DPAA Summit: Retail and travel brands drive awareness, outcomes, by marrying digital and real-world connections
Thursday, October 8, 2026 · Promoted content
On October 13 in NYC at 14th Annual DPAA Global Video Everywhere Summit, American Eagle Outfitters and Expedia Group CMOs to address how to reconcile digital and physical, AI and IRL
NEW YORK – October 8, 2026 – The theme of the 14th annual DPAA Global Video Everywhere Summit – the biggest one-day media and marketing industry event of the year, held October 13, 2026, in NYC – is Real Connections, and in a very digital world, one challenge successful brands are meeting head-on is how to take advantage of tech innovation while making meaningful connections to consumers in real life (IRL).
Two brands in seemingly different categories — retail and travel — are taking the stage at Pier Sixty in Chelsea to outline how while tech like social media or AI tools may help people decide where to shop or travel, brands ultimately win when those decisions become a meaningful real-world experience. In fact, according to eMarketer, 82.6% of 2026 retail sales in the U.S. will be in physical stores.
The World Travel & Tourism Council projects that the travel category will contribute a record $12 trillion to the global economy in 2026, with Expedia Group research showing that despite growing comfort with using AI in the planning phase, travelers are not ready to transact with the technology. The “AI Trust Gap” is most pronounced at the point of purchase, where travelers clearly favor trusted travel brands over AI booking tools. The majority, 68%, prefer to book with a trusted travel brand over AI chatbots and agents, even when AI booking is available.
In “Screens, Scrolls & Stores: The Return of Real-World Connection,” American Eagle Outfitters CMO Craig Brommers joins Stagwell Vice Chairman David Sable to explore how American Eagle is connecting screens, stores and IRL experiences to engage the next generation. From headline-making campaigns and Times Square takeovers to creators, mall activations, and the resurgence of physical retail, they’ll unpack what it takes to turn attention into real connections.
“Where AI Meets the Real World: Rethinking the Traveler Journey” will feature Expedia Group CMO Jochen Koedijk, who explores how AI is changing the way people discover, plan and book travel — and what happens when those digital choices become real experiences. From finding the right trip to reaching a destination, the conversation will look at how Expedia uses data and technology to make travel feel more relevant and useful while keeping the traveler at the center. It will also explore how brands can connect with people along that journey, including in the places they travel through and visit.
About the DPAA Global Video Everywhere Summit
Each year in the heart of New York City, DPAA’s flagship Summit brings approximately 1,000 industry leaders direct access to the people who influence the future of omnichannel marketing. There, people from brands, agencies, media platforms, and technology companies around the world network with others in this vibrant community; discuss marketing trends, challenges, and opportunities; and hear from CMOs, newsmakers, and agency executives.
One Day. Real Connections. Year-Round Impact.
The people shaping what’s next in DOOH, including real-life experiences, retail media networks, sports marketing, and more, come together at the Summit for conversations that shape the future of advertising for brands and agencies.
This year’s speakers include Byron Allen, chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group and Buzzfeed; Anthony Scaramucci, former White House Communications Director, founder and managing partner of SkyBridge Capital, and author of All the Wrong Moves; agency leaders from Mediahub and Stagwell; CMOs representing American Eagle Outfitters, Major League Soccer, Expedia Group and more. For more information, or to register to attend the October 13 event at Pier Sixty in New York City – part of Out of Home Week New York – please visit www.dpaasummit.com/global.
About DPAA
DPAA (www.dpaaglobal.com) is the global trade marketing association, driving the growth and digitization of out-of-home (OOH) advertising and its growing role in the Omnichannel mix. Membership in the DPAA community includes many business acceleration benefits and access to a wide array of products. It offers members an extensive database of research, best practices and case studies; tools for planning, training and forecasting; social media amplification of news; insights on software and hardware solutions; and further integration into the advertising ecosystem by connecting DOOH networks, brands, agencies, ad tech, and others – including through its podcast, Launchpad of Innovation. DPAA’s Video Everywhere Summit, the largest one-day media/marketing event of its kind, is October 13, 2026, at Pier 60 in New York City.
