StratFest

Thank you for attending StratFest in New York City on October 7, 2025.

We hope you found the sessions inspiring and insightful and left with actionable ideas to adapt and thrive as a strategist.

Breakout Sessions: Tackling Short-Termism Head-On

StratFest is all about rolling up our sleeves— and this year was no exception. We hosted nine breakout sessions led by top-notch facilitators where each group dove into the challenge of short-termism. This quick-read guide pulls together the insights on how short-term pressures are showing up and the smart, practical ways strategists are pushing back. It's all about staying agile without losing depth. Tap into the collective learning from all the sessions in our Field Guide for Strategists.

Get the Field Guide

StratFest 2025 session recordings are now available on EventMobi.

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Sign in and use code StratFest2025 to view recorded sessions.

Missed registering?
Catch every session with our StratFest 2025 On-Demand package.

Purchase StratFest 2025 On-Demand

Adapt or Die: The Strategist’s Survival Guide

Write the future, or be overwritten.

The fundamentals still matter, but business as usual is no longer an option. We live in times where AI creates decks faster than any planner. Creatives re-brief themselves before the first review. Clients want proof of value now, not next year. And every new platform demands a new brief format—from shoppable TikToks to AI-powered CX flows.

For strategy to stay essential, strategists have to adapt faster than the forces reshaping our industry. We have to evolve while doubling down on the core skills that have always defined great strategists.

StratFest 2025: Adapt or Die was more than just a conference—it was a field guide for survival, packed with tools, tactics and even some tough love for strategists who want to thrive, not just survive through chaotic times. Attendees left with inspiration, actionable insights and the confidence to reclaim the brief as the strategist’s ultimate weapon.

About StratFest

For more than 50 years, since strategy became a creative discipline in the ad industry, strategists have revolutionized the way brands communicate and connect with their audience. StratFest is where we celebrate this vibrant community of thinkers, ideators and innovators. Brought to you by the 4As, StratFest complements the highly coveted Jay Chiat Awards, which recognize the most cutting-edge and thought-provoking strategies in marketing, media, and advertising.

The transformative experience celebrates the pinnacle of strategic excellence and examines the approaches to get there.