Celebrity endorsement is as old as advertising itself, spanning everything from Pope Leo XIII appearing on a poster for vin Mariani back in the late 1800s to Keiran Read giving Plumbing World the thumbs up to Homer Simpson designing ‘The Homer’. But the digital age has accelerated the trend and moved it in a different direction, with brands trying to cash in on the cachet of celebrities both traditional and new age. So how can they bask in the glow of these ‘influencers’? And how can they use imagery to make an impact? The next StopPress Presents event aims to uncover a few tricks of the trade.

These days we are bombarded with unprecedented amounts of information, and the demand on our time and share of attention is ever-increasing. Our psychology means that most of the information we process is visual, and smart choice of imagery (both photos and videos) is a huge success factor, especially in social media. Rebecca Swift, Getty Images' global director of visual trends, will share her findings on the changing visual landscape, from content embed functions to drive social sharing, to using iconic images to spark a conversation.

This presentation will be followed by a panel discussion on the ins and outs of influence featuring Swift and:

• Amber Ardern, head of Bauer’s Media Collective, who will talk about how brands are using editorial endorsement.

• Rowan Spinks, client partner of Facebook/Instagram, who will talk about how to create good social content with influencers—and how to get that content out to the right audience.

• Neville Doyle, head of digital planning at Colenso BBDO, who will speak about the importance of having an idea, not just an endorsement.

• Dallas Gurney, general manager of group content marketing at NZME, who will talk about the different ways brands can work with talent across its platforms.

• Tim Lightbourne, co-founder of Invivo Wine, who will talk about the success of Graham Norton’s involvement with the business.

The discussion will be moderated by NZ Marketing/StopPress editor and associate publisher Ben Fahy.

Tickets are $29 and it's first come, first served. Get in quick and buy your tickets here because tickets will likely go faster than a make-up brand attaching itself to the lashes of Dan Carter while he tweets about Mastercard.

Guests will be fed and watered on arrival from 5.00 - 6.00pm

Seating for 6.00pm.