LIONS and Brand Innovators have announced the Brand Marketer Academy North America Series. The new multi-city learning program aims to accelerate the careers of high-potential client-side marketers. Together, the two organizations are bringing the established Cannes Lions academy format into four major U.S. markets. Each edition delivers an intensive two-day experience. It combines strategic content, leadership development and professional networking in an intimate classroom setting.
The program launches in 2026. It will run across four cities: New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles. Beyond the in-person editions, participants also gain access to year-round learning resources. They can additionally tap into career development tools and connections through the broader LIONS community.
What the program offers and who it is for
Each city edition targets rising brand leaders with up to seven years of marketing experience. The format brings senior industry leaders directly into the room. Participants then work through real-world case studies and engage with speakers of significant industry standing. As a result, they build professional networks that extend well beyond their home city into the global LIONS community.
The program carries no attendance fee. However, it is not open to general applications. Instead, participants must receive a nomination from their senior marketing leadership team. That selective approach ensures each cohort brings together genuinely high-potential talent. Consequently, the experience stays focused and high-impact for everyone involved.
The curriculum addresses the full scope of modern marketing. Creativity, performance, technology and culture all feature as interconnected disciplines. That integrated approach reflects what senior marketers now navigate daily rather than treating each area as a separate track.
The first edition: New York with PepsiCo
The inaugural event takes place in New York on June 1 and 2, 2026. PepsiCo will host the session. Mark Kirkham will lead the program. He serves as Chief Marketing Officer at PepsiCo Beverages U.S. In that role, he oversees brand strategy across the company’s core soft drinks portfolio. That includes Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Starry, Bubly and Mug.
Kirkham is a 15-year PepsiCo veteran. He has driven international growth across multiple markets and led the company’s UEFA Champions League sponsorship. He has also built award-winning brand and innovation programs worldwide. His involvement as anchor leader for the first edition signals the caliber of expertise the program plans to deliver across all four cities.
Further details on program content, additional speakers and the application process will follow in the coming weeks.
A program with a proven track record
The Brand Marketing Academy is not a new concept. LIONS launched it in 2011. Since then, it has supported more than 450 graduates worldwide. Many of those alumni have subsequently gone on to become chief marketing officers, founders and award-winning marketing leaders. That track record gives the North America Series a credible foundation to build on.
The North America expansion reflects growing demand for locally delivered, globally informed development. Brand Innovators has partnered with Cannes Lions since 2011. As a result, it brings deep knowledge of the U.S. marketing landscape to this collaboration. Together, the two organizations aim to meet marketers where they are geographically. At the same time, they connect participants to a broader international perspective.
Source: LIONS / Brand Innovators press release
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