Walker Sands

Decades of #B2B experience builds credibility and awareness — but it can also cloud your audience’s perception. How do you emphasize your brand’s evolution? Find out ??

If you can see it, you can be it. This week in Chicago, we welcomed students from Girls in the Game to meet with some of our #WomenLeaders to imagine a future in marketing and hear advice on how to speak up and stand out. We often think of role models as those with more experience than ourselves, but the afternoon reminded us that opportunities to learn can come from anywhere. This group of young women reminded us to dream big and lean into our passions. How did your team give back during #WomensHistoryMonth?

What is your spark? ?? It’s a question members of our POC #ERG and Movie Club explored recently after the groups hosted an in-theater screening of Pixar’s Soul in celebration of Black History Month. Many of us found that our sparks come from opportunities to connect with others or learn new things — which tracks. Agency life as a #B2B marketer calls all of us to learn on the fly, get to the bottom of complex solutions and offer support to colleagues and clients.

The inaugural year of #HumanX was anything but a rookie year. Top leaders from former VP Kamala Harris to the CPO of OpenAI came together to share how #AI is reshaping business and society at speed. The unsurprising headline: 2025 is the year of the Agentic AI ?? Hailey Driscoll, VP of PR at Walker Sands, digs into the agentic revolution and four other key takeaways here: https://lnkd.in/gqrjDxgs

Warning: brand names can go out of style. Brand names have seen their fair share of trends over the years, from dropping vowels to Latin roots and quirky misspellings. Earlier this month, one British investment firm reversed its previous rebrand to undo its 2021 vowel drop, The New York Times reports. When it comes to #B2B naming, we focus on insights and long-term goals over trends. As you brainstorm potential names, look for: ? Meaningful names that reflect your brand’s values ? Simple, gimmick-free words and phrases ? Names that are easy to understand and pronounce https://nyti.ms/3XQ4ugg

A recent #Volvo spot used AI to slash production time from months to weeks, ADWEEK reports. https://lnkd.in/dGJVJsZ4

With Google #AI Overviews and generative AI offering new media real estate, it’s time to evolve your content strategy. While traditional #SEO focuses on keywords and backlinks, AI-first optimization also considers structure, credibility and accessibility to ensure content is surfaced in AI-generated results. Timothy Morral, SVP of Content at Walker Sands, shares how your team can stay ahead in AI-powered search. Get tips in Chief Marketer: https://lnkd.in/gre9Dmps

Microsoft recently announced it will retire Skype this spring. Virtual meeting tools come and go, but a skillset marketers can’t let go stale: virtual relationship-building ?? As marketers in the #HybridWorkforce strive to build bridges with other departments in support of broader business outcomes, how can you bolster your team’s presence and strengthen your relationships? Here are three things you could do this week: 1?? Schedule a coffee chat: That sales leader you want to collab with? Spend 15 minutes learning about them and their priorities. 2?? Share news in a public Slack channel: Spark a conversation with key thought leaders to build trust and inspire future insights sharing. 3?? Turn your camera on: Show your face, smile and be present. It goes a long way. Alignment with other teams equips marketers with the insight and support to do great work. No matter where you are, there’s always an opportunity to connect.

Even seasoned #B2B veterans can tire of tech jargon and corporate speak. Independent journalists like Rachel Curry, a freelance tech and business journalist, are answering audiences’ craving for transparent, accessible business coverage. Stella Waddington, associate director of media relations at Walker Sands, spoke with Rachel to learn more about her newsletter, Acronym, and hear how she expects the medium might evolve. Read the Q+A: https://lnkd.in/gXht_yWD

As your business evolves, your once-clever name might begin to hold you back. How do you know if it’s time for a #rebrand? Erin Spanski, SVP, Strategy + Insights, shares four signals you’re ready for a new name ?? Learn more: