Your first meeting of the day is about an existential crisis. Your second is about an opportunity that could lift up an entire community. You’re tasked with building strong personal connections while also using digital as your primary communication channel. The coming elections have you thinking about your audiences and how they see and experience the world in dramatically different ways.
Society talks a lot about polarization, but as senior communicators, we’re really living in parallel worlds. Heartbreaking tragedy and uplifting joy. Analog and digital. Liberal and Conservative. Global and local. Agency and Corporate. We are tasked with moving seamlessly between them and, at times, serving as a bridge. It’s the constant challenge and the source of tremendous satisfaction. It requires perspective, empathy, balance, and no shortage of patience. We need to constantly update and refresh our skills and resources to live in these worlds.
Join us in Boston from October 23-25 for the Page Up Annual Conference, where we will talk about all of these worlds we live in. Through connection and conversation, we’ll help each other find success for our brands and each other.
The registration fee breakdown is tiered based on your membership type and how you will be joining us.
All events will be held in the Salon ABCDEF Ballroom unless otherwise noted.
Registration
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
@ Harbor View Ballroom Foyer
Networking Reception & Dinner
6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
@ Harbor View Ballroom
Registration
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
@ Foyer
Breakfast
7:45 – 9:00 a.m.
@ Palm Garden
New Member Breakfast
7:45 – 9:00 a.m.
@ Quincy
Welcome and Opening Interaction
9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Engaging with Page Up
9:30 – 10:00 a.m.
GenAI Revolution: Strategy Meets AI
10:00 – 10:40 a.m.
This panel dives deep into how GenAI is reshaping the landscape of strategic communication, offering far more than just productivity boosts. We'll explore how integrating AI-driven insights can transform strategy creation, create sustainable competitive advantages, and make impact measurement faster and more accessible. Key questions include: What are the essentials for embedding AI into a communication strategy? How can AI turn insights into tangible impact? How does AI refine messaging, channel selection, audience targeting, and relationship-building? Can AI truly enable teams to execute strategy more effectively? How do we prepare communication professionals to confidently embrace AI, and what are the potential pitfalls? This session promises to be an eye-opener for anyone looking to leverage AI for strategic advantage.
Networking Break
10:40 – 11:10 a.m.
@ Foyer
Avoiding the Inertia Trap
11:10 – 11:50 a.m.
Amid polarization, senior communicators confront significant challenges building and maintaining momentum. It can seem daunting to say – or do – anything, when any statement can be hyper-magnified, even politicized. As a result, key decision makers can find themselves paralyzed by fear of misstep. Executives need to feel confident in their communications and senior communications professionals hold the keys. A discussion on how to earn and uphold trust, this panel will provide strategies to help decision-makers overcome their fears, take action, and avoid the inertia trap.
Networking Lunch
11:50 – 12:50 p.m.
@ Palm Garden
How GenAI, Creators, and Gen Z Are Impacting the Comms-Media Relationship
12:50 – 1:30 p.m.
GenAI, creators focusing on news, and Gen Z’s news habits are combining to creative massive change in the news media industry. This panel will take a look at what changes we need to make in media strategy development and how we develop effective relationships with news media influencers. Key questions include the following: What is news media? The shifting definition of “news” from an audience perspective and how news-oriented creators and GenAI may accelerate that shift. What is the impact on professional journalism, creator news influencers, and how we build relationships with them? How newsrooms are adopting GenAI and how this impacts reputation management and media relations strategy and tactics (e.g., the LLM press kit). How is GenAI and the news cycle accelerating mis and disinformation, and how do brands inoculate against it? Inoculation strategies (misinfo). What changes do we need to make in showing the business value and the need for action?
The Agency Model: Are These Parallel Worlds Working for Anyone?
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
The current model of agency support for corporate communications initiatives is under stress. On the one hand, corporations continue to rely on agencies for unique expertise and strategy – not to mention arms and legs to get things done in an era of ever smaller internal teams. Agencies continue to grow and create remarkable career opportunities for communications professionals. On the other hand, many corporations question the value they’re getting from their agency partners. Budgets remain under pressure. All of which puts the professionals working in agencies under more pressure than ever. Meanwhile, the specter of AI looms to potentially change everything. In this high energy session, we’ll break into two groups – our agency professionals and our corporate professionals – with our educators taking sides. Then we’ll come back together and let our hosts discuss the findings.
The Global CCO Perspective: what it takes to go from regional to global
2:30 – 3:10 p.m.
The objective of this panel is to share one CCO’s perspective on how the role of the CCO has changed, the challenges in decision-making as we evolve into a global organization, and how to navigate the dealings with multiple stakeholders from ministers to heads of state. The panel will also address how a CCO defines their company’s communication strategy, who to partner with, and the complexities of working with East and West.
Networking Break
3:10 – 3:40 p.m.
@ Foyer
More than words: Communicating about ESG in parallel worlds
3:40 – 4:30 p.m.
ESG has become a four-letter word for many in our society. This despite broad consensus that sustainability, the social impact of corporations and effective governance are each valued to varying degrees. This panel will explore the current state of communications around ESG. We’ll introduce new Page Research into the topic and explore the perspective of thought leaders on all sides of the issues. Questions we will explore include: If the components of ESG are all valuable, why is the sum less than the individual parts? How should communicators talk about ESG in 2025 and beyond? Does geography matter when talking about ESG? Should the outcomes of elections matter when thinking about ESG? Is it as simple as changing the name?
Building Connection and Trust in a Hybrid World
4:30 - 5:20 p.m.
We're in the age in which one third of Americans work flexibly, hybrid or remotely and where one third of all workers are on their way to becoming freelance or independent contractors. When you add in the arrival of the digital co-worker and AI assistant, the human language communication model in a large language model world needs to be pretty different. Here to explain what the workplace communications landscape looks and what’s we need to plan for on the horizon is the award-winning writer and broadcast Julia Hobsbawm OBE, author of bestselling books about how we live and working including her latest, Working Assumptions, Bloomberg commentator and host of the popular podcast The Nowhere Office.
Closing/Adjourn for the Day
5:20 – 5:25 p.m.
Networking Reception
6:30 – 7:00 p.m.
@ ChartHouse
Networking Dinner
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
@ ChartHouse
Networking Breakfast
8:00 – 8:45 a.m.
@ Palm Garden
Opening Remarks and Interaction
8:45 – 9:00 a.m.
Rethinking Age Diversity in the Workforce
9:00 – 9:40 a.m.
Unsurprisingly, a lack of diversity in the workforce results in a lack of diverse consumer products. But when we think about diversity, do we include age as a factor? For the first time, five generations are part of the workforce. However, from creative agencies to non-profits to for-profits, the representation of older workers still needs to be improved. Outdated and negative stereotypes – not to mention blatant ageism and age discrimination in hiring – are pervasive. What do we need to know as communicators about the transformative impact of an age-friendly workforce on our ability to deliver effective consumer products and campaigns? Join experts in the field of an aging workforce for an honest discussion that will enlighten us about the importance of an age-friendly workforce.
Innovation Award
9:40 – 10:00 a.m.
Networking Break
10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
@ Foyer
College Campuses Under a Microscope
10:30 – 11:10 a.m.
College campuses are often microcosms of society at large, with students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences coming together in one place. And, while social issues have slowly burned on campuses for decades, no one could have predicted that the recent uprisings would ignite a global crisis. Join us for a conversation about the important role strategic communications and leadership have in managing through the complexity.
The U.S. Election: Impacts, Outcomes, and What it Means for Communicators
11:10 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.
In the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. Presidential election, the global spotlight is once again on the political landscape in America. This panel, moderated by Jason McGrath, Executive Vice President at Ipsos, will dive into the latest developments, key players, and potential outcomes of the election. With an emphasis on the impact for communicators, the discussion will explore how campaigns and post-election dynamics affect both public discourse and the broader communications industry. Our panel brings a wealth of experience from the heart of Washington. It includes Former Congressman Toby Moffett, who served four terms representing Connecticut, has transitioned into a successful career advising both public and private sectors on reputation management, media relations, and issue advocacy. His insights, rooted in decades of experience in policy and advocacy, will offer a critical perspective on the shifting political landscape. Sara Fagen, a renowned political strategist who served as the White House Political Director under President George W. Bush. With deep expertise in political campaigns, Sara is widely regarded for her ability to forecast trends and leverage data-driven insights. Her understanding of election dynamics and the role of technology in political messaging will be invaluable in analyzing the election’s impact on communicators. Jim Hock, Head of External Affairs at PSP Partners and a seasoned Democratic strategist, brings insights from his roles as press secretary for former U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and Chief of Staff for Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker during the Obama administration. His decades of experience navigating Democratic politics and communications strategy will offer a deep understanding of the election’s implications for businesses and communicators alike. This panel offers a must-attend session for anyone working in communications, policy, or business who is looking to understand how the U.S. election could shape the future of their industry. Read morea successful career advising both public and private sectors on reputation management, media relations, and issue advocacy. His insights, rooted in decades of experience in policy and advocacy, will offer a critical perspective on the shifting political landscape. Sara Fagen, a renowned political strategist who served as the White House Political Director under President George W. Bush. With deep expertise in political campaigns, Sara is widely regarded for her ability to forecast trends and leverage data-driven insights. Her understanding of election dynamics and the role of technology in political messaging will be invaluable in analyzing the election’s impact on communicators. Jim Hock, Head of External Affairs at PSP Partners and a seasoned Democratic strategist, brings insights from his roles as press secretary for former U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and Chief of Staff for Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker during the Obama administration. His decades of experience navigating Democratic politics and communications strategy will offer a deep understanding of the election’s implications for businesses and communicators alike. This panel offers a must-attend session for anyone working in communications, policy, or business who is looking to understand how the U.S. election could shape the future of their industry.
Closing Remarks
12:25 – 12:30 p.m.
Networking Lunch
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
@ Palm Garden
As an exclusive community that enables members to learn from each other and further the profession , our aim is to foster an open environment in which all are comfortable to participate and share insights and experiences. While making business connections is an important benefit of Page and Page Up membership, members should generally not engage in unsolicited pitching of products and services to other Page and Page Up members. We trust you to use your discretion.
Our policy is to refund 50% of the conference fee if canceled 31 days in advance of the scheduled start of the event. There will be no refunds, in whole or in part, for cancellations received within 30 days of the event. Registration fees are non-transferable. Cancellation for COVID-related reasons will be eligible for full refunds. All other cancellations will follow our standard cancellation policy.
Page continues to review and revise this policy based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and local jurisdiction guidance on COVID-19. Requirements will be updated accordingly.
Based on current guidance, the following rules now apply to participants at in-person Page meetings and conferences (attendees, speakers, staff and vendors):
In addition, participants are asked to avoid participation if:
If you have been exposed to COVID-19, please test to ensure you are not infected before your participation.