January Events You Don’t Want to Miss

I usually land in your inbox at 7:00 a.m.Today’s worth breaking the routine.

Author

The Digital Buff
January 05, 2026

Buff Briefs 

Happy First Monday of 2026!

Before we talk events, two launches from last week matter more than most headlines:

🏁 Reddit quietly entered the AI media buying race.

At CES, Reddit unveiled Max Campaigns, an AI-powered buying tool built on community intelligence. Translation: performance advertising is increasingly shaped by conversation data, not just clicks or keywords.

🛑 CES 2026 made one thing clear: hype is officially out.

The dominant question this year wasn’t “what’s new?” but “what’s real, scalable, and measurable?” AI is moving from demos to experience layers, and patience for buzzwords is gone.

The throughline:

2026 is about where decisions actually get made, in platforms, in products, and increasingly, in rooms.

Which brings us to this.

Buff Takeaway: Events You Shouldn’t Miss (January 2026)

Instead of flooding your calendar, here’s a tight shortlist of events worth your time if you’re a marketer, PM, builder, or creator starting the year with intention.

If “I want to build something with AI this year” is on your list, this is your low-pressure on-ramp. No code required. Small teams. Real prototypes. Real feedback.

An intimate lunch with leaders from Hanna Andersson, Vercel, Salesforce, and Slalom on how retail teams are actually prioritizing AI, personalization, and performance for 2026.

This year’s keynote lineup includes Ryan Reynolds on building brands that actually win, alongside leaders from Shopify, Ulta Beauty, Sam’s Club, The North Face, Vans, and more.

Same city. Same room. New year energy. Creators, marketers, founders, and operators coming together to set intentions and build momentum.

I’ve put together a full, curated January events list on the website here.

Buff Perk:

In 2026, rooms matter more than feeds.

CODE: BETTER2GETHER

(Valid until 01/09 Friday)

If Creator Economy Live is on your 2026 radar, use this before prices climb.

Buff Resource:

I’m also sharing my 2026 Purpose Framework, a short PDF to help you align what you’re building this year with why you’re building it.

Stay Curious, Stay Ahead!

If this newsletter helped you look smarter in a meeting this week, forward it to a colleague. They'll thank you. Or at least owe you coffee.

Until next Monday, Buffs!