Making Sense conference

Making Sense Conference – sustainable and effective marketing

6th and 7th of November, PROTO avastustehas (Peetri 10, Tallinn)

Our vision and idea behind Making Sense is to raise the level of excellence in the marketing field. The conference brings together top talent from all over Europe, from acclaimed agencies and renowned brands.

This year’s Making Sense is a two-day event for the first time. The first day will focus on inspiration, creativity, sustainability, and hot topics in the world of marketing that help to be successful in a new market. 

The second day’s focal point will be efficiency: the stage will be dedicated to data and creativity. International speakers will come from the most talked-about brands as well as top agencies – because it’s the joint effort of agencies and clients that will take the industry to the next level! 

Making Sense will be held in Tallinn, Estonia, in the Noblessner marina, at a venue called PROTO avastustehas (Peetri 10).

The ticket will include snacks, coffee, lunch, and the award ceremony of the effectiveness competition TULImust which will be held at the end of the first day. 

Following the TULImust awards, there will be a networking event with welcome drinks, snacks and music.

IMPORTANT! With a Making Sense ticket, entry to the awards and networking event/party is FREE. 

Without a Making Sense ticket, TULImust finalists (and everybody else) can attend the award ceremony free, but if they wish to stay for the networking event, they will need to buy a separate ticket for €20 + VAT.  You should buy them beforehand as there is no selling point at the event.

6th of November

• 10.30 Arrival, Morning coffee
• 11.00 Opening
• 11.05-11.40 Mesut Sakal – Managing Director (CEE, APAC & Africa), Kantar Media

Topic: “The consumer context: how changing lifestyle, income, and attitudes are shaping content and advertising strategies.”

It’s vital to understand the changing consumer context in which media is now being consumed to uncover value and drive growth in new and different ways. What has changed, what’s remained the same – and what does it mean for everyone in our ecosystem?

• 11.40-12.15 Erica Terranova – Growth Marketing Lead, Moomin Characters

Topic: “Growing brands, fandoms, and potatoes: An approach to culture-driven growth”

Have you ever wondered what marketing for a global brand like the Moomins looks like? And how can you leverage branding to boost your company’s growth? Follow Erica Terranova in her journey as a Sociologist turned Growth Hacker and learn how to build strong brands, how cultural insights can drive revenue, and how the Moomins became the most beloved Finnish brand in the world. This will be an adventure!

• 12.15-12.50 Selim Ünlüsoy – Global Head of AI, LePub

Topic: “What do we do when we’re no longer the most intelligent species on Earth?”

Selim Ünlüsoy kicks off his talk with this provocative question, leading us to an exploration of the rapidly shifting landscape of intelligence, technology, and creativity. From augmented creativity to the rise of synthetic brand assets, this session offers fresh perspectives on how humans are adapting—and where we might be headed next. Expect a dynamic mix of insights, reflections, and cutting-edge concepts that will challenge your understanding of the future of intelligence and creativity.

• 12.50-14.05 Lunch
• 14.05-14.40 Mathias Appelblad – Ex-Senior Creative Partner, Forsman & Bodenfors, currently the Global Creative Director, SEB (Interviewed by Magnus Lužkov – CEO, Optimist Group) 

Topic: Fireside Chat: “How did Sweden become a global creative powerhouse and how could Estonia pull off the same kind of success?”

In this fireside spotlight, we’re thrilled to welcome Mathias Appelblad – the creative mastermind who’s had a front-row seat (and a hand in) Sweden’s creative industry’s meteoric rise at Forsman & Bodenfors. When did it all start? How did Sweden become a global creative powerhouse? And more importantly, could Estonia pull off the same kind of success? What’s the secret sauce? Well, let’s ask the man himself.

These days, Mathias is channeling his superpowers at SEB, steering the global brand and creative team with the same flair. He’ll be interviewed by Magnus Lužkov, CEO of Optimist Creative and co-founder of TULI

• 14.40-15.15 Eva Bodecker Thunborg – CEO, Mediaplus Nordic & Andreea Wolter – Product & Business Development Director, Mediaplus Realtime

Topic: “Sustainability: Let’s walk the talk!”

How do we in the media industry develop sustainably and how can we contribute to measuring and keeping track of our ESG traces? Evolution of solutions from the Nordics to Europe.

• 15.15-15.35 Coffee break
• 15.35-16.10 Kirk Johnsen – Brand Consultant & Ary Ganeshalingam – Global Chief Marketing Officer, Change Please

Topic: “Beyond The Contract: 7 Secrets of Unstoppable Client-Agency Teams”

Gain exclusive insights from top industry leaders on how they’ve forged stronger agency-client partnerships to drive both exceptional creativity and commercial success. Hear from disruptors like Airbnb, Wieden+Kennedy, Nike, Aston Martin, Pernod Ricard, and others as they share their strategies for transforming collaboration into breakthrough results.

• 16.10-16.45 David Beckett – Pitch Coach, Best3Minutes

Topic: “How do you tell your story in no time at all – when everyone is busy and attention is thin?”

David Beckett is an international pitch coach, who has trained over 2500+ startups, and 36,000+ professionals at major companies in 31 countries. He brings this experience into a practical, action-packed talk that will inspire and help you create your winning pitch. David focuses on practical things you can do to; tune the pitch to the audience; get clear on the objective; build a compelling storyline; and open and close powerfully. 

• 16.45-17.05 Coffee break
• 17.15-18.30 Award Ceremony of TULImust
• 18.30-21.30 Networking event
  

  Please note: The organiser reserves the right to make changes to the agenda.

First day is moderated by Annika Ljaš Eilat

Annika is a highly regarded startup marketing expert who has helped dozens of startups get their businesses off the ground and gain coverage in international media. She introduced the booming Visiting/Fractional CMO model to this region. Among other things, Annika has contributed to ambitious projects such as the launch of e-Residency and led the growth of the Latitude59 technology conference. Recently, together with two partners, she launched a mini-agency called Exponential, which helps companies find clients in foreign markets more quickly.

7th of November

• 10.30 Arrival, Morning coffee
• 11.00 Opening
• 11.05-11.40 Kaarel Oja – Managing Director, Quantitas Innovation

Topic: “It all starts with data”

A smart marketer knows that data-driven marketing is the starting point, not the end goal. But do we know which data is ours and which is not? We’ll explore how data shapes marketing strategies, why not all data is equal, and how its value diminishes over time. We’ll look at how data, used correctly, can be a competitive advantage and the impact it can have on your brand.

• 11.40-12.15 Trym Sigurdsen – Management Consultant, Knowit & Kadri Tirs – Head of Market Research Department, Initiative Estonia

Topics: “Making marketing strategies more effective through number-based inputs. Scandinavian examples” and “How to increase the effectiveness of campaigns through client’s, creative’s and media’s synchronized cooperation”

First topic will explore how businesses can harness data to design highly targeted campaigns, optimize seasonal opportunities, and uncover causal links in their marketing strategies. Featuring examples from econometric sales modeling for companies such as Avinor (Norway) and Estrella (Finland), the talk will highlight how analytical insights with a deep understanding of the market can drive substantial improvements in marketing performance across diverse industries.

In order to maximize the effectiveness of campaigns, a common goal or metric is a priority. Processes and solutions are based on the goal. Kadri Tirs, Head of the Market Research Department at Initiative Estonia, will discuss how this seemingly logical and simple task can actually be accomplished in everyday work. She will give practical examples of how to jointly define objectives in order to achieve true collaboration between the three parties – client, creative partner, and media agency.

• 12.15-13.30 Lunch
• 13.30-14.05 Johan Smit – Managing Director, PMA

Topic: “Does audience measurement keep track of changing media consumption?”

Johan Smit will take us through several questions: What is audience measurement and why do we need it: How has media consumption changed? How has audience measurement adapted to these changes? What is the role of all participants/stakeholders in an audience measurement system? What is needed for the future?

• 14.05-14.40 Heidi Reinson – Behavioural scientist

Topic: “Behavioural science: humble look at influencing people”

• 14.40-15.10 Coffee break
• 15.10-15.45 Ricardo Cuilenheim – Managing Director of Insight, Effectiveness & Growth, dentsu Norway

Topic: “Challenging Growth – Unlocking profitable growth through data”

The presentation looks into why marketing-driven growth has become so much more complex, and hard to achieve, but at the same time what every CEO/CFO demands from their CMO. We will look into why we have ended up where we have, what are some of the key challenges, but also criteria for success, and possible directions going forward.

• 15.45-16.25 Michael Corcoran – ex-Head of Social Media and Creative Content at Ryanair, Managing Partner at Frankly

Topic: “Be on Social without Being on Social”

It is time we as professionals REALLY start to think about the role social plays for your brand or business. If you try being all things to all people, you are more than likely diluting your effort and adding to the sea of vanilla corporate sameness. Alchemy can show us the best ideas or strategies don’t make rational sense. The problems we have could very well be solved by letting go of logic and differentiating yourself.

We’ll talk:

• Different ways to be on social without ‘being’ on social – to solve a problem or utilize an opportunity for a brand and business on social
  
• Take some examples of how to use social beyond just posting content and wasting time and money.
  
• Look at the four key variables that should influence your strategy before deciding what role social can play to REALLY try to add value over time.

Lastly, Michael will waffle about how Ryanair did it.

Please note: The organiser reserves the right to make changes to the agenda.

Second day is moderated by Liis Laisaar

Liis is the Business Development Manager at the digital marketing agency Holini, which offers Google Ads and Analytics services to B2B tech companies. 

Throughout her career, she has managed tens and audited over a hundred Google Ads accounts, helping companies get maximum cost-efficiency and scaling potential out of their Google Ads. Liis has shared her own and Holini’s collective experiences and insights on both local and international, as well as virtual and physical stages, giving presentations, lectures, and workshops on all things Google Ads and digital marketing.

• Mathias Appelblad – Ex-Senior Creative Partner at Forsman & Bodenfors, currently the Global Creative Director of SEB
  

As a former creative of acclaimed Swedish agency Forsman & Bodenfors, Mathias has led iconic work for brands such as Apple, VW, Target, AT&T, FedEx, HBO, GE, Gillette, Volvo Cars, SK-II, and IKEA.

His campaigns have won several of the industry’s highest accolades, including; Clio, D&AD, The One Show, and Cannes Lions. Creativity 50 honoree.

Currently, Mathias is working on the brand side at SEB, a 170-year-old premium financial institution, modernizing it for the next 170 years.

• Selim Ünlüsoy – Global Head of AI, LePub
  

LePub has been voted “The Best Creative Agency in the World” by prestigious rankings. Selim leads a multi-disciplinary team of creators that produces work that goes beyond advertising. He is a keynote speaker in various events, talking on biomimicry, the impact of AI and design.

He has enjoyed winning over 100 international and local trophies including the prestigious Innovation Lion, Grand Prix in Golden Drum, etc. He was featured in Fast Company, Beaux Arts Magazine, Lürzer’s Archive and numerous other publications. He is an eternal student of the relationship between humans and machines, currently focused on behavioral engineering and synthetic creation.

• Erica Terranova – Growth Marketing Lead, Moomin Characters

Erica Terranova is a senior Growth professional with years of experience in both B2B and B2C Marketing, who is currently heading Growth at Moomin Characters.

In her Marketing career, she has worked on achieving hypergrowth for anything from tech startups to established brands, in addition to building digital products, promoting data literacy, driving DEI initiatives, and supporting international talent in Finland. With a PhD in Cultural Sociology and a passion for literature, her approach prioritizes brand experiences and deeply understanding your audience to transform them from passive observers to loyal fans.

• Kaarel Oja – Managing Director, Quantitas Innovation

Kaarel Oja is a member of the board of the digital advertising and marketing association IAB Baltics and managing director of Quantitas Innovation. He is a client-focused competitive strategist and experienced innovation manager with 18 years of experience driving technology and product adaptation in ITC, deep-tech, retail, automotive, banking, e-commerce, travel, and FMCG sectors.

Pioneering approaches to market development leading to sustained growth.

Focusing on:
– Collaborating with organizations to understand and re-define their industries;
– Crafting and implementing strategies that improve customer engagement and retention;
– Leading market transformations to identify and seize opportunities for businesses.

• David Beckett – Pitch Coach, Best3Minutes

David Beckett is an international pitch coach, who has trained over 2400 Startups and Scaleups to pitch and win over €450 Million in investment. He’s also trained more than 36,000 professionals at companies such as Booking.com, Tommy Hilfiger, PwC, and Netflix in 31 countries, as well as over 30 TEDx speakers. David is the creator of The Pitch Canvas©, and author of the books Pitch To Win and Blue Moon Pitch.

• Johan Smit – Managing Director, PMA

After studying Business Administration, Johan joined DDB as an Account Executive. Via Leo Burnett and Publicis he started at Initiative Media in 1990. Until 2001 he established the Initiative network in Central and Eastern Europe, including the Baltic States, Central Asia, Israel, South Africa, and Turkey.

Johan is now Managing Director of PMA, the association of Media agencies in the Netherlands. He was the driving force behind the integration of the siloed Audience Measurement, resulting in a worldwide unique collaboration of all JIC’s, a MOC and research agencies.

• Mesut Sakal – Managing Director at Kantar Media; CEE, APAC & Africa

Mesut joined Kantar Media in 2015 as Managing Director for Turkey, and was appointed CEO for Eastern Europe & Middle East before taking on his current role.

He previously held a number of senior international management leadership positions and has served in a variety of sales, marketing and line management roles throughout his career. His international assignments have given him the opportunity to live and work in many different countries, managing businesses in a variety of industries and leading teams with diverse educational and cultural backgrounds, before finally settling back in his home country of Turkey.

Mesut received his Bachelor’s degree in International Business and Management Information Systems from the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University, and he has an MBA from the University of Kansas.

• Michael Corcoran – ex-Head of Social Media and Creative Content at Ryanair, Managing Partner at Frankly

Michael Corcoran is the former head of social media at Ryanair. During his time, Ryanair made a lot of jokes about itself and its customers on social media. The result was a lot of attention. But let him speak for himself:

“I guess you need to know how I got here. I have 12+ years of experience <insert big list of brand names here to show off and brag so you might think I’m a big thing>. I’m not a Forbes 30 under 30; I have not been named ‘Top Marketing Influencer’ by some random agency looking to PR for new business. At Ryanair, I ran its social media. I let my work do the talking (most of the time), and I think I’m doing ok at it. You can call me the Aldi version of Gary Vee. Now it’s time to speak Frankly.”

• Kadri Tirs – Head of Market Research Department, Initiative Estonia

Kadri is a market research specialist with extensive experience who heads the market research department at Initiative Estonia.

Her goal is to turn data and research into easy-to-understand tools that help managers make informed decisions that support business growth and development. Kadri believes that while data itself doesn’t solve problems, it does clearly show where concerns lie.

 She guides the entire process from start to finish, focusing on the core of the problem and ensuring that the research generates practical insights that can be effectively integrated into business plans and strategies.

On a daily basis, Kadri works with some of Estonia’s leading and best-loved brands – from retail, food and banking to telecoms, insurance and e-commerce – helping them make data-driven decisions that drive their business forward and enable customers to truly differentiate.

• Trym Sigurdsen – Management Consultant, Knowit

Trym specializes in improving marketing effectiveness through data-driven strategies for leading Nordic brands. He works with companies across industries to optimize their marketing mix, and drive growth. Combining statistical analysis with business insights, Trym helps translate complex data into actionable strategies that fuel brand success.

• Eva Bodecker Thunborg – CEO, Mediaplus Nordic

With her low-key, straightforward leadership style, Eva Bodecker Thunborg, CEO of Mediaplus Nordic, leads diverse and highly competent teams to success – in four markets, with four legislations, four currencies, and in four languages. 

She began her professional career at Skandinavisk mediakonsult in Stockholm 25 years ago. Since then, she has worked at GroupM, Omnicom, and Dentsu in various positions – including Media Planner, Client Director, Media Director, and Business Development Director – where she honed her skills and expanded her knowledge in different areas. 

In her spare time, she fuels her energy by playing as much basketball as possible and also volunteers on the Swedish Basketball Association’s communication committee.

• Kirk Johnsen – Brand Consultant

For over 20 years, Kirk has played a key role in shaping some of the world’s most iconic and culture-defining brands—Nike, Corona, Google, Adidas, and Heineken, to name a few. With a career built at leading creative agencies like Wieden+Kennedy, LePub, and 72andSunny, he’s developed a diverse set of tools that consistently deliver outsized impact in the marketplace. One of his strongest assets is his deep understanding of the client-agency partnership. Kirk has learned from the best in the business and applied that knowledge to foster powerful collaborations that fuel creativity and growth.

• Ary Ganeshalingam – Global Chief Marketing Officer, Change Please

Ary Ganeshalingam has worked with international brands across 20 years and overseen campaigns across 70 countries. Previously working in multiple roles at leading spirits company, Pernod Ricard, his last role there was as Global Brand Communications Director for Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet. 

It was through one of his initiatives at Chivas – the Chivas Venture (a competition around social enterprises), where he met visionary founder Cemal Ezel OBE of Change Please Coffee…and it was there that he decided to enter the world of purpose and social enterprises. 

Change Please is an award-winning coffee brand where 100% of profits go towards fighting homelessness globally and Ary is currently the Global CMO there. He also is an Associate Lecturer in Marketing at Oxford.

• Andreea Wolter – Product & Business Development Director, Mediaplus Realtime

Andreea Wolter has been guiding teams in the dynamic world of digital media for over 12 years, delivering impactful results for diverse client portfolios such as LEGO, Lindt & Sprüngli, and Paulaner Brauerei München. In her current role as Product & Business Development Director at Mediaplus Realtime, she plays a key role in advancing Mediaplus Group’s internationalization efforts and developing tailored solutions to meet client needs in an ever-evolving market landscape.

Her passion for the outdoors keeps her balanced—whether hiking, mountaineering, or exploring nature, she finds inspiration and energy in the wilderness.

• Ricardo Cuilenheim – Managing Director of Insight, Effectiveness & Growth, dentsu Norway

Ricardo Cuilenheim works as Managing director of Insight, Effectiveness & Growth in dentsu Norway. This is the part of dentsu responsible for identifying the growth potential of companies, and specifically, how to unlock it. He has spent the last decade working as a strategist for some of the biggest companies in Norway and the Nordics, and he specializes in building the bridge between marketing and business.

Moderators

• Annika Ljaš Eilat – Startup marketing expert

Annika is a highly regarded startup marketing expert who has helped dozens of startups get their businesses off the ground and gain coverage in international media. She introduced the booming Visiting/Fractional CMO model to this region.

Among other things, Annika has contributed to ambitious projects such as the launch of e-Residency and led the growth of the Latitude59 technology conference. Recently, together with two partners, she launched a mini-agency called Exponential, which helps companies find clients in foreign markets more quickly.

• Liis Laisaar – Business Development Manager, Holini

Liis is the Business Development Manager at the digital marketing agency Holini, which offers Google Ads and Analytics services to B2B tech companies.

Throughout her career, she has managed tens and audited over a hundred Google Ads accounts, helping companies get maximum cost-efficiency and scaling potential out of their Google Ads. Liis has shared her own and Holini’s collective experiences and insights on both local and international, as well as virtual and physical stages, giving presentations, lectures, and workshops on all things Google Ads and digital marketing.

Estonian Marketing Association member ticket 225 €+VAT
Student ticket (with a valid student card) 225 €+VAT
General ticket 270 €+VAT

The ticket will include snacks, coffee, lunch, and the award ceremony of the effectiveness competition TULImust which will be held at the end of the first day. 

The Making Sense conference is co-funded by the European Union. 

Each company is eligible to apply for de minimis aid of up to €300 000 over three financial years. A maximum of €800 of de minimis aid per company attending the conference will be deducted from the €300 000. Read more.