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Planning your marketing roadmap for 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri? KC has a strong entrepreneurial culture, large corporate presence, and an active creative scene. Here are 10 events:
1. Digital Summit Kansas City
Description: A regular stop for the Digital Summit series, featuring sessions on SEO, social media, email marketing, content, and more.
Date (2025): Likely mid-to-late year
Location: Kansas City Convention Center (Bartle Hall) or similar venue
Website: Digital Summit KC
Who Should Go: Digital marketers, brand managers, agency pros, and e-commerce specialists.
Past Speakers: Thought leaders from Moz, HubSpot, Facebook, and local KC-based firms.
2. KC Digital Drive / Techweek KC (Marketing & Startup Panels)
Description: Sometimes branded as “Techweek KC,” it can feature marketing, innovation, and growth hacking tracks for startups.
Date (2025): Likely Fall
Location: Downtown KC coworking spaces, Sprint Accelerator, or local conference venues
Website: Check KC Digital Drive or Techweek
Who Should Go: Founders, marketers, investors, and product teams.
Past Speakers: Local startup founders, marketing automation experts, regional VCs.
3. Kansas City Marketing Summit (Local AMA Chapter)
Description: Hosted by AMA Kansas City, focusing on branding, strategy, digital marketing, and local success stories across industries.
Date (2025): Often Spring
Location: KC-area hotels or corporate event centers
Website: AMA Kansas City
Who Should Go: Marketers, agency pros, students, and business owners.
Past Speakers: Execs from Hallmark, Garmin, local ad agencies, and entrepreneurial ventures.
4. Social Media Club KC – Annual Conference
Description: SMCKC hosts monthly events and may hold a larger conference on social media trends, strategies, and influencer marketing.
Date (2025): TBA
Location: Downtown coworking spaces or event halls
Website: SMCKC
Who Should Go: Social media managers, content creators, small business owners, marketing freelancers.
Past Speakers: Local influencers, brand strategists, and social ad specialists.
5. KC eCommerce & Retail Summit
Description: Focuses on digital retail, omnichannel strategies, marketing automation, and consumer engagement for the KC region.
Date (2025): Likely mid-year
Location: Convention centers or hotels in downtown KC
Website: Check local retail associations or Retail TouchPoints
Who Should Go: Online retailers, brand managers, e-commerce marketers, and tech vendors.
Past Speakers: Regional store owners, marketing consultants, analytics experts, and local chains.
6. Global Entrepreneurship Week KC (Marketing Panels)
Description: Part of a global initiative, KC’s GEW typically features workshops on marketing, branding, and digital presence for entrepreneurs.
Date (2025): Usually November
Location: Coworking hubs, innovation centers, and KC public spaces
Website: Global Entrepreneurship Week or local EDC announcements
Who Should Go: Startup founders, marketing leads, local mentors, and small business owners.
Past Speakers: Local entrepreneurial success stories, marketing pros, city economic development staff.
7. AAF-KC (Ad Club) Annual Conference & ADDYs
Description: AAF Kansas City organizes award shows (ADDYs) plus conferences on advertising creativity, brand campaigns, and industry trends.
Date (2025): Awards typically early in the year; separate conference TBA
Location: Downtown KC or Crossroads Arts District venues
Website: AAF-KC
Who Should Go: Ad agencies, creative directors, brand marketers, and students.
Past Speakers: Local agency founders, creative directors, brand managers from major KC-based companies.
8. PRSA Greater Kansas City Conference
Description: PR-focused but includes integrated marketing, brand communication, and crisis management sessions relevant to a broader audience.
Date (2025): Often mid-year
Location: KC-area hotels or conference centers
Website: PRSA Kansas City
Who Should Go: PR practitioners, marketing managers, nonprofit communicators, and brand strategists.
Past Speakers: Local journalists, PR agency leaders, corporate comms heads, and civic reps.
9. Freelance Exchange of Kansas City (Marketing & Creative Expo)
Description: A regional meetup for freelance marketers, designers, and creative pros, sometimes featuring an expo or mini-conference on business growth.
Date (2025): Multiple times/year
Location: Coworking spaces, libraries, or event halls
Website: Freelance Exchange KC
Who Should Go: Freelance marketers, writers, designers, small agencies, and entrepreneurs.
Past Speakers: Experienced freelancers, local business mentors, digital marketing experts.
10. Midwest Music + Marketing Summit (KC Track)
Description: Occasional event bridging music marketing, brand sponsorship, and creative promotions, relevant to local festival organizers and agencies.
Date (2025): TBA
Location: Kansas City music venues or performance spaces
Website: Check local arts councils or Eventbrite
Who Should Go: Music promoters, brand sponsors, creative marketers, PR pros, and events coordinators.
Past Speakers: Local festival organizers, booking agents, brand sponsorship managers, and venue owners.