NBCUniversal To Host Inaugural Local Innovation Forum Surrounding The Future Of Local Advertising

On Thursday, Dec. 8, at 1-5 p.m. ET, local business owners and agency partners in the Philadelphia area will join NBCUniversal advertising and local executives along with MSNBC Velshi host Ali Velshi at the Comcast Technology Center for the inaugural Local Innovation Forum: Philadelphia in Focus.

Centered on local marketers, the goal of this interactive forum is to connect local business owners in Philadelphia to the resources, technology capabilities and partnerships across Comcast NBCUniversal while building the future of local advertising through NBCU’s One Platform.

During the forum, attendees will hear from Frank Comerford, chief revenue officer and president of sales, NBCUniversal Local, and Ric Harris, president-GM, WCAU (NBC)-WWSI(Telemundo) on the future of local advertising as content, innovation and technology continue to transform.

Plus, Velshi will give a keynote on the macroeconomic outlook on the advertising industry and will moderate a panel discussion with NBCUniversal leaders on how advancements in commercial innovation, measurement, business development and more will shape the future of local advertising. The panel will be followed by an audience Q&A and a tour of the labs, innovation and event spaces within the Comcast Technology Center.

The Local Innovation Forum is kicking off in Philadelphia with the intention of hosting additional gatherings throughout major markets in the U.S. This forum, the company says, “is the next step forward in NBCUniversal’s local-to-global approach, helping marketers of all sizes and locations find custom business solutions and it is also the product of NBCU’s economic impact study, which measured the role of advertising in boosting sales, creating jobs, and impacting the economy.”

Frank Comerford, NBCUniversal Local chief revenue officer and president of sales, said: “Partnering with local businesses allows Comcast NBCUniversal to stay connected with our audiences in those communities. And, local businesses especially rely on the resources and IP of major media and technology companies to navigate the reality of a multi-platform future.

“Comcast NBCUniversal has the resources — from experts in marketing, research, sales, commerce and more — as well as iconic IP, including news, sports, entertainment, streaming, English and Spanish languages, opening up access for local marketers to begin leveraging NBCU’s One Platform to move their businesses forward in unique, impactful ways.”