Marketing industry experts from Google, Ford Motor Company, Pinterest and more will share their insights as part of a panel of experts highlighting the 15th annual workshop hosted by the Center for Digital Engagement at Eastern Michigan University. The event will take place Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, in the Eastern Michigan University Student Center Ballroom.
“We believe this event provides a unique opportunity to learn from and network with local area professionals interested in digital,” Bud Gibson, the center's founder, said of the workshop.
Gibson serves as director of the center and its Digital Summer Clinic, which pairs university students with businesses that want to explore digital marketing projects. He earned his doctorate degree at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and is a professor teaching integrated marketing communications in EMU's College of Business.
In promotional materials for the project, workshop organizers said participants will learn about strategic insights and success stories from representatives of billion-dollar brands, including the marketing leaders from Google and Ford, as well as experts from Pinterest, Association Football Club Ann Arbor (called AFC A2), and AcquireUp.
Additionally, sports marketing experts from Detroit teams, including the Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings, are scheduled to be part of an afternoon panel on using storytelling to connect with fans.
Speakers and presenters at the workshop plan to share proven customer journey practices and provide expert guidance. They'll also offer strategies that participants can use immediately.
The workshop starts with an 8 a.m. keynote address from Derek Janis, the chief marketing officer at AcquireUp. His firm serves financial industry companies with marketing and growth strategies. According to the event's agenda, Janis will share a marketing strategy that took General Motors' new commercial EV and last-minute delivery company BrightDrop from a startup to an operation with more than $1 billion in revenue.
The workshop ends about 2 p.m., and registration fees include a continental breakfast and a full lunch. Those interested in attending can register online.
On the agenda:
- 7:30 a.m. — Doors open
- 8-9 a.m. — Breakfast Keynote: Knowing Your Customer Can Drive Revenue
- 9:10-10 a.m. — Panel 1: How Performance Marketers Get to Know Their Customers
- 10:20-10:50 a.m. — Networking break sponsored by the Digital Summer Clinic
- 10:50-noon — Panel 2: Connecting with Sports Fans through Storytelling
- 12-2 p.m. — Lunch Panel: What We’ve Learned
Among the panels, speakers and moderators include the following:
- Derek Janis, CMO, AcquireUp
- Jorel McCree, Lead Client Partner, Pinterest
- Kayla Villegas, Senior Account Executive, Google Large C
- Liz Ledlie, Senior Marketing Leader, Ford
- Kim Barker, EMU College of Business, Management Department
- Nick Woods, Senior Account Manager, Google
- Bilal Saeed, Co-Founder CLR Academy, Co-Owner AFC A2
- Bud Gibson, Director of EMU's Center for Digital Engagement
The Student Center is at 900 Oakwood St. in Ypsilanti.
Eastern Michigan University's Center for Digital Engagement shares this news statement for the Digital Marketing Workshop scheduled for Nov. 21, 2025, at the EMU Student Center. (Courtesy of the EMU Center for Digital Engagement)
