Q: July 2025

DigiMarCon
The DigiMarCon digital marketing, media and advertising conference series offers both in-person and online sessions, with keynotes and case studies presented by executives from brands such as PepsiCo, Meta, PayPal, Google and HubSpot. In July, events are slated to take place in Austin, New York, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Tampa and San Francisco, leading up to a two-day stand at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki in Honolulu starting on July 24. (DigiMarCon will then take a short break before kicking off its autumn leg in Colorado on October 16.)

Mad//Fest
Since launching in 2018, this high-energy marketing and advertising festival has scaled quickly, thanks in no small part to its tailored approach to ticketing and invitations: The organizers say that 80% of attendees are brand marketers, agency pros or media leaders, while the other 20% are solutions providers or in adjacent fields, with a special focus on the martech/adtech space. This year’s MAD//Fest agenda emphasizes cultural disruption and tech boosterism, with more than 350 short-form talks (15-20 minutes) delivered rapid-fire, featuring top-tier speakers (from the BBC, Audi, Unilever, Arsenal FC, The Walt Disney Company and others).

American Independence Day
The 4th of July demands special attention from snack and beverage brands; in 2024, the holiday drove $9.4 billion in food sales alone, according to the National Retail Federation. For marketers of all stripes, Independence Day has also become an annual challenge: Find relevant tie-ins, promos and content opportunities without wading into politics. Regardless of the national mood, Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show will broadcast live on NBC and stream via Peacock beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

ANA Digital & Social Media Conference
This event, organized by the Association of National Advertisers, aims to bring together “industry leaders and innovative brands to tackle today’s most pressing digital marketing challenges.” Accordingly, the programming is set to include discussions on community-driven audience growth, reaching younger customers and moving the needle on social media. The conference takes a broad-tent approach to digital marketing, with representatives from Honda, Comscore, California Pizza Kitchen, United Airlines, New Balance and Keurig Dr Pepper scheduled to speak.

MLB All-Star Game
Major League Baseball’s upswing in popularity — an influx of Japanese superstars helped boost international viewership 18% last season, while U.S. stadium attendance reached a seven-year high — has renewed interest in the midsummer classic. The All-Star Game has no shortage of heavy-hitting sponsors (Nike, Budweiser, T-Mobile, Gatorade), but Mastercard really owns the event as presenting sponsor (in fact, this year it’s officially known as the “2025 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard”). Keep an eye out for viral moments from the Home Run Derby, taking place the night prior, as well as how brands leverage baseball’s ongoing effort to reposition itself as a tech-forward showcase (Google, for example, has centered MLB stat-tracking in its B2B marketing efforts).

Comic-Con International
This sprawling convention — encompassing all things sci-fi, fantasy, anime and superheroes — was once a geeks-only affair. Now, it’s an IP bonanza that draws an estimated 130,000 entertainment professionals and fans, with seminars, press conferences, hundreds of ancillary events and scores of on- and off-site activations. Comic-Con is often where details about buzzy new film, TV, book and video game projects emerge, offering marketers a preview of pop culture moments to come as well as potential branding opportunities and merchandising plays.

Lollapalooza
Originally a touring concert series, Lollapalooza has become a crown jewel of the music festival circuit. The event runs Thursday through Sunday and draws more than 100,000 attendees each day, underscoring the potential value of on-site activations. But Lollapalooza’s reach also extends to streaming video (performances are broadcast on Hulu) and social media (this year’s lineup is primed to trend, thanks to headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Korn, A$AP Rocky, Olivia Rodrigo, Luke Combs and Tyler, The Creator), presenting numerous ways for marketers to get in on the action.