The af&co. + Carbonate 2027 Hospitality Trends + Marketing Outlook

Are you READY for 2027? Join us to prepare for the year ahead.
We’ll kick off with a presentation of The Intelligence Era: Rewriting the Hospitality Marketing Playbook. Centered on AI’s growing influence on guest discovery, this session offers a practical framework for building visibility, trust, and demand across an interconnected marketing ecosystem. The report draws on decades of industry expertise and research to provide actionable strategies for strengthening brands and driving revenue in a rapidly changing environment.
Following a break where you can enjoy 25% off from Waters Edge for coffee and snacks, we’ll debut our 2027 Hospitality Trends Report—our 19th annual deep dive into what’s next in food, beverage, travel, and beyond. Expect bold predictions, behind-the-scenes insights, and a few surprises along the way!
Join us after the presentation for a networking reception co-hosted by China Basin, Waters Edge and Sergeant Ma for mixing, mingling, and swapping takeaways with the report’s authors and fellow leaders shaping hospitality’s future. Enjoy small bites and drinks from the Sergeant Ma menu, with additional beverages available for purchase at the bar.
Following the event, we encourage you to make a reservation for dinner at San Francisco’s most exciting new restaurant Sergeant Ma to enjoy the full menu.
Register Now!
Tickets are $25 (or $15 for one session) and include:

• Admission to the live presentations
• Networking happy hour co-hosted by Waters Edge and Sergeant Ma, including a complimentary signature drink and small bites
• 25% off at Waters Edge for coffee, lunch, and snacks
• $5 from each ticket benefits Sprouts Chef Training

ABOUT .
af&co. is an award-winning lifestyle marketing and public relations agency headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with offices in Los Angeles and clients spanning coast to coast. Known for its forward-thinking approach, the agency combines creative and strategic consulting, marketing, and public relations to deliver results that go far beyond the traditional agency model. With more than 500 successful hospitality and lifestyle concept launches and ongoing marketing services for hundreds more, af&co. has built a reputation as a trusted leader in the industry, leading to the agency’s 20th Anniversary in 2025. af&co. focuses on what it is most passionate about - hotels & resorts, restaurants & chefs, lifestyle brands, wine & spirits, and travel & destinations - helping clients bring bold ideas to life while driving lasting impact. Follow along @afandco.
ABOUT
Carbonate is a creative agency that builds, reinvigorates, and grows brands and hospitality concepts. Specializing in food, beverage, restaurants, hotels & hospitality tech/B2B, Carbonate’s services include brand strategy, identity development, trend insights, design, and integrated brand communications. Prior to launching as an independent company, Carbonate was a division of San Francisco-based af&co. Together af&co. and Carbonate produce an annual Hospitality Trends Report, with insights consistently cited by outlets including The New York Times, Forbes, and more. Carbonate also produces Insight Out, a weekly insights publication dedicated to emerging hospitality & branding trends. Carbonate was ranked #45 on the 2025 Inc. Regionals: Midwest list—the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the Midwest. Follow along @carbonategroup.
ABOUT OUR HOST
Managed by McCarthy Cook & Co., China Basin is a premier waterfront destination for office workers, tenants, and lifestyle guests. Located at the gateway to Mission Bay and steps from Oracle Park, the campus reflects the real estate company’s “Welcome Meets Workplace” philosophy, combining flexible office and life science spaces with landscaped courtyards, a waterfront promenade, transit access, and thoughtful tenant services. New dining destinations, including Sergeant Ma and Waters Edge, strengthen China Basin’s appeal as both a culinary destination and compelling leasing opportunity. At the center of San Francisco’s growing AI community, China Basin offers an exciting place to work, connect, dine, and experience the city.

Info: As our newest special report, The Intelligence Era, produced by af&co. and Carbonate, is a practical guide to the forces reshaping hospitality marketing in 2027, and a roadmap for leaders planning for the year ahead. As AI changes how guests discover where to eat, drink and stay, marketers need to think beyond individual channels and manage their entire marketing ecosystem as a connected whole. Organized around three essential drivers—Relevance, Reputation, and Reach—the report explores how earned, owned, and paid marketing must work together across an increasingly AI-influenced guest journey, and what this means for building visibility, trust, and demand. Drawing on decades of industry expertise, and considering emerging platform shifts, the report offers actionable strategies for building stronger brands, reaching the right audiences, and translating marketing into butts-in-seats and heads-in-beds.

Info: Event attendees will enjoy 25% off at Waters Edge.

Info: The 19th edition of the annual af&co./ Carbonate Hospitality Trends Report forecasts the biggest influences in restaurant, food, beverage, hotels and travel that will shape the hospitality industry in 2027. With insights gleaned from over 150 hospitality brands, the 90+ page report provides actionable strategies for increasing relevance, capitalizing on trends, and boosting sales. An anticipated industry resource each year, the af&co./Carbonate Hospitality Trends Report is consistently cited by media outlets including The New York Times, Forbes, Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Business, and many more.

Info: Networking happy hour co-hosted by Waters Edge and Sergeant Ma, including a complimentary signature drink and small bites.

Event venue & nearby stays

Waters Edge, 185 Berry Street, San Francisco, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.

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