<p>Omar Johnson is a marketing and branding keynote speaker, entrepreneur, former CMO at Beats by Dre, and former VP Marketing at Apple. At Beats Electronics, Johnson was responsible for brand development, advertising, retail experience, entertainment/sports marketing, and digital marketing for all global brand marketing and advertising efforts. Adweek named Johnson a “Brand Genius” in 2013, and Business Insider named him one of the “Most Innovative CMOs” in 2016.</p><p>As the former Chief Marketing Officer at Beats by Dre and former VP of Marketing at Apple, Omar Johnson has created strong consumer connections with the brands he’s represented. He drove explosive growth at Beats, leading groundbreaking campaigns with celebrities such as LeBron James, Chris Rock, and Eminem – helping to take a $20 million company to a $1.1 billion dollar global icon and category leader.</p><p>Johnson drove explosive growth in the headphone category through groundbreaking campaigns including #ShowYourColor Solo Campaign, Powerbeats starring LeBron James and The Pills featuring Chris Rock and Eminem. He used “ambush marketing” and influencers to expand the brand—giving athletes and musicians free headphones at private company parties—which helped turn Beats into the headphone of choice for the best musicians and athletes in the world.</p>
Former CMO of Beats by Dre and Former VP of Marketing at Apple
<ul><li><strong>Leading Through AI: Navigating the New Frontier</strong></li><li>Transformative Strategies for Modern Executives</li><li>At the heart of AI’s future, is the ability to operate intelligently and empathetically. As AI reshapes industries, companies and teams, it is crucial for today’s leaders to understand the strategic implications of AI. This happens with embracing human-centric AI to build and implement technologies that understand humanity.</li><li>In this interactive keynote experience, Omar unpacks how executives can harness AI’s potential to enhance decision-making, optimize operations, and foster innovation. You’ll explore practical AI applications that drive efficiency and competitiveness and learn to lead not just alongside AI, but in harmony with it, to elevate your organization in a data-driven era. You’ll also learn how to develop and implement human-centric AI systems that are designed to understand and interact with humans effectively. As a leader, you will gain insights into AI use that respects privacy and enhances lives without sacrificing the personal touch. Discover how in the age of AI, leadership is not about controlling algorithms–rather it is about collaborating with technology and humanity. Your leaders will walk away knowing how they can augment their capabilities with AI, from enhancing their analytical skills to automating routine tasks. They will also understand the qualities that define a successful AI-augmented leader and how to cultivate them within your teams. Lastly, they will be able to embrace AI tools that assist in making more informed, data-backed decisions to lead your organization into a new digital epoch.</li><li><strong> Meeting People "Where They Are"</strong></li><li>Many leaders and business owners are at a loss on how they can concretely affect change and grow their business in regards to diversity. Join us for a conversation with Omar Johnson, Former CMO at Beats by Dre, and Former VP of Marketing at Apple, Inc. as he shares his thoughts on how we can support our black employees, partner with the communities they serve, and make more conscious decisions in our marketing and branding efforts.</li><li><strong>Marketing Brands With Authenticity and Emotion</strong></li><li>Big companies spend millions of dollars on advertising campaigns to drive brand awareness, but Omar Johnson was able to make Beats headphones a viral social media phenomenon and an international success on almost no budget. Johnson learned the key to building great brand awareness was to listen, be curious, and to use truth and emotion to connect to the audience. In this talk, Johnson will share his experiences of creating emotional connections to a brand through innovative and unconventional marketing techniques.</li><li><strong>The New Rules of Marketing: From Influencers to Ambush Marketing</strong></li><li>When Beats by Dre headphones came into the market they faced competition from more established market leaders like Bose. As the new kid on the block, Omar used new marketing techniques to gain market share, from giving well-known athletes free headphones to developing hangouts for Olympic athletes to drive buzz and desire for Beats headphones. In this talk, Omar shows how your company can incorporate guerilla techniques to gain market share.</li></ul>