl selections, three All-Pro honors and was inducted into the Cincinnati Bengals’ Ring of Honor in 2023. On the heels of his playing career, Chad transitioned into entertainment, where his compelling storytelling ability captivated audiences globally. He served as a lead analyst for Fox Sports during the 2022 World Cup and co-hosted Inside the NFL on CW this past NFL season. In addition, he partnered with Shannon Sharpe to create Nightcap, a sports podcast that perfectly encapsulates culture. Nightcap recently won a Webby Award for the Best Sports Podcast.
• Chloe Kim (snowboarding) – The 2022 Winter Olympics cemented Chloe as the female face of both snowboarding and action sports when she became the first female in history to win back-to-back Olympic Gold Medals in halfpipe snowboarding. Most recently, Chloe has continued to break records including earning her seventh gold medal at the 2024 X Games where she became the first woman to land a 1260 in a competition. Chloe has been featured on Forbes 30 under 30 list, TIME’s 100 list, and TIME’s 30 Most Influential Teens list (three years in a row), as well as the cover of Time Magazine, Shape, Sports Illustrated, and ESPN Magazine. Chloe cofounded Togethxr, a media platform geared towards elevating and amplifying the voices and stories of female athletes and now serves on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.  
• Patrick Mouratoglou (tennis) – Legendary tennis coach of Serena Williams and current coach of Danish star Holger Rune, Patrick is widely recognized as one of the most influential and respected coaches of the 21st century. With 10 Grand Slams titles, 4 Coach of the Year awards, 39 coaching singles titles, 2 Olympic medals, and over 40 players who have reached the Top 100 under his instruction, Patrick knows how to succeed. Voted into the Top 50 most influential people of France by Vanity Fair, his hard work and passion speak for itself.
• Shannon Sharpe (football and media) – Former American football player and sports television personality known as one of the greatest tight ends to ever play the game. After retiring from football, Shannon transitioned to a successful career in sports broadcasting and in 2021 co-founded the award-winning Cognac brand Le Portier.
• Mikaela Shiffrin (skiing) – A native of Edwards, Colo., Mikaela is the greatest skier of all time. Despite being only 28 years old, Mikaela holds the most World Cup wins (97) of any male or female alpine skier in history. Mikaela was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for her dominance in her sport, her philanthropic work with organizations such as Protect Our Winters, and her authentic connection with her audience when it comes to topics like mental health, the importance of family, and her openness about what it takes to be at the top of one’s craft.
• JuJu Watkins (basketball) – JuJu is an American college basketball player for the USC Trojans. She graduated from Sierra Canyon School in her hometown of Los Angeles, where she was ranked as the number one recruit in her class by ESPN and earned national high school player of the year honors. The All-American shooting guard led her team to their first NCAA Elite Eight in 30 year and has scored the most points as a freshman in NCAA history.

Brand Partners

• Business Insider, a new Sport Beach partner and publisher of business, technology and innovation journalism, will bring its CMO Insider Breakfast to Sport Beach on June 18 to engage chief marketing officers in dynamic discussions exploring how brands leverage experiences and cultural moments to build authentic connections.
• The Chicago Bulls is a global sports and entertainment organization that is part of the National Basketball Association. Founded in 1966, the Bulls have won six NBA championships and become an iconic brand with a worldwide fan base, including more than 38 million followers across multiple social media platforms. The Bulls take pride in championing inclusivity within the workplace and have a longstanding history of giving back to underserved communities across Chicago.
• Diageo, a global leader in premium drinks with over 200 brands and sales in nearly 180 countries, returns as a premier partner of Sport Beach. The “Don Julio Paloma” will be the official cocktail of Sport Beach 2024 and be served throughout the week. Sport Beach attendees will be able to sip on this refreshing cocktail of tequila, grapefruit soda, lime, and a hint of sweetness as they soak up the sun and enjoy the ultimate beach vibes.
• Epidemic Sound has transformed the soundtracking experience for global brands and professional creators, with an expansive catalog of world-class music and sound effects that’s seen and heard over 2.5 billion times a day around the globe. Providing a direct license model that comes with all rights included and next-generation soundtracking tools, Epidemic Sound empowers creators to unlock more feeling in everything they create and share their stories with the world. Epidemic Sound continuously enriches its world-class catalog of music by teaming up with artists, composers, and producers to create tracks spanning all genres, while supporting them financially and creatively.
• La Fete debuted in 2019 as a fresh, modern, and inclusive wine brand geared toward drinkers of all backgrounds. In 2021, the company introduced a limited-release white wine – La Fête du Blanc – which became a permanent addition to the portfolio in 2022, and in 2023, La Fête du Rouge was introduced. According to Circana, La Fête du Rosé was the fastest-growing luxury imported rosé label of 2021 and is now the #3 luxury imported rosé brand in the US. In January 2022, 12-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul (CP3) became an equity partner in the company. Since its inception, the company has donated a portion of the proceeds from every bottle sold to various programs that send underrepresented youth on unique travel experiences and organizations focused on creating opportunities for the BIPOC community in the wine and spirits industry. All La Fête Wines are produced in partnership with the prestigious winemakers of Château Saint-Maur, one of only 18 Cru Classé estates in Provence, situated in the iconic Gulf of St. Tropez.  For more information or to purchase online, please visit LaFeteWine.com.
• LoopMe, the technology company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to improve brand advertising performance and outcomes, joins Sport Beach as a new partner. LoopMe was the first to apply AI to brand advertising and its Intelligent Marketplace, finding solutions to industry challenges that haven’t previously been solved. With consumer insights and AI at its core, LoopMe makes brand advertising better, outperforming industry benchmarks for leading global brands.
• Meta joins Sport Beach for the first year to provide the ultimate sports experience. Attendees will step into a transformed space with Meta Quest to play Pickleball with a friend or sit courtside at an NBA game. During Open Play, guests will be able to try on the next-gen smart glasses for Ray-Ban Meta and capture life’s best moments to share on Instagram and Facebook. Learn more at www.meta.com and get ready to play on Sport Beach.
• Octillion, now a Premion and Tegna company, and founded in 2019 by Gabe and Tina Greenberg, was purpose built to support streaming advertising for local and mid-market advertisers. As a Sport Beach partner, Octillion will highlight their patent pending technology to insert into live sports at the channel level. Octillion is a platform as a service company (PaaS) powering the planning, buying, attribution and optimization tools for local and mid-market advertisers and agencies utilizing their proprietary tech stack. As the first and only TAG/TrustNet certified transparent CTV/OTT solution for local advertisers, Octillion’s technology stack is founded on the principles of data and business ethics, and transparency powering the future of for local by local advertising for video, CTV, audio, digital, DOOH and more.
• Recess Pickleball will run the Sport Beach Pickleball tournament for the second year. Inspired by the childhood nostalgia of time spent on the playground, Recess Pickleball is a celebration of good old-fashioned fun. Launched in 2021 by childhood friends Maggie Brown and Grace Moore, Recess creates high-quality paddles, clothing and accessories that are built for play, in an array of aesthetic designs that are as approachable as pickleball itself. Backed by tennis stars Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios, our mission is to bring that wholesome Recess feeling to people of all ages, encouraging them to take a break, have some fun, and play.
• Saucony, the ‘Original Running Brand’ and a division of Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (NYSE: WWW), is a leading global performance running brand that fuses innovation, style and culture. Widely recognized for award-winning technologies including PWRRUN™ PB, PWRRUN+™, and SPEEDROLL™, Saucony creates innovative technical and lifestyle footwear and apparel across Road, Trail and Originals. Founded in 1898, Saucony exists to inspire and enable people to live a better life through running culture, self-expression and their impact on the world. For more information, visit www.saucony.com. 

For the full roster of leaders, innovators, and cultural influencers joining Sport Beach 2024, visit sportbeach.com.

To learn more about partnership opportunities on the ground at Sport Beach, reach out to cannescomms@stagwellglobal.com for more information. Sport Beach will be produced by TEAM in partnership with Cheerful Twentyfirst.

About Stagwell 
Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

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