By: Steve Webner Staff Writer for World Liberty TV
Advertising Week New York 2026 runs from October 5–8, 2026, at the Penn District (100 W. 33rd St.) in Manhattan, bringing together global marketing, media, technology, and culture leaders.
Under global president Ruth Mortimer, Advertising Week New York appointed Dhar Mann as inaugural Chief Creator Officer, targeting $100 million in creator-brand business.
Thousands of people in attendance
Featured 4 days, 1,200 + speakers, 500+ sessions, and 28 content tracks.
New Summits included: Gaming Summit, Healthcare Summit, Independent and SMB track, and Creator Economy focus.
Featured speakers at Advertising Week New York 2026 included cultural icons, media figures, and top industry leaders such as Dhar Mann, Ciara, Sophia Bush, Kerry Washington, Trevor Noah, Kara Swisher, and Gary Vaynerchuk.
Several major Hollywood actors, global musicians, star athletes, and top television personalities took the stage at Advertising Week New York 2026.
Dr Adal at FQ Lounge event at AWS 2026
Which included: Kerry Washington: Emmy-winning actress, producer, advocate, and founder of Simpson Street.
Sophia Bush: Actress, activist, director, and podcast Host. Malin Akerman: Star of The Hunting Wives, actress, and producer.
John Legend: EGOT-winning singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. Ciara: Multi-platinum, Grammy-winning global superstar and entrepreneur.
Dr Adal with HOF Rapper Flavor Flav
Flavor Flav: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and iconic hype man, Trevor Noah: Comedian, author, and former late-night television host.
Carson Daly: Renowned television host and radio personality, Don Lemon: Journalist and founder of the Lemon Media Network. So many more in attendance.
Some topics included: Agentic Ad Decisions: Experts debated the rise of autonomous AI “agents” that reshape automated ad choices and hyper-personalization in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), luxury, and healthcare spaces.
Dr Adal with Try Fencing org
Gaming and Virtual Spaces: With the launch of the Gaming Summit, discussions focused on how brands can design long-term assets inside environments like Roblox rather than buying temporary ad placements.
The Healthcare Summit: This new track tackled consumer trust in clinical marketing.
A primary talking point was the unexpected macroeconomic “ripple effect” of GLP-1 weight-loss medications on food flavorings, formulations, and retail fashion sizing.
One of many panels in progress
Attention Economics & Retail Media: Full-Funnel Retail Media: Retail media networks were heavily discussed as they evolve from simple lower-funnel point-of-sale ads into comprehensive, top-of-funnel brand building strategies.
Exclusive Dinners & Receptions: Viral Nation VIP Dinner: An exclusive French-Mediterranean dining experience hosting a curated group of CMOs and senior brand marketing leaders on Tuesday, October 6, at The Patio at Cathédrale NYC.
UK Advertising Fringe Reception: An exclusive event hosted alongside the British Consulate-General New York bringing together global leaders from organizations like the NFL and Liquid Death to discuss building American brands.
Dr Adal with John Legend guest music speaker
Future is Female Awards: The anchor event of Advertising Week’s program, recognizing top women and allies making major waves across the marketing and tech industries.
The VIP Speakers Lounge: Sponsored by Chase Media Solutions, this private lounge serves as a dedicated hub for speakers, Platinum Pass holders, and Super Delegates to collaborate and recharge.
Sponsors for Advertising Week New York 2026, included: American Express, Amazon Ads, Chase Media Solutions, Media Radar, Coca-Cola, MasterCard, P&G, L’Oréal, Unilever, Walmart, PepsiCo, Google, and WPP.
Intentsify team in attendance
Close to 26,000 thousand people attended during the 4 days, according to the organizers, it was a great event, great topics discussed, some of the brilliant minds in attendance.
See more about business in our World Liberty TV, Business Channels, Blogs and who is who? Of the business world by clicking here.
