The Authenticity Era: Winning Through Human Connection

Last week, we hosted our annual B2B Summit, welcoming clients and peers to explore this year’s theme, Welcome to the Authenticity Era: Winning Through Human Connection. 

Across five sessions, our speakers dug into how AI is reshaping discovery, content, and creative production; how brands are building trust across channels; and why human judgment and connection remain essential no matter the challenge. 

One point held steady throughout the day: the tools and strategies are changing quickly, but authenticity is still built by people. 

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Keynote Presentation

Reuben Webb, The Drum, shared the story behind his book, 101 Clichés, and why the industry keeps recycling the same visual staples despite years of trying to move past them. He tested whether AI has solved the problem, only to find tools reproducing the same clichés when asked to visualize ideas like partnership or integration. Reuben explained that B2B concepts are often abstract, which pushes marketers toward the easiest metaphor instead of the harder work of finding something relevant to their brand. Looking ahead, he predicts that as AI imagery becomes its own cliché, the industry will swing back toward human-centered creative. 

Reimagining the Buying Experience to Unlock Growth 

Katie Seiler, ADS, and Kaylyn Bredon, The Shipyard, discussed how a recent ADS acquisition drove the team to quickly reimagine their retail presence ahead of an important investor event. Navigating internal team dynamics and shifting expectations added complexity to an already demanding timeline, requiring alignment across sales, marketing, and leadership before any design work could begin. From there, the team built a “shared truth” by auditing stores across the country to uncover inconsistent branding and product displays, before designing a unified in-aisle experience. The discussion emphasized the human side of the project, highlighting how they built trust with a newly merged team. They reflected on where AI could have helped and hurt, landing on the idea that some problems still require human ingenuity to solve. 

The Future of B2B is Human: How JobsOhio Reimagined Brand and Media Strategy

Nick O’Bruba from JobsOhio, and Chrystie Reep, Dom Thiel, and Liz Kennedy from The Shipyard shared how JobsOhio reimagined its brand positioning to reach a new audience of job seekers, not just businesses. Grounded in research and listening, the brand evolution centered on “the hero” archetype to speak directly to ambitious decision makers. The panel detailed how media planning focused on understanding where their audience seeks information, aligning messaging and creative to reach them at the right moments. The results quickly followed, helping to contribute to Ohio’s recent ranking as the number one state for business by CNBC. 

Still Human: Creativity in the Age of AI

The Shipyard’s Dan Ledman, Danny McCallum, Meredith Yuskewich, and Jessica Kienbaum shared how creative teams can implement AI without losing the human judgment that makes work effective. They noted that while AI expands creative possibilities, it becomes far more impactful when paired with human discernment and storytelling instinct. Through client case studies, the panel illustrated how they made real-time calls on when AI was the right tool, and when it should be blended with human-driven work. They emphasized that AI is only as effective as the judgment behind it, and knowing when to rely on technology versus human craft is an essential skill. 

AI Discoverability Panel Discussion

Shannon Yakimow from Notified, and Sean Cowan, Kim Rodgers, and Julie Exner from The Shipyard explored how AI is reshaping brand discovery and why marketers need to act now. They outlined key differences between traditional SEO and AI-driven search, noting that AI pulls context from earned media as a key citation signal. Analysis told us that “AI hates AI,” and original insights published at a regular cadence win in AI search. The panel also touched on some back-end technology that enables discovery, and tips for making sure human content that uses AI for “polishing” does not get categorized as “AI generated,” reducing its impact in generative engine algorithms.  

One point held steady throughout the day: the tools and strategies are changing quickly, but authenticity is still built by people.