SOUL MOVERS: Episode 1: Debo Ray

In an age defined by algorithms and automation, there’s still one thing no machine can replicate: the power to move the human soul.

Soul Movers is a series of short films that explores that rare, electric force behind the people who move us. From Grammy-nominated vocalists and famous chefs to magicians, dancers, and speechwriters, these are the humans who remind us what it means to feel something real.

Each film explores what defines us at Connelly Partners, and our core belief: If you want to move customers’ feet, you have to first move their souls.

From Consultant to Believer: How Connelly Partners Changed My Mind About Integration

Will Burns, Chief Growth Officer

For most of my career, I’ve been inside or alongside ad agencies of every shape and size. I’ve worked within them, led them, pitched for them, and in recent years, consulted with them — often on their approach to new business. And if there’s one claim I’ve heard more than any other, it’s this one: “We’re a full-service agency, all under one roof.”

Every agency says it. Every deck, every website, every pitch. And every time, it’s not quite true.

The “Full-Service” Myth

Even the most talented 20-person shops I’ve consulted with confidently call themselves full service, usually because they’ve built a tight core team and then outsource what they need when they need it. It’s not deceitful — it’s just how the industry evolved. You find great specialists, build relationships, and assemble capabilities to meet the client’s needs.

But to say it’s all under one roof? It never is. Not really.

That was my baseline assumption—until I met Connelly Partners.

How It Started

What began as a consulting engagement quickly turned into something else. My task was to immerse myself in the Connelly Partners business: understand how they see themselves, how they sell, how they deliver.

I went deep. Ten senior employee interviews. Five recent pitches. Five RFP responses. Countless hours on their site and blog. I wanted to see what made this place tick.

And somewhere along the way, a realization hit me: this wasn’t another agency claiming integration. This was the first agency I’ve seen that actually is integrated.

No Assembly Required

Connelly Partners is the rare agency that truly lives up to that “full service” claim. Advertising, brand strategy, media planning and buying, digital, influencer marketing, production, even in-house editing — all actually under one roof (well, several roofs, given our teams in Boston and Dublin).

When that hit me, so did the client benefit.

For the past decade, marketers have been assembling ecosystems of “specialist” agencies — one for social, one for influencer, one for digital, another for media. On paper, it sounds smart: best-in-breed expertise across every channel.

In practice, it’s chaos. Every specialist brings a narrow view of the brand and, understandably, an agenda to sell more of their niche. So the marketer becomes the integrator — trying to align competing priorities, maintain brand consistency, and assemble a unified plan out of mismatched parts.

It’s exhausting.

At CP, that problem doesn’t exist. No assembly required.

One agency. One brand understanding. One cohesive plan. We can shift strategy on a Tuesday and deploy a new mix on Wednesday. Because when all the disciplines live together, collaboration isn’t a talking point — it’s just how work happens.

The Soul of the Agency

Of course, great structure means nothing without great spirit. What drew me in even more than CP’s integration was its ethos: We move customers’ feet by first moving their souls.

That line hit me because it’s not just a brand statement — it’s a truth. Everything here is guided by empathy, curiosity, and creativity that’s designed to drive real business outcomes. Emotional intelligence meets commercial intelligence. And it works.

From Consultant to CGO

My time consulting with CP’s leadership team went better than either of us expected. We clicked — philosophically, strategically, culturally. I saw an agency with enormous potential. A true full-service shop that nobody was giving full credit to.

So when the opportunity came to join as a fractional Chief Growth Officer, the decision was easy. My job now is to make sure marketers discover what I’ve discovered — that Connelly Partners is the real thing.

No assembly required.

CP’s Super Bowl LX Highlights

While the Seahawks and Patriots fought for the Lombardi Trophy at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, a different kind of high-stakes competition was playing out across the commercial breaks. Our team sat down to analyze the strategies that broke through the noise, evaluating the hits, the misses, and the head-scratchers. Between the heavy lean on 90s nostalgia, the swarm of celebrity cameos, and the quantity of AI content, we weighed in on which creative risks actually delivered a return on the most expensive airtime in history.

In a blur of over-the-top, (now to be expected) random celebrity cameos, the ad that stood out to me was “Relax your Tight End” by Novartis. Differentiating and unexpected comedy from a Pharma giant, delivering an instant product-benefit connection without the usual lifestyle formula … all with the contextually relevant power of celebrity. Parody-driven tone and music with hard-hitting stats were perfectly executed. Home run.

Hillary Williams, Director of Brand Leadership

We all knew AI was going to be front and center, and the “Good Will Dunkin’” spot was a great example of how AI can really bring an idea to life. It was a little creepy, sure, but still a fun concept. Nostalgia was everywhere too, and the VW spot bringing back the still-strong “Drivers Wanted” tagline was beautifully done. I’ve always had a soft spot for VW ads, so that one really stood out to me. But my favorite of the night was the Redfin Rocket Mortgage ad. It hit that sweet spot of great storytelling, a stunning Lady Gaga track, and a message that really sticks with you — one we could all use a reminder of. Finally, the spots for Claude were brilliant. They made me excited that concept is still king.

Alyssa Toro, Sr. Partner, Chief Creative Officer

My personal MVP was Emma Stone for Squarespace (the cinematography alone!), but I was struck by two overall themes: low-fi nostalgia (Crypto.com and Dunkin) and a push for love, peace, and being a good person. In a world wrought with turmoil, many brands turned to happier moments (Redfin, Lays). As Bad Bunny famously says, “The only thing more powerful than hate, is love.”

Miranda Gaudet, New Business Director

As someone who placed an ad this year, I have to admit that I watched the game with a different lens, knowing the perils of ad logs in a live, cultural event! So you could say my attention was certainly heightened ;). I thought Anthropic did a great job coming out swinging on ads in ChatGPT, and for those of us who use AI, they really hit the nail on the head in personifying what that experience could be like. I feel like campy nostalgia seemed to be on display, and while Dunkin’ kind of nailed it, Instacart did not, despite great celebrity talent. And while I realize this is unpopular and people are fed up with Coinbase, but seriously, we all sang along, right? And stayed and waited to see where it was going? 

Michelle Capasso, Partner, Chief Media Officer

A lot of brands continue to play with nostalgia and tapping into the 90s, but I was specifically dialed in on the Xfinity Jurassic Park ad. The set up was classic to the film, but the relief that Xfinity brought to the scenario, and imagining what would have happened if the park had a more stable connection was perfect. It was a great example of a simple solution that a brand can articulate over and over again. Plus, it was fun too! Xfinity has been on a great run with their Super Bowl commercials over the past several years (remember Beyonce seeing if she could break the internet?). They continue to showcase the same strategy – Xfinity offers a strong connection – and have found a number of hyper relevant ways to show up, referencing current events, cultural icons, and more in order to excel in their creative showing.

Allyson Chapman, Associate Strategy Director

I loved the simplicity of the Levi’s spot; it was a perfect, visual tribute to the brand’s history that didn’t need bells and whistles to be effective. The Uber Eats ad with Matthew McConaughey and Bradley Cooper also stood out to me, because it got out of its own way with the script. Letting Matthew McConaughey ad-lib and play to his strengths created genuinely funny moments that didn’t feel forced.

JoAnne Borselli, Group Brand Director

This year’s Super Bowl ads proved that celebrity cameos can’t rescue a weak concept. The Dunkin’ spot was the ultimate flop—a cluttered “advertising fever dream” that chose a celebrity bingo card over a clear idea. The most impactful moments skipped the glitz for raw emotion. By overlaying iconic sports speeches onto the stories of patients, these ads successfully translated grit and spirit into a real-world context.

Barry Frechette, Director of Production

Lay’s “Last Harvest” stood out as Sunday’s emotional peak, hitting all the feels by highlighting the vital role of family farms. On the comedy front, William Shatner’s “Will Shat” double entendre for Raisin Bran took the crown—a hilarious, “if you know, you know” nod to the importance of fiber. Nostalgia was easily captured by the “Good Will Dunkin” throwback, while the influx of AI commercials felt like the worst of the bunch.

Michele Hart-Henry, Managing Director, CP Health

This year’s winning ads leaned into a unifying theme of legacy, from the nostalgia of “Good Will Dunkin,” Levi’s iconic back pocket, and the Budweiser Clydesdales to modern spins like VW’s “Drivers Wanted” and our own Gorton’s Seafood spot. These commercials were universal hits in my family’s multi-generational group chat, though each age group—from the Silent Generation to Gen Z—interpreted “legacy” differently. Whether seen as vintage style, brand relevance, or pure sentimentality, it was a reminder that legacy isn’t just about history.

Carrie Parks, Managing Director

Novartis took the top spot with their “Relax Your Tight End” ad, succeeding through a simple concept, relevant stars, and light-hearted humor that avoided the typical Super Bowl trap of over-complicating the message. On the other hand, ai.com was the night’s clear loser; their spot lacked substance and failed to offer a clear consumer benefit. Adding to the failure, their domain crashed immediately after the ad aired, signaling a lack of technical readiness. 

The winner in the ai category was Anguilla; with .ai domain sales already driving millions in revenue, the British Territory is the true beneficiary of the night’s AI-heavy messaging. Congratulations, Anguilla—you’re the real winner of Super Bowl 60.

John Norwood, Associate Brand Director

This year’s broadcast confirmed that the most effective breakthrough strategies remain rooted in the familiar pillars of humor, nostalgia, and celebrity influence. The most successful brands used these elements to create an immediate connection with the viewer, bypassing the need for complex explanations. By blending star power with ‘throwback’ cultural beats, advertisers were able to create a sense of instant trust and emotional resonance that a new concept alone rarely achieves.

Scott Madden, Sr. Partner, Chief Strategy Officer

Despite being a marketer who believes strongly in the power of brand storytelling, I have to admit that when I’m off the clock and sitting on my couch as a consumer, you can pull me in very easily with relatable humor and funny one-liners. I’m a cheap laugh, what can I say. So naturally I found myself enjoying a bunch of the comedic ads—a few that come to mind are State Farm’s “Stop Livin’ on a Prayer” with Danny McBride and Keegan-Michael Key and the nostalgia-focused “Good Will Dunkin” featuring some of my childhood favs.

But if I were to put my work hat back on, I personally loved Grubhub’s “The Feest.” These days people order food delivery like they breathe air, and one of the primary pain points that everyone talks about is all the extra fees. Grubhub creatively—yet very clearly—addressed that topic head-on, conveying a simple message that we can all get behind: no more fees (on orders of $50 or more…there always has to be a caveat, of course). The filming style, the dialogue, the little details (like calling it a “Feest”), and the George Clooney reveal all came together to make a really effective ad that raises awareness of something—no fees—that will resonate with the masses.

Neal Malone, Director of Social Media, Influencer Marketing, and PR

At the end of the day, the best ads are the ones that keep the conversation going long after the final whistle. Whether it was a nostalgic throwback or a glimpse into the future of AI, this year’s lineup proved that a $10 million-dollar buy is only as good as the idea behind it. The game may be over, but the debate over who truly won the night is just beginning.

Lessons from Failed New Year’s Resolutions

Scott Madden, Sr. Partner & Chief Strategy Officer

Like many, as I work from home this week, I’m also forming my short-list of resolutions for 2026. Some, like Dryuary and a daily Peloton ride, feel doomed from the get-go (they certainly do for me). After all, only 6% of all resolutions started on Jan. 1 are maintained all year. Even more profound, the majority of us break our resolutions by the 2nd Friday of January. But there’s an important lesson we can learn as strategists from these epic fails that may hold the secret to better campaign results in the New Year.

I’ll start by telling you what you already know: all audiences today are full-fledged members of the attention deficit society. And accordingly, we all bounce, or rather thumb, from one shiny thing on our screens to the next. Most of us don’t retain information in our heads as well as we did five years ago (Quick: Name the streamed series you watched just before the last series you watched? Can’t do it, can you?), and we certainly don’t focus throughout our day as we did before the era of reels, shorts, pings, and notifications set off Busy Brain Syndrome.

Behavior science tells us that most resolutions are bound to fail because they tend to be radical (all-in) and immediate (Jan. 1) changes in our common behavior, rather than more modest and gradual shifts. Most humans successfully enact change when the transformation is gradual and includes new elements. I’m not professing nudge theory here. I don’t believe that a linear series of nudges works in most situations, especially when you factor in Busy Brain. But as I think about what derails my resolutions year after year, I have come to realize that it’s more the ADD at work than it is my inability to find inner strength to see them through. And that’s where the lesson lies.

We all start with a specific motivation when it comes to acting on a resolution. “I want to be in better shape,” “I want to get into my favorite bathing suit and feel comfortable in it,” “I want to swear less and be more patient,”….(two of the three are mine BTW, feel free to guess which). But with Busy Brain, that one motivation can be forgotten or deemed less inspiring as quickly as the name of last month’s streamed series.

The lesson I’m proposing is that audiences today need multiple motivations to get them to take an action we want them to take. Think of it as a series of micro motivations that you lean into when crafting message strategy; they should be a mix of emotional and functional. Above all they should be multiple, each addressing a defined micro motivation. “I want to feel confident” is an emotional micro motivation. “I want to have more muscle definition” is a related, but functional micro motivation. “I want to have more energy at the end of my day, to be more fun with my spouse,” yet another.

When we embrace the idea that a series of distinct micro motivations, when well defined, should be seeded across multiple message strategies throughout all of our content, we give our audiences more ‘sparks’ to drive desired actions and in doing so, lower the risk of them becoming less shiny or forgotten. And each of those sparks will likely work more effectively at different moments in time given the headspace of our audience when our content reaches them. Analytics will help us recognize which micro motivations work best where and when and optimize accordingly. And that, my friends, is how you make campaigns perform better in the new year.

Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous 2026!

2026 Social & Influencer Predictions

 Neal Malone, Director of Social Media, Influencer Marketing, and PR

AI Resistance, Creator Rates, and Performance Marketing 

Asking a social media or influencer marketing executive for 2026 industry predictions is like asking a meteorologist what the weather is going to be like next month. They’ll give you their best guess, but when it comes down to it, we could get a massive snowstorm or a series of unseasonably warm days.

Like any good meteorologist, though, we never shy away from a prediction—even if the industry landscape is moving at the speed of a Nor’easter. Here are four social media and influencer marketing thoughts we have going into the new year: 

1. Social media will be a very unwelcoming place for AI

As AI continues to flourish across industries, it’s going to be met with significant resistance on social media. It’s so easy to get swept up in all the ways AI is transforming our world—and in many cases that’s true. But in case you haven’t noticed, social media is quickly becoming a place where anything that even might be AI-generated is deemed “slop” and gets rejected immediately.

Here’s the thing—you can adopt AI in many facets of life while still rejecting it in others. It’s a great collaborator and productivity generator, but it’s just not what people (especially Gen Z) want to see in their feed. So in 2026, get ready for social media to be a safe haven for everyone looking for good ol’ fashioned authenticity and humanity.

2. Creator content will become paid social fuel 

Remember when you could reach large audiences with organic content? Ahhh, those were the days. Fast-forward to today and the platform algorithms have made organic reach almost impossible to predict. Concerning? Maybe. But a more optimistic take is that it’s simply changing how brands should be viewing creator partnerships. 

Partnering with creators used to be about renting access to their followers, but now that you’re only reaching a fraction of their audience organically, brands should instead be viewing creator partnerships as content generators for their paid social campaigns. There’s still a ton of value in brand messaging coming from a trusted third-party voice as opposed to a logo. It’s just that your content now requires a little boost.

The changing landscape means that the connection between creator content and performance marketing is as strong as ever. Brands should be treating authentic, creator-generated content not just as one-off organic posts, but as perpetual assets that can be tested, optimized, and scaled across paid social platforms. You’re going to see more and more brands moving beyond traditional ad formats and instead powering their entire paid social strategy with content that carries the undeniable trust and authentic voice of a creator.

3. The bubble might finally burst for creator rates

Anyone who works in influencer marketing knows firsthand how much time and effort goes into each brand partnership—both on the creator and agency/brand side. It takes immense talent and creativity to do what creators do, and that shouldn’t be overlooked. 

But with organic reach way down and paid amplification almost essential to get the eyeballs you’re looking for, the climbing rates are becoming much harder to justify. For a while now, the inflationary environment around rates has seemed unsustainable, and in 2026, we may see brands finally say “enough is enough, we’ll go find someone else.”

4. The line between social content and TV will only get blurrier 

When you sit down to watch your favorite TV show these days, it’s only a matter of time until you see creator-generated content in some form or fashion. Maybe it’s a brand spot powered by creator content or a social video running as a standalone ad. Either way, you’re seeing the social sphere blend into the traditional media world.

The feeling is mutual, too. Creators are searching for new ways to entertain their audiences, and that means turning their social channels into….well, TV. Episodic content, short films, live events, and reality programming are all extremely popular among creators. Call it blurred lines, call it mutual admiration—you just see a lot of one when you’re watching the other. This trend will only become more obvious in 2026. 

From the Source: Key Insights from Our Interns

Connelly Partners’ Fall ’25 Intern Class

The close of the Fall Semester brings us a chance to celebrate the fresh energy, sharp insights, and dedication of our intern class. They have spent the past few months deeply involved in the fast-paced world of advertising, contributing across Strategy, Creative, Brand, Data & Analytics, and Education. Here are their key takeaways and favorite moments from their time at Connelly Partners.

Refined Instincts and New Perspectives

Maggie Chambliss, Strategy

Working at Connelly Partners as a Strategy Intern taught me how to refine my instincts for pulling consumer insights and gave me hands-on experience with a variety of brands. Coming from a psychology background, I learned how to leverage my education in human behavior as an advantage that brings new perspectives to the table. I gained a deeper understanding of brand strategy during this internship simply by learning from the best: the CP Strategy Department. My experience working with this team was the highlight of my time at CP because they provided mentorship, valuable advice, and lots of fun. I’m incredibly grateful for a team you can learn a lot from and also laugh with simultaneously.

The Value of Immersion

Sophia Emile, Brand

During my time at Connelly Partners, I’ve had the chance to explore a wide range of disciplines and grow significantly as an emerging professional. From contributing to New Business initiatives to supporting thought leadership with clients, every experience and conversation has been truly rewarding. Working alongside passionate interns and talented employees across teams has been incredibly eye-opening and inspiring. What I’ve valued most is how much I’ve grown; skills that once felt challenging in my first month now feel natural and intuitive.

The Whole Agency View

Maggie Murray, Education Intern

My Connelly Partners Education internship was a deep dive into the fast-paced world of advertising. From day one, I received hands-on experience, engaging in both internal support and direct client interaction. I honed my management and communication skills by serving as a client liaison, responsible for setting up project meetings and ensuring a smooth flow of information. A core part of my role involved strategic research, where I contributed to several value-add projects that directly informed our clients’ ongoing strategies. Ultimately, the highlight of the experience was the unparalleled opportunity for cross-functional collaboration. By supporting and working alongside every department, I gained a holistic understanding of the Agency’s operations and built an internal network—which was my favorite and most rewarding part of my time at CP.

Strategic Writing in Action

Kenna Lloyd, Copywriting

I have learned so much during my time at Connelly Partners. On the work side, I got real experience with what a copywriter actually does! I wrote for some of our largest clients and worked across headlines, radio, scripts, and digital—which was an incredible range. I joined brainstorms and early concepting, and saw firsthand how strategic writing shapes those initial ideas. Working with the Creative Team here has been the best; it was a great place to learn, and I’m genuinely grateful for everyone I got to work with!

Expanding Technical Horizons

Rheona Mehta, Data and Analytics

My time at CP has been incredibly exciting. I feel so lucky to be part of such a welcoming and immersive environment. From day one, I was encouraged to challenge myself and try new things with the amazing guidance of the Analytics team. I began my time at CP working on reporting and client-facing data work, areas I had similar work experiences in. In my second term as an intern, I had the opportunity to expand my technical skills and shift my focus toward data engineering. Having such a diverse and supportive experience at Connelly Partners is just one of the many reasons why I value my time here and the people who have helped shape my experience.

Looking Ahead

As they complete their semester, our interns leave behind a legacy of enthusiasm and valuable contributions. Their reflections truly capture the spirit of our agency—a place where professional development, cross-functional teamwork, and fun are all part of the daily grind. We are immensely proud of everything they have accomplished and look forward to what’s next for this talented group!

AI – The Sous Chef in the Creative Kitchen

Fred Bertino, Co-Founder & President, MMB

Creativity has always thrived at the intersection of knowledge, imagination and intuition. Every great Chef for example, doesn’t create magic by discovering brand-new ingredients; most have existed for centuries. 

What makes their work remarkable is the imagination, curiosity, and intuition they bring to the kitchen. 

Given the same pantry and recipes, most cooks will follow the rules—but the top chef uses them as a springboard, experimenting with unexpected combinations, inventing flavors no one has tasted before.

Artificial intelligence is the newest ingredient in the creative kitchen. 

While some fear it will replace the human touch, in truth it functions more like a sous chef than a replacement. 

AI provides today’s creators with a pantry overflowing with digital ingredients—data, words, images, sounds—all ready to be mixed, reshaped, and reimagined. But just as a world-class chef transforms familiar ingredients into something transcendent, it’s the human who directs the process, guided by human curiosity and intuition. 

Creativity at its core lies not in the ingredients themselves, but in the mind that wields them. Used well, the result isn’t less human, it’s a new flavor of creativity, born of an artistic recipe that includes imagination and intelligent technology.

Bon appétit! 

MediaPost: AI Is Perfecting Agency Delivery, and Killing Its Value Proposition

Scott Savitt, Sr. Partner, Chief Digital Officer

Let’s be honest: The agency value proposition is in crisis.

AI tools are now generating polished copy, creative variations, and optimized workflows in seconds. In an environment of tightening budgets and rising ROI scrutiny, the flawless delivery that once defined a great agency, the ability to get work done faster, cheaper, and without error, is rapidly becoming an automated commodity.

This shift is the industry’s wake-up call. Agencies focused only on AI for speed and perfect outputs are missing the only thing that truly matters to clients: measurable business outcomes.

Flawless execution is no longer a differentiator; it’s table stakes.

The real differentiator is performance: whether campaigns drive leads, increase sales, or deepen engagement. Agencies that treat AI as a tool to simply crank out reports and deliver work will be commoditized. The winners will be those who own the entire customer journey and link perfect delivery directly to tangible business outcomes.

It’s time to shift from outputs to outcomes. 

Make the Full Journey Visible 

Don’t let delivery end with the campaign launch. Agencies must track every interaction, from first impression to final conversion, to see where audiences are leaning in, dropping off, and engaging across channels. It requires access to the brand data and systems that shape the customer journey. This visibility, and the tighter collaboration it requires with clients, is how “on time and on budget” evolves into true business performance. 

For the V Foundation for Cancer Research (v.org), optimizing the digital journey helped ensure more people not only found their site, but also engaged with and supported the mission long term. By partnering on the systems behind that journey, website, donations, CRM, DAM, media/analytics, it made it possible to link platforms directly to performance. By measuring the full funnel and refining key touchpoints, we turned visibility into meaningful donor action. It wasn’t about flawless execution alone; it was about continuously aligning delivery with business outcomes.

Use AI to Accelerate Testing, Not Just Delivery

The worst misuse of generative AI is using it only for speed. Instead of simply generating infinite variations, agencies should be using AI to fuel smarter experimentation. This means rapid A/B testing and micro-optimizations that allow us to quickly and continuously refine the journey, a crucial strategic function that AI makes scalable.

Close the Loop With Continuous Optimization

Clients don’t need more recap calls; they need partners who optimize in real time. Data without action is just reporting, and boring reporting at that. Agencies must go beyond collecting insights to acting on them in real time: shifting spend, refining creative, or tweaking user experiences as they happen. AI can uncover trends at scale, but it still takes human teams to interpret, prioritize, and apply changes that align with client goals. Continuous optimization should be the expectation, not the exception.

Accessibility as a Core Business Driver

Accessibility isn’t just a compliance checkbox, it’s a driver of performance. A digital experience that excludes segments of your audience can’t maximize outcomes. Inclusive design broadens reach and improves usability for all, which directly impacts traffic, engagement, and conversion. Accessibility and performance aren’t separate conversations; they’re two sides of the same responsibility.

AI has made efficiency a baseline. It will continue to perfect delivery, but delivery can’t be the finish line. The real measure of success is owning client business performance. If agencies can’t prove they move the business, they’ll be replaced by the very tools they brag about using.

Read more here.

Inside Coors’ The Big Chill

We helped Coors to bring The Big Chill to life, sparking an unforgettable energy across Cork and Dublin. These sold-out events featured international DJs, mountain-cold refreshment, and a vibe that truly defined the season.

To announce The Big Chill and set the mood, we crafted a standout OOH special build on Dublin’s Camden Street. We utilized icy-neon lighting and dramatic dry-ice effects to transform the iconic Coors mountains into a full sensory moment. This special build, supported by multiple outdoor and social formats, was the pulse that built major momentum across both cities.

Our team was on the ground at the events, capturing vibrant photo and video content that showcased the pints, the people, and the pure Coors chill. By combining cold refreshment with an unforgettable atmosphere, Coors truly owned the winter season.

Key Takeaways From the 2025 AMA Higher Ed Marketing Symposium: Thriving in a New Era

Gene Begin, Managing Director, CP Education

It was another amazing few days at the AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education. This year’s conference brought together more than 1,600 attendees from 49 states (2026, Alaska?), 14 countries, 99 institutions, and 125+ industry partners to tackle the seismic shifts facing our sector. 

Besides the amazing community that energizes old and new friendships every year I attend, three central themes became clear for me : fostering creativity to energize high-performing teams, re-centering our focus on student success amid daunting macro industry conditions, and strategically integrating and embracing AI’s role in the college search process.

Fostering Creativity: Connecting the Dots From Noise to Wisdom

Author and podcaster Todd Henry kicked off the first full day of sessions with a keynote focused on creativity, bravery and brilliance. In a world drowning in noise, he walked through his framework for filtering that noise into data, information, knowledge, understanding, and finally wisdom. Throughout this process, he identified creativity as our vital differentiator. 

Henry highlighted the famous Steve Jobs quote: “Creativity is just connecting things.” This suggests that creativity is less about a sudden spark of genius and more about the skillful, relentless mixing of a rich, diverse set of life experiences.

To ensure our teams remain prolific, brilliant, and healthy, Todd suggests we need to cultivate a clear creative rhythm. This rhythm can be built on five core elements, which he organizes with the acronym FRESH:

Henry argues that by actively managing these five areas, a person can move from being an “accidental creative” (reliant on chance) to a prolific, brilliant, and healthy creative professional who can deliver great ideas “on demand.” Consistent creative performance is not about waiting for inspiration, but about establishing a sustainable rhythm and structure around these fundamental daily practices.

Student Success: Our Right to Exist

Higher education is currently navigating significant headwinds. A few mentioned at the conference include:

Amidst undeniable macro-level challenges, it was refreshing to hear that the ultimate anchor for all of us in higher education is student success. Ted Mitchell of ACE articulated this perfectly during the panel of higher ed organizational leaders: “Student success is the one thing we can all do. It provides higher ed the right to do what it does.”

Fighting against these headwinds can seem overwhelming. Yet. If you center why we do what we do on the success of each individual student, current and future, we become grounded and able to focus on the immediate impact we can have in this moment.

The AI Revolution in College Search

The most dramatic shift is the increasing role of AI in the college search process. A survey conducted by U.S. News & World Report of 1,600 high school, college, and graduate students shows that students are actively integrating AI into their research:

Furthermore, the ways Gen Z consumes information are changing. Speaker Vanessa Lea Otero from Ad Fontes Media shared that more than 50% of Gen Z get their news from “news influencers.” The data on traditional search methods also shows how much is evolving in both online search and traditional referral methods. 

What This Means for Marketers

AI is quickly becoming a trusted initial source for comparative data. This means university website content must be immaculate, transparent, and easy for AI to parse. Content sources feeding AI tools include our website, as well as Reddit, Wikipedia, and trusted 3rd-party sites. We must ensure that the facts and figures AI agents pull from our sites and these trusted partners are accurate, up-to-date and paint the most compelling picture of our institution’s value. Periodic audits of our institutions’ digital footprints must be conducted on a regular cadence. 

We also must acknowledge the rise of social channels as essential search tools. This requires a fundamental shift in our marketing strategy to re-assert the value proposition of a college degree in a way that resonates with today’s audience. Developing branded content on social media is crucial but so is using authentic advocate and influencer marketing to be presently available on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube when social searches occur. 

Finally, the drop in counselor meetings signals an urgent need to pivot the role of admissions staff. Their focus must shift even more so from transactional information delivery to high-value, relational, and empathetic guidance that AI cannot replicate.

The AMA Symposium has given us a clear mandate: Embrace the change. We must be more creative, more intentional about student success, and more strategic about how we integrate AI into our marketing funnels to meet students where they are.