Editor’s note: IMMAP’s annual DigiCon returns this year, with an emphasis on the impact of the “new digital normal” on brands and consumers. Below is their press release.

Digital is the new pop, as digital services take preference in commerce, finances, and most other aspects of daily life.

The Internet & Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP) is set to discuss the new digital normal in this year’s DigiCon POP, which will be held virtually from October 11 – 15, 2021.

“Digital is the new masa,” shared Leigh Reyes, board president of IMMAP and creative chair of the MullenLowe TREYNA Group of Companies. “From village Viber groups, to live selling, from learning how to navigate by QR code, to Zoom e-numans and Zoomba, digital made a full shift to the mainstream.”

This year’s featured speakers are comprised of industry giants such as Adam Grant, best-selling author of Think Again, Rory Sutherland, vice chairman of Ogilvy UK and one of the industry’s leading experts on consumer behaviors, Scott Galloway, who’s deemed “One of the World’s 50 Best Business Professors” and host of the award-winning podcast, Pivot, Laurent Ezekiel, chief marketing officer and growth officer for WPP, the largest advertising holdings company worldwide, and Gill Zhou, chief marketing officer for one of the largest global technology companies, IBM.

Furthermore, attendees will also get the chance to hear from DigiCon’s “baddest” speaker yet, Bretman Rock. The breakout content creator and digital influencer made headlines as a trailblazer for both the LGBTQ+ and Asian-American communities through his very own MTV reality show and social content.

Five days of DigiCon dives into a DEEP framework which consists of four programming tracks – Disruption, Expansion, Emerging, and Possibilities – which brings together over fifty keynote speakers from all over the world.

The Disruption track will cover innovative trends and digital excellence and will feature speakers such as Michael Patent, founder of sports and entertainment agency, Culture Group, and Todd Schweizer, co-founder and CEO of Brankas, an independent financial platform.

The Expansion vertical will cover the key sectors which are uncovering new opportunities through data and will include key speakers like Nicholas Kontopolous, APAC regional head of growth marketing for Adobe DX; and Bea Atienza, IBE leader for Colgate-Palmolive.

The Emerging leg will discuss rising digital trends and tools including new media and e-commerce platforms. This category brings together speakers like Ash Mandhyan, CEO of Quanta Digital, and Carlos Alimurung, CEO of ONE Esports.

The final track, Possibilities, will be about understanding new potential markets that also span multi-generations through innovative strategies. This leg will feature speakers including Budjette Tan, writer and co-creator of hit comic series, Trese; and Grace David, CEO of Edukasyon.PH.

DigiCon POP also marks the anticipated return of two events that aspiring practitioners and professionals have been looking forward to, especially following a year of hiatus due to the pandemic.

DPOP Youth, presented by Unilab, will be back for a one-day workshop and competition on October 12, 2021, where university students can learn, socialize, and showcase their talents in the digital industry while also hearing from key industry leaders on strategy development, creative strategy, and media orchestration.

Aside from DPOP Youth, DigiCon POP 2021 also marks the anticipated return of the prestigious Boomerang Awards, which will culminate the week-long event on October 15. With the theme Unmute, this year’s comeback promises to be louder, bolder, and more inclusive with the addition of Tech Innovation categories.

Special categories have also been added to the award body’s extensive roster including The Purple Boomerang Award, which focuses on gender equality and empowerment for women, and The Blue Impact Boomerang, which recognizes campaigns that were developed as “people-first,” and measure mobile ingenuity and innovation in driving business objectives through Facebook.

For more information about DigiCon POP 2021, please visit the official website at www.digicon.com.ph where you can check out a breakdown of the various tracks, more details about this year’s speakers, and how to avail ticket prices.

IMMAP Digicon POP 2021 would like to thank Platinum sponsors ChatGenie and ShareIt, Gold sponsors Manulife Philippines, McDonald’s, Spotify, and PMFTC, Inc., and Bronze sponsors Facebook, Media Donuts, Metrobank, and Paymaya.

Also acknowledging Platinum media partners ABS-CBN, MBC, Rakuten Viber, Gold media partners CNN Philippines, Manila Bulletin, One Mega Group Inc., Podcast Network Asia, and Rappler Philippines, Silver media partners BusinessWorld, Fully Booked, Inquirer.net, and The Philippine Star, and Event Partners Certified Digital Marketer, Eventscape Manila, MullenLowe TREYNA, and Future Proof PH. – Rappler.com