
TikTok and Fabulate Team up to Scale Creator Content Across APAC with AI at the Core
TikTok has partnered with Fabulate to embed its Symphony generative‑AI suite into the influencer‑marketing platform, creating a unified workflow for brands and creators across APAC. The integration adds AI dubbing, video generation and licensed digital avatars directly into Fabulate’s SparQ 2.0 stack, enabling instant localisation into more than 15 languages. Fabulate reports the ability to produce thousands of assets in a single week, positioning AI as a production multiplier rather than a creator replacement. The deal marks TikTok’s first AI embedment in a global influencer platform, signalling a strategic push for scalable, authentic creator content.

Growth Needs Systems, Not Just Speed
Growth is the dream of every operator (or at least your potential acquirer). But if you’re not careful, it can be the siren song of death. Hiring faster. Spending more. Scaling too soon. All in the name of “growth.” The reality is — growth...

Universal’s Michael Moses: My Modern Movie Playbook
Universal’s chief marketing officer Michael Moses argues that theatrical movies are far from dead, noting that Gen Z and Gen Alpha actually crave the communal cinema experience. Drawing on his 25‑year career behind hits like *Wicked*, *Oppenheimer*, and the *Fast...

Fashion Briefing: At NYFW, Fashion Brands Are Embracing Department Stores — Even the Embattled Saks Global
At New York Fashion Week, leading fashion brands confirmed that wholesale through department stores remains a core growth pillar despite recent turbulence. The high‑profile bankruptcy of Saks Global and declining foot traffic at peers such as Neiman Marcus have heightened...

The APAC Playbook: Connecting Insights, Experimentation, and Personalisation in 2026
APAC e‑commerce marketers are rapidly elevating personalization, with 71% ranking it a top priority and half claiming in‑house technical expertise. However, fragmented audience definitions, limited outcome‑based measurement, and constrained experimentation are eroding ROI and slowing growth. Mastercard’s latest maturity report...
![#Outlook: How CMOs Will Measure Success in 2026 [Part 2 of 2]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://admin.marklives.com/temp/images/1770630728.png)
#Outlook: How CMOs Will Measure Success in 2026 [Part 2 of 2]
South African CMOs are redefining success for 2026 amid a sluggish 1.4% GDP outlook. Rather than increasing campaign volume, they will focus on brand purpose, customer loyalty, and measurable commercial impact. Executives highlighted the blend of AI‑driven analytics with human...

The 2026 PM360 Pharma Choice Awards – Variety BRONZE Winner
The 2026 PM360 Pharma Choice Awards named Fingerpaint Multicultural and Novo Nordisk’s "Maneja Tu Peso" campaign a Variety Bronze winner. The initiative is an online hub aimed at US Hispanic adults living with obesity, delivering culturally tailored education and a...

TikTok Is Becoming a Core Marketing Channel — Not Just a Social App
The episode explains how TikTok has shifted from a pure entertainment platform to a core marketing channel where users discover brands and make purchasing decisions, with 92% taking action after viewing short‑form videos. It highlights the challenges mid‑size and regional...

The New Competitive Advantage
David Meerman Scott argues that the next competitive edge lies not in fleeting viral posts or new platforms, but in cultivating trust, generosity, and genuine human connections. By treating customers as fans and sharing the spotlight, brands create a sense...

Marketers Struggle to Predict AI’s Methods for B2B Purchase Choice
A new Norstat study of 175 UK decision‑makers shows AI tools now dominate the B2B buying journey, with 79% using AI daily or weekly and spending up to four hours each week on AI‑driven decisions. Buyers rely on AI summaries...

Peter Piper Pizza Truly Engrained in the Communities It Serves
Peter Piper Pizza operates about 115 restaurants across Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and northern Mexico, offering a $10.99 all‑you‑can‑eat lunch buffet aimed at workers, families and budget‑conscious diners. Chief marketing officer Genaro Perez emphasizes targeting different demographics at various times...

What Sesame Street Got Right About Brand Voice on Social Media
Sesame Street’s social media success hinges on three simple principles: a consistent brand voice, treating the brand as a relatable person, and an audience‑first mindset. Eder Reynoso coined the “Cookie Monster rule,” insisting every post sound unmistakably like the brand....

Kotex Serves up Brand Platform, Refreshed Identity with ‘Own Your Flow’
Kotex unveiled a global brand platform called “Own Your Flow,” pairing a refreshed visual identity—highlighted by a bold red palette—with a 90‑second AI‑enhanced video that uses tennis as a metaphor for the pressures women face. The campaign, produced by MJZ...

The Growth of AI Influencers and How They Are Being Leveraged to Drive Reels and TikTok Sales
AI-generated influencers such as Lil Miquela, Lu do Magalu, and Noonoouri have transitioned from tech curiosities to major commercial assets, with agencies mass‑producing virtual personas and brands allocating sizable budgets. Ogilvy forecasts that AI virtual influencers will command 30% of...

How Social Commerce Became a Real Retail Channel as AI Shapes How People Buy | Reimagining Retail
In this episode, the hosts explore how social platforms have evolved into a genuine retail channel, highlighting the strategies retailers use to make social commerce feel like traditional shopping. They discuss the shift of creators from mere marketing tools to...

Havas Group ANZ Promotes Olly Taylor to Expanded Chief Strategy Officer Role
Havas Group Australia & New Zealand has elevated Olly Taylor to an expanded Chief Strategy Officer role, adding responsibility for integrated brand strategy across the region. Taylor, who previously led strategic planning for several key accounts, will now coordinate creative, media and data...

The Quarterly Review: Wise’s Lauren Langbridge Expands Domestic Payment Network Capabilities and Celebrates Partnership Wins
Wise’s Commercial Director for the Americas, Lauren Langbridge, drove two domestic payment network expansions—Direct Pix in Brazil and Zengin in Japan—while laying groundwork for additional connections. She secured new partnerships with Wealthsimple and Interactive Brokers (IBKR), extending the Wise Platform’s reach into retail...

Reddit and AI Search Are Reshaping How Brands Get Found
Marketers are shifting focus to niche platforms and AI‑driven search, highlighted by two recent awards: Everso Media as Best Reddit Marketing Agency and Nicely Network as Best AI‑SEO Marketing Agency for 2026. Reddit’s community‑driven content now appears prominently in Google...

Plane Talking Products Appoints Manoj Pridhanani as Creative Director
Plane Talking Products announced Manoj Pridhanani as its new Creative Director, tasked with steering global creative strategy, product direction, and brand development. Pridhanani brings more than 15 years of aviation‑focused design experience across luxury and travel sectors. He is known...

Which Consumer Brand Was Most Loved Around the World in 2025?
A YouGov BrandIndex survey of over 6 million respondents across 28 markets named WhatsApp the most loved consumer brand in 2025, posting a 41.5 overall score. Samsung trailed by a whisker at 41.4, leading the quality metric, while YouTube ranked third...

Why Australian CMOs Are Turning to Academia for Marketing Answers
The Marketing Analytics Symposium Sydney (MASS) returns on 24 February 2026 to bridge the widening gap between academic marketing research and Australian CMOs facing intense budget scrutiny and AI implementation challenges. Professors from UNSW, Goethe, Northwestern and Vienna will present...