Transform 2026 Recap: What Actually Stood Out
I just got back from Transform 2026 and had way too much time before my flight… so I made my own awards show.
This is a fun, unfiltered recap of what stood out. The swag. The activations. The people. The random moments you don’t see in the polished LinkedIn posts.
Some brands nailed it. Some tried. Some just gave out tote bags.
If you were there, this will hit. If you weren’t, this is the version you actually want.
In This Episode
- The best swag (yes, it matters)
- The activation I couldn’t ignore
- A few brands I hadn’t heard of… until now
- The people who made the event fun
- Completely unnecessary awards I made up
Connect with me:
- Find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce/
- Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhonabpierce/
- Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.rhonapierce.com/newsletter2
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FAQs
Is Transform worth attending?
Yes. But it depends on your goal. If you want to meet people, stay close to trends, and see how brands show up in real life—it’s worth it. If you’re just going to walk the floor and collect swag, probably not.
What makes a conference like Transform actually valuable?
The people. Not the panels. Not the booths. The value comes from conversations, content opportunities, and how you show up while you’re there.
How can brands stand out at conferences like Transform?
Interactive beats passive every time. If people can do something at your booth, you’re already ahead. The brands that stood out created moments, not just setups.
What are examples of conference activations that work?
Anything that creates participation or curiosity. Games, giveaways with a twist, or experiences people want to talk about after. If people stop, engage, and tell someone else—you win.
Is conference swag still worth investing in?
Yes, but most brands get it wrong. If it’s not wearable, useful, or genuinely cool, it’s getting left behind or thrown away.
How should brands think about content at conferences?
Most brands treat conferences like a moment. The smart ones treat it like a content engine. Capture interviews, reactions, and behind-the-scenes content you can use for weeks after.
How do you get more ROI from attending a conference?
Don’t rely on the event to create value for you. Go in with a plan—who you want to meet, what content you want to create, and how you’ll extend it after the event.
What do most companies get wrong about conferences?
They over-focus on the booth and under-focus on everything else. The real impact happens outside of it—through people, content, and follow-up.
How can creators and brands extend the impact of a conference after it ends?
Turn everything into content. Recaps, clips, interviews, hot takes. The conference might be a few days, but the content can last for weeks if you do it right.
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Rhona Barnett-Pierce [00:00:00] Long story short, it's my content and I do what I want. And today I'm hosting the Unofficial Transform 2026 Awards right from this bed. In case we haven't met yet. I'm Rhona Pierce. I'm a former recruiter and content creator, and I was just at one of the biggest HR conferences in the United States transform here in Las Vegas.
And I have way too much time before my flight. So naturally I'm hosting my own awards ceremony. So first category, best swag. This one goes to iCims. Hands down, those sweatshirts were fire. I'm gonna be wearing them over and over and over again, and let's talk about that rebrand. Love, love, love it. So real example of a OG brand, getting it right.
Stay tuned for a full tour of their booth. All of the swag and more info on what the folks at iCIMS are doing. Okay, next category, best activation. And that one goes to ClearCo. Not gonna lie, I hadn't heard about them before this, but when [00:01:00] you give people the opportunity to win actual lab diamonds. You get people's attention, and by people I mean me, they had this thing where there was a box with sand and a bunch of cubic zirconias.
They had five diamonds in there and you had to choose one of the gems and they would test it. And if it was a diamond. Then you would win the diamond and they would set it for you in a ring, a necklace, whatever you wanted. And let's just say there's now proof mostly for my husband that I'm in fact, not always attracted to the most expensive thing.
' cause I tried twice and I did not win. I could not spot the diamonds, but I did see someone right in front of me win, and I was so excited for her. She works at Planned Parenthood and she won a diamond so, so, so excited more on that one soon. Also shout out to Jason. He was amazing. One of my favorite vendor interviews that we did.
Stay tuned for that one. Okay, next category. [00:02:00] Best pre-conference giveaway, and I'm a bit biased here, but this one goes to the folks at Cocoon. They gave away. Two gift cards to the spa and Kim Minnick and I won the gift cards. Definitely more on that soon. Actually. You're gonna get tired about hearing me talk about the folks at Cocoon.
'cause when you give me a free spa day, you become a BFF brand for life. But on a serious note, they're doing amazing things. Love, love, love what they're doing. Stay tuned more on that one soon. Okay, let me interrupt this awards ceremony to warn you to be on the lookout for what the folks at Textio are doing.
Remember this word, Lavalier . Actually go to Lavalier.ai and when you sign up and love it, tell them Rhona sent you. Alright, next one is Best team, and this one goes to the folks at All voices. I know you're not supposed to have favorite brands, but when the entire team is full of humans that. So fun to be around and that are really passionate about what they do.
It's hard to not [00:03:00] pick favorites. Loved hanging out with you guys. Okay, and that leads me to the Transform MVP award. I have two MVP categories. The first one is for the all around great human, and that one goes to Jeffrey Fermin. I met Jeffrey a few months ago when he was on my podcast, and I already knew he was an amazing human, but meeting him in person was next level.
Thank you. Thank you so. So much for everything, Jeffrey. I am so blessed to have you in my corner. More on that one soon. And the second MVP category is the conference BFF, , and for the second year in a row, this one goes to Anna Morgan, content intern client. Hype woman, but more importantly, friend. I'm not sure why she chooses to hang out with me, but I'm grateful that she does.
I appreciate you more than I'll ever be able to say, and before I start crying on the internet, let me move on. Okay, next award is for Best energy, and this one goes to Erin Fisher from [00:04:00] Oyster. If you know Erin, you know what I mean? Her energy was so contagious. You just see Erin and you're happy. Alright, next one.
Best face. And this one for like the third or fourth year in a row goes to Ryan Mae if you know, you know. Okay, the next one is best parties and this one goes to Kyle Lagunas. Everyone knows he throws the best BFF, parties. But Kyle does way more than host great parties. You need to be paying attention at what he's built at Kyle & Co.
More on that one later. Okay, and the next category is best conference snack. Look, I know no one cares about that, but I do. And the best conference snack goes to the crudite that they had in the afternoons. Oh my gosh. They were in presented in a little pot with the little vegetables that dip. I am obsessed.
I'm just sad that I only tried it on the last day, but I'm already looking forward for it next year and Transform no matter where it is. Next year, we [00:05:00] need that crudite and that dip. Okay, and the last category is Best content creator prop. And that one goes to me because I finally found the perfect shade of pink.
For my microphone. It looks great in person. It looks great on camera, and I'm not the only one that thinks so. Everyone kept stopping me and complimenting and telling me how much they loved my pink mic. Also, I just needed to create a category that I could win. It's my video and I do what I want. Okay, this video is getting way too long.
I'll do a proper recap video with things people actually care about soon. Stay tuned for that one.
