Dixie Forum opens semester with NYC marketing executive, public welcome

Composite includes publicity photo of Steve Babcock, chief creative officer at VaynerMedia in New York, who will speak at Dixie State University's Dixie Forum Aug. 29; background image from the university campus | Images courtesy of Dixie State University, St. George News

ST. GEORGE —  With the new fall semester now in session, Dixie State University’s weekly lecture series, “Dixie Forum,” renews Tuesday with its first installment featuring a VaynerMedia marketing executive sharing industry insights.

Steve Babcock, chief creative officer at VaynerMedia in New York City, will lecture from noon-12:50 p.m. Tuesday on “The Rise of Original Content and How Brands Must Adapt.” The Dixie Forum is held in the Dunford Auditorium of the Browning Resource Center on Dixie State campus. Admission is free, and the public is encouraged to attend.

In light of platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat pushing deeper into original content programming and democratizing talent, production and distribution, Babcock believes marketers need to stop hiding behind product placements and produce entertaining, binge-worthy content.

In his Dixie Forum presentation, Babcock will talk about how brands and agencies can embrace a show approach, a pilot mentality of creative experimentation to make successful, engaging and entertaining content.

Babcock’s advertising career began in what he describes as the most cliché way possible: in the mailroom. Since then, he has held creative positions at Euro RSCG; Struck; Crispin Porter + Bogusky; EVB; and now VaynerMedia.

In his current role as chief creative officer at VaynerMedia, Babcock continues to put business solutions first with his media-agnostic approach.

In addition to creating noteworthy campaigns for brands including Volkswagen, Domino’s Pizza, Kraft, J.C. Penney and Samsung, Babcock has been featured in industry lists including Forbes list of 30 Most Creative People in Social Media and XYZ’s list of Top 25 Young Creative Professionals. His favorite professional achievements include inventing the Domino’s Pizza Tracker and the Red Thumb Reminder, a viral initiative to curb distracted driving.

Dixie Forum is a weekly lecture series designed to introduce the St. George community and university students, faculty and staff to diverse ideas and personalities while widening their worldviews via a 50-minute presentation. Next week, Dixie Forum will host Boyd Matheson, president of The Sutherland Institute, as he presents “Politics Has Failed; America Will Not” Sept. 5 at noon in the Dunford Auditorium.

Event details

  • What: Dixie Forum presents VaynerMedia executive Steve Babcock.
  • When: Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, at noon.
  • Where: Dunford Auditorium on the Dixie State University campus, 225 S. University Avenue, St. George.
  • Details: Free to the public | More information – contact John Burns at telephone 435-879-4712, by email to [email protected] or see the university’s Dixie Forum webpage.

 

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Twitter: @STGnews

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