by | Tuesday, February 10, 2026 · 11:24 am

Marketing That Rocks: B2B Brands Reinvent Influence with AI & Star Power

As you dive into the world of marketing, it’s easy to picture brands fighting for the attention of everyday consumers. But in B2B marketing where the customers are entire organizations, the rules look a little different. And right now, two big trends are shaking things up: brand-building as a long game and AI as both a power tool and a potential hazard.

In a recent industry study, B2B marketers reported a major shift for 2026. They are reporting bigger budgets and a stronger focus on brand awareness and content rather just chasing leads. Why? Because in an AI-filtered search world, brands need to be recognizable before buyers ever fill out a form. Workday’s CMO, Emma Chalwin, is a great example. Her “Rock Star” campaign, complete with real music legends, proved that even a serious enterprise software company can grab attention with creativity and personality.

But where does AI fit in? Increasingly, everywhere. AI now helps B2B teams analyze intent signals, score leads, personalize interactions, and turn mountains of information into quick insights. Used thoughtfully, it gives marketers serious efficiency and clarity. But if misused with sloppy AI-written emails or poor data practices, it can erode trust, the most valuable currency in B2B relationships.

The key lesson for future marketers: successful B2B marketing blends bold brand strategy with responsible AI use. Creativity attracts attention. Transparency and thoughtful data use keep it. And the teams who balance both are the ones poised to rock their markets.

Discussion Questions and Activities

  1. Why do you think B2B brands are investing more heavily in awareness campaigns rather than focusing only on lead generation?
  2. How does trust function differently in B2B marketing compared to B2C?
  3. What risks do marketers face when using AI without clear intent or proper data governance?
  4. Do you think Workday’s Rock Star campaign would be as effective without the use of celebrity personas? Why or why not?
  5. Where should humans stay involved in an increasingly AI-driven marketing environment?
  6. Campaign Critique. Break into groups and evaluate Workday’s Rock Star campaign. Identify its goals, strengths, weaknesses, and whether it aligns with responsible B2B marketing practices.
  7. Online Exploration. Go online and find one B2B brand using AI tools in marketing. Bring back an example (ad, personalization feature, chatbot, or campaign) and explain whether the AI use appears responsible, effective, and aligned with the brand.
  8. AI Audit Exercise. Students review a sample AI-generated marketing email or advertisement and identify where trust, tone, or accuracy could break down, then revise it.

Sources: Poinski, Megan (Jan 7 2026), Inside Workday’s Rock Star Mentality for B2B Marketing, Forbes; Ledford, Anna, (Jan 19 2026), Integrating AI Responsibly in B2B Marketing, The AI Journal.

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by | Monday, February 2, 2026 · 7:00 am

Super Bowl Teasers: How Brands Tap into Your Mind Before the Big Game

Do you remember when Super Bowl ads were broadcast during the Super Bowl? Gone are the weeks of anticipation for brands leading up to the game. Now ads warm up the crowd well in advance of the big game. This year’s teasers from Salesforce and Duolingo show how brands cleverly shape consumer perception, motivation, and even cultural identity long before kickoff.

Take Salesforce teaming up with MrBeast. This collaboration is more than a celebrity endorsement; it’s a strategic play in consumer behavior. MrBeast’s vertical, phone-shot teaser feels informal and spontaneous, matching the media habits of millions of young viewers. It leans into lifestyle marketing by letting a creator who “gets” the audience shape the message. And the tiny hint of “you might become a millionaire” taps directly into consumer motivation. Sweepstakes equal instant dopamine hit.

Meanwhile, Duolingo is using Bad Bunny’s historic Spanish-language halftime show to generate buzz with five and fifteen second micro-ads. These short bursts act like subliminal nudges. Duolingo has also created two 5-second reminder ads to air prior to the Super Bowl and will also have a presence on the New York subway system, wrapping the train with Duolingo visuals and translating short Spanish phrases. By translating playful lyrics and dressing Duo the owl in full Bad Bunny mode, the brand ties language learning to identity, culture, and fandom – not homework.

Both campaigns understand something fundamental. Students, young professionals, creators, and fans build meaning from the media moments they care about. These teasers aren’t just promoting products, they’re inserting brands into the cultural anticipation of the Super Bowl, where lifestyle, motivation, and perception collide.

Discussion Questions and Activities

  1. How might using creators like MrBeast change the perception of Salesforce?
  2. What consumer motivations are Duolingo and Salesforce tapping into?
  3. How do micro-ads (5–15 seconds) influence attention and recall compared to full-length ads?
  4. In what ways do these teasers reflect the lifestyle and identity of Gen Z consumers?
  5. Where do you see potential subliminal messaging in these campaigns? Discuss the ethics of this practice.
  6. Ad Teaser Review. In small groups, watch selected teasers from the Brand Innovators Super Bowl Ad Tracker 2026. Identify strategies tied to consumer behavior or perception.
  7. Cultural Cue Hunt. Analyze Duolingo’s Bad Bunny-inspired ads and list the cultural cues that might motivate fans to learn Spanish.
  8. Creator Strategy Sprint. Design a 20-second teaser for a brand of your choice using a creator or influencer, explaining how it shapes lifestyle appeal and perception.

Sources:

Follet, Gillian (16-Jan 2026), MrBeast Teams up with Salesforce on Super Bowl Ad, Ad Age; Baar, Aaron (23-Jan 2026) Duolingo offers to help with Bad Bunny Translation, Brand Innovators.

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by | Tuesday, January 27, 2026 · 7:50 am

The Sustainability Sweet Spot: Marketing Meets “Greenproofing”

Sustainability in 2026 isn’t just a feel-good add-on, it’s becoming a competitive engine. This year’s leading companies aren’t winning because they shout the loudest about being green. They’re winning because they can prove it. Across industries, a major shift is underway from greenwashing (overstating progress) and greenhushing (staying silent to avoid criticism) toward something more strategic – greenproofing.

Greenproofing means embedding sustainability directly into a company’s business model, operations, hiring, and long-term risk strategy. For example, financial institutions are appointing board members with sustainability expertise at the highest rate in years, signaling that “green hiring” is now a tool for resilience, not reputation. Meanwhile, companies like Schneider Electric, Moncler, and Illumina show that sustainability for profit is real, whether it’s software that cuts emissions, luxury fashion made from recycled materials, or biotech innovations that reduce waste.

At the same time, new regulations, from stricter climate disclosures to supply-chain transparency rules, are pushing brands to back up every claim with data. “Performative messaging is out; radical transparency is in,” as Rory Burghes, Head of Sustainable Futures at Capgemini UK puts it. This is why companies are investing in AI for supply-chain visibility, designing longer-lasting products, and making their data centers more efficient.

For marketers, this moment presents a fascinating challenge. How do you communicate sustainability when audiences are skeptical, watchdogs are alert, and regulators are watching? The answer lies in shifting from persuasion to proof. Brands earn trust by showing measurable progress rather than promising perfection. They also achieve differentiation and even profit. Sustainability isn’t a side story anymore. It’s becoming the strategy itself.

Discussion Questions and Activities

  1. Which concept, greenwashing, greenhushing, or greenproofing, do you think poses the biggest marketing challenge, and why? Moncler markets itself as a sustainable brand and earned a number three ranking on Statista’s Most Sustainable Brands of 2024. Review Moncler’s website and claims. Where do you think they stand on the “green marketing” spectrum? Does their marketing reflect this? Why or why not?
  2. How can sustainability become a source of profit rather than a cost?
  3. Should brands highlight their sustainability efforts boldly, or focus on low-key transparency?
  4. How might AI and supply-chain visibility reshape sustainability marketing?
  5. What risks do companies face if they make sustainability claims that can’t be verified?
  6. Greenproofing Audit. Students pick a brand and evaluate whether it is greenwashing, greenhushing, or genuinely greenproofing. They justify their judgment with evidence from the brand’s public reporting or actions.
  7. Sustainability-for-Profit Pitch. Groups design a new sustainable product or service and present how it delivers both environmental impact and business growth. They must outline what data they’d use to prove credibility.
  8. Transparent-but-Not-Boring Campaign. Students create a mini marketing campaign (headline + 3 message points) that demonstrates sustainability progress without exaggeration, balancing transparency, creativity, and consumer appeal.

Sources: Jessen, Jasmin, (10-Dec-2025) Top 10: Sustainability Predictions for 2026, Sustainability Magazine; King, Charlie (25-Nov-2025) Goodbye Greenhushing, Hello ‘Green-Proofing’: EY Q&A, Sustainability Magazine; Time Staff, (7-Jan-2026), World’s Most Sustainable Companies of 2024, Time.

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