A Converstation with Noomo: On The Power Of Digital Storytelling

A Converstation with DEPT: On Community, CLV and Trend Chasing

Every brand is jumping on the latest meme, audio clip, and micro-trend. But does any of that actually build lasting value—or are we just burning budget chasing directionless attention? Creative Directors Ro and Jahfre will break down the real business case for viral content and community-building. They'll explore when trend-chasing makes sense and when it's just expensive theater. They'll also dig into examples that prove why building community requires heavy upfront investment but creates compounding returns that trend-chasing never will. Speaker BIO Jahfre Colbert is Associate Creative Director at DEPT®, a former club kid and recording artist. Proudly “un-chronically online,” when he’s not planning communications to hit growth and brand marketing objectives, you can find him reading fiction under a window in Brooklyn with his two cats. On the side, he helps teens navigate the digital wilderness with the non-profit Young Futures. Ro Otamendi is a Venezuelan Creative Director and Strategist based between Miami and New York. He comes from a brand strategy background and has led brand, digital, and influencer campaigns across tech, hospitality, and entertainment verticals. LINKS Jahfre Colbert - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jahfre-colbert/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jahfre-colbert/]Ro Otamendi - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodolfootamendi/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodolfootamendi/] DEPT - https://www.deptagency.com/ [https://www.deptagency.com/] HOST Talin Wadsworth - https://www.linkedin.com/in/talinwadsworth/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/talinwadsworth/] __ About Adobe: Adobe offers groundbreaking technology that empowers everyone, everywhere to imagine, create, and bring any digital experience to life. ⁠www.adobe.com⁠ [www.adobe.com] About SoDA: SoDA is a global network of innovative digital agencies. ⁠www.sodaspeaks.com⁠ [www.sodaspeaks.com] __ Edited with Adobe Audition and Adobe Podcast: ⁠podcast.adobe.com⁠ [podcast.adobe.com]. For more information please contact ⁠sodaserieslive@adobe.com⁠ [sodaserieslive@adobe.com]

A Converstation with Metalab: On Product

When we talk about products, we’re really talking about people—their needs, their habits, and the experiences that become part of their everyday lives. In this SoDA Series LIVE session with Adobe, Luke Des Cotes, CEO of Metalab, will unpack what it takes to build digital products that not only work—but resonate. From shaping intuitive interfaces for category-defining brands to helping startups find product–market fit through design, Luke will share lessons from nearly two decades of building products that billions of people use every day. Speeaker BIO Luke Des Cotes is the CEO of Metalab. Since 2006, Metalab has helped some of the world’s coolest companies build products and services that are attractive, thoughtful, and enjoyable to use. To name a few: Slack, Coinbase, TED, Apple, Disney, and Google. LINKS Luke Des Cotes LinkedIN [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukedescotes/] METLAB WEBSITE [https://www.metalab.com/] Slack Project - https://archive.metalab.com/projects/slack [https://archive.metalab.com/projects/slack] "Referenced making the grid to break the grid" https://medium.com/subform/are-grid-systems-still-relevant-in-digital-407beb4128c1 [https://medium.com/subform/are-grid-systems-still-relevant-in-digital-407beb4128c1] "Referenced this code assist tool" https://www.anthropic.com/ [https://www.anthropic.com/] Karin Fyhrie [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinsoukup/] HOST Talin Wadsworth [https://www.linkedin.com/in/talinwadsworth/] __ About Adobe: Adobe offers groundbreaking technology that empowers everyone, everywhere to imagine, create, and bring any digital experience to life. ⁠www.adobe.com⁠ [www.adobe.com] About SoDA: SoDA is a global network of innovative digital agencies. ⁠www.sodaspeaks.com⁠ [www.sodaspeaks.com] __ Edited with Adobe Audition and Adobe Podcast: ⁠podcast.adobe.com⁠ [podcast.adobe.com]. For more information please contact ⁠sodaserieslive@adobe.com⁠ [sodaserieslive@adobe.com]

A Converstation with OK COOL: On Brands

When thinking about your own brand, or when you are at the beginning of a journey with a client, you must first understand what the definition of "brand" actually is. In our next SoDA Series LIVE session with Adobe, our special guest, Liz Stone, Co-Founder of OK Cool, will be discussing the many facets of brands and why being persuasive, patient, and having perseverance is critical to success. Among other relevant topics, we'll also cover important factors to consider when building and navigating client relationships and how brands should seize the opportunity to humanize their messaging to fit within the lives of their audience.  Speaker BIO Liz Stone is the Co-Founder & CEO of OK COOL, strategic and creative partners to the world’s leading brands. Headquartered in London, New York, Melbourne and Toronto. LINKS Liz Stone LinkedIN [https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-stone-ok-cool/] Co-founder, Jolyon Varley, also mentioned in the session: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolyonvarley/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolyonvarley/] OK COOL - Website [https://www.okcool.io/] OK COOL Trend Report [https://www.okcool.io/trend-report-2026] The article mentioned in interview - https://www.vogue.com/article/gen-z-broke-the-marketing-funnel [https://www.vogue.com/article/gen-z-broke-the-marketing-funnel] HOST Talin Wadsworth [https://www.linkedin.com/in/talinwadsworth/] __ About Adobe: Adobe offers groundbreaking technology that empowers everyone, everywhere to imagine, create, and bring any digital experience to life. ⁠www.adobe.com⁠ [www.adobe.com] About SoDA: SoDA is a global network of innovative digital agencies. ⁠www.sodaspeaks.com⁠ [www.sodaspeaks.com] __ Edited with Adobe Audition and Adobe Podcast: ⁠podcast.adobe.com⁠ [podcast.adobe.com]. For more information please contact ⁠sodaserieslive@adobe.com⁠ [sodaserieslive@adobe.com]

A Converstation with Noomo: On The Power Of Digital Storytelling

The power of telling a meaningful story that resonates with the user is what keeps Olga Uzhykova excited and engaged with the work she does at her digital agency, Noomo. As the Co-Founder and Design Director, she understands the importance of having a well-defined company purpose, the value in aligning a brand's story with their marketing efforts, and how to navigate the challenges that can erupt along your agency's journey. In our next SoDA Series Live session with Adobe, Olga will dive deep into these areas and will also discuss how craft and unique design solutions are becoming even more essential as AI continues to grow and influence the creative process. Speaker BIO Olga Uzhykova is an Award-winning Design Director and UI/UX design expert with 10 years of experience in design and management which enables her to put a strong business and management background to use while designing products, consulting clients, and managing design teams. Her passion is about helping her clients ranging from successful startups to well-known businesses as the Space Needle from Seattle develop and grow their businesses by creating and implementing professional design solutions. Her works are consistently featured by the best international and national design awards like Webby, Reddot, San Francisco Design Week, Awwwards, ADCE, CSS Design Award, ADCUA, Ukrainian Design the very best of. LINKS Olga Uzhykova LinkedIN [https://www.linkedin.com/in/olgauzhykova/] Noomo Agency [https://noomoagency.com/] Article on Digital Storytelling [https://noomoagency.com/insights/the-power-of-digital-storytelling] - https://noomoagency.com/insights/the-power-of-digital-storytelling HOST Talin Wadsworth - LinkedIN [https://www.linkedin.com/in/talinwadsworth/] __ About Adobe: Adobe offers groundbreaking technology that empowers everyone, everywhere to imagine, create, and bring any digital experience to life. ⁠www.adobe.com⁠ [www.adobe.com] About SoDA: SoDA is a global network of innovative digital agencies. ⁠www.sodaspeaks.com⁠ [www.sodaspeaks.com] __ Edited with Adobe Audition and Adobe Podcast: ⁠podcast.adobe.com⁠ [podcast.adobe.com]. For more information please contact ⁠sodaserieslive@adobe.com⁠ [sodaserieslive@adobe.com]

A Converstation from SXSW: Beyond the Prompt: Leveraging GenAI to Modernize Creative Workflows

Join Adobe and SoDA, live from SXSW, for a lively discussion with leaders from world-class digital, experience, and design studios – Athletics, HUSH and Tool – about the state of Gen AI in their agencies. We’ll discuss how these leaders are navigating the transformation with their clients, recent AI-fueled projects, and the concrete and practical ways they are managing this change within their own teams. Speaker BIOS Jameson Proctor, Athletics Partner & CEO Jameson is a partner and CEO of the Brooklyn-based, brand innovation studio Athletics. A Virginian by birth, a New Yorker by choice, Jameson has over 20 years of experience directing, managing, and operating brand and digital practices. During his time at Athletics, Jameson has co-authored and championed Athletics’ vision and strategy, and has ensured its successful execution through the day-to-day management of finance and studio operations. In addition to his leadership role, Jameson remains deeply engaged in Athletics’ creative practice. He has led the design and development of digital experiences for a wide range of clients—including the New York Review of Books, the New Museum, and JPMorgan Chase—and has co-directed cross-disciplinary rebrands for Galileo, ShareFile, and Trace. Jameson has also overseen the development of proprietary creative tools such as Otto for Square and Athletics’ own generative motion platform, Sesame, helping to push the boundaries of how technology can amplify brand expression. Erik Karasyk, HUSH Founding Partner As an artist, technologist, and founding partner at HUSH, Erik is passionate about creating impactful spaces and experiences that resonate with meaning and purpose. At HUSH, they are a multi-disciplinary team of designers, technologists, and strategists creating environments that help people connect, explore, and inspire. Erik has also been an avid scuba diver since his teenage years, which has shaped his curiosity about technology and deepened his commitment to sustainable design. He strives to create experiences that not only captivate but also respect the environment. His journey began with learning computer animation (just before Windows 95 existed), and he started his career as an interactive artist and visual effects director—ultimately founding HUSH in 2006. Dustin Callif, Tool President Dustin leads the day-to-day management of Tool, a creative production partner working with the world's most recognized brands, ad agencies and entertainment studios across content, experience and creative technology executions. Our mission is to help clients concept and produce creative marketing that achieves earned attention. Before joining Tool, Dustin was Co-Owner & Managing Partner at digital agency Spacedog, with offices in L.A. and New York. In 2008, Dustin helped to negotiate Spacedog’s acquisition by Mendelsohn Zien and Hakuhodo, the second largest advertising holding company in Asia. LINKS Erik LinkedIN Profile [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekarasyk/] HUSH [https://www.heyhush.com/] Dustin LinkedIN Profile [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincallif/] TOOL [https://toolofna.com/#!/home] Jameson LinkedIN Profile [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameson-proctor/] Athletics [https://athleticsnyc.com/] Erik mentions the HELIX project, created with Firefly, that's now live: https://business.adobe.com/blog/how-hush-and-adobe-ai-gave-the-helix-nj-a-voice [ https://business.adobe.com/blog/how-hush-and-adobe-ai-gave-the-helix-nj-a-voice ] Artist and designer, Norman Teague, who was at MOMA when this aired, https://www.normanteaguedesignstudios.com/ [https://www.normanteaguedesignstudios.com/] Intro to Adobe Project Concept (not formally released yet): https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/10/14/new-creative-beginnings-gen-ai-redefining-ideation-with-project-concept [https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/10/14/new-creative-beginnings-gen-ai-redefining-ideation-with-project-concept] __ About Adobe: Adobe offers groundbreaking technology that empowers everyone, everywhere to imagine, create, and bring any digital experience to life. ⁠www.adobe.com⁠ [www.adobe.com] About SoDA: SoDA is a global network of innovative digital agencies. ⁠www.sodaspeaks.com⁠ [www.sodaspeaks.com] __ Edited with Adobe Audition and Adobe Podcast: ⁠podcast.adobe.com⁠ [podcast.adobe.com]. For more information please contact ⁠sodaserieslive@adobe.com⁠ [sodaserieslive@adobe.com]