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.
MasterFoods Barbecue Sauce Takes On Fashion Week Because ‘Tomato Never Would’
MasterFoods is debuting its new "Tomato Would Never" campaign by showcasing its Barbecue Sauce at Australian Fashion Week. The activation, created by Publicis Groupe’s OneMars and agency T&P, places the sauce in backstage, front‑row and street‑style visuals alongside designer Jordan Gogos. Over the next four weeks the brand will amplify "Barbecue sightings" on TikTok, Instagram and other channels, using influencers, user‑generated content and a dedicated talent agency. The effort aims to give the sauce a distinct personality separate from the flagship Tomato line.
Contract Advertising and LupinLife Launch Film for Softovac Starring Varun Dhawan
LupinLife Consumer Healthcare has launched a digital‑first campaign for its digestive‑wellness brand Softovac, starring Bollywood star Varun Dhawan. Created by Contract Advertising, a VML Company, the film uses humor to confront the stigma of constipation and is being rolled out on...
Creator Content Drives Brands on Snapchat
Snapchat’s new report shows creator‑led ads outperform standard placements, with creator ads playing 25% longer and delivering 16% more active attention. The study finds 57% of Snapchat users follow creators to glimpse daily life, and brand‑sponsored creator content makes users...
YouTube Unveils 2026 Creator Marketing Playbook Claiming 86% Higher ROAS vs Paid Social
YouTube released its 2026 Creator Marketing Playbook on May 7, presenting data that creator‑driven campaigns generate 86% higher incremental long‑term ROAS than paid social. The document underscores the platform’s unique reach, dual‑format appeal, and creator trust, positioning YouTube as a...
Leapmotor Leverages Stellantis Deal to Accelerate European Market Entry
Stellantis deepened its joint venture with Chinese EV maker Leapmotor, adding production lines for Leapmotor’s B10 SUV at its Zaragoza plant and earmarking the Villaverde, Madrid site for future models. The move gives Leapmotor a European manufacturing base and a...
Kyber Hires Founding Marketer to Boost AI‑driven Regulatory Communications
Kyber, a Y Combinator‑backed startup that automates regulatory notices, posted a hiring call for a founding marketer to own its content and community motion. The move highlights the growing emphasis on compliance‑aware brand storytelling in heavily regulated markets.
Amazon Unveils AI‑Powered Shopping Ads Tied to Streaming TV, Reaching 90% of U.S. Households
Amazon announced a new ad offering that blends AI‑driven campaign tools, authenticated audience data and premium streaming inventory. The platform claims to reach roughly 90% of U.S. households and will power “agentic shopping” experiences across live sports and on‑demand video.
Sauce Unveils AI‑Powered Cashback Loyalty Engine, Promising Up to 30% More Restaurant Reorders
Sauce introduced Sauce Cashback, an AI‑powered loyalty feature that rewards diners with store credit on every order. Early beta data show participating restaurants can boost repeat orders by as much as 30% within weeks, while shifting up to 30% more...
How To Promote an App: Proven Mobile Growth Strategies
In today’s crowded app ecosystem, launching an app is only the first step; sustained growth requires a coordinated, data‑driven promotion strategy. The guide emphasizes app store optimization (ASO) as the foundation, then layers website banners, smart deep links, social and...
Google Study Finds Diversified Ad Mix Doubles ROAS for 25 Ecommerce Brands
A Google‑Fospha research program of 25 ecommerce brands revealed that spreading budgets across more Google channels—especially Demand Gen and YouTube—raised return on ad spend by 14% with one extra channel and 37% with two, effectively doubling ROAS versus single‑channel strategies.
Steyer Campaign Faces FPPC Probe Over Undisclosed Influencer Payments
The Fair Political Practices Commission filed a complaint alleging that Tom Steyer's campaign paid social‑media influencers without proper disclosure. The probe spotlights a growing compliance challenge as political candidates turn to influencer marketing to reach voters.
8 Ways to Use AI in Marketing, According to Anthropic’s Austin Lau
Austin Lau, Anthropic’s first U.S. growth‑marketing hire, built AI‑driven performance, SEO, and lifecycle workflows that helped lift the company’s revenue from $150 million to $7 billion in two years. In a May 13 fireside chat at the AirOps Next Conference, he outlined eight...
Meta Demands Full‑Journey Attribution and Creator Partnerships
Performance Summit Summary: Meta just sent a clear message to advertisers: the old ways of doing things are becoming outdated. If you're still measuring success with last-click attribution, focusing only on the very end of the customer journey, and treating...
Focus on Bottlenecks, Not SEO, for Revenue
Building your entire business around SEO traffic is insane now. @Neilpatel and I broke down the channels that still actually drive revenue: 00:00 - Why content collabs should be give-first 06:54 - QR codes at events still work 13:51 -...
Myntra Expands Creator Commerce Push with New Affiliate Feature
Myntra has introduced an affiliate feature within its Ultimate Glam Clan (UGC) programme, allowing creators to share personalised storefronts and earn commissions on sales. The tool activates after a creator publishes three UGC posts, expanding the platform’s creator‑led commerce model....
Automate End-to-End Product Launch Plans with /Launch-Strategy
I built a skill that plans product launches end-to-end — pre-launch buildup, launch day execution, channel strategy, messaging, and post-launch momentum. You describe your product and timeline, and it builds the full launch plan: waitlist strategy, Product Hunt prep, social blitz...
Cold Email Wins on Timing, Not Volume
Cold email is not a volume game. It's a timing game dressed up as a volume game.
Partners in Driving Brand Growth with Kroger Precision Marketing's Barbara Connors & Brian Dowey
In this episode, Barbara Connors and Brian Dowey of Kroger Precision Marketing discuss the newly unified KPM portfolio that combines insights, media, and loyalty to break down silos and drive brand growth. They explain how genuine alignment between CPG brands...
Plum Position: How Mutti Turned Tinned Tomatoes Into a Status Symbol
Italian tomato giant Mutti has become the UK’s top non‑supermarket tinned‑tomato brand, capturing nearly 11% market share after a 19% sales jump to €26.2 million (about $28.8 million) in 2025. A £6 million ($7.6 million) marketing campaign and a touring van have propelled its...
Marketing Leaders Cite Structural Shift as Platforms and Audiences Evolve
Super League and Versant executives warned that rapid changes in digital platforms and audience behavior are forcing a structural shift in marketing. They highlighted rising deal sizes, AI‑driven service models and a move toward gamified, cross‑channel consumer engagement.
Netflix Scales Ad‑supported Tier to 250 M Users, Adds 15 Markets and AI Tools
Netflix announced that its ad‑supported tier now serves over 250 million monthly active users and will roll out to 15 additional countries in 2027. The company is pairing the expansion with AI‑powered advertising tools and a slate of new originals, live...
Brondell Leverages Water Wellness and Sustainability to Redefine Home‑Care Marketing
Brondell is reshaping its consumer‑product marketing around water wellness, sustainability and lifestyle branding. Director of Marketing Geoff Dunlop says the brand’s bidet, shower and filtration lines now sit at the center of a narrative that links everyday water use to...
YouTube Upfront 2026 Rolls Out Custom Sponsorships and Creator‑Led Shows, Expanding Ad Revenue
YouTube unveiled custom sponsorship options and a slate of creator‑led series at its Brandcast Upfront, with CEO Neal Mohan and top creators like Alex Cooper and Trevor Noah fronting the announcements. The moves aim to lock brands into direct partnerships...
Dean Kadi Talks Clients Ignoring Performance Data
Dean Kadi, head of paid growth at One Link Media, recounted how a client forced the pause of high‑performing Meta ads for a premium woodworking brand in favor of heavily branded creatives. The original user‑generated content (UGC) campaign had lifted...
Google Rolls Out AI‑Powered Bidding and Budgeting Across Search, Shopping, and Performance Max
Google announced AI‑powered bidding and budgeting for its Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns. The new features—Journey‑aware Bidding, Smart Bidding Exploration, and Demand‑led Budget Pacing—aim to automate spend decisions and boost conversion volume by up to 27%. Advertisers will see...
Sony’s Panitch Calls for Cinema‑First Strategy for Japanese IP at Cannes
Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group president Sanford Panitch argued at the Cannes Film Market that theatrical windows are essential for building enduring global IP from Japanese titles. Citing Crunchyroll’s 20 million‑plus overseas subscribers and the surprise box‑office success of “Chainsaw Man,”...
TikTok World 2026 Rolls Out AI-Agent Ads Platform and Premium Formats
TikTok announced the TikTok Ads Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, an AI‑agent infrastructure that lets external AI tools create, manage and optimize campaigns without manual input. The company also launched premium ad placements, including TopReach and Branded Buzz, to boost...
Single‑Vendor Strategy Generates $51K Revenue, 2,550% ROAS
So here’s what happens for a business when you don’t have 19 vendors handling bits and pieces of your marketing. Took over this account,built a cohesive strategy across all media, (social, SEO, email) and delivered 170 new clients for $15.33...
Swap Viral Vanity for Daily, Revenue‑driven Growth
After 3 years of indie hacking, my definition of growth needed a full system reboot. The Old Code: → Viral posts → Follower count → Launch day spikes The New Code: → Consistent reps, every day → Posts that earn replies, not just likes → Revenue over vanity →...
NBC Tops Broadcast Ratings as Advertisers Shift to Sports and Cross‑Platform Reach for 2026‑27
NBC reclaimed the broadcast‑season ratings crown from CBS for the first time since 2007‑08, prompting advertisers to double down on sports‑heavy lineups and cross‑platform measurement. Executives from NBC, CBS and ABC outlined how brand‑safe inventory and multi‑screen data will steer...
Build Audience, Spot Gaps, Service First, Automate to Scale
I have done 0 to $1M ARR 3 times… …If I lost everything (again) and had to get back up (again), this is exactly what I would do: 1. Start posting organic social content about what I'm an expert in,...
Don’t Send Generic Emails — This Is the Personalization Shift That Will Boost Your Profits and Engagement
Email personalization has moved from a nice‑to‑have to a consumer expectation, with more than half of shoppers willing to share personal data for tailored messages. Data shows personalized emails deliver 82% higher open rates and generate 52% more sales than...
AI Search Is Rewriting Local SEO for Multi-Location Brands
AI-generated answers are redefining local search, turning simple “near‑me” queries into synthesized recommendations. SOCi’s 2026 Local Visibility Index shows only 1.2% of locations surface in ChatGPT, 7.4% in Perplexity and 11% in Gemini, making AI visibility up to 30 times harder...
Google’s AI Crackdown Sparks Ranking Chaos and Feature Losses
SEO Video Recap covering heated Google ranking volatility, spam policy updated to include AI, Google Discover data goes missing, FAQ rich results completely gone, Google Ads AI dashboard tease and much more https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyr8ikcmock Sponsored by @yahoo
Predictable Growth Comes From BOFU, Quality Pipeline, Revenue KPIs
Most B2B teams focus on activity. The teams that grow predictably focus on: • BOFU first • pipeline quality • buyer-focused content • demos that convert • revenue-centric KPIs That’s the difference between marketing activity and pipeline generation. https://t.co/Rd5FiBHktc
Celsius Holdings’ Plan for Acquired Rockstar Brand Takes Stage
Celsius Holdings, now the third‑largest U.S. energy drink brand, is leveraging its 2023 purchase of Rockstar from PepsiCo to broaden its portfolio. The company unveiled a "Live Loud" brand identity that blends Celsius' health‑focused image with Rockstar's aggressive, music‑and‑sports‑centric vibe....
AI Supercharges Every B2B Growth Strategy
How AI Supercharges B2B Growth Strategies: Product-Led, Sales-Led, Referral-Led, and Beyond https://t.co/r6xqjzzOYC AI isn’t a new “growth strategy.” It’s the force multiplier that supercharges every growth motion you already run (PLG, SLG, MLG, CLG, RLG, etc.) @castdotapp https://t.co/e4M3Jr2I3M
ChatGPT Referral Share Falls to 76.85%, “QuitGPT” Boosts Gemini, Perplexity and Copilot
Statcounter reports ChatGPT’s referral market share slipped to 76.85% in April 2026, the lowest since tracking began. Google Gemini rose to an all‑time high 9%, and Perplexity and Copilot reclaimed traffic, driven by the “QuitGPT” movement after OpenAI’s Pentagon deal.
Overpriced World Cup Tickets Inspire Air Transat Alternative
Air Transat, in partnership with Courage Montreal, launched a campaign that juxtaposes World Cup match ticket prices with the cost of a round‑trip flight to the host country. The ads highlight examples such as a $3,563 England match ticket versus a...
Andy Jassy Unveils $200 B AI Push to Power Amazon’s Ad and Commerce Platforms
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced a $200 billion AI spending plan, including $50 billion for OpenAI and a $13 billion stake in Anthropic, to embed generative AI across Amazon Advertising and its e‑commerce ecosystem. The move aims to give advertisers hyper‑personalized targeting while...
Why Would a Social Media Platform Tell You to Get Off Your Phone?
Pinterest launched a new brand campaign urging users to put down their phones, highlighted by a viral anthem film that has amassed over 54 million YouTube views. The initiative includes a phone‑free Coachella activation where attendees stored phones in Yondr pouches,...
Educate, Entertain, or Be Out of the Game: Marketing Award Winner Reveals Top Social Media Tips
Sunna Van Campen, winner of NutraIngredients Europe’s Marketing Initiative of the Year, explained how his startup Tonic built a 1.6 million‑strong audience on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by treating social platforms as education and entertainment channels rather than product showcases. The...
How to Find Buyer Intent Keywords for Organic & AI Search
Buyer‑intent keywords signal a shopper’s readiness to purchase and now appear in both traditional organic results and AI‑generated answers. The guide explains how these terms range from commercial phrases like “best running shoes” to transactional queries such as “buy iPhone 17.”...
Razorpay Elevates Apuarv Sethi to CMO
Razorpay, India’s leading omnichannel payments platform, has elevated Apuarv Sethi to chief marketing officer. In his new role, Sethi will steer the company’s marketing and SME growth strategy across India and Southeast Asia, emphasizing AI‑led innovations that enhance brand trust...
Coachella, Carolyn Bessette and Coach Didn’t Get the Generational Marketing Memo and neither Should You
The article argues that marketers have over‑relied on generational segmentation and should instead focus on five timeless constants that resonate across ages. These constants—lore, inclusive spaces, story‑driven identity, authentic maker ethos, and belief—drive brand relevance more than demographic labels. Real‑world...
AJIO Names 22feet Digital Agency of Record After Multi-Agency Pitch
AJIO has appointed 22feet as its Digital Agency of Record after a competitive multi‑agency pitch. The agency will oversee AJIO’s digital and social media strategy, covering content creation, campaign execution, and community engagement. 22feet’s mandate emphasizes platform‑first storytelling, social‑first campaigns,...
Lovable Just Made Discoverability a Day-One Feature
Lovable, the AI app‑builder valued at $6.6 billion, launched a day‑one discoverability suite on May 13 2026. The update adds server‑side rendering via TanStack Start, automatic pre‑rendering for existing apps, live Semrush keyword data in the builder chat, and a one‑click SEO audit that...
AI Adoption Hits 86% Among Marketers in 2025, Yet Skill Gaps Remain Wide
A Modern Retail+ survey of 142 brand and agency professionals shows AI usage among marketers rose to 86% in 2025, up from 44% in 2022. Executives warn that technical skill development has stalled, creating a gap between tool adoption and...
Taboola Finds 76% of Advertisers Seeing Gains From Agentic AI, Signals Shift to Open Web
Taboola released a survey of 200 senior performance marketers showing 76% of advertisers already see gains from agentic AI tools on search and social. Four in five would increase spend on the open web if comparable automation were available, and...
David Beckham Bends Lenovo’s AI Capabilities to the Max
Lenovo has enlisted football legend David Beckham for its "Maximum David" AI campaign, debuting a month before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The global rollout highlights Lenovo’s AI‑powered devices, solutions and services across Beckham’s ventures in sport, business, travel and...