Unplugged Collective Returns to New York during Advertising Week for Second Annual Unplugged State of Mind

Sep. 29, 2026

Unplugged Collective, the fast-growing IRL media and experience company known for its standout activations at the world’s largest marketing events, will return to New York for its second year with Unplugged State of Mind, its bold, independently curated programming running alongside Advertising Week New York from Mon., Oct. 5 - Wed., Oct. 7 at The Sir Richard Penthouse at Virgin Hotels. 

Registration is open to all via the sign-up link here. An Advertising Week New York badge is not required to attend.

This year's Unplugged State of Mind features an expanded footprint with three new formats: 

Change My Mind with CartographAI (a debate series); Hands on Keyboard with Gigi Robinson (a working session for creator marketing pros); and The House Party with U of Digital (a B2B marketing soiree). Plus, the exclusive takeover of Masquerade NYC for the return of Unplugged Collective’s signature evening celebration, Strangers No More, which turns strangers into friends.

Erica Fieldman, CMO, Unplugged Collective said:

"Unplugged State of Mind exists because the best conversations in this industry happen when brands, creators, marketers, and the press are brought together in a room to connect with each other on a human-first basis. We’ve seen again and again that people are hungry for IRL connections in the age of AI. And moments like this, when so many in our industry are gathering, are perfect for making that happen. We are so excited to have expanded our footprint this year and added new formats and venues."

 

Speakers:

Confirmed Unplugged State of Mind speakers include executives from Mondelez International, Tarte Cosmetics, Lenovo, H&R Block, Fandom, The New York Times, Axios, Business Insider, Crossmedia, Rella, The Q Suite, Revry, Horizon, Seedtag, HUMAN, Equativ, and Havas.

Scheduled Highlights:

Oct. 5: ConvHERgence Exchange (9am-12pm) 

Women's Leadership Breakfast, a networking event celebrating women.

The Money Seats (10-10:30am) - Panel about women running revenue, investment, and growth at agencies; brands and media companies on the decisions that move businesses and shape careers. The deals that made them, the moments that nearly broke them, and the lessons nobody shared on the way up.  

CTRL ALT CULTURE (Noon-2:45pm) - A day of community, creativity, and culture:

• Cultural Arbitrage: From Cultural Influencer to Economic Ownership
• Marketing When Time Moves Faster Than Ever: Culture at the Speed of Now
• The Creator Enterprise: When Talent Becomes the Media Company
• First Followers: Why Queer Consumers are the Market’s Leading Indicator
• Oct. 6: Change My Mind with CartographAI (9am-12pm) - A closed-door debate series where eight industry leaders argue four of advertising’s most contested questions before a curated audience that votes before and after each debate.
• The Receipts sessions (1-4pm):
• Burden of Proof: The AI Receipts Session 
• The Spectator Economy: The Business of Watching Other People 
• Big Splash vs. Always On: The Great Creative Debate
• Strangers No More celebration takes over Masquerade NYC (10pm–1am)
• Oct. 7: Hands on Keyboard with Gigi Robinson (9am-12pm) - A working session for the people who run creator marketing.
• The House Party with U of Digital, a B2B marketing soiree (4-8pm) - A chill afternoon hang for B2B marketers.

Partners:

Unplugged State of Mind partners include Sigma Software, AdRoll, Yieldmo, Lemonlight, CartographAI, U of Digital, GLAMSQUAD, Equativ, Seedtag, Sightly, Audion, Mark Allen & Co., Odeeo, HUMAN, InMobi, and Glance.