Marketing Unplugged held its second edition, themed Human First, at the Pyhex facility in Santo Domingo to highlight how authenticity and human connection remain essential for building sustainable brands in an age dominated by artificial intelligence.
The conference brought together business leaders, creative professionals, and strategists to share industry knowledge and encourage critical thinking among attendees. Organizers urged participants to break free from rigid corporate thinking amid increasing market automation.
Created by Clayra Morales and the agency TBA Digital Marketing, the gathering drew inspiration from major entertainment productions such as the Video Music Awards to deliver a dynamic event format.
Female Leadership and AI Integration
The day began with a focus on female leadership through a live recording of the podcast Women in Business, hosted by Estafani Bonetti alongside participants Giselle Lugo, Ana Nicole, Myrna Pérez, and Rachell Holguín.
Isabel Lebrón, founder of Qonia, followed with a presentation on her experience integrating artificial intelligence into her professional workflow. Lebrón explained how incorporating AI led her to launch Qonia to help other entrepreneurs and professionals optimize their operational processes.
Strategic Branding and Partner Presentations
International speaker Enmanuel Encarnación, known as Enma, joined the conference from the United States to examine strategic branding. Encarnación told the audience that branding without a solid underlying strategy cannot guarantee commercial success.
Speakers Douglas Castillo and Clayra Morales delivered a joint session focused on the personal realities behind corporate success. The pair discussed the challenges of balancing business partnerships with family life and parenting.
Industry Panels and Personal Branding
Panel discussions addressed major challenges facing the sector, starting with a panel on personal branding conducted by Nikky. Panelists Leslie Polanco, Alondra Ángeles, Jenniffer Arias, Modesto, and Luz González explored current obstacles in building individual professional brands.
A second panel on advertising, marketing, and the creator economy was moderated by Morales. Panelists Omar Andrés, known as dreomar, Héctor Manzueta, Jean Vargas, Isidro Frometa, and Eury Siriaco analyzed industry transformations and their impact on today's commercial landscape.
Relationships between agencies and clients were explored in a professional career panel featuring Edith Smester, Ciara Matos, Jennifer Terrero, Massiel Almonte, and Francisco Montalvo.
Argentine speaker Den Borg delivered the closing keynote, presenting practical tools and essential pillars for developing an authentic personal brand.
Entertainment and Networking
Beyond its educational sessions, the conference incorporated humor and professional networking opportunities. Comedian Lauren Molina opened the gathering with a performance that established a fresh and accessible tone for the day.
After several hours of lectures, panel debates, and brand activations, the event concluded in a VIP Lounge featuring rock music hits from the 1990s and 2000s. The evening space allowed attendees to strengthen professional relationships following the event, which was produced in alliance with Proyes and supported by Incociv.
