January 30, 2026 – Branding Strategic Enemy Laura Ries and The Institute for Wow John Dwyer

Laura Ries – Leading Positioning Strategist at Ries Positioning Pioneers  and Author of  The Strategic Enemy: How to Build and Position a Brand Worth Fighting For What you say you’re against, what you say no to, is actually instantly believable. Laura Ries is a leading positioning strategist and bestselling author who has shaped how brands define themselves in competitive markets. As chairwoman of Ries Positioning Pioneers, the global consulting firm her late father Al Ries founded, she has spent over three decades advising companies around the world on positioning strategy and helping them create memorable, category-defining brands. Laura is the author of The Strategic Enemy: How to Build and Position a Brand Worth Fighting For, a book that expands on her long practice of sharp differentiation and outlines how identifying a clear strategic enemy can drive brand focus and consumer loyalty, and she has co-authored several influential marketing titles with her father, including The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding and The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR. Based in Atlanta, she is also a respected keynote speaker and frequent commentator on modern branding and marketing strategy. John Dwyer – Marketing & Advertising Expert at The Institute of Wow It’s a low cost at a high perceived value. So therefore, if you’re getting something for less than $50 but you’re giving it away to someone and their perceived value is $1,000 you’re cooking with gas. John Dwyer is a celebrated marketing and advertising expert and the driving force behind The Institute of Wow, a consultancy known for helping businesses attract customers and boost sales with creative, incentive-based strategies that make audiences take notice. Known to many as JD, he has built a reputation as a “direct response customer attraction expert” whose unconventional ideas have generated billions in additional sales for companies across industries and helped brands stand out in crowded markets by focusing on compelling offers that go beyond price competition. Dwyer has worked with a wide range of clients, from major global companies to small businesses, and is widely recognized for high-impact campaigns, including one that brought comedian Jerry Seinfeld out of retirement to promote a banking client’s home loan offer, resulting in record breaking results. With deep experience in traditional and digital marketing channels and a focus on practical, results-driven solutions, he also offers coaching, programs and speaking engagements that guide business owners in creating powerful marketing that delivers measurable growth.