From pop culture to subculture, brands are forming bonds with youth by aligning with and supporting the causes and communities of interest that are important to their audience. The quest to form meaningful connections with youth in this age of cultural movements entails a more nimble approach and more customized programs. Successful brands in this space have become savvy publishers, connecting with influencers and developing transmedia strategies that allow them to not only reach youth on myriad platforms, but best harness the social potential. The fifteenth annual edition of Understanding Youth will showcase the brands that have mastered the ability to both lead and follow the cultural cues of their audience. You'll hear about the latest research on what is shaping the behaviour of today's teens and tweens, as well as the new programs and protocols from brands that have joined the movement generation. Discover the value of culture power at Understanding Youth.

Join some of Canada's most influential young bloggers and social media gurus for a lively discussion on how brands could and should be working with people like them. From planting the seed with the curators to building an authentic social media persona, this panel led by Free Agency founder, Chris Unwin, will discuss how brands can best harness social sway.  

Not every kid wants to create a commercial for you, and many aren't even inclined to Like brands on the social platforms they inhabit. So how do you reach all the variously-motivated youth - from gamers to curators - to interact with your brand? This panel of experts from different fields of youth marketing will discuss how they build richer content and myriad touchpoints that appeal to youth on different platforms and in different ways. Learn from brand leaders including Doritos and Degrassi, how to plan a program that invites more content consumption, interaction, collaboration and sharing, for the ultimate viral potential.

Canadian teens have considerable spending power and vast influence over the decisions of their peers. This year, TNS Canada has brought the unique TRU Insights program to Canada to discover the latest trends of this significant demographic. Discover how your brand can benefit from understanding the mindset of the 12-19 crowd - from how they spend, to what they click on. Amy Knowles, will share fresh data and explain how to engage and influence today's teen.

Kicking off the 15th edition of Understanding Youth is internationally renowned transmedia producer, Jeff Gomez. Join Jeff as he discusses how multi-platform strategies can be used to engage youth by touching upon their deepest aspirations, connecting emotionally with their lives, and sparking social movements. Discover through high-profile examples of transmedia implementation, how you can build richer content to expand your brand, making it accessible to young people across different subcultures and both traditional and digital touchpoints. As CEO of New York-based Starlight Runner Entertainment, Gomez has worked on such blockbuster properties as Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean, Microsoft's Halo and James Cameron's Avatar. Don't miss this compelling presentation from a pioneer of transmedia storytelling.

Millennials are united in the unprecedented way this generation shares and controls their world via mobile command centres and social media, but marketers increasingly need to pay attention to their individual traits rather than trying to reach them en masse. Tina Wells, CEO of Philadelphia-based Buzz Marketing Group and author of Chasing Youth Culture and Getting it Right: How Your Business Can Profit by Tapping Today's Most Powerful Trendsetters and Tastemakers, deconstructs this unique generation into its four main tribes: the wired techies, the conformist-yet-somewhat-paradoxical preppies, the always-mellow alternatives and the cutting-edge independents. Join Tina as she discusses the traits of each subculture and shares what motivates them, the impact of their influence and who will earn their dollars.

We are privileged to announce that several of the industry's most important influencers will be actively engaged in shaping the most inspiring and exciting content yet for our 15th annual edition of Understanding Youth.

They will be guiding this year's program where you'll hear the latest research on what is shaping behaviour in today's teens and tweens demo, as well as the new programs and protocols from brands that have joined the movement generation. Discover Culture Power at Understanding Youth, the next frontier in youth marketing.

Alexandre Amancio Co-Chief Creative Officer Cossette Montreal		Sonia Bongiorno SR. Manager, IMC Coca-Cola Teens Coca-Cola Canada
Lana Castleman Editor Kidscreen Magazine	Mike Farrell SVP Research & Strategic Insight Conversion Marketing-Communications & Brand Publishing		Chris Unwin Founder Free Agency