NextNW Midyear Update

The first half of 2026 has made one thing clear: marketing is not evolving in a straight line. It is bending, accelerating, and in some cases breaking long-held assumptions. Across the NextNW blog and event stage, a consistent theme has emerged. AI is no longer a future-state discussion. It is actively reshaping how we approach search, creativity, and measurement. Our April webinar recap on SEO in the age of AI reinforced that visibility today is tied as much to credibility and structured signals as it is to content itself. At the same time, conversations around creative work have shifted from fear to recalibration. The question is no longer whether AI will impact creativity. It is how human intuition, taste, and storytelling maintain their edge in a machine-assisted world. Looking for more insights into modern SEO? Register for our June 2^nd webinar.

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Equally important, the past six months have underscored the enduring value of community and candid dialogue in a noisy industry. From our “Ask Me Anything” session, built on unscripted, real-world questions about growth and attribution, to panels like Brand Portland and Creativity in an AI World, members leaned into the uncomfortable but necessary conversations shaping our profession. We are seeing a shift away from polished narratives toward practical insight, where marketers are less interested in theory and more focused on what works. That tension between innovation and execution, between automation and authenticity, defines the current moment. 

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NextNW Leadership Growth and Evolution

To shore up our membership and marketing efforts, we’ve expanded our Board of Directors with seasoned talent. New Board Members include John Jendritza as Marketing Co-Chair and Laura Ross as Membership Co-Chair. We also enhanced our Advisory Committee with Michelle Cunningham and Sean Simon, who will help evangelize NextNW domestically and internationally via our expanded Vancouver BC footprint. Special thanks to Alena Campagna, our Event Producer, for ensuring the 2026 events are flawless and memorable. I’d also like to recognize our volunteers, led by Bethany Anderson, our Volunteer Chair, for ensuring our events are smooth and seemingly effortless.

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Building a Sustainable Future via Partnerships

NextNW programming would not be possible without the financial support of our sponsors. Thank you to our 2026 sponsors (so far) including: Amazon, Basis, Crimtan, Customer.io, Gravitate, Infillion, JamLoop, Locala, Matchstick Legal, Pathlabs, StackAdapt, and Viant. If you’re interested in getting your brand in front of ~300 indie agency professionals, consider sponsoring the September 25^th NW Open Golf Tournament at Rose City Golf Course. Our strategic partners include members of our Performance Partners program and sister associations including: AIGA Portland, AMA Portland, BEND PRODUCTION SOCIETY, Central Oregon Film Office, OMPA, and PRSA Oregon.

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Going Worldwide on the Web

We launched a new website in March to improve performance, functionality and better reflect on our brand. Feedback has been positive thus far, but we will continue to evolve the site over time. Taking advantage of the new functionality, we had a little fun April 1st, announcing the City of Portland Launched New Parking Program for Influencers in partnership with ReallyMRT on Instagram.

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Creating Member Value Through Events

We value our members, and our primary vehicle for growing networks and knowledge is via compelling happy hour and learning events. Below is a summary of 2026 events in case you missed one or more of these opportunities. If you’re not already a member, consider becoming a member to receive discounts on events, award submissions, and partner products and services, including access to the adidas employee store.

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• January Portland panel recap: AI in Advertising & Marketing: What’s Now, What’s Next
• February Portland Extremely Happy Hour: A recap of the event at Gilda’s
• February Seattle panel recap: CMO Panel featuring Columbia Sportwear, The Seattle Kraken, and other seasoned marketers.
• March Portland panel recap: Career-Building Hacks
• April Portland Extremely Happy Hour: A recap of the pickleball event at Now Serving sponsored by StackAdapt and hosted by Happylucky.
• May Portland panel: Brand Portland - Marketing an Iconic City
• May Seattle panel: The Future of Creative in a Post-AI World

And if you missed any of our monthly webinars, archived recordings are available on our YouTube Channel:

• January: A Legal Playbook for Creative Agencies with Josh Barrett at Matchstick Law
• February: The Systems You Need to Scale Your Marketing & Advertising Agency with Jason Swenk
• March: Virtual Fireside Chat with Seth Godin, Author of This is Strategy
• April: SEO in the age of AI Search with Gravitate
• May: Ask Me Anything...Marketing Without a Filter

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Celebrating Your Work

The 2026 Cascadia Creative Awards on June 3^rd will highlight the best work created in the Pacific Northwest, as judged by an esteemed jury. Marmalade Creative created a sizzle reel in case you missed last year’s event. Visit our Events section to learn more and register for The CCAs and other upcoming events.

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Staying Connected

Don’t forget to visit our blog regularly for industry insights, expert speaker interviews, and event recaps. Additionally, follow us on social to stay updated on events and news, including on Instagram, LinkedIn, BlueSky, X/Twitter, Facebook, and our old YouTube channel. We appreciate your support and encourage feedback to improve member experience and value. See you at a future event!

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