The IGNITE! Customer Experience Conference
The IGNITE! Customer Experience Conference 2025, themed “CX Gets Real: Vibe Marketing in the AI Era”, took place on September 25–26, 2025 in Cincinnati. This year, AMA Cincinnati brought together forward-thinking marketers, strategists, CX leaders, and sales professionals to explore the next evolution of customer connection—one that is personal, contextual, and deeply human. Attendees participated in hands-on workshops, including the Non-Linear Customer Journey Map session at VML Offices on September 25, followed by a welcome reception, and a full-day conference at Cintas Center on September 26, featuring insightful talks from industry leaders at Chase Bank, Fifth Third, Wendy’s, University of Cincinnati, and more. The event focused on real-world insights, new perspectives, meaningful conversations, and practical takeaways on Vibe Marketing, personalization, and AI-driven CX strategies.
Event Photography, Cintas Center, Day 2
The NEW Fickle,
Non-Linear Customer Journey Map Workshop
AIDCOM Consulting Founder Jeff Hendrickson, Union Pointe Consulting Founder Marc Macaluso, and Upstream360
Before the AMA Cincinnati IGNITE Conference, participants gathered for a high-energy, interactive workshop led by Jeff and Marc. Together, we explored how real customer behavior rarely follows neat, linear funnels.
Through hands-on design thinking, teams mapped Sarah’s electric vehicle journey — a real-world example of how social media, peer influence, and unexpected events shape decisions in unpredictable ways.
Lively discussions, collaboration, and practical exercises made this workshop both thought-provoking and fun. From breaking down outdated journey maps to building dynamic “customer webs,” attendees walked away with fresh tools, strategies, and templates ready to put into action.
MIA Production, proud to be a partner at IGNITE! Customer Experience Conference 2025.
It was such a warm, inspiring, and engaging conference, and I’m thrilled to capture it all through photos and video. Participants gained real-world insights from professionals across industries, discovered new perspectives on customer experience and AI-driven marketing, engaged in meaningful conversations with peers and thought leaders, and left with useful takeaways they can apply in their work. The event was full of Vibe Marketing, showing how personalization, authenticity, and human connection can thrive even in an AI-driven world. This conference truly seeks to transform the way marketers and CX leaders connect with their audiences—making experiences personal, contextual, and deeply human. A huge thanks again to the American Marketing Association for letting us be part of this amazing experience!
