ADVANCE  | September 29, 2026 | NYC

Less conference.
More real-world solutions.

ADVANCE is the executive forum where the industry's top leaders gather to tackle AI, creativity, measurement, and meaningful growth. We skip the AI hype in favor of honest conversations and practical frameworks you can put to work immediately.
Busy event registration desk with staff and attendees interacting, with Smartly Advance signage in the background and floral decorations.
Audience seated in rows inside a bright indoor venue with slanted glass ceiling and purple banners.
Panel discussion on stage with five speakers seated in front of a purple Smartly Advance backdrop showing their names and titles.
Panel discussion titled "Advertising Reimagined" with six speakers seated on white chairs in front of a large screen.
Busy event registration desk with staff and attendees interacting, with Smartly Advance signage in the background and floral decorations.
Audience seated in rows inside a bright indoor venue with slanted glass ceiling and purple banners.
Panel discussion on stage with five speakers seated in front of a purple Smartly Advance backdrop showing their names and titles.
Panel discussion titled "Advertising Reimagined" with six speakers seated on white chairs in front of a large screen.
Crowded networking event with people mingling in a glass-walled room overlooking a city skyline.
Woman wearing striped jacket and speaking enthusiastically from a seated position on stage.
Four panelists engaged in conversation on stage with purple curtain backdrop at a conference.
Group of event attendees laughing and socializing with name badges visible, one woman holds a phone and a drink.
Two people sitting on white chairs on stage against a purple background, holding hands and smiling.
Audience members attentively listening during a panel discussion at a conference event.
Crowded networking event with people mingling in a glass-walled room overlooking a city skyline.
Woman wearing striped jacket and speaking enthusiastically from a seated position on stage.
Four panelists engaged in conversation on stage with purple curtain backdrop at a conference.
Group of event attendees laughing and socializing with name badges visible, one woman holds a phone and a drink.
Two people sitting on white chairs on stage against a purple background, holding hands and smiling.
Audience members attentively listening during a panel discussion at a conference event.
Panel discussion on stage about New York Times blending creativity and performance on Snapchat with three speakers.

ADVANCE was designed for leaders responsible for performance, creative, media, or marketing intelligence outcomes. You’ll: 

  • Be inspired by those successfully navigating AI, measurement, and constant change with confidence
  • Learn how to move faster without giving up control or brand governance
  • Get practical answers, not just conference talking points
  • Meet other leaders who will both challenge and inspire you
  • Discover how to balance creativity with accountability
  • Leave knowing how to scale responsibly without sacrificing quality

ADVANCE isn’t about watching the future of marketing from the sidelines.  It’s about challenging assumptions, sharing what actually works, and giving you the connections, strategies, and confidence you need to drive measurable growth. 

Across keynotes, breakouts, and conversations with others, you’ll hear what senior leaders are doing now to build connected systems, strengthen governance, and prove impact with confidence.

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The most memorable conversations
 might not be on the agenda.

Some of the best ideas happen over coffee, between sessions, or when someone says, "We're dealing with the exact same thing." ADVANCE is designed to bring together the people worth meeting, and give you the time to actually talk.

Brand Leaders

Talk with top marketing leaders inside some of the world's most influential brands. Compare what's working, what's changing, and what's keeping you up at night.

Agency Leaders

Meet the strategists and operators helping brands navigate AI, creativity, measurement, and transformation. And learn how they're preparing clients for what's next.

Platforms & Tech Partners

Connect with the people building the tools shaping marketing right now. Go beyond product demos to discuss where the industry is headed and what to focus on now. 

The Smartly Bolt Bar: Practical AI. Real marketing challenges.

Get face time with Smartly’s product experts, experience with our most powerful tools, and personalized guidance to unlock new creative and performance gains, faster. 

Talk with Smartlies about your campaigns, goals and blockers

Sit down with Smartly product leaders and strategists to map real solutions to your unique needs with AI. Whether you're navigating creative scale, performance plateaus, or measurement pain points, this is your space to get clarity.

Get hands-on time to try
Smartly's latest tools

Experience live demos of Smartly’s most advanced capabilities—from AI-powered creative optimization to cross-platform trafficking and attention-based budgeting.

Preview the roadmap of what's coming next with AI

Be the first to see what’s coming next with AI. Learn how our Intelligence Suite, creative tools, and campaign automation features are evolving to meet tomorrow’s advertising demands.

Check out the brands attending this year

40+

Industry Speakers

400+

Attendees

20+

Sessions

Not just speakers. Practitioners. 

Meet the CMOs, creators, agency leaders, platform executives, and AI pioneers redefining how modern marketing works.

These aren't polished keynote speeches or recycled conference talking points. They're candid conversations about what's changing, what's working, and what every marketing leader should be thinking about next.

See the speaker lineup
See the speaker lineup