Once again, Nashville proved to be a hospitable host for over 110 exhibitors and 3,000 attendees at Nationwide Marketing Group’s summer PrimeTime show, held at Music City Center from August 23-26, 2026. Southern charm and lively energy combined to emphasize the event’s core theme: the power of connection.
“In a world where products and prices are increasingly competitive, memorable experiences remain the most powerful way the independent channel can differentiate itself,” said Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) CEO Tom Hickman, during his mainstage welcome to attendees.
A Summary of Events from Nationwide’s Summer PrimeTime Show
Throughout the four-day event, this message was reinforced in various sessions, trainings and discussions, starting with the keynote given by New York Times best-selling author of Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara.
Leaning into his experience in the restaurant industry, Guidara inspired attendees to think differently about service, hospitality and creating experiences that customers will never forget.
PrimeTime’s other mainstages focused on qualitative analysis to approach decision-making with the consumer in mind.
During the digital mainstage, analytics practitioner Tim Wilson discussed effective ways to measure feedback and campaign performance, while Martha Hill Harvey, senior vice president of platform strategy and network operations for Synchrony Financial, led the economic mainstage with key insights on consumer behavior and market conditions.
Other Nashville highlights included a graduation to celebrate the culmination of a three-part Mattress University series, the continuation of Nationwide Learning Academy’s “Member Voices” sessions and an expanded Innovation Labs on the expo floor to showcase the latest in home technology.
Responses to This Year’s Show
“In addition to the popular programming members have come to expect, this show emphasized the value of building meaningful connection points with customers,” said Melissa Stenson, vice president of member experience for NMG.
“And that goes for our team as well,” Stenson added. “Collectively, our goal is to create an unforgettable experience every time we bring our entire network together.”
Where to Find the Next PrimeTime Event
Nationwide Marketing Group’s next PrimeTime will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, TX, from February 20-23, 2027.
