1905 New Media to host Chicago AI marketing event Oct. 6

1905 New Media will host the next Marketing Disrupted session in Chicago on Oct. 6, focusing on how AI is changing the marketing funnel and what brands need to do to stay visible earlier in the buying process. The free event at Workbox River North will feature agency leaders Amanda Schomaker and Kaysha Hanock.

Why it matters: - AI is changing how buyers discover, compare and shortlist brands before they ever reach a website. - Marketers are being pushed to rethink the handoff between AI tools, sales teams and the traditional awareness-to-decision funnel. - The event is free and aimed at marketers in the Chicago and St. Louis business communities.

What happened: - 1905 New Media announced the next installment of its Marketing Disrupted thought leadership series in Chicago. - The event, titled The New Marketing Funnel, is set for Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Workbox River North. - The session will be led by Head of Growth Amanda Schomaker and Head of Digital Kaysha Hanock. - Schomaker and Hanock collectively bring more than 40 years of marketing experience.

The details: - The session will focus on how AI has reshaped the traditional awareness-consideration-decision path. - Attendees will hear how buyers may now arrive at a website after reading an AI-generated summary that already compares competing options. - The presentation will cover why buyers come in pre-decided and how businesses can get onto the shortlist earlier. - The event will also address which parts of the buying process AI now handles and which parts can cost a sale when automated. - Schomaker and Hanock will discuss how to coordinate the handoff between AI and sales teams. - Hanock said brands need to know where to draw the line between what to automate and what to protect. - Hanock said the session is not about fearing AI, but about understanding which parts of strategy still need human control. - Hanock has more than 20 years of experience in digital marketing. - At 1905 New Media, Hanock leads strategy and execution across SEO, paid media, social media, email marketing, content development, analytics and AI-driven optimization. - Hanock’s current focus is helping brands stay visible wherever people search, including Google, ChatGPT and other AI tools. - Schomaker leads business development and client strategy at 1905 New Media. - Schomaker also helps the leadership team use AI across departments to improve process and efficiency. - Schomaker has worked on both in-house marketing teams and agency-side teams, which shapes her approach to client strategy. - Schomaker said many buyers are already halfway through their decision-making process before companies realize it. - Schomaker said companies that are not thinking about AI’s effect on first impressions are already behind. - Schomaker said the session is intended to give marketers a framework for staying ahead of the conversation. - Since launching in 2021, 1905 New Media has hosted four Marketing Disrupted events in Chicago and 15 overall. - Past sessions have covered public relations, B2B marketing, AI capabilities in business and marketing, SEO fundamentals and digital accessibility. - The events are free. - The events are designed to help marketers stay current on communications and marketing trends through first-hand insights from experts. - The event is sponsored by 1905 New Media and Gordian Staffing. - Space is limited. - Registration is available online at the event page.

Between the lines: - The event reflects how marketing conversations are moving from channel tactics to the AI systems that shape discovery before a prospect ever speaks with sales. - 1905 New Media is positioning itself as both a practitioner and a guide on AI adoption, with the leadership team describing internal AI use as part of its broader operating model. - The emphasis on “draw the line” between automation and protection suggests a growing concern that over-automation can weaken brand differentiation and revenue conversion.

What's next: - The Chicago session will serve as the latest test of the Marketing Disrupted series as AI-driven search and comparison behavior keep evolving. - Attendees are expected to leave with a practical framework for adapting marketing strategy to a shorter, more AI-shaped buying journey. - Future events in the series will likely continue around emerging marketing and communications shifts, building on the topics covered since 2021.