The Contextual Clipper - January, Unplugged
- Mike Richter
- 11 hours ago
- 4 min read
TL,DR
CES reinforced that connection is still the advantage.
1,700+ RSVPs across five curated experiences built for presence, not performance
745+ attendees who chose depth over event hopping
27 Cannesversations recorded with leaders shaping what’s next across media, marketing, and culture
CES is always loud. Busy. Overstimulating.
This year, we approached it differently.
Across the week in Las Vegas, Unplugged Collective created spaces designed to slow things down, lower defenses, and make room for real connection. The response reinforced what we’ve believed for a long time: when experiences are built with intention, people show up differently.
An intimate dinner built around smaller group conversations and live entertainment that kept energy and engagement high.
In partnership with Medal, whose focus is on creating moments that drive real engagement, we designed a dinner experience that prioritized presence, attention, and meaningful interaction.
One guest described the night as “truly sensational.
Our flagship experience brought the industry together at Superfrico inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
With hidden rooms, karaoke, themed spaces, games, entertainment, and a magic mirror photo booth, the night offered multiple ways to engage and connect. Guests called it the "best CES event of the week", citing the perfect size, perfect crew, and standout vibes.
Hosted with support from Yieldmo, Zefr, HUMAN, Seedtag, Codeword, and Cognitiv.
ConvHERgence brought together 40 women leaders from across the industry for a focused morning of community and guided conversation.
Hosted in partnership with the Humans & Brands Podcast, the breakfast created space for honest dialogue, shared experiences, and meaningful connection. The conversation was led by Erica Fieldman and Lauren Douglass, setting the tone for an engaging and intentional start to the day.
Hosted with support from Start.io & TripAdvisor.
The Streaming Social
with WURL
Hosted with WURL, The Streaming Social brought together leaders across streaming and CTV for an easygoing, relationship-first gathering designed to spark conversation and connection.
Creator Economy Live | Las Vegas
Erica attended Creator Economy Live, where one thing stood out. In 2026, creators are no longer a nice to have in marketing strategies, and IRL connection is emerging as the most valuable currency in the creator economy.
20th Annual TDFoundation Gala | NYC
Mike attended the 20th annual TDFoundation Gala, where the community raised over $90,000 to support children of wounded warriors and fallen heroes.
Audiochuck's $1 Million Grant Fuels IYG, Championing LGBTQ+ Youth & Young Adults in Indiana
Unlike typical one-off donations, this funding is designed to scale IYG’s operational capacity by 92%, enabling the media company to use its success to materially expand safer, affirming spaces and essential services for LGBTQ+ youth.
25 Named to the 2026 Most Promising Students Class
This exceptional group of college seniors represents the next generation of leaders in advertising, helping to shape the future of inclusion, belonging, and diversity across the industry.
Women Leading The Industry Forward
January marked a series of senior leadership moves across ad tech and marketing. Women continue to step into top roles, leading teams, setting strategy, and guiding organizations through moments of growth and change.
Heather Carver stepped into the role of Chief Customer Officer at tvScientific, reinforcing the growing importance of customer experience, trust, and long-term relationships as CTV continues to mature. As platforms scale, leadership focused on outcomes and partnership becomes a competitive advantage.
Amy Crowther was named President, Americas at Incubeta, beginning a transition toward CEO. Her appointment reflects a thoughtful approach to leadership continuity and people-first growth, reinforcing that strong culture and strong performance are deeply connected.
Justine Frostad stepped into the role of Chief Marketing Officer at Cognitiv, continuing a six-year journey of building and scaling the company with intention. Her leadership reflects a clear understanding that even in an AI-powered world, human insight remains the true differentiator.
Lana Busignani joined MarketCast as Chief Executive Officer, stepping into leadership at a moment when creative performance and media execution are converging in new ways. With deep roots in advertising creative and brand measurement, her appointment signals a push toward more holistic, insight-driven understanding for modern marketers.
Pamela Slea stepped into the role of CEO at Boltive, taking leadership at a moment when ad security, privacy, and cybersecurity are rapidly converging. Her focus on agentic governance signals a shift toward compliance models that verify behavior, not just intent, as AI and programmatic environments grow more complex. As part of the transition, Catherine Mietek joined as Chief Marketing Officer.
Latin American Tech Entrepreneur Launches Neural Matrix: A Bold Move to Revolutionize the AdTech Ecosystem
Juan Carlos Ruiz Monzien launched Neural Matrix, a new ad tech holding designed to help independent agencies and platforms scale through shared data, AI, and commercial infrastructure. Built around collaboration rather than consolidation, the model reflects a cultural shift toward empowering independents and positioning Latin America as a source of innovation and leadership in the global advertising ecosystem.
Nielsen: Two-Thirds of Black Consumers Pay More Attention To Ads That Reflect Their Culture
Nielsen released its 15th annual Diverse Intelligence Series report, proving that 67% of Black consumers pay more attention to ads reflecting their culture. The data serves as a material shift for planners, moving "in-culture" marketing from a niche strategy to a primary performance driver for brand loyalty and purchase intent.
@ CES 2026
Stefanie Beach and Mike Richter captured 27 interviews at CES in Las Vegas in January. Click the pictures to check out the first highlights to drop. Full interviews coming soon.
Rich Raddon
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
Zefr
Sarah Leinberger
Head of Marketing
yoobi
Jackie Stevenson
Global Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer
M+C Saatchi Group