Exploring the future of industrial marketing: IMS 2025 highlights

Icreon in partnership with Sitecore, recently sponsored and participated in the Industrial Marketing Summit 2025, the premier gathering for B2B industrial marketers held in Austin, TX from February 26-28th. This event brought together innovative marketers from engineering, manufacturing, and technical industries to explore the latest trends, strategies, and innovations shaping industrial marketing today.

From engaging workshops and keynote sessions to insightful panel discussions and our featured session on Lubrizol’s customer success story at the event allowed us to connect with industry pioneers, discuss real-world challenges, and showcase how digital velocity solutions can drive marketing success.

At our booth, we had the opportunity to engage with attendees, demonstrating how unified data, content, commerce, and customer experiences can accelerate solution delivery and create lasting business value.

In this recap, we’ve highlighted the most impactful sessions, key insights, and takeaways from this year’s premier event for industrial marketers.

Day 1 recap: future of industrial marketing

The summit kicked off with a day packed with learning, collaboration, and networking. The morning featured hands-on workshops where attendees explored cutting-edge strategies in industrial marketing, digital transformation, and content optimization.

Keynote sessions: the state of AI in industrial marketing

Paul Roetzer, CEO of Marketing AI Institute, explored the latest AI trends shaping industrial marketing in 2025. He explained how AI-driven strategies are improving marketing efficiency, enabling hyper-personalization, and driving smarter decision-making. The session concluded with an engaging Q&A, offering valuable insights for marketers navigating AI integration.

Panel spotlight: brand marketing for recruiting the next generation

As baby boomers retire, manufacturers face the challenge of attracting younger talent. This panel, led by Jennifer Dawkins of TREW Marketing, explored how strategic marketing can reshape the perception of industrial careers. Meaghan Ziemba, Jacob Sanchez, and Mary Jutzi shared insights on employer branding, storytelling, and outreach strategies to position manufacturing as a compelling career path for the next generation.

The day concluded with the Marketing Mingle, where professionals connected, exchanged ideas, and built lasting industry relationships.

Day 2 recap: transforming industrial marketing with digital innovation

Day 2 of the Industrial Marketing Summit 2025 was filled with insightful sessions, expert panels, and valuable discussions. Attendees kicked off the morning with a networking breakfast before diving into a full day of sessions covering key topics in industrial marketing, digital transformation, and B2B engagement strategies. Thought leaders shared actionable insights, real-world case studies, and innovative approaches to marketing in the manufacturing and engineering sectors.

Icreon and Sitecore showcased Lubrizol’s customer success story

The session led by Steve Lamensdorf, SVP of Customer Experience at Icreon, and Mark Wells, Senior Sales Engineer at Sitecore, explored how aligning digital transformation with B2B customer needs drives market differentiation and business growth.

Highlighting Lubrizol’s journey, the discussion showcased how shifting from an industry-centric to a buyer persona-focused strategy revolutionized customer engagement, simplifying complex product exploration. Key insights revealed how digital ecosystems can enhance sales, streamline experiences, and future-proof industrial marketing. In addition, the session underscored the importance of modular digital experiences that adapt to changing business needs.

Concurrent sessions and panels

In the session, “The Cookieless Future: Preparing for Performance Marketing in a Privacy-Focused Landscape,” Devon Webb, Performance Manager at EETech, said that with third-party cookies disappearing, industrial marketers need new strategies for tracking, personalization, and performance measurement. This discussion explored first-party data strategies, contextual targeting, and AI-driven analytics to maintain campaign effectiveness.

Meanwhile, Jenni Gritti Probst led "Using Customer Journey Mapping to Be More Effective in Marketing," emphasizing the power of CX, voice-of-customer insights, and journey mapping to refine marketing strategies and drive better business outcomes. This session covered how to map customer journeys to uncover pain points, optimize touchpoints, and build data-driven engagement strategies.

In the panel “Maximizing Marketing Impact: Collaborative Strategies Across Manufacturers and Distributors,” moderated by Maryellen Stack (Sager Electronics), Ellen Albright (E-T-A Engineering Technology), and Jarrod Beasley (Midvale Industries) discussed the power of collaboration between manufacturers, distributors, and sales teams. Panelists shared insights on co-op programs, joint value propositions, content marketing, and lead-sharing to strengthen partnerships. They also highlighted best practices for improving communication, boosting brand visibility, and enhancing the customer experience through strategic marketing alignment.

The day wrapped up with the Summit Soirée at Lustre Pearl East, where attendees enjoyed cocktails, tapas, and lively conversations. Manufacturing Happy Hour even recorded a live podcast, adding to the evening’s energy.

Day 3 recap: future-proofing industrial marketing with strategy, innovation & differentiation

The final day of the Industrial Marketing Summit 2025 began with a coffee hour, giving attendees a chance to reflect on key takeaways and connect with peers. The morning sessions and panels delivered insightful discussions on emerging trends, digital strategies, and the future of industrial marketing, equipping attendees with actionable knowledge to implement in their organizations.

2025 state of marketing to engineers - exclusive sneak peek

Engineering audiences require a different marketing approach. The session led by CJ Haight, Content Marketing Manager at GlobalSpec, and Wendy Covey, CEO & Co-Founder at TREW Marketing, revealed exclusive insights into industrial buyer preferences, content consumption habits, and evolving digital expectations. They explored how these behaviors vary by age and region, how the landscape has evolved over time, and the growing role of AI in work-related searches. The session also highlighted key brand values that resonate most with engineers in today’s market, offering valuable insights for industrial marketers looking to refine their strategies.

Peer-to-peer roundtables and sessions

In this thought-provoking session, “CRM and Marketing Automation: A Peer-to-Peer Roundtable,” industry experts from HubSpot, Salesforce, Microsoft, and Pipedrive shared experiences on leveraging CRM and automation tools to streamline workflows, improve lead management, personalization, and align sales and marketing for better conversions.

In another panel, “Taking the Friction Out of the Buying Process,” led by Curt Anderson, eCommerce Evangelist for Manufacturers at B2Btail, Nelson Bruton, President at Manufacturing Chats, Kris Harrington, CEO at GenAlpha Technologies, and Matt Sciannella, Senior Director of Demand Generation at Refine Labs talked about the importance of reducing complexity in industrial purchasing. Panelists discussed how to simplify the buying journey through self-service portals, AI chatbots, and seamless omnichannel experiences.

In “Dare to Be Distinct: The Competitive Advantage Your Branding Needs,” Paul Kiesche, President and Creative Director at Aviate Creative, highlighted the power of bold branding in industrial marketing. He explored how differentiation, strong brand perception, and a memorable first impression help companies stand out. Using real-world examples, Kiesche shared strategies for crafting a unique identity and breaking away from industry norms to achieve lasting market recognition.

The event wrapped up with a networking lunch and a closing session that reinforced the summit’s key themes. In the final remarks, organizers highlighted the industry’s ongoing evolution and the importance of collaboration in driving innovation.

Empowering the future of industrial marketing

The Industrial Marketing Summit 2025 provided invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of B2B industrial marketing. From AI-driven strategies to customer-centric branding and collaborative marketing approaches, the sessions offered actionable takeaways for industry leaders. Icreon, in partnership with Sitecore, was proud to contribute to the conversation, showcasing how digital velocity solutions drive marketing success. As industrial marketers navigate changing buyer behaviors and emerging technologies, the key to success lies in innovation, strategic partnerships, and a commitment to continuous transformation.

Looking to elevate your industrial marketing strategy? Icreon’s expertise in unifying data, content, and commerce helps industrial brands create seamless buying experiences that drive growth. Let’s connect to accelerate your experience transformation.