Training

      Part 4

Marketing and Advertising Trends in 2026: How Brands Are Balancing AI Innovation with Diverse Channel Strategies, Community-Centric Marketing, and Authentic Customer Connections

The rules just changed. Marketing departments are pivoting hard. AI is the new superpower, giving you capabilities and speed, but it’s a high-stakes game. The biggest mandate? Stop selling and start standing for something. Customers now choose connection over convenience.

Join us for Session #4 of the MDA unWorkshop series, an intensive and practical dive into the world of AI-powered digital marketing. This isn't a theoretical lecture—it's a hands-on strategy session designed to give your leadership and marketing teams a direct competitive advantage. We're bringing together top minds from Google, leading-edge AI innovators, and industry experts to demystify the technology and provide a clear roadmap for implementation.

What We'll Cover:

1. Title: Understanding how INFRASTRUCTURE is the foundation.

Guest Speaker: Taras “SHOOP” Shuper - formerly with MICROSOFT  
Shoop will discuss how technology infrastructure is critical to the automotive industry, as it drives innovation in product development and manufacturing processes and facilitates new business models centred on software and data. The modern vehicle is increasingly a "computer on wheels" that relies on a complex ecosystem of advanced technologies. Join our guest speaker as a group as he reveals the best-kept secrets of the BIG platform.

Despite the benefits, the heavy reliance on technology brings challenges, including high implementation costs, a shortage of skilled IT talent, integration complexities with legacy systems, and increased cybersecurity risks that require robust governance frameworks.

2. X and GROK are coming on strong - X’s AI Strategy for Automotive

Guest Speaker: Jeremy Reisler is the Country Director for Canada at X (formerly Twitter).
Jeremy holds the top leadership position for all national advertising, partnerships, and brand initiatives. Jeremy brings a rare and sought-after expertise in the rapidly evolving social media landscape.

Prior to X, he spent five years at TikTok Canada as the Head of Industry, successfully driving revenue growth for major sectors, including Retail and Financial Services. This unique cross-platform experience gives him unparalleled insight into where consumer attention is shifting and how dealerships can effectively modernize their advertising spend. Jeremy will share an executive-level perspective on digital demand generation, offering actionable strategies for auto retailers to leverage their social media presence into measurable sales and long-term customer relationships.

3. What does better look like? C.A.R.S. DATA plus way more - WHERE to point your $$$s in 2026 for Automotive marketing.

Guest Speaker: Mathew Growden (co-Host), founder of The Change Optimist and entrepreneur. 

Marketing departments are pivoting hard. AI is the new superpower, giving you capabilities and speed, but it’s a high-stakes game. Case in point: X and Grok are coming on strong, forcing organizations to adopt new strategies fast.

But where do you aim the budget? That's where Mathew Growden, founder of The Change Optimist and co-host, steps in. Growdy will show us "what does better look like?" using the latest C.A.R.S. data and more to reveal exactly where to point your dollars in 2026 for automotive marketing. With a passion for research, he'll deliver the comprehensive consumer buying journey data the industry desperately needs to make smart investments.

4. Freestyle Session: SEJ Marketing & Advertising Trends in 2026 SURVEY DATA

Get ready for a rapid-fire, high-value freestyle session. We will unveil and briefly demonstrate the Search Engine Journal report for 2026, which offers a clear overview of the transformative marketing and advertising strategies shaping how organizations will interact with their customers in 2026. It highlights the evolving tactics and investments poised to drive success across owned, unowned, and emerging channels.

Reserve Your Spot Today

Join us as we shape the future of dealership advertising and operations in 2026. This is more than an event—it’s an opportunity to transform how your dealership approaches the digital era.

Note for 2025 Season Pass Holders:
If you purchased a Season Pass for 2025 and still have one remaining session to attend, this is your Session #4. You are fully eligible to use your final registration for this unWorkshop.

There will be four additional unWorkshops in 2026.

unWorkshop Season Pass (2026)

Get full access to all four unWorkshop sessions in 2026 with one season pass.