If you hand a group of Moxies a conference badge, a notebook, and a room full of ad nerds, they are going to come back with opinions. Big ones.
In a recent episode of Behind the Brand, Taylor sat down with Mo and Tyler to recap their trip to Ad Connect 2025, the annual conference hosted by the American Advertising Federation. Held in Minneapolis (lovingly dubbed “the Big Spoon and Cherry” by the crew), the event brought together marketers, designers, writers, and agency folks from across the country to talk about what is next in advertising.
This blog unpacks their favorite moments, honest takeaways, and how all of it will shape the way Moxie shows up for clients in 2026.
Why Ad Connect Mattered for a Small Agency in St. Cloud
As a boutique agency, it is rare that the whole team gets to step away from client work and camp out at a conference. Ad Connect was one of those “worth it” moments.
Mo attended both days and soaked in sessions on copywriting, communication, brainstorming, and team dynamics. Tyler, Moxie’s designer who usually gets his continuing education in very serious, very science-based spaces, finally got to nerd out with people who speak fluent “typeface” and “timeline.”
What they found right away:
- Big-city agencies are dealing with the same challenges we are.
- The way we collaborate at Moxie already mirrors what larger teams are doing, just on a more personal scale.
- There is real value in getting out of your own four walls to remember why you love this work.
“I loved seeing how these big agencies operate,” Tyler shared. “It was refreshing to realize we are doing a lot of the same things here in St. Cloud, just as efficiently, just as thoughtfully.”
From Clickbait to Communication: Sessions That Stuck
One of Mo’s favorite breakouts was led by a radio personality from Texas who ran a live headline workshop. She went around the room, talked with attendees about their goals, and then helped each person write a headline that could actually earn media coverage.
Her rules were simple and sharp:
- Short words beat long ones.
- Lists grab attention.
- Cut the fluff.
- Make it impossible not to click.
It was “clickbait with a conscience” and a reminder that whatever we write for clients needs to hook real humans quickly, not just please an algorithm.
Another standout session focused on communication and team culture. A coach and motivational speaker talked about:
- How to brainstorm in a way that leads to our idea, not my idea.
- Why honest feedback can still hurt and how to be intentional with your words.
- The reality that ideas are everywhere, often emerging in different places at the same time, but only matter when someone actually takes action.
For a team like Moxie, where collaboration is baked into every project, those reminders hit home.
HI vs AI: The Human Intelligence Advantage
It would not be a 2025 advertising conference without a lot of conversation about AI.
Some speakers were deep in the AI world, using it to streamline workflows, build faster prototypes, and scale campaigns. Others, like design legends Aaron Draplin and Mary Bruno, were proudly analog. Sketchbooks, ink, and old-school craft are still very much their lane.
Mo and Tyler walked away with a balanced view that mirrors Moxie’s own philosophy:
- AI is a tool, not a replacement.
- The best work still starts with HI (human intelligence), not prompts.
- If the idea is bad, AI will not fix it. It will just make more of it.
They also noticed something subtle but important. When AI-generated visuals were shown alongside real, handcrafted work, the AI pieces often felt flat or a little off. People might click on something fake and flashy, but that does not mean they will trust it, remember it, or act on it.
We are here for real connection, not empty impressions.
Meeting a Design Hero: Aaron Draplin Up Close
For Mo and Tyler, one of the biggest highlights was getting time with Aaron Draplin.
If you are not a design person, here is the quick version: Draplin is a wildly influential designer known for bold, iconic logos and brand systems for everyone from Nike and Ford to musicians like Chris Stapleton and Tenacious D. He also has a soft spot for small businesses and under-the-radar brands, which is very Moxie of him.
Before Mo ever met him, he was inspired by Draplin’s work with outdoor and board-sport brands. Tyler was carrying Draplin’s Field Notes notebooks around long before he knew who designed them.
At Ad Connect, Draplin was exactly what every designer hopes their hero will be:
- First one in the event space, setting up his own booth.
- Friendly and curious, making time for long lines of people who wanted a photo or signature.
- Honest about client work, including the messy parts.
In a small breakout session that stretched into several hours, he shared behind-the-scenes stories about dream projects, tough clients, and why he sometimes turns down big-name work if it means compromising the integrity of the design.
One story in particular stuck with the Moxie crew. A client hired him for a logo, then went on vacation and came back with a DIY Canva-style logo they wanted to use instead. Draplin went ahead and built the rest of the brand assets but refused to let his name be attached to that logo.
Even at the top of the industry, he is still protecting the craft. That is the kind of backbone we admire and try to bring into our own client relationships.
What This Means for Moxie Clients in 2026
So, what does all of this look like when the team is back in St. Cloud, drinking coffee and building brands at the office again?
Here are a few ways Ad Connect is shaping Moxie’s next chapter:
- Smarter, punchier content
Expect sharper headlines, stronger hooks, and messaging designed to earn attention, not just fill space. If there is a “top three” way to say it instead of a rambling paragraph, we are going there. - More efficient workflows that keep quality high
We are leaning into AI where it makes sense, like auto-transcribing videos so Tyler can edit faster or using smart tools to clean up repetitive tasks. That means more time spent on concept, craft, and story. - Bolder creative risks
The team came home energized to “get weird” in the best way. That might look like unexpected logo directions, more experimental layouts, or playful video concepts that help brands stand out instead of blend in. - Human-first strategy in an AI-heavy world
Whether we are planning a campaign, writing a blog, or designing a logo, we will keep asking: does this feel real, honest, and human? If not, it is not ready. - Deepened commitment to small businesses
Hearing from big agencies and big names only reinforced what we already believe. Small brands deserve thoughtful, thoughtful strategy and high-level creative just as much as national ones do. That is the work we are here to do.
Tune In and Get Inspired
Ad Connect was a reminder of why we love this industry: the people, the ideas, the tension between tradition and innovation, the constant push to make things better, sharper, more meaningful.
If you want to hear the full, unfiltered recap (including Tyler and Mo fanboying over Draplin and a few extra airport stories), tune into the episode:
“Inside AD Connect: Moxie Creative’s Top Takeaways from the 2025 Advertising Conference.”
And if you are a small business owner, solopreneur, or growing brand wondering how all of this applies to your marketing, we would love to chat.
Let’s build something bold, strategic, and wonderfully human together.
