How Qualcomm Is Building an Iconic Consumer Brand for the AI Era
Qualcomm has unveiled the "Snapdragon. That’s How" campaign, created with agency 72andSunny, to position its Snapdragon brand as the go‑to processor for PCs in the AI era. The ads feature relatable scenarios—from a freshman to a maid‑of‑honor—showcasing Snapdragon‑powered devices shot on a Samsung S25 Ultra and edited on Snapdragon laptops. The brand’s push has already lifted Snapdragon to No. 38 on Kantar’s BrandZ 2025 list, outpacing icons like Nike and Disney. Qualcomm reported Q2 FY2026 revenue of $10.6 billion, underscoring the financial backdrop for the brand rollout.
Visa Names New APAC Head of Media, Social, Data, Content, and Digital Innovation
Visa has appointed Danny Irsyaduddin Osman as head of media, social, data, content, and digital innovation for its Asia Pacific division. Osman, formerly TikTok’s head of brand partnerships for Singapore and hub markets, will oversee a unified strategy across more than...
How to Sell Aspiration in 2026
Brands in 2026 are redefining aspiration by blending exclusivity with inclusivity, as seen in Nike’s high‑profile women’s “So Win” campaign and American Eagle’s year‑long partnership with Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce. The Met Gala, co‑chaired by Beyoncé and Jeff Bezos, underscores...
Why Aldi, Walmart and More Are Redesigning Their Private-Label Packaging
Retail giants Target, Aldi, Walmart and regional chain Hannaford are overhauling private‑label packaging in 2024, introducing brighter colors, larger product names and unified branding. The redesigns aim to make store brands instantly recognizable on crowded shelves and to convey quality...
Google’s Suzana Ristevski Reveals How To Market The Ubiquitous
Google’s Australia‑New Zealand CMO Suzana Ristevski told the AANA × B&T Brand Masters podcast that marketing a brand as pervasive as Google requires shifting spend from traditional advertising to superior user experiences. She highlighted that while Google dominates search and sells Pixel devices,...
Antonio Lucio Joins PayPal as Chief Marketing & Corporate Affairs Officer
PayPal announced that Antonio Lucio will serve as its Chief Marketing & Corporate Affairs Officer. Lucio arrives from HP, where he led a global marketing transformation, and brings prior stints at Meta, Visa and PepsiCo. The hire signals PayPal’s push...
Office Seeding Is the Next Big Thing.
Recent brand activations illustrate how viral moments are being transformed into measurable sales growth. Claire’s comeback campaign, Swan Beauty’s Bachelorette trip, and Acquired Style’s Phe Phe St. Barths line each leveraged social buzz to launch new products and capture consumer spend. Meanwhile,...
Bozoma Saint John Calls Out Andy Cohen on Bravo Reunion, Spotlighting CMO Turnover Debate
Bozoma Saint John interrupted Andy Cohen’s Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion to call out his skeptical facial expression after she warned that CMO tenures average three years. The Instagram‑posted showdown turned a reality‑TV moment into a public discussion of...
Four Michigan Bruegger’s Bagels Stores Rebrand as Einstein Bros. Amid Panera Brands Rollout
Bagel Brands, under Panera Brands, will convert four Michigan Bruegger’s Bagels stores into Einstein Bros. Bagels, raising its state footprint from 17 to 21 locations. The remodels, slated for a four‑to‑five‑week closure, feature the “Elevate the Morning” design and a...
ITRH Shifts to Maximalist Indian Couture, Launches Global Push
Co‑founders Mohit Rai and Ridhi Bansal announced a strategic pivot for ITRH, moving the label toward a maximalist aesthetic that fuses traditional Indian crafts with contemporary silhouettes. The shift coincides with the brand’s Dubai Fashion Week debut and a new...
Syngene International Names Abhijit Zutshi as Chief Commercial Officer to Drive Global CRO Growth
Syngene International Limited has appointed Abhijit Zutshi as Chief Commercial Officer. The 27‑year pharma veteran will oversee sales, marketing, client partnerships and digital initiatives, positioning the contract research organization for accelerated revenue growth and expanded global reach.
McDonald's Rolls Out Six New Drinks and Susan Alexandra Fashion Collab
McDonald's introduced six new beverages nationwide and partnered with designer Susan Alexandra on a limited‑edition beaded drink‑carrier collection, both launching on May 6. The moves signal a strategic push to make drinks a primary draw and extend the brand into lifestyle...
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Pay $10 Million to Sponsor 2026 Met Gala, Sparking Boycott
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos have pledged at least $10 million to become the primary sponsors and honorary chairs of the 2026 Met Gala. The deal, which places the billionaire couple front‑and‑center with Anna Wintour, has ignited boycott campaigns and...
Muthoot Group Elevates Abhinav Iyer to Chief General Manager, Marketing & Strategy
The Muthoot Group announced the promotion of Abhinav Iyer to Chief General Manager – Marketing & Strategy after more than a decade with the conglomerate. Iyer, who joined in 2014 and most recently served as General Manager, will now steer...
Crypto.com Leads Miami Grand Prix as F1’s Official Sponsor
Crypto.com is front‑and‑center as the title sponsor of the Miami Grand Prix, with the race taking place at the newly built Miami International Autodrome at Hard Rock Stadium. The branding splash coincides with a celebrity‑filled weekend that included Mexican driver...
Stagwell Appoints Lena Petersen as Chief Brand and Communications Officer as Q1 Revenue Hits $704M
Stagwell announced that Lena Petersen has joined the senior team as Chief Brand and Communications Officer as the company posted a record $704 million first‑quarter revenue, up 8%. The move signals a deeper focus on brand strategy within a firm that...
Marketers Accelerate AI Adoption, Driving Revenue Gains and New Creative Workflows
CMOs are rapidly integrating AI tools, with Stagwell’s AI‑enabled platforms lifting Marketing Cloud revenue 5.3% to $26.5 million and Digital Transformation sales up 9%. Product marketers cite a shift toward system‑oriented roles, while AI‑driven image‑to‑video tools become standard for quick‑turn content....
Garrett Kappel Calls for Purpose‑Driven, Measurable Marketing as New Growth Standard
Garrett Kappel, a veteran growth marketer, announced that companies are abandoning generic, volume‑focused tactics in favor of purpose‑driven strategies tied to clear metrics. The shift, he argues, creates more disciplined campaigns and measurable business impact.
DMR/Interactive Elevates Tony Bannon to EVP, Strategy and Growth
DMR/Interactive announced the promotion of Tony Bannon to Executive Vice President, Strategy and Growth. The move underscores the agency’s focus on AI‑powered audience insights and expanding revenue opportunities for its clients.
Apple Corps Appoints Lux Paterson as Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer
Apple Corps Ltd. unveiled a new executive lineup, naming Lux Paterson as chief strategy and marketing officer and confirming Tom Greene as chief executive. The reshuffle signals a strategic push to modernize the Beatles' brand and secure its future revenue...
Do You Still Need a Full-Time CMO Now That AI Commoditized Marketing?
AI has turned routine marketing execution into a commodity, flooding the market with generic content and eroding brand differentiation. Surveys show 68% of B2B buyers can’t distinguish AI‑generated brands, and 63% say AI increases noise. In this environment, a full‑time...
A McDonald’s Executive Takes You Inside the Viral Grimace Shake Trend and How the Burger Giant Dealt with It
The purple Grimace Shake, launched in June 2023, sparked a TikTok craze where users pretended to die after drinking it. The meme amassed 2.9 billion views and helped McDonald’s lift quarterly sales by roughly 10%. Senior marketing director Guillaume Huin later...
Backstage With Chief Marketer: Chief Growth and Marketing Officer Esi Eggleston Bracey at POSSIBLE 2026
Chief Growth and Marketing Officer Esi Eggleston Bracey, a former Unilever CMO and two‑time Forbes World’s Most Influential CMO, spoke at POSSIBLE 2026 about her upcoming AMA Marketer of the Year award, cultural leadership, and the evolving role of AI....
ZDNET Calls for Five AI Shifts to Deliver Real Value for Marketers
ZDNET’s latest trend piece identifies five strategic AI shifts marketers must adopt to generate real business value, warning that simple productivity gains are insufficient. The article cites CIOs and analysts who stress outcome‑based KPIs, operational benefits, cross‑functional collaboration, data foundations,...
Winnebago Adds Dick’s Marketing and E-Com Exec to Board
Winnebago Industries appointed Emily Silver, senior vice president of marketing, e‑commerce and athlete experience at Dick’s Sporting Goods, as an independent director on its board. Silver will also sit on the technology and human resources committees. Her résumé includes 16...
Atlanta Journal‑Constitution Launches Inaugural Subscriber Week to Boost Engagement
The Atlanta Journal‑Constitution announced its first Subscriber Week, running May 10‑16, featuring a slate of exclusive events, giveaways and behind‑the‑scenes tours. Chief marketing officer Amie Green says the program is designed to meet subscribers where they are and reinforce the paper’s...
J. Jill Names Coach Vet as Chief Marketing Officer
J. Jill appointed former Coach North America marketing VP Kimberly Wallengren as chief marketing officer, effective April 27. The retailer posted a fourth‑quarter net sales decline of 3.1% to $138.4 million, with comparable sales down 4.8% but direct‑to‑consumer revenue rising 2.6% to 53.5%...
Paloma Partners Cuts Nearly Dozen Staff, Including CMO, After Firm‑Wide Revamp
Paloma Partners announced the departure of nearly a dozen employees, among them its chief marketing officer and chief strategy officer, following a firm‑wide revamp that reshaped its leadership, technology and operations. The hedge fund now manages roughly $1.1 bn and is...
Premium Body Care Brand Uni Appoints New Global CMO
Australian body‑care brand Uni has hired Heather Fisher, the former chief marketing officer of Fenty Beauty, as its global CMO. Fisher brings nine years of experience scaling Fenty across 17 countries and pioneering influencer‑driven campaigns. Uni, launched in 2022 and...
Ad Council and NHTSA Unveil 'Never Happens' Hot‑Car Safety PSAs
The Ad Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched new public‑service ads on May 1, 2026 as part of the "Never Happens" campaign. The pro‑bono effort, developed by agency Chemistry, targets parents and caregivers to stop child heatstroke...
Marketers on the Move: Hires and Exits at Chipotle, PayPal, Overtime, and More
Chipotle announced the appointment of Fernando Machado, former Burger King CMO, as chief brand officer to spearhead its “Recipe for Growth” 2026 turnaround. Machado will focus on authentic storytelling, product development, and guest experience. PayPal hired veteran marketer Antonio Lucio...
Merkle MENA Elevates Mankani to Head of Integrated CXM Strategy
Merkle MENA, the dentsu‑owned CXM specialist, has promoted Deepak Mankani to Head of Integrated CXM Strategy. In his expanded role he will fuse analytics, CRM, experience design, search and Gen AI into a single strategic framework. The appointment also includes building...
Bath & Body Works Appoints First Chief Brand & Product Officer
Bath & Body Works has added Veronique Gabai-Pinsky to its executive team as the retailer’s inaugural chief brand and product officer. The move supports the company’s “Consumer First Formula” aimed at reviving growth after a Q4 sales dip.
Apogee Metals Names Rama Menon VP of Product Marketing
Apogee Architectural Metals has appointed Rama Menon as vice president of product management and marketing. Menon will lead growth for the company's North American brands—including Alumicor, EFCO, Linetec, Tubelite and Wausau Window—while reporting to President Troy Johnson. He brings more...
Hisense CMO Leans Into Hosting Message, Not Just Sports
Hisense’s new "Out Host With Hisense" campaign pivots from product specs to the experience of hosting, using the FIFA World Cup as a launchpad. A survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers showed 71% consider upgrading their TV after watching a game...
PayPal Hires Antonio Lucio as CMO Amid Three‑unit Reorganization
PayPal announced Antonio Lucio as its new chief marketing and corporate affairs officer while reorganizing into three distinct units—Checkout Solutions, Consumer Financial Services, and Payment Services. The move is the first major action by CEO Enrique Lores to streamline the...
Lactalis Canada Appoints Sales and Marketing Leadership for Cheese and Tablespreads
Lactalis Canada has appointed Ola Machnowski as vice president of marketing and Vish Aggarwal as vice president of sales for its Cheese & Tablespreads division. Machnowski arrives from SharkNinja after senior stints at The Hershey Company, Unilever and GSK, while...
Zoom Has a ‘SWAT Team’ to Stand Out on ChatGPT and Gemini
Zoom has assembled a cross‑functional SWAT team to dominate search results within large language models such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini. The effort, dubbed generative engine optimization, aims to turn Zoom’s 99% brand awareness into a stronger perception advantage across...
Citi Launches AI‑powered Virtual Wealth Advisor, Citi Sky, for High‑net‑worth Clients
Citi introduced Citi Sky, an AI‑driven avatar that can hold live voice and video conversations with wealth‑management customers. Built on Google’s Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform and DeepMind models, the tool will debut this summer for Citigold clients holding at least...
Brainstorm Marketing Names Syed Kaiwan Hashmi as MD
Brainstorm Marketing Management has named Syed Kaiwan Ali Hashmi as Managing Director for the Middle East. Hashmi will operate from a new Dubai office and oversee the agency’s expansion across the GCC, including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and...
Netflix Adopts TikTok‑style Tactics, Stays Distinct
Netflix is trying to take a page from TikTok - without becoming TikTok. A top exec explains: https://t.co/ut0xElf6xR
Antonio Lucio Joins PayPal as CMO Amid Massive Restructure
PayPal has appointed Antonio Lucio as chief marketing and corporate affairs officer as part of a sweeping reorganization announced April 29. The restructure splits the company into three operating units—Checkout Solutions and PayPal, Consumer Financial Services and Venmo, and Payment...
Amtrak Launches Luxury‑car‑style "The Build" Ad to Reshape U.S. Travel Mindset
Amtrak debuted "The Build," a luxury‑car‑styled TV commercial during the Kentucky Derby weekend, to reposition rail as a premium alternative to driving and flying. Chief Commercial Officer Eliot Hamlisch said the campaign is part of a broader effort to double...
CG Roxane Launches Marketing Campaign, Expands Tennessee Plant
CG Roxane, the maker of Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water, has rolled out a new integrated marketing campaign called “The Adventures of Al Pine” to humanize its brand and emphasize source integrity. At the same time, the company is expanding...
McDonald’s UK Swaps Dexter Fletcher Voiceover for Stephen Graham
McDonald’s UK has replaced Dexter Fletcher’s voiceover with actor Stephen Graham for its national advertising campaign. The change is part of a strategic push to resonate more strongly with younger consumers, particularly Gen Z and early‑millennial audiences. Graham’s distinctive, gritty...
Sol De Janeiro Promotes CMO to CEO
Sol de Janeiro has elevated its chief marketing and digital officer, Jordan Saxemard, to chief executive officer, succeeding co‑founder Heela Yang who has left the company. The appointment was announced by L’OCCITANE Group chairman Reinold Geiger, who said the change...
Gozoop HAWK Elevates Manjyot Rait to Director - Brand Reputation Management
Gozoop HAWK has promoted Manjyot Rait to director of brand reputation management, marking his ninth year with the firm. Rait joined the agency in 2016 and has overseen high‑stakes brand crises, earning a reputation for operational rigor and people‑centric leadership....
McDonald’s Rolls Out Premium ‘Dirty Soda’ and Refresher Line to Revive Afternoon Sales
McDonald’s is debuting six new premium beverages—three fruit‑based refreshers and three crafted “dirty” sodas—across its U.S. network on May 6. The rollout targets the $100 billion beverage category and aims to lift sluggish afternoon sales while delivering higher margins than traditional fountain...
Butter Buds Names Sales, Marketing Lead for Latin America
Butter Buds Inc. has appointed Rosaura Quesada as International Sales and Marketing Manager for Latin America. Quesada brings more than 20 years of experience with the company’s Central American distributor and prior leadership roles at Univar Solutions and Chemsol. In...
LEGO Group India and Emerging Asia Marketing Lead Exits
Rohan Mathur, LEGO Group’s marketing director for India and emerging Asia, announced his departure after an 18‑year corporate career that included a two‑fold revenue increase across ten APAC markets. During his tenure he launched the globally‑scaled “Playground” campaign and localized...