Advertising Week New York 2026: AI, Creators and Commerce Take Center Stage

Advertising Week New York 2026 brings together leaders from marketing, advertising, media, technology and culture from October 5-8 in New York to examine the transformations reshaping the industry. Taking place at The Penn District, the event features more than 1,300 speakers and 500 sessions, with programming spanning creativity, artificial intelligence, commerce, media, technology and culture.

Over four days, Advertising Week turns New York into a meeting point for brands, agencies, platforms, creators, media companies and technology providers. The program is designed not only to explore the trends shaping the sector, but also to create new connections and business opportunities.

One of the key themes of this year’s edition is the evolution of the creator economy. The event has appointed Dhar Mann as its first Chief Creator Officer, with the goal of driving $100 million in new business between creators and brands. Throughout the week, the program features meetings, creative collaborations, pitches and experiences designed to bring the two ecosystems closer together.

The agenda also reflects the expanding scope of the advertising ecosystem. Programming is organized across areas including Great Minds, Insights, Media, Creativity, Innovation, Tech and Marketplace, covering topics ranging from entertainment, streaming and attention to AI, adtech, data, commerce, growth, culture and creativity.

Among this year’s speakers are figures from entertainment, sports, culture and marketing, including Trevor Noah, Kerry Washington, Ciara, Russell Wilson, Venus Williams, John Legend, Issa Rae and Gary Vaynerchuk. The event also brings together marketing leaders from companies including JPMorgan Chase, Target, The Hershey Company, e.l.f. Beauty, Southwest Airlines, 3M, Little Caesars, Revlon and American Airlines.

From Industry Conversations to Business Opportunities
A key component of Advertising Week is its focus on turning industry conversations into concrete opportunities. The event offers networking spaces, brand activations, lounges, dinners and experiences connecting creators, executives, agencies and brands.

The objective is to create an environment where brands can meet creators, agencies can connect with clients, innovators can engage with decision-makers and emerging talent can establish relationships with companies across the industry.

The 2026 edition also expands its programming to include new spaces focused on gaming, B2B marketing, healthcare, independent agencies and small businesses, alongside a stronger presence of creator- and gaming-related content.

Where Marketing, Technology and Culture Meet
Beyond advertising trends, Advertising Week is also examining the increasingly close relationship between marketing and culture. Entertainment, music, sports, fashion, gaming, creators and emerging technologies are all becoming increasingly important to how brands build relevance and connect with audiences.

Artificial intelligence also plays a central role throughout the agenda, appearing across conversations around creativity, adtech and data. The focus is not only on identifying new technological capabilities, but on understanding how they can be applied to solve real marketing and business challenges.

With this agenda, Advertising Week New York 2026 offers a snapshot of where the industry is heading: an increasingly interconnected ecosystem of technology, creativity, media, commerce, creators and culture, where brands are competing not only for attention, but for relevance and measurable business impact.