Today's Marketing Pulse
McKinsey predicts agentic AI will power two‑thirds of marketing activities
McKinsey’s new report forecasts that agentic AI could drive up to two‑thirds of marketing activities, shifting AI from a productivity add‑on to a core campaign engine. Early adopters are already using generative tools, while the next wave will involve autonomous agents that coordinate decisions across workflows. The firm outlines a five‑step roadmap for implementation.
Axe Body Spray Has a Message for Young Men: Ask Out Your Crush
Axe Body Spray is leveraging the FIFA World Cup to spark real‑world connections, offering 82 tickets—including two private‑suite seats—for young men who post TikTok videos asking out their crushes in over‑the‑top game‑day attire. Participants can enter once per day over a six‑week period, generating continuous user‑generated content tied to the tournament’s U.S. return. The brand cites a 2023 survey showing 45 % of men aged 18‑25 have never approached a woman in person, positioning the sweepstakes as a confidence‑building tool. Axe frames the stunt as both a marketing boost and a social‑impact initiative.
Transparency: Sponsorship Fuels New AI Project Amid Financial Strain
Why did Scoble sell out? I'm starting to get a lot more sponsors who are willing to pay me to introduce their companies to you. You'll see more later today. I just wanted to say a few words about this. First: thank...
YouTube Tests Showing Creator Posts in Your Shorts Feed
YouTube is piloting a new format that places creator Posts—image carousels with up to ten pictures, text overlays, and royalty‑free music—directly inside the Shorts feed on its mobile app. The test, rolling out globally to a limited user group, aims...
Stop Waiting for Insights. Build the System That Produces Them
Marketing leaders often centralize customer data expecting instant insights, but they end up with clean dashboards that lack actionable guidance. The article argues that insight emerges only when data is coupled with a systematic execution engine that captures response metrics...
March 2026 Core Update Far Less Volatile Than December
I think they are smoking something over at SEL 🤣 -> March 2026 Google core update more volatile than December — here’s what changed The March 2026 core update wasn't even close to the power of the December 2025 core update....
![How To Become The AI Search Authority In Your Company [Webinar] via @Sejournal, @Lorenbaker](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/1-812.png)
How To Become The AI Search Authority In Your Company [Webinar] via @Sejournal, @Lorenbaker
Search Engine Journal is hosting a webinar that teaches SEO leaders how to become the authority on AI‑driven search within their organizations. The session will show how to steer cross‑functional teams—PR, product, and content—to influence the data AI models trust,...
Fresh Pro Debuts Honey Watermelons Brand Refresh and New Mascot
Fresh Pro, a leading year‑round watermelon shipper, launched a refreshed Honey Watermelons brand on April 15, 2026. The refresh introduces Beezy, a farm‑inspired bee mascot, and a new consumer site, HoneyWatermelons.com, packed with videos, recipes, and interactive games. Retail‑ready tools—including an enhanced PLU...
Instant AI Answers Turn Traffic Into Conversions
If your website isn’t powered by AI yet, you’re leaving opportunities on the table. Visitors come with questions. If no one answers instantly, they leave. AI chatbots turn: traffic → conversations → conversions
Hightouch Reaches $100M ARR Fueled by Marketing Tools Powered by AI
Hightouch, a seven‑year‑old startup, announced it has reached $100 million in annualized recurring revenue after launching an AI‑powered marketing content service in late 2024. The platform integrates directly with brand assets in tools like Figma and CMSs to generate on‑brand images and...
Microsoft's Windows 11 Laptop Deal for Students Comes with a $500 Bonus - What's Included
Microsoft is offering U.S. college students a free bundle worth over $500 when they purchase a qualifying Windows 11 laptop from major retailers. The package includes a year of Microsoft 365 Premium with AI‑driven Co‑Pilot, a year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and a customizable...
The Right Way to Build an Online Community Around Your Brand
Roof Maxx, a virtual home‑improvement brand, built an internal platform and a private Facebook group to manage dealer communication and leads. By keeping the community behind a verification wall, the company avoids the legal, ethical and reputational risks of public...
How Creators Are Transforming Marketing Strategy: From Campaigns to Infrastructure with Monica Khan
Monica Khan argues that creators have moved from a campaign‑centric channel to a core piece of marketing infrastructure. Brands that embed creators in an always‑on, cross‑functional model can harvest real‑time audience insights and build lasting trust. The conversation also highlights...
Scale Budgets Gradually for Stable ROAS Gains
Almost every week, I see accounts increasing budget too fast. From $70/day to $250/day in a few days. Then performance drops. There’s always that question — “Why did scaling break it?” Because the system didn’t have stable learning. We scaled in controlled phases. ROAS recovered to...
AI Theater to Trojan Horse: Surviving the AI Adoption Pressure Cooker
Martech teams face mounting pressure to deliver AI strategies as AI spending is projected to explode from $1.4 billion in 2023 to $1.48 trillion by 2025. Gartner warns that at least 30% of generative‑AI pilots will be abandoned after proof‑of‑concept, highlighting a...
Capital One Rebrands Spark Cards Under Venture Portfolio
Capital One announced that its Spark credit‑card suite for small businesses will be folded into the Venture portfolio, adopting the Venture branding and reward structure. Existing Spark cardholders will automatically transition to the new Venture Business cards, which now earn...
Molly McPherson Analyzes 3 PR Fiascos and the Brand Mistakes Behind Them
At ADWeek’s Social Media Week, crisis‑communications expert Molly McPherson dissected three recent brand disasters to illustrate how initial responses shape outcomes. She highlighted Air Canada’s inadequate French apology after a fatal crash, Target’s retreat from DEI that sparked a Black‑consumer boycott,...
3 Practical Ways to Identify Keywords That Help Customers Find You
The article outlines three practical steps for identifying keywords that drive customer discovery: brainstorming industry‑specific and local terms, using keyword research tools, and studying competitor websites. It emphasizes that precise keyword selection underpins successful SEO, PPC, and social media campaigns....
AI Search Will Crack The Foundation Of B2B Marketing’s Accountability Model
AI‑driven answer engines are reshaping B2B buying, delivering zero‑click answers that bypass traditional marketing touchpoints. As a result, engagement metrics—long the cornerstone of marketing accountability—are falling 20‑30 %, threatening budget credibility. Forrester reports 90 % of B2B leaders now prioritize AI visibility,...
From Zero to 10K Followers in 3 Months
I grew the 𝕏 account of @vitaliidodonov from 0 to 10K followers in just 3 months. Lots of people have asked me how I did it. So I just wrote up an entire PDF explaining my strategy. If you want the full case...
AI Unifies B2B Site Pages Into Cohesive System
Most B2B websites die the same way. Someone ships a strong homepage, everyone celebrates, then every new page becomes a fresh writing project. The result is drift, repetition, and a site that does not feel like one thing. In the next live...
Emma Grede’s 4 Rules for Making Your Brand Actually Matter on Social
Emma Grede, founding partner of Skims and author of *Start With Yourself*, outlined four brand‑building rules at ADWEEK’s Social Media Week. She argues that trust and authenticity now eclipse raw follower counts, and that product excellence must precede any marketing...
Shirofune Launches AI Summary
Shirofune, a digital advertising automation platform, unveiled AI Summary on April 15, 2026. The new tool leverages generative AI to scan performance‑metric shifts and produce a concise, actionable narrative within seconds. It sits on top of Shirofune’s existing Change Analysis...
SMX Now: The Automation Drift and How to Correct Course
The SMX Now webinar will explore "automation drift" in Google Ads, where incomplete or misaligned signals cause the platform to optimize for the wrong outcomes. Ameet Khabra of Hop Skip Media will dissect a real account that saw a 417% conversion lift that...
Why Smart Brands Are Ditching Content Overload for Education-Led Marketing
Brands are abandoning the traditional content‑heavy approach as AI tools inflate output by 42% each month, leaving buyers drowning in noise. Instead, they are adopting education‑led marketing that delivers focused, decision‑supportive assets. The new model emphasizes interactive materials, stakeholder‑specific learning...
LLMs Reduce Geo Cannibalization: Favor Many Long‑Tail Pages?
Has anyone in SEO been able to validate (or disprove) the theory that content cannibalization matters LESS for GEO given that LLMs are prioritizing long-long tail pages? In other words, are there any credible studies that have shown it's better to...
Testing AI Media Buyer Before Full Autonomy at 99% Accuracy
We’re about to start testing an AI media buyer. Essentially how it’s going to work is the AI buyer will come up with optimization ideas based on correlation between in platform, our MTA and MMM. Each optimization will be manually approved by...
What Makes Content Scroll-Stopping in 2026
In 2026 the battle for attention hinges on a single element: the hook that stops the scroll. Meta reports users form an impression in just 1.7 seconds, while TikTok and YouTube Shorts show that front‑loading the core message within the...
Dometic Rolls Out Free 36‑Hour Gear‑Equipped Getaways in Los Angeles
Outdoor‑tech brand Dometic is offering 17 free 36‑hour adventures for two people in Los Angeles, complete with off‑road vehicles, camping gear and a curated Joshua Tree itinerary. The program, running April 14‑24, aims to lower barriers to nature for urban residents.
Adidas Reviews £377m Global Media Account
Adidas is conducting a review of its global media contract valued at £377 million (approximately $483 million). The current agency handling the spend is EssenceMediacom, part of WPP Media. The review could lead to a renegotiation of fees or a switch to...
Agentic AI Poised to Transform Outbound Sales, TechTarget Reports
TechTarget published a report that agentic AI will soon manage a quarter of customer interactions, as 68% of companies anticipate the technology resolving more than 25% of sales outreach. The piece cites rising consumer acceptance and a shift in performance...
Airbnb Rolls Out Airport Pickup Service in 125 Cities, Deepening Travel‑app Ecosystem
Airbnb has partnered with U.K.‑based Welcome Pickups to pilot airport transfer bookings inside its app across 125 cities in Asia, Europe and Latin America. The service, priced up‑front with no extra Airbnb fee, aims to keep travelers inside the platform...
Puma Launches AI Concierge ‘Dylan’ in Las Vegas Store to Boost Growth
Puma introduced an AI‑driven digital human named “Dylan” on a seven‑foot screen at its Las Vegas flagship on April 13, marking a fresh tech‑centric push to revive growth. The concierge can speak 100+ languages, pull live inventory data and recommend...
Five9 Names Jay Lee CMO to Accelerate AI‑Driven Customer Experience Strategy
Five9 announced the appointment of Jay Lee as chief marketing and growth officer. Lee will lead a unified marketing, data and revenue strategy aimed at scaling the company's AI‑driven customer‑experience platform. The move underscores Five9's push to blend human expertise...
Nike’s Reality Check
The episode examines Nike’s ongoing turnaround under CEO Elliot Hill, focusing on flat Q3 sales, investor impatience, and the brand’s struggle to craft a compelling narrative despite strong product innovation and scale. BOF analyst Mike Sykes highlights modest wins in...
How Manscaped Used AI to Evolve Beyond Ball Memes
Manscaped, famed for its ball‑trimmer humor, partnered with Consiglieri’s AI tool Clamor to break out of its meme‑centric niche as it expanded into hair and beard care. The platform monitors every social channel, decodes sarcasm and emojis, and delivers real‑time...
Cimpress Q2 2025 Earnings Show Digital Ad Spend Spike and New U.S. Print Platform
Cimpress posted 2% revenue growth in Q2 2025 while adjusted EBITDA fell $34 million, driven by weaker U.S. sales and a near‑50% jump in digital advertising costs. The company also announced a new Pixartprinting facility in Pennsylvania to launch its Upload...
Scaling Paid Media Without Burning Cash: Smarter Testing Frameworks for Modern PPC
Scaling paid media often leads to rising CPAs when spend is increased without proper testing. Teams typically outpace their learning, causing efficiency drops as they move into broader audiences. The article advocates a disciplined testing framework that isolates variables, sets...
Meta's $3B Payout Fuels New Creator Earnings Guide
Facebook shared tips to help creators maximize their earnings via the Facebook Content Monetization Program. 💰 Notable recommendations include creating original content, experimenting with different formats, and leveraging audience feedback. This comes as Meta recently announced it paid out $3...
The Idea that the Internet Is Built for People Is Crumbling. That Has Huge Implications for Your Business
Companies have long built the web for human visitors, but a new wave of AI agents is changing that premise. Protocols such as Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol, Google’s Agent‑to‑Agent and Universal Commerce Protocol, and OpenAI’s Operator are creating a standardized...
Most Online Writers Miss the One Thing that Keeps Them Fired up and Creates Die-Hard Fans and Buyers
Alex Mathers contends that most online writers miss the single catalyst that sustains enthusiasm and creates loyal fans: a clearly defined “enemy” that fuels their inner dragon. By anchoring personal branding to a purpose‑driven fight against this antagonist, creators generate...
Five Conversations That Will Elevate Your Measurement Practice
Event Marketer has partnered with the Experiential Marketing Measurement Coalition to launch a five‑part LinkedIn Live series that teaches event professionals how to measure impact across multiple dimensions. The on‑demand conversations cover measurement fundamentals, sponsor‑organizer value, data‑driven DEI, sustainability metrics,...
Rogue‑style Fan Pages Can Drive 100M Organic Views
i interviewed the agency making “fan pages” for brands. secondary accounts that feel more like a rogue employee took over than a strategy. the “arby’s boys” page generated over 100m organic views in the first six months.
Trigger Personalized Postcards Directly From Shopify Flow
"Shopify Flow + PostPilot: PostPilot now works natively inside Shopify Flow. Trigger postcards on any customer behavior." Example: "A postcard landing when a customer hits a VIP spend milestone..." I always read @drewsanocki's newsletter for these @getpostpilot updates. https://t.co/UxEsZHNOe4
From Clicks to Confidence: How Brands Validate PPC Performance Without Flawed Attribution
Brands are moving beyond flawed click‑through attribution to validate PPC performance with layered metrics. Cross‑device journeys and privacy‑driven data gaps make single‑model attribution unreliable, prompting marketers to blend CAC, new‑customer rates, LTV and payback periods. Incrementality tests, geo‑holdouts, and Marketing...
Microsoft Offers Free 365, Game Pass with Student Laptops
Microsoft's response to the MacBook Neo is free Microsoft 365 Premium and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions. A bunch of discounted Windows laptops are going live today for students, with free subscriptions. All the details 👇 https://t.co/rx59ceJBQr
Get Ready for AI Shopping and SEO Evolution
How to Prepare for AI Shopping & the Future of E-commerce SEO with Tim Resnik Post: https://t.co/yXnT36Bq2w https://t.co/UjNxYRqOrx
Spotify’s “Wrapped” Branding Influence … Wrapped
Spotify’s annual Wrapped feature has transcended music, spawning a branding meme that other companies now mimic to showcase personalized year‑in‑review data. The trend includes direct adoptions like Mastodon’s “Wrapstodon,” Tax Wrapped’s government‑spending visualizer, and LinkedIn’s advertiser summaries, as well as...
Prepare Your Store for AI-Driven Shopping and SEO
New: How to Prepare for AI Shopping & the Future of E-commerce SEO Google, OpenAI, Amazon, and seemingly every platform are introducing new protocols + data feed attributes for folks who sell things online But what should folks in e-commerce do now?...
Meta Events Manager Faces Random Purchase Outages, Performance Plummets
We are seeing purchase outages left and right on Meta events manager with some of the worst performance in the last 3 days. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason here.
LLMs Now Power the Top of Your Funnel
Your funnel didn’t break. It moved. Alexis Pratsides shares why the top of the funnel now lives inside LLMs—and what that means for your metrics, strategy, and expectations. Watch the interview 👉 https://t.co/sfL6UrxsKt @FINNPartners #healthcaremarketing #hcmktg