From Ted.
Welcome to the November edition of Tech Brand Brief—brought to you by fred&ted—perhaps the only agency that can make your brand as innovative as your technology.This month’s theme: Giving Thanks. After a year of relentless change across enterprise tech and marketing, we’re taking a moment to pause, reflect, and appreciate what’s working.
For me, that’s gratitude for a career that’s spanned two revolutions—the dot-com boom of the ’90s and the AI wave of today. Back then, the pace felt dizzying. Now, it feels oddly familiar. And sometimes, it’s worth stepping back and appreciating the fact that we get to witness it all. Here’s to a month of perspective, progress, and good company.
Metrics that matter.
Being helpful is the new hustle. In B2B, buyers want freedom, familiarity, and foresight. These stats show how modern brands are giving them all three.
of B2B buyers prefer a rep-free experience. Maybe it’s gratitude for autonomy—or just that nothing says “thank you” like not needing to talk to sales? We kid!
—Gartner
of B2B buyers begin their journey with a vendor shortlist in mind. Be thankful if you’re on it. If not? Start investing in brand before they even hit search.
—Forrester
Only 5% of B2B buyers are in-market at a given time. The rest? They’re silent, invisible—and your future revenue. Brand earns their trust before the funnel even opens.
—LinkedIn/Edelman
10-K signals for brand leaders.
You can tell a lot about a company by what it invests in—and who it thanks in the process. These 10-K highlights spotlight brands betting on people, partnerships, and purpose.
Giving Thanks: “We have a company culture that prioritizes serving customers and meeting their needs to help them grow better."
Key Takeaway: HubSpot’s customer-centric DNA isn’t just talk. By helping customers “grow better,” HubSpot proves that gratitude can be a growth strategy.
Giving Thanks: “Our mission is to unleash the potential of every team.”
Key Takeaway: Atlassian’s motto is basically “thank your team.” Every product decision aims to unleash team potential. The lesson? When your team wins, your brand wins.
Giving Thanks: “We believe that fueling our merchants’ success drives Shopify’s success.”
Key Takeaway: Shopify’s gratitude to merchants comes through obsession with their success. When sellers thrive, Shopify thrives–a win-win model built on mutual growth.
CMO voices.
Paul D’Arcy,
CMO, Moloco
D’Arcy cuts through the noise with a back-to-basics truth: Marketing success = making people’s lives better. This quote oozes customer appreciation, subtly saying “thank you” by focusing on their needs. It’s a confident reminder that value and gratitude go hand-in-hand in business.
AI & brand.
Notion’s built-in AI assistant helps you brainstorm ideas, summarize notes, and rewrite text so you can overcome writer’s block and draft warm messages of gratitude this holiday season.
Jasper acts as an AI marketing copilot that accelerates content creation while ensuring brand voice consistency across assets—a boost any busy team is grateful to have.
From the art director’s desk.
AI hasn’t replaced my creative process—it’s joined it. I will always start with strategy, taste, and experience. But now I’ve got a new creative partner. Need an initial shot list for a great script? AI can help. But without a strong concept behind it, the output is empty. My advice to young and aspiring creatives? Learn the craft before the tools. Because if you can’t judge the work, you can’t lead the work. I’m thankful this new wave of technology re-lit the spark I first felt when the Mac showed up in the studio.
What’s making headlines in enterprise tech—and what brand leaders can take away from it.
Palo Alto Networks’ new AI-crafted ad campaign salutes innovators like Benjamin Franklin and Leonardo da Vinci. With a grateful nod to its visionary customers, the cybersecurity firm says “thanks” by boldly fast-tracking creative storytelling through AI.
Anthropic blocked a first-of-its-kind AI-driven cyber espionage attack. A reminder to be thankful for the brands building tech—and ethics—at speed.
Genpact rings in a global rebrand and new “on it” tagline, giving thanks to decades of client trust as it pivots to AI-driven solutions. The brand’s new chapter is a grateful nod to customers powering its transformation.
What’s coming up.
January 6–9, 2026
Las Vegas, USA
CES 2026 showcases what’s next—but also reminds us to appreciate how far we’ve come. A chance to say thanks while chasing what’s next.
March 9–10, 2026
Grapevine, TX
Tech leaders gather in Texas to appreciate past innovations and brainstorm future ones—turning gratitude into new growth strategies.
March 16–19, 2026
San Jose, USA
Global AI innovators meet with gratitude for breakthroughs, building on them to ensure new tech truly serves and appreciates its users.
fred&ted in the wild.
We’ll share what we’ve been cooking up soon. For now, we’re heads-down with the team and heads-up with gratitude—for the enterprise tech clients who trust us, and for the fred&ted crew putting in the sweat, smarts, and heart to bring those ideas to life.
From Fred.
At fred&ted, we’re thankful AI makes us more efficient—but we’re even more thankful it hasn’t replaced our process. Because the best creative work still comes from discipline. From pressure-testing ideas to chasing different angles, throwing out the easy answer. That’s not something a prompt can replicate. We still have to ask: Is it bold, is it true, is it different, does it challenge, will it work, can it span from brand to demand, is it worth putting into the world? This month, we’re grateful we still care enough to ask these questions.Behind every standout brand is a long list of thank-yous—to buyers who don’t click right away, teammates who push the work, and tools that boost the craft. This month, let’s not just move fast. Let’s move grateful.
© 2025 fred&ted. All rights reserved.
