Sofa Summit is the first virtual event you need to join this year — here’s why

Much of the world is still online, but just because we’re at home doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy an event with great speakers, sessions, and networking potential. Most conferences in 2020 went fully virtual so that no one would miss out on the experience — TNW 2020 included — and now we can begin the year right with the Sofa Summit.

Sofa Summit is organized by Smartly.io, and it’s the world’s largest social advertising event. Lasting for almost 15 hours and running from January 27-28, Sofa Summit features over 50 sessions, as well as networking opportunities and a closing party.

In other words, you can have the full conference experience from the same place you do your movie-watching, Netflix binging, and online shopping: the comfort of your own sofa. The best part? The entire event will be free!

In case that’s not enough, here’s why you should make Sofa Summit the first virtual event you attend in 2021.

Lots of cool people will be there

Sofa Summit will have over 50 speakers, from a variety of different backgrounds in social advertising. 

The speakers include the likes of Gary Vaynerchuk, who’s hosting a session where he answers questions about social advertising. “AskGaryVee” will see the entrepreneur answer a selection of submitted questions, sharing his experiences and insights on marketing.

Also attending is author Seth Godin, who will share the insights he’s gleaned in a session called “In a world where ads are transformed, we need to redefine marketing.” His latest book, The Practice, is currently a bestseller.

Each session is a story you won’t have heard anywhere else, and each is designed to inspire and educate on the finer aspects of social advertising. The kinds of sessions you’ll hear include: “How to scale automated creatives while staying locally relevant” and “Introducing The Age of Performance Branding.”

In case that’s not enough, TNW will be hosting a panel called “Women in Advertising,” about the importance of diversity in the industry and what women can contribute there.

Big brands will be there

It’s not just the people speaking at the event who make it special: Sofa Summit has representatives from several major brands in its roster. No matter what your interest is in social advertising, you’ll likely see a brand you recognize on the list of Sofa Summit speakers.

If you’re interested in social media, people from Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, and Snap are there. Several of the talks from those companies relate to their platforms: For example, TikTok’s Global head of Creative Lab, Kinney Edwards, will have a session about how to build a TikTok-centric strategy.

Another session is “The Future of Shopping Has Come Early” from Kyle Ranally, Facebook’s Vertical Insights Marketing Strategist.

Some of the speakers at the event represent global brands you might not expect to see at a social advertising event: LEGO, for instance. James Gregson, senior creative leader with LEGO’s internal creative agency, will be giving a talk on developing an engaging social media content strategy.

Also in attendance is Gymshark. Its head of social content, Elfried Samba, will be leading a session about how to build a community on social media, alongside Smartly’s Ausrine Cebatore.

Alongside speakers from big companies, you’ll see several sessions dedicated to the success stories of brands, including HelloFresh, Daniel Wellington, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

You won’t just watch — you’ll network

Sofa Summit is more than just a digital event. It offers multiple opportunities for attendees to network with each other and make connections.

The show is broken up into three 5-hour sections, each specific to a particular region. Each one of those sections of time has its own opening, break, and fireside chat. The event will also have some spaces specifically for networking with your fellow attendees.

The Summit will also have a closing party and DJ-sets, in case you’re missing the fun parts of attending conferences with thousands of others. Each regional section of time will have its own closing party, so you won’t have to break your sleep schedule in order to attend.

Virtual events are going to be a staple of our conference agenda for at least the first part of 2021. But just because an event is virtual doesn’t mean it can’t be fun, informative, inspiring, and full of interesting people.

Sounds good? Book your seat at Sofa Summit alongside 14 000 others and enjoy sessions, talks, and networking from the comfort of your own sofa. The event runs from January 27 and 28.