How do you create a winning brand for your products and services?

The enthusiasm of a new beginning is indispensable for a new endeavour but can put some important things in the blind spot, such as branding. While there are no rules in this area, there are certainly guidelines and help available in defining and positioning your product or service.

Join SACC New York's Entrepreneurs Club on 24 April for the DO’s and DON’Ts of branding a startup and listen to, and interact with, some of the foremost experts within the field of creative branding as well as relevant success stories.

Speakers and panelists:

• Sophia Bendz, Global Director of Marketing, Spotify
• Linda Björk, CEO & Partner, Amore
• Linus Karlsson, Chairman & CCO, McCann Erickson
• Joakim S Leijon, CEO & Founder, Whispr Group

The panel will be moderated by Sam Giertz, Your Special Delivery Service, Inc. 

Linda Björk, CEO & Partner, Amore
Linda Björk joined the Amore team in 2004 and Amore has since tripled in size, revenue and number of offices, with the most recent addition in New York this year. Amore frequents the awards scene and has placed at the top three years running in Design Agency of the Year in Sweden. Prior to joining Amore, Linda spent ten years in the U.S. serving as the Creative Director and Vice President for strategic communications agency Winner & Associates, A Publicis Consultants Company. Clients have included ExxonMobil, Shell U.S. Gas & Power and LuxuryFinder.com to name but a few. Linda is currently serving as member of the International Committee for Swedish Communication Agencies.

Linus Karlsson, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, McCann Erickson New York & London
Linus Karlsson, one of the advertising industry's most respected and honored creative executives, joined McCann Erickson in February 2011. Linus joined McCann from Mother NY, which he co-founded in 2003, and which was named Creativity's Agency of the Year in 2009. The honor was based on the agency's innovative business model and groundbreaking work for clients such as Target, J&J, Stella Artois, Dell, NBC, Voke and Cadbury. Linus Karlsson's career started as a founding member of Paradiset, a Swedish start-up agency and then moved to Fallon in the U.S. In addition to other honors, Linus has won numerous Gold in Cannes as well as in most top global creative festivals. He has been named one of the "50 most influential creative people in the world" according to Creativity Magazine. Linus is also an active board member of the One Club, the Art Directors Club and The Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce in New York. 

Joakim S Leijon, Founder, Owner & CEO, Whispr Group
Joakim S Leijon is an internet entrepreneur and founder, owner and CEO at New York and Stockholm based intelligence-centric social media agency Whispr Group with clients such as H&M, Disney, Groupon, Lanvin and Spotify. In addition he is also Advisor and Partner at social commerce platorm Tipser.com and mobile travel guide Guidepal.com. Joakim S Leijon has experience in managing global digital social media focused campaigns within the realms of monitoring, crisis management, consumer analysis, strategy, platform development, content creation, digital PR and seeding. He "loves big data combined with creativity and dreams of a world where brands whisper to a select few instead of screaming to the masses". He is currently in the process of building up and branding three startup companies.

More biographies to be added shortly.

Date: April 24, 2012
Time: 6.30 pm - 8.30 pm
Location: Hyper Island, 250 Hudson Street (entrance on Dominick Street)
Fee: $30 to be paid online, by check or any major credit card prior to the event.
RSVP: April 15, 2012.

Please note that no cancellations will be accepted after April 15, 2012.

Contact:
Tel: +1 212 838 5530
E-mail: peter.sandberg@saccny.org

This event is generously sponsored by Hyper Island

The 2012 Entrepreneurs Club Series is generously sponsored by Nixon Peabody LLP