For millennia, business has been conducted in person: meetings, production, and so on. Then came the digital boom. Websites, apps, social media, and remote work surged from the pre-COVID era. Our world and the brands within it shifted into pixel form. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does provide a unique opportunity moving forward. In-person interactions have become a novelty, a scarce asset. And that novelty has value, especially in brand building.
For the past month, I've been wrapped up in conference season. First, I was in Vermont for the Exit Five Drive event, spending quality time with some of the best B2B marketers in the world. Then I traveled to Texas for Circles Conference, to deliver a workshop to a room of talented creatives. Next up: BrandersFest in NYC, to speak and meet with founders of tech companies.
My immediate takeaway: I forgot how infectious in-person energy can be. It cannot be replicated on a screen. Which has me wondering… Are in-person events about to become a significant marketing advantage? The landscape is different now, and it feels like a blue ocean has opened up for whoever leans into "in-person" and redefines what that means for the future.
Most of today's marketing moments have moved to screens: scrolls, clicks, swipes, streams. Screens leveled the playing field — but they also make everyone feel the same. Where a digital world optimizes for efficiency, in-person prioritizes memorability. And I'm starting to have a sneaky suspicion that in-person is about to become a competitive advantage some may not see coming.
Maybe this feeling I'm having is nothing more than a conference afterglow. Or maybe it's the start of a shift we'll someday call obvious. We shall see. What do you think?
Bill Kenney
ROI OF BRAND
Source: How tech marketers can prove the ROI of brand investment
"LinkedIn data shows that the most effective tech businesses for generating leads are those that put the greatest emphasis on brand marketing. They're able to inspire anonymous buyers at scale, build momentum for their solutions within their target accounts, and start engaging and building familiarity before they reach out for contact details."
NOTEWORTHY
1. Nike's Tentative Turnaround Suggests Its Return to Brand Plan Is Working
Last year, Nike pivoted from performance-based marketing to brand, and it appears to be working, if slowly. Once a top brand, Nike is a case study on how quickly that position can unravel if neglected, and how long it takes to build back.
2. B2B Brand Measurement is Broken, but There's a Way to Fix It
"Forrester data explains why: 41% of B2B buyers begin their purchase journey with a single preferred vendor already in mind, while over 90% have a shortlist. Where do those preferences come from? Brand."
3. The ROI of Branding: Why Long-Term Thinking Wins
"A strong, consistent brand removes friction in the buyer's journey. People trust faster, recognize you in a crowded feed, and know what you stand for. That recognition drives cheaper acquisition, higher retention, and better word-of-mouth."
4. Gen AI Creative Finds Growing Acceptance
70% of marketers are embracing generative AI creatively, but the same study found only "around half" of consumers liked it and 60% were concerned about misleading ads.
5. How to Measure Brand Marketing Efforts (and Prove Their ROI)
"In its 2025 study, Ahrefs found that branded mentions, branded anchors, and branded search volume are the top three factors correlated with AI Overview presence."
