B2B Marketing Under Pressure: New Survey Shows AI and Gen Z Are Shaping the Future

In an increasingly volatile economic climate, B2B marketers are doing more than tightening budgets—they’re radically rethinking how they engage, convert, and grow. A new survey released by Madison Logic, the digital ABM platform, reveals that 96% of B2B marketing leaders are shifting strategy—with AI, experiential events, and next-gen leadership at the heart of the transformation.

Conducted by The Harris Poll and based on responses from over 300 U.S.-based marketing decision-makers, the survey paints a clear picture of an industry in flux—and hungry for innovation.

AI Investment Soars, Especially in B2B

Forget the “wait and see” approach. 57% of marketers say they’re actively investing more in AI tools—specifically for lead generation, content creation, and analytics. And nearly all respondents (97%) say they’re excited about the tech’s potential.

Among the top AI use cases:

• 50% use AI to predict future market trends with more accuracy

• 50% use it to improve data management and measurement

• 49% cite better personalization in video content creation

Perhaps most telling: 76% of marketing leaders see more value in AI for B2B than B2C—with 45% strongly agreeing. That’s a clear signal that enterprise marketers view AI not as a gimmick, but as an essential advantage in a high-stakes environment.

“Marketers are under more pressure than ever,” said Keith Turco, CEO of Madison Logic. “They’re searching for any and all ways to gain a competitive advantage.”

From Thought Leadership to Event-Led Strategy

It’s not all about automation. The human side of B2B marketing is also making a comeback. About 61% of respondents say they’re attending and hosting more events—a reminder that real-world connection still matters in a digital-first world.

And the content game is evolving, too. A staggering 90% of marketers say their companies now encourage all team members—not just execs—to build thought leadership through LinkedIn posts, conference speaking, and authored op-eds.

In other words: brand-building is now a team sport.

Generational Power Shift: Millennials and Gen Z Redefine the B2B Playbook

The survey also reveals that generational dynamics are reshaping B2B marketing. 93% of respondents say that Millennial and Gen Z professionals are changing the game, both in how campaigns are run and how purchasing decisions are made.

Why the shift? For Millennials:

• 55% cite their status as digital natives unafraid to test trends

• 52% point to their global perspective, shaped by a connected world

For Gen Z, it’s about intuition and tech fluency:

• 62% cite comfort with emerging technologies

• 51% highlight their constant pulse on cultural and digital trends

“Millennials and Gen Zers are changing the B2B buying game,” added Turco. “Marketers who know how to connect with them are redefining what success looks like in this industry.”

The Takeaway: Adapt or Fall Behind

The Madison Logic survey makes one thing clear: the B2B marketing rulebook is being rewritten in real time. With budget pressures rising and buyer expectations evolving, marketers are betting on AI, human-centered experiences, and next-gen leadership to maintain momentum.

And if the data is any indication, those who embrace both technology and cultural change are the ones poised to lead.

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Step Into the Studio: OPIC Technologies Redefines Livestreaming with Immersive 3D Experiences

Livestreaming just went three-dimensional. Orlando-based OPIC Technologies is making waves with its spatial livestreaming platform, allowing creators—from painters and dancers to DIY pros—to bring their audiences into the heart of their process in a way flat video never could.

With this tech, fans don’t just watch from the sidelines—they step into the studio, hover over the canvas, or move with the dancer onstage. It’s livestreaming reimagined for the spatial web, and it’s opening new frontiers for creative expression and fan engagement.

Creation, Captured in Motion and Depth

“For artists, creation is a process—it’s movement, it’s space, it’s emotion,” said Dr. Bob Douglas, CEO of OPIC Technologies. “Spatial livestreaming lets audiences witness that process in a way that flat video can’t. It brings them into the moment, into the room, and into the work.”

This isn’t just 360° video or a gimmicky VR effect. OPIC’s platform captures real spatial depth—allowing viewers to understand brush techniques, sculpture forms, and the layout of a creative space from a first-person, fully immersive perspective.

• Visual artists can host live drawing or painting sessions where followers can appreciate nuance—like the curvature of a brushstroke or the layers of a palette.

• Sculptors and ceramicists can showcase evolving forms from every angle, giving viewers the sense of walking around the piece as it takes shape.

• Dancers and performance artists can broadcast from center stage, offering fans a never-before-seen angle from inside the formation.

Turning Viewers Into Participants

What sets OPIC’s approach apart is how it transforms passive viewership into something more collaborative and intimate. The platform lets audiences feel like they’re standing over an artist’s shoulder or watching a DIY project unfold in real-time, from inches away.

“Whether it’s woodworking, embroidery, or makeup artistry, spatial depth helps viewers follow every hand movement and detail,” said Douglas. “It turns tutorials into interactive, immersive learning experiences.”

Think of it as Twitch meets Tilt Brush—with real-world utility and mainstream accessibility.

A Simpler Way to Stream in 3D

While spatial video might sound like something out of a Hollywood studio or Meta’s metaverse dreams, OPIC is building for real-world creators, making the tech simple and scalable for anyone with a vision.

By offering intuitive tools and creator-first features, OPIC enables a broad range of users—from independent artists to educators and influencers—to share content that feels real, personal, and present.

It’s not about flashy effects. It’s about storytelling with dimension.

The Future of Livestreaming Is Spatial

As immersive content gains momentum across platforms, spatial livestreaming is quickly moving from novelty to necessity—especially for creators looking to deepen engagement, teach with clarity, or showcase their work in new ways.

With OPIC Technologies at the forefront, the line between audience and artist is blurring. And in that space, something truly creative is happening.

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Talkdesk CXA Breaks New Ground with AI-Driven Automation for the Entire Customer Journey

The contact center as we know it may finally be getting a long-overdue reboot. Talkdesk® just introduced Customer Experience Automation (CXA)—a new platform and software category that reimagines how businesses engage with their customers. Built around autonomous, AI-powered agents, CXA promises to replace siloed systems and brittle bots with intelligent orchestration that spans the full customer lifecycle.

Think of it as CX on autopilot—without losing the human touch.

“In the past, companies had to choose between scale and personalization,” said Tiago Paiva, CEO and founder of Talkdesk. “With CXA, that tradeoff disappears. Businesses can now automate complex, cross-functional workflows without sacrificing customer empathy or efficiency.”

From Fragmented to Fully Orchestrated

Traditional automation tools often look great on paper but stumble in practice—offering disconnected bots, one-size-fits-all integrations, and data stuck in silos. CXA is engineered to fix what legacy systems and CCaaS solutions couldn’t.

At the heart of CXA is a multi-agent orchestration engine, powered by the Talkdesk Data Cloud, which transforms every transcript, message, or CRM entry into usable context. This enables a dynamic system of specialized AI agents to collaborate in real time—handling everything from fraud alerts and pharmacy callbacks to high-volume outbound campaigns.

Each AI agent plays a specific role, and together, they autonomously solve real business problems—without needing handholding from humans or duct-taped integrations.

Automation That Actually Works

CXA isn’t just smart; it’s practical. The platform ships with:

• Preconfigured industry use cases

• Low- and no-code tools for rapid deployment

• Specialized AI agents tailored for verticals like healthcare, banking, retail, and government

Companies like Memorial Healthcare System, BankUnited, and United Rentals are already tapping into CXA’s potential to improve workflows, increase ROI, and deliver hyper-personalized service at scale.

“This is a monumental leap,” said Jeffrey Sturman, SVP and Chief Digital Information Officer at Memorial Healthcare. “The platform’s autonomous, multi-agent approach and industry specificity are changing the way we think about patient interaction and operational efficiency.”

AI Agents With Guardrails

One concern with AI? Trust. Talkdesk builds governance directly into CXA—with AI guardrails that reduce hallucinations, maintain policy compliance, and keep human-in-the-loop supervision where it matters.

The result? AI agents that act with the precision and accountability of seasoned customer support pros.

And for companies already locked into other CCaaS systems, CXA doesn’t require a rip-and-replace. The new AI Gateway lets CXA sit on top of any contact center—on-prem or cloud—bringing Talkdesk's AI capabilities to wherever your customer data lives.

A New CX Standard?

Industry analyst Zeus Kerravala sums it up best: “Talkdesk isn’t just layering AI on old infrastructure. They’ve built an entirely new platform centered on autonomous, multi-agent orchestration—a domain where most traditional solutions still fall short.”

With CXA now part of the broader Talkdesk CX Cloud, the company is doubling down on its reputation as a modern, cloud-native contact center—but this time, with AI doing the heavy lifting across every interaction.

For CX leaders tired of cobbling together patchwork systems that never quite deliver, CXA might just be the unified, AI-first platform that finally lives up to the promise of automation.

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SEG Brings AI to Sales Training, Turning Its Classic 9 Acts Method into a Scalable Coaching Platform

In a move that could transform B2B sales enablement, SEG is taking its time-tested Action Selling methodology into the AI age—blending decades of structured sales training with generative AI to create a first-of-its-kind practice and reinforcement system.

For sales teams long trapped in the boom-and-bust cycle of one-time workshops and fading retention, SEG’s new platform promises something radically different: ongoing, AI-driven coaching that helps sales reps build lasting skills, reinforce habits, and sharpen real-world performance—on demand.

“Action Selling has always been about structured, high-impact training,” said Eric Moore, Chief Revenue Officer at SEG. “Now, by integrating AI, we’re helping teams embed those behaviors into their everyday workflow.”

A Sales Coach That’s Always On

The platform centers around SEG’s 9 Acts methodology—a research-backed framework that guides reps through each stage of the sales process, from building credibility to gaining commitment.

With AI woven into the mix, users can now:

• Simulate realistic buyer conversations at every stage of the deal cycle

• Get real-time, private feedback on objection handling, pacing, tone, and clarity

• Practice skills anytime, not just during live training events

• Enable managers with insight into rep performance, coaching opportunities, and skill gaps

What used to require a room, a facilitator, and a few hours now happens instantly and continuously—right from the rep’s browser.

From One-and-Done to Subscription Coaching

SEG’s shift from standalone training events to a subscription-based coaching model reflects a larger trend in the sales enablement space: the rise of learning in the flow of work. Modern teams don’t just want training—they want reinforcement, feedback, and scale.

This new system makes that possible. Reps can fine-tune their pitch during downtime. Managers get dashboards that reveal where to intervene. Enablement teams get data-backed insights into where training is sticking—and where it’s not.

AI Is the Assistant, Not the Replacement

Unlike AI tools that aim to script every conversation or replace the seller entirely, SEG’s approach keeps the human element front and center. The AI acts more like a sparring partner—helping reps improve their timing, delivery, and listening skills through guided, judgment-free repetition.

This positions AI as an accelerator of skill, not just a shortcut.

Why This Matters

The stakes are high. In B2B markets with long sales cycles and complex decision-making units, training can’t stop after the kickoff. But traditional models—coaching ride-alongs, shadowing, quarterly refreshers—simply don’t scale in today’s fast-moving environment.

SEG’s new approach offers a clear answer: systematized, scalable, AI-powered coaching that’s built for modern B2B teams.

If you’re a CRO struggling with inconsistent execution or an enablement leader trying to make training stick, this could be the competitive edge your reps need to win more deals, more often.

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Clearpoint Agency Lands Silver Sandie for High-Impact Global PR Campaign with OptionMetrics

In a competitive field of 151 entries, Clearpoint Agency took home a Silver Sandie Award from the American Marketing Association’s San Diego Chapter for its standout 2024 public relations and earned media campaign on behalf of New York-based data analytics firm OptionMetrics.

The win puts Clearpoint among the top PR performers in the region—joining a list of Sandie winners that includes San Diego Foundation, San Diego Tourism Authority, and Father Joe’s Villages. And for good reason: the firm’s OptionMetrics campaign generated more than 400 earned media placements, 11 thought leadership articles, and international exposure in leading financial and academic outlets.

Turning Options Data Into Media Gold

The campaign's objective? Elevate OptionMetrics’ brand presence in both the U.S. and European markets while positioning the firm as a trusted voice in options analytics and financial data.

Clearpoint executed with precision, securing coverage in:

• Major financial outlets like CNBC, Reuters, NASDAQ, MarketWatch, and The Wall Street Journal

• Global financial media including Financial Times, Wilmott, Waters, and RISK

• Targeted thought leadership placements across U.S. and European platforms

OptionMetrics reported increased direct website traffic and a spike in new business leads—plus user growth in key markets like the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and the U.S.

“Clearpoint has continuously delivered results year after year,” said Eran Steinberg, COO at OptionMetrics. “They’ve helped us land top-tier earned media while being a strategic, professional, and fun team to work with. This recognition is well deserved.”

A PR Partnership That Pays Off

This wasn’t a one-off engagement. Clearpoint and OptionMetrics have collaborated for seven years, with the agency consistently delivering smart media strategies and results that align with the brand’s goals.

“We love working with clients like OptionMetrics who push us to do our best work,” said Hilary McCarthy, Vice President at Clearpoint. “This Sandie Award recognizes not just the impact of the campaign, but the power of a long-term, collaborative partnership built on trust and creativity.”

The Sandies are judged by AMA members outside the San Diego market to ensure impartiality—making the recognition even more meaningful for the Clearpoint team.

Raising the Bar in Tech and Finance PR

Clearpoint’s win highlights a broader trend in B2B PR: the increasing importance of earned media in building brand trust, authority, and global reach—especially in complex, data-driven sectors like finance and technology.

And as Clearpoint continues to rack up industry wins and global placements, the agency proves that strategic PR is still one of the sharpest tools in the B2B growth toolkit.

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Stensul Launches Full Email Generator Powered by AI at Salesforce Connections 2025

In a move to further streamline campaign workflows for enterprise marketers, Stensul has unveiled its latest innovation: the Stensul Email Generator, a new feature within its Stensul AI suite that enables marketing teams to automatically generate complete, ready-to-review emails directly from campaign briefs. Announced at Salesforce Connections (CNX) 2025, the new tool promises to eliminate blank-page syndrome—and the inefficiencies that come with it.

Instead of starting with a disconnected doc and manually transferring content into templates, marketers using the Email Generator can now begin with a fully formatted first draft—content, layout, design, and all—aligned to brand standards and campaign objectives from the start.

“Current operating models simply won’t scale,” said Noah Dinkin, Stensul’s founder and CEO. “Stensul AI isn’t just about content generation—it’s about transforming workflow governance so teams can build faster, smarter, and with less risk.”

From Copy Brief to Built Email—Automatically

The new Email Generator builds on Stensul AI, first launched in 2023, which offered generative capabilities for subject lines, preheaders, CTAs, and titles. The latest upgrade goes a step further: automatically assembling a complete email within a pre-approved layout based on input from a campaign brief. Teams can now focus on refining the message rather than formatting from scratch.

The feature integrates seamlessly with the platform’s existing controls, ensuring that even AI-generated emails adhere to brand guidelines and governance protocols—a critical factor for enterprises juggling compliance, localization, and consistency at scale.

Workflow Meets Intelligence

The broader implication? Campaign production that once took days now takes hours—or less. With this new capability, Stensul positions itself at the intersection of AI automation and enterprise-grade governance, offering what many email service providers and marketing platforms have struggled to deliver: a truly integrated, intelligent creation experience.

For large brands that depend on multi-layer review cycles and globally distributed teams, the time savings and workflow visibility can significantly improve speed to market and campaign effectiveness.

“This is about more than AI,” Dinkin noted. “It’s about scaling marketing operations without sacrificing brand control or creative quality.”

A Tool for the Times

Stensul’s latest update comes as marketing leaders across industries are under pressure to do more with less—especially as buyer journeys become more complex, attention spans shrink, and personalization becomes table stakes.

With platform integrations across ESPs, MAPs, DAMs, and tracking tools, Stensul isn’t just another AI tool bolted onto a stack. It’s a campaign engine that understands the full scope of what enterprise marketers need—from governance and brand safety to agility and creativity.

Trusted by Top Brands

Global brands including BlackRock, Cisco, Equifax, Siemens, and Thomson Reuters already use Stensul to reduce campaign creation time by up to 90%. With the Email Generator, they now have a powerful new lever to optimize productivity, reduce errors, and keep content aligned—at scale.

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Commerce Media Goes Mainstream: Over Half of U.S. Marketers Say It’s Driving Better Campaign Outcomes

A new report from Vudoo reveals that commerce media isn’t just a trend—it’s reshaping the entire media landscape. More than half of U.S. marketers already using commerce media say it has improved campaign outcomes, marking a major shift in how brands plan, spend, and measure in 2025.

Released as part of Vudoo’s global research initiative, The Commerce Swell: How Marketers Are Riding the New Media Wave – United States, the report underscores a clear reality: every scroll is a potential sale—and smart brands are racing to meet that expectation.

“Commerce media is the most exciting shift since programmatic,” said Nick Morgan, Vudoo’s CEO. “But it’s more than just a media channel—it’s a mindset. The real opportunity lies in capturing intent the moment it sparks. Too many brands still miss it.”

Findings from the Report

• Commerce media now represents 31% of U.S. media budgets on average

• 65% of marketers are already experimenting with shoppable ads

• 80% prefer non-linear, behavior-led measurement models over traditional ones

This is more than a budget reallocation—it’s a paradigm shift. Marketers are moving beyond static attribution models, toward fluid, real-time engagement strategies where every media moment is shoppable.

“Consumers today expect to scroll, shop, and check out without leaving the experience,” said Amie Owen, Global Chief Commerce Officer at KINESSO. “That expectation has created a new mandate: seamless commerce across all media touchpoints.”

Measurement Must Evolve, Too

As the consumer journey becomes increasingly dynamic, legacy linear attribution models are falling behind.

“We need measurement that mirrors behavior—fluid, dynamic, and intent-driven,” added Norm Johnston, SVP, Head of Global Advertising Strategy at NewsCorp. “Commerce media demands smarter attribution models that evolve with the buyer.”

From Passive Media to Active Engagement

In 2025, brands aren’t just creating content—they’re building transactional ecosystems. Whether through shoppable video, embedded checkout, or interactive ad formats, commerce is becoming a core layer of media itself. This evolution isn’t limited to retail giants—it’s being embraced across categories, from CPG to B2B.

Vudoo’s research paints a picture of an industry in transformation. Commerce is no longer a destination. It’s a layer woven into content, context, and connection.

What’s Next?

The U.S. report is available now, with regional editions for Europe and Asia-Pacific to follow in the coming months. Brands looking to stay competitive will need to rethink strategy, embrace frictionless experiences, and adopt measurement frameworks that align with behavior-led journeys.

For marketers, the message is clear: commerce is no longer an afterthought—it’s the media plan.

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Ibotta Strengthens Senior Leadership to Accelerate Growth in CPG Performance Marketing

Ibotta, Inc., operator of North America’s largest digital promotions network, has announced the appointment of David Parisi as SVP of Client Partnerships and Chris Boyd as SVP of Business Marketing. The move marks a strategic effort to expand Ibotta’s go-to-market capabilities and deepen its leadership in performance marketing for the CPG sector.

“David and Chris bring deep expertise and proven results in building high-performing teams and scaling growth initiatives,” said Chris Riedy, Chief Revenue Officer at Ibotta. “These hires reflect our investment in helping clients drive measurable sales and reach consumers with more precision.”

Leadership Roles and Responsibilities

David Parisi will lead the expansion of Ibotta’s enterprise sales organization across verticals including Food, BevAlc, Beauty & Personal Care, and General Merchandise. He brings experience from Fetch, where he was GM of Omnichannel and Partnerships, and from Twitter/X, where he led U.S. financial services partnerships for over a decade.

“Ibotta’s performance marketing model and IPN offer unmatched reach and campaign efficiency,” said Parisi. “I look forward to helping clients harness this opportunity.”

Chris Boyd, in his role as SVP of Business Marketing, will oversee strategy and execution for sales enablement and brand marketing to boost awareness and drive client adoption. Boyd previously held senior marketing positions at Seekr AI and Twitter/X, where he led go-to-market narratives and strategy.

Driving Innovation in CPG Promotions

The leadership additions follow Ibotta’s launch of dynamic performance marketing campaigns with leading CPG brands—initiatives that allow brands to dynamically optimize promotional spend based on ROI. These innovations are central to Ibotta’s plan to establish itself as the first full-service performance marketing platform for the CPG industry.

The Ibotta Performance Network (IPN) already enables access to over 200 million U.S. consumers via a streamlined network that integrates with retailers and publishers.

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