AI Meets ROI: The $50M+ Media Shift Every Marketer’s Watching

Good morning, ! This week we’re mapping how B2B advertising is evolving from performance to presence, from AI-driven efficiency gains that boost productivity and cut costs, to CTV and social video cementing their status as “must-buy” media for top spenders. We also dive into how creator partnerships and experiential activations are redefining engagement, why email and communities remain unmatched for conversion, and what data-rich storytelling campaigns like Mailchimp’s “Guess Less, Sell More” reveal about creativity’s ROI.

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AUDIENCE DATA DIVE

Where Private Equity Clicks  and Why It Matters for Advertisers

Private Equity executives don’t open casually.

They open when capital moves: when exits close, valuations shift, or liquidity tightens. Engagement climbs past 45% when stories capture those inflection points.

Each open is more than a view; it’s a signal of analysis in progress.

Capital in Motion

Stories that show money moving outperform everything else.

Headlines like “PE’s $1.8T Tightrope” or “Why Illiquidity May Be PE’s Greatest Advantage” lead engagement because they center on decision points, moments when investors are recalibrating portfolios, timing, and exposure.
Readers respond to stories that explain change, not those that simply announce it.

Quantified Trust

Numbers build credibility.

Headlines that quantify value (earnings, exits, or fund sizes) outperform abstract narratives by wide margins.
“€10B Pharma Play.” “PE’s New Math: Why 4.2% Growth Is the Bar.”

For this audience, specificity equals authority, and that authority shapes how every message is received.

The Attention Premium

Innovation headlines without financial grounding draw curiosity but not commitment.

Private Equity readers engage when content helps them price risk, measure exposure, or time opportunity, not when it promises disruption.

That creates a different kind of media value: scarce, high-intent attention captured at the point of analysis.
When these readers click, they’re benchmarking markets, not browsing feeds.

In that environment, visibility isn’t passive. Ads beside capital-focused stories are interpreted through a financial lens, not as background noise.

Why It Matters for Advertisers

For marketers reaching the capital class, context drives performance.

Ad impressions delivered inside analytical moments carry more weight than those chasing volume.

When a message appears next to credible data or deal activity, it inherits the same trust and focus driving portfolio decisions.

This is where visibility becomes value: attention that is selective, data-driven, and tied to real outcomes.

The kind that shapes perception, not just awareness.

AD INTEL

CTV and Social Video Lead ‘Must Buy’ Media for Top Spenders

According to recent data from IAB and Advertiser Perceptions, Connected TV (CTV) and social video continue to dominate as the top “must buy” channels for marketers with $50M+ in annual US media spend. Seventy percent of respondents cite social video, while 69% consider CTV essential, reflecting their strong value in delivering scale for brand awareness and performance outcomes. In comparison, traditional media such as national broadcast/cable TV (46%) and local TV (34%) lag behind, alongside audience-indexed linear and online video options. These findings highlight a continued shift toward digital, audience-addressable media, providing advertisers with actionable insights on where to prioritize their budgets to remain competitive and maximize ROI in an evolving media landscape. (More)

THE FUNNEL REPORT

Driving Attendance Through the Right Channels

When it comes to event-driven demand generation, the channels that convert are clear. Email marketing leads by a wide margin (79%), underscoring its enduring power for outreach and registration. Close behind, communities (63%) and social media (58%) play a vital role in sustaining engagement and expanding reach. Paid promotions (47%) and speaking opportunities (37%) further amplify visibility, ensuring audiences stay connected throughout the event lifecycle.

The takeaway for B2B marketers is simple: success depends on orchestrating a channel mix. Email provides reliable scale, while communities and social media deliver authenticity and interaction. By strategically combining these touchpoints, brands can not only boost attendance but also deepen audience engagement—transforming conferences into catalysts for measurable pipeline impact. (More)

BUDGET SHIFTS

Experiential Budgets Are Shifting Toward Connection and Interactivity

B2B marketers are rethinking how they invest in experiential marketing, prioritizing tactics that build genuine connections. The top spend areas for the year ahead include exclusive networking events (53%), interactive product demos (47%), and immersive workshops (47%)—all designed to create authentic, high-touch experiences.

Meanwhile, more experimental tactics like gamified engagement (28%) and virtual reality (19%) are gaining attention but remain secondary. The data signals a broader budget shift: brands are moving away from passive trade show presences toward interactive formats that foster trust and conversation.

As B2B buyers demand more meaningful engagement, marketers are directing spend toward experiences that blend connection, education, and immersion—proving that in-person impact still drives long-term brand value. (More)

BUYER’S ROOM

Inside the Marketer’s Mind: Why B2B Teams Are Betting on AI

Ask any B2B marketer why they’ve adopted generative AI, and one answer dominates: efficiency. In a recent survey, 40% cited improved productivity as the biggest benefit, followed by faster content creation (39%). For many, AI is now embedded in daily workflows—writing short-form copy (45%) and blog content (33%) to keep pace with demand.

But this isn’t just about speed. Marketers also point to better campaign optimization (30%), cost efficiencies (30%), and more creative output (29%) as proof that AI delivers real value. The takeaway? Today’s buyers aren’t chasing hype—they’re choosing tools that save time, reduce costs, and amplify creativity. Inside the buyer’s room, AI has officially moved from experiment to essential. (More)

CREATIVE THAT CONVERTS

Where Creators Make the Biggest Impact

New data shows that creators are becoming core drivers of marketing performance, not just brand ambassadors. According to a survey of 1,500 marketers, creators have the biggest impact on customer engagement (39%) and brand awareness (39%), reinforcing their power at the top of the funnel. Beyond visibility, they’re also fueling thought leadership (32%) and expansion into new markets (31%), signaling a shift toward creators as strategic partners in growth.

While lead generation (24%) and customer loyalty (22%) rank lower, the trend is clear: creator-led content excels at building trust and sparking conversations that feed the broader marketing engine. For brands looking to boost performance, investing in creator-driven storytelling may be one of the most effective creative moves of 2025. (More)

CASE STUDY

Mailchimp’s “Guess Less, Sell More” Campaign

Mailchimp’s “Guess Less, Sell More” campaign redefined how B2B brands can blend humor, empathy, and data to drive measurable impact. Launched in 2022, the campaign aimed to reposition Mailchimp beyond email marketing—showcasing it as a full-fledged marketing automation platform for SMB marketers.

Through surreal, playful imagery—like owl-cat hybrids and dancing rugs—Mailchimp visualized the confusion marketers face daily. This absurdist creativity, powered by Wink Creative, was paired with an AI-powered Customer Journey Builder Simulator, turning abstract product promises into tangible experiences.

Running across YouTube, podcasts, programmatic ads, and LinkedIn, the campaign resonated by acknowledging real marketer frustrations while offering a smarter, automated solution. The results spoke volumes: 40% growth in automation tool use, 27% rise in paid plan subscriptions, and 64% jump in brand awareness.

By merging consumer-style storytelling with product interactivity, Mailchimp proved that in B2B, creativity and empathy can be just as powerful as data.(More)

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