Future Proof 2025 was the first financial services conference I attended where I wasn’t attending as a sponsor. Instead, I’m seeking a new career opportunity. Different objective. Different pitch. Different value proposition.

Co-marketing, also called partnership marketing, is often pitched to product issuers as an incentive by service providers like index providers, listings venues, or data providers. The offerings can vary dramatically from provider to provider.

Conferences can be a strategic pillar of your business plan. But it’s important that each of the attendees knows their roles for the event and the definition of “success” for both themselves, and for the organization.

Whether it’s content development, an integrated campaign, or an event activation, marketers come to the table looking for consensus on targets, goals, KPIs, formats, etc. This primer will help non-marketers understand the strategic thinking behind those questions to improve collaboration and outcomes.

A simple way to organize basic marketing campaigns.

It’s easy to view the cookie program as just another fundraiser, but it functions more like an early-stage business lab. Goal setting, resource allocation, pricing conversations, customer engagement, and team dynamics all come into play. These are foundational skills that show up later in classrooms, careers, and leadership roles.