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Pizza Hut's digital guru talking all-things tech

Baron Concors, Pizza Hut's global chief digital officer, will share insights about the chain's digital strategy Aug. 17 at this year’s CONNECT Mobile Innovation Summit in Dallas.

July 18, 2016 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

We live in a mobile world that is changing daily, which means restaurateurs hoping to stay relevant with customers must be on top of all-things digital. Whether it’s bots, beacons or mobile  payments, new innovations are constantly being adopted,and business owners need to be on board as early as possible.  

Just when you thought you mastered Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, along came Snapchat and Vine. And now restauranteurs are trying to monetize Pokemon Go. It never ends, and figuring out which platforms to use and how to make them drive traffic can be complicated, which is why Baron Concors, Pizza Hut's global chief digital officer, will share insights about the chain's digital strategy  Aug. 17 at this year’s CONNECT Mobile Innovation Summit inChicago.

We chatted with Concors to get some inside info on what he’ll discuss during his session, "The State of Mobile: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going?"

FastCasual: Why is it so important for restaurant brands to understand mobile marketing?

Baron Concors: Mobile is changing human behavior. Customers turn to mobile first in whatever they want to do. A business strategy without a mobile strategy is a losing strategy.

FC:Is it possible for small brands with little resources to compete with big brands?

Concors: Big brands have the capital and resources to deliver world class mobile experiences. However, small brands can compete if they have a startup mindset and focus on the customer. 

FC: What do you expect attendees to learn from attending your session?

There are so many areas a brand can focus on in the mobile space. I hope attendees learn how to determine what’s worth investing in and what’s not. 

Event agenda

Other speakers include:

• Mike Beauchamp, director of digital, Hooters of America

• Tim Doherty, mobile product manager, Dunkin’ Donuts

• Erin Levzow, vp of marketing, Freebirds World Burrito

• Aaron Noveshen, president and founder,  Starbird

• Mark Tan, senior product manager, Amazon

• Shashank Saxena, senior director of strategy development and I integration,  Kroger

• Rick Ruskin, marketing and product management, online commerce, General Motors

• Alysia Kempa, director of mobile marketing, Sears Holdings Corp.

• Graham Gunst, associate partner, interactive experience and digital strategy, IBM Interactive Experience

• Curtis Ford, market planning and strategy, Great Clips

• Michelle Evans, digital consumer manager, Euromonitor International

Register here for the summitt.

About Cherryh Cansler

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Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

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