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2025 Unplugged: The Year Connection Became the Advantage
2025 was a year unlike any other for the industry. With AI reshaping workflows, tighter budgets, and teams stretched thin, the pressure to perform at every major event was intense. Yet, amid this chaos, something shifted. Connection became more than a buzzword—it turned into a competitive advantage. And nowhere was that shift more visible than through Unplugged, which grew from a newcomer to an essential presence at the industry’s biggest stages. In 2025, Unplugged sparked a

Mike Richter
Dec 8, 20253 min read


The Menagerie of Us All: The Real Reason Behind the Animals of Unplugged
The Contextual Clipper Special Edition: Unplugged State of Mind, AWNY 2025 This article was originally published in The Contextual...

Mike Richter
Oct 6, 20252 min read


Sound Check: Inside the New Unplugged Studio
This article was originally published in The Contextual Clipper, our on-site newspaper for Unplugged State of Mind, a three-day activation during Advertising Week 2025. It highlights the debut of the Unplugged Studio, built inside the Pavilion at the Virgin Hotel as a hub for live podcasts, thought-leadership recordings, and industry storytelling.

Mike Richter
Oct 5, 20254 min read


Rhinestones and Revelations: A Pride Exchange Affair
This article was originally published in The Contextual Clipper, our on-site newspaper for Unplugged State of Mind, a three-day activation during Advertising Week 2025. Presented with Cognitiv, Supernova, Revry, and Do the WeRQ, the gathering explored queer data, workplace equity, and action over optics — all during LGBTQ+ History Month. Authored by🐬 Finnegan “Splash” Tailfin — The Adventurer, with narration by Jake Cameron, Director, Marketing Strategy & Operations at Yield

Mike Richter
Oct 3, 20253 min read


Inside the ConvHERgence of Power Reshaping Advertising
Co-hosted by Index Exchange and Cognitiv, ConvHERgence brings together women, allies, and culture builders to champion equity, transparency, and innovation across the industry. This article was authored by Katya Stripesky — The Power Player, whose presence commands attention and whose words, like her stripes, leave their mark. voiced in the digital edition by Lauren Farber, Founder & CEO of L.F.G. Solutions.

Mike Richter
Oct 2, 20254 min read


Appetites for Precision, Tastes for Connection: Supper Club Debuts at AWNY with Yobi AI
The Contextual Clipper Special Edition: Unplugged State of Mind, AWNY 2025 This article was originally published in The Contextual...

Mike Richter
Sep 30, 20252 min read


The Company We Keep: The Community Partners of Strangers No More AWNY 2025
The Contextual Clipper Special Edition: Unplugged State of Mind, AWNY 2025 This article was originally published in The Contextual...

Mike Richter
Sep 28, 20252 min read


The Balcony That Rolls With Real Humans: A Look Inside Strangers No More’s Overhang with Adroll & HUMAN
The Contextual Clipper Special Edition: Unplugged State of Mind, AWNY 2025 This article was originally published in The Contextual...

Mike Richter
Sep 28, 20253 min read


Like a Platform, Scaled for the Very First Time: Sigma Software Sings Again at Strangers No More
The Contextual Clipper Special Edition: Unplugged State of Mind, AWNY 2025 This article was originally published in The Contextual...

Mike Richter
Sep 27, 20253 min read


A Year of Connections, Unplugged: Seedtag Returns to Strangers No More AWNY 2025
This article was originally published in The Contextual Clipper, our on-site newspaper for Unplugged State of Mind, a three-day activation during Advertising Week 2025. It celebrates Seedtag, who over the past year has partnered with Unplugged across five activations — and the journey shows no signs of slowing down. The piece was co-authored by Liz, Seedtag’s Neuro-Contextual AI, and Bao “Rhythm” Bambuson — The Vibe Keeper, our high-energy correspondent who reminds us all tha

Mike Richter
Sep 25, 20253 min read


Out of the Ordinary, Into the Box: Strangers No More Changes Venues
Strangers No More has never been ordinary — and this year, it found a new home at The Box. Bold, unpredictable, and alive with energy, the venue mirrored the community it welcomed: strangers becoming friends, connections sparking in every corner, and a night that proved the magic lies not in the expected, but in the extraordinary.

Mike Richter
Sep 25, 20252 min read


The State of Mind We Call Unplugged: A Letter From Your Most Observant Friends
The Contextual Clipper Special Edition: Unplugged State of Mind, AWNY 2025 This lead editorial was originally published in The Contextual...

Mike Richter
Sep 23, 20252 min read


SEEDTAG UNPLUGGED: MAKING CONNECTIONS THROUGH EXPERIENCE
Discover how Seedtag brought context to life through immersive experiences at Unplugged events like CES, AWNY, and more.

Mike Richter
May 18, 20252 min read
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