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.
Livpure Appoints SW Network to Handle Digital Communications
Livpure has appointed SW Network as its digital communications partner to shift the brand narrative from product‑centric messaging to a lifestyle‑led focus on health and wellbeing. The agency will develop social‑first campaigns that tie everyday water consumption to broader wellness habits. Executives from both companies stress cultural relevance and digital engagement as key drivers. The partnership aims to boost Livpure’s digital footprint and position it within the growing conversation around conscious living.
B2B Accounting Software Invests $40M in F1 Sponsorship
Did you notice who the F1 movie's main sponsor is? It's not random. Apple pulled in $40M in sponsorships for that. Here's the inside story of creating a fictional Formula 1 team and how an unsexy, boring B2B accounting software bet millions...
Brunei Tourism Names Global Agency for Digital Content and Strategy
Brunei Tourism has appointed Denver‑based ELMNTL as its first international agency of record to drive social media strategy and content production. The partnership gives ELMNTL responsibility for creative direction, paid‑media optimisation, and performance reporting across key markets, while collaborating with...
Google’s March 2026 Core Update Hit Affiliate Sites Harder Than Any Other Category
Google’s March 2026 Core Update, rolled out on March 27, dealt the steepest ranking blows to affiliate sites, with 71% of the 600,000+ pages tracked showing measurable drops. The update followed a spam‑targeted sweep and re‑evaluated rankings without link‑spam signals, exposing thin,...
Rodd & Gunn Appoints The Thoughtful Agency for Full-Service Digital Performance in Australia
Rodd & Gunn, the New Zealand premium menswear brand, has appointed The Thoughtful Agency as its full‑service digital performance partner for the Australian market. The collaboration will manage the brand’s e‑commerce operations and its hospitality division, The Lodge Group, delivering...
INTERVIEW: How Wayfair Uses Creators and TikTok to Drive Growth
Wayfair is leveraging TikTok creators and influencer‑driven content to fuel its next growth phase, positioning social platforms as the primary discovery engine for home‑ware shoppers. The company pairs inspirational videos with personalized product curation, encouraging users to explore multiple style...
Scaling Success: How AI Is Reshaping Publisher Deals
Advertisers and publishers are turning to contextual AI to replace static private marketplace (PMP) deals with dynamic, real‑time audience expansion. Illuma’s AI analyzes live content consumption, scaling reach while preserving relevance without relying on cookies or personal identifiers. A pilot...
MLS Pens New Deal to Get Greater Insights Into Brand Exposure and Fan Engagement
Major League Soccer has inked a multi‑year agreement with Vision Insights to integrate its Decoder Media platform, an AI‑driven tool that scans broadcasts and flags sponsor logos in real time. The system will generate a visibility index for MLS and...
Publicis and Microsoft Plot Business-Wide AI Solution
Publicis Groupe and Microsoft are deepening a decade‑long partnership by creating a full‑stack, AI‑powered marketing platform that combines Microsoft Fabric, Azure and Publicis’ Epsilon data. The deal awards Microsoft an estimated $2 bn global media account to Publicis without a formal...
Daily Newsletter Is Telegraph’s ‘Biggest Source of Subscribers’ One Year After Launch
One year after its April 2025 launch, the Telegraph’s flagship daily newsletter “From the Editor” has become the publication’s largest source of new paying subscribers. The email reaches over 850,000 readers each morning and boasts a total audience of more...
Why Brand Architecture Is Everything in Nation Branding: Lessons From India
India’s nation‑branding strategy has shifted from a single "Incredible India" narrative to a house‑of‑brands model that lets each state craft its own identity. The transition, driven by the creation of Invest India and state‑level trade bodies, has helped attract targeted...
Nectar Social and Reddit Announce Strategic Data Partnership
AI‑native social commerce platform Nectar Social has entered a strategic data partnership with Reddit, gaining access to the Reddit Data API. The integration allows enterprise brands to pull real‑time conversations from over 100,000 Reddit communities and combine them with data...
Anchor Launches Disruptive ‘Pour Patrol’ Coffee Experience for Zero Lacto via Eleven PR + TBWA\NZ
Anchor partnered with Eleven PR, TBWA New Zealand and Sealegs to launch the Pour Patrol, New Zealand’s first amphibious coffee vessel, as part of its Zero Lacto “Welcome Back to Dairy” campaign. The barge rolled onto Auckland’s northern beaches and served roughly...
YouTube Cuts Affiliate Shopping Threshold Eligibility to 500 Subscribers as Platform Race Heats Up
YouTube announced on March 25, 2026 that creators need only 500 subscribers—down from 1,000—to join its Shopping affiliate program, which lets them tag products and earn commissions. The reduction applies across Shorts, long‑form video, and Live, but creators must still...
MINISO Hello Kitty Pop-Up to Debut at Scarborough Town Centre
MINISO is launching Canada’s first Hello Kitty and Friends pop‑up at Scarborough Town Centre, opening on April 25 and running through May 24. The temporary shop will showcase more than 500 Sanrio‑licensed items, including an exclusive Racing Club Collection plush surprise box. The...
Why Asian Chain Pizza 4P’s Believes It Can Conquer New York
Pizza 4P’s, a Vietnamese‑Japanese artisanal pizza chain, is opening its first U.S. outlet in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, marking a bold entry into New York’s fiercely competitive pizza scene. The brand, founded in 2011 and backed by a $10 million minority investment from...
Inside RTL’s Plan To Aggregate Europe’s Fragmented TV And Video Supply
RTL AdAlliance, the sales arm of Luxembourg‑based RTL Group, is consolidating Europe’s fragmented TV and video inventory into a single "total video" offering. By partnering with national broadcasters, streamers and online publishers, it aggregates over 400 million monthly viewers across linear,...
From ₹20L to 8‑Figure Months with Automated Ads
Since 2015, I’ve built 3 businesses and helped scale 9 online ventures with my team spread across India and beyond. We’ve generated over ₹150 crore in revenue. Now, I help ecommerce and business owners go from ₹20L–25L to 8 figure per month...
How Gen Z’s Personal Style Obsession Is Changing Fashion
The request references an article titled “Why Luxury Needs to Rethink How It Speaks to Gen Z” from Business of Fashion, but the provided text contains only navigation links, image captions, and related‑article teasers without any substantive content. Without the article’s body,...
SC Rebrands with Three Engine Growth Strategy
SC Asset Corp announced its first rebrand in two decades, adopting the "Beyond Residential" identity and a three‑engine growth strategy called "Reform to Perform." The plan targets THB 25.5 bn (≈$765 m) revenue in 2026, a 21% year‑on‑year increase, and aims for...
Glossier Built the Modern Beauty Playbook — Now What?
Glossier, the millennial‑born beauty brand that popularized the “clean girl” aesthetic, has entered a new era under CEO Colin Walsh, a former Ouai executive. Since his appointment, the company has slashed roughly a third of its workforce, scaled back its...
Cotopaxi Taps FP Movement to Bring Its Outdoor Gear Into Everyday Wardrobes
Cotopaxi unveiled a limited‑edition four‑piece capsule with FP Movement on April 9, aiming to attract style‑conscious women beyond its core outdoor audience. The collection—featuring a travel pack, messenger‑style bag and five‑panel hat—prices range from $45 to $150. Cotopaxi reported $150 million in...
The Washington Post’s Arc XP Adds TollBit to Help Publishers Make Money From AI Bot Traffic
The Washington Post’s Arc XP platform is integrating TollBit to let publishers block and charge AI bots that scrape their content. AI‑bot traffic has surged, with a 300% year‑over‑year rise and a ratio of one bot for every 31 human visits...
Ford, Nissan and State Farm Are Embedding Their Brands in Sports as They Chase Fandoms
Ford, Nissan and State Farm are moving beyond traditional sports sponsorships by creating original, brand‑centric content that lives within streaming and digital platforms. Ford’s "Bronco Off Course" pairs its SUV with a desert‑golf challenge, while Nissan’s "CarJitsu" stages jiu‑jitsu inside...
Peter Millar Creates Branded Suites for Two Omni Resorts
Peter Millar, the Raleigh‑based apparel brand, has teamed with Omni Hotels & Resorts to launch Peter Millar‑branded suites at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, and the Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa in Texas, both opening this month. The suites showcase cashmere blankets, custom plaid pool‑table felt,...
Michaels Partners with Jonathan Adler to Give Its Home Decor Section an Upgrade
Michaels is debuting a co‑branded home‑decor line with designer Jonathan Adler, hitting stores on April 17. The collection blends ready‑to‑display pieces with DIY‑friendly items such as paint‑your‑own ceramic vases, priced between $2.99 and $299.99. The launch follows Michaels’ broader push into...
Email SEO Best Practices for Small Businesses
Email SEO blends email marketing with search‑engine optimization to amplify an ecommerce brand’s online visibility. While email content isn’t crawled by Google, the data it generates—click‑through rates, high‑intent keywords, and shareable assets—feeds SEO strategy and drives qualified traffic. Marketers can...
Prioritize the Right Audience over Viral Reach
This reel has gotten more reach than any of my reels in years. I could keep posting content like this to appease the algorithm but it has almost nothing to do with my business. I'd rather reach less people, as...
Coca-Cola’s New Campaign Challenges Japan to Separate the Fizz From the Sizz
Coca‑Cola Japan launched the “Fizz or Sizz” campaign, a sound‑based guessing game that asks consumers to tell whether they hear the fizz of a Coke or the sizzle of karaage. The activation runs for a week across radio, digital out‑of‑home,...
Panera Bread Rolls Out $8‑$13 "Salad Stuffers" Nationwide
Panera Bread launched Salad Stuffers, a new menu category that places any of its salads inside an Italian Stuffer Roll, priced between $8 and $13. The rollout is part of the chain’s RISE transformation strategy to drive traffic and reinforce...
Meta's Muse Spark Falls Short of Leading AIs
After playing with it a bit, Meta's Muse Spark Thinking is fine so far, but really doesn't match the current Big Three models. It also is a bit... weird. Like some strange language & tone, a little loose with facts,...
How David’s Bridal Is Evolving Beyond Traditional Retail
At Shoptalk in Las Vegas, David’s Bridal executives unveiled their "Aisle to Algorithm" strategy, using large language models and the AI‑powered Pearl Planner to streamline internal workflows and personalize the bridal shopping experience. They highlighted how artificial intelligence is reshaping...
SharkNinja Powers Sales Surge Through Retail Media Campaign via Zitcha and Market Media
SharkNinja partnered with Zitcha and Market Media to run an always‑on retail media campaign across Noel Leeming’s in‑store screens, on‑site displays, EDMs and off‑site social ads. The full‑funnel effort generated more than 830,000 impressions, 6,400 clicks and delivered a return...
The Secret Behind Cult Gaia’s Cult Following
Cult Gaia, founded in 2012 as a flower‑crown label, has become a multimillion‑dollar fashion house anchored by a strong direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) model. CFO Asal Nazi reports 48% sales growth in 2024, building on 66% growth the year before, as the...
Sinch Mailgun Report: Companies Are Leaving Email Performance on the Table
Sinch Mailgun’s Email Impact Report 2026, based on 400 billion emails and a survey of 1,200+ senders, reveals that 18% of messages fail to reach inboxes, jeopardizing up to a fifth of potential ROI. While 78% of respondents deem email critical, only...
Suntory Reintroduces Lucozade Energy Grafruitti
Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I has permanently brought back Lucozade Energy Graffruitti in a zero‑sugar formulation after a wave of consumer petitions. The relaunch, supported by a roughly US$2.9 million marketing push, targets the summer season and rolls out in 500 ml...
Build a B2B Site in 3 Days with AI
Channeling Bob Ross energy this month, except the “happy little trees” are B2B website pages. I built a full B2B marketing site in three days using AI. If you want AI to work on website copy, start with audience and...
Add One Extra Offer, Earn 50% More
5 ways to monetize a paid newsletter beyond subscriptions: 1. Template packs 2. Monthly subscription 3. Paid webinars 4. Low-ticket upsells in welcome emails 5. Quarterly digital product drops Most writers would *easily* take home 50% more money just adding one of these.
Holland & Barrett Gives the Body a Voice in First Work by Lucky Generals
Holland & Barrett has launched "Back your body," its first campaign created by creative studio Lucky Generals. The ad features a whimsical choir of singing body parts, blending surreal visuals with a health‑focused message. It rolls out across television, digital...
Balancing Growth and Ethics in AI Marketing
#TimTalk - How can companies balance growth with the need to be ethical in AI-driven marketing? with Nicole Alexander https://t.co/ZkhGDrXqLy via @DLAIgnite #SocialSelling #DigitalSelling #Leadership #ArtificialIntelligence #TechNews #Marketing #MarketingStrategy #MarketingSuccess #AI
Canva Acquires Ortto, Simtheory to Complete Marketing Stack
Canva Buys the Marketing Stack It Was Missing: Ortto, Simtheory, and the Bet on Canva Grow https://t.co/u3vP4WiL3Q
#ThisWeek on MarkLives MEDIA: Nick Grubb on Kagiso Connect • #NextWeek: WhatsApp in the Media Mix
Kagiso Connect CEO Nick Grubb announced the company’s strategic move beyond its radio roots into insurance, lifestyle services, and data analytics. The shift reflects broader ad‑spend migration toward diversified, performance‑driven channels. Grubb highlighted that these new verticals will leverage the firm’s...
Tesla Launches FSD Workshops for New Owners
Tesla has started inviting new owners to "FSD Workshops" to learn more about their cars autonomous capabilities. $TSLA https://t.co/5CTYxOxqOU
#OnTheRadar: Bradshaw Joins Spar South Africa
John Bradshaw has been appointed group chief marketing officer of Spar South Africa, effective April 2026. The former Pick n Pay omnichannel head and ex‑Pepkor executive will steer Spar’s marketing strategy, emphasizing growth, AI, e‑commerce and loyalty. Bradshaw highlights the retailer’s unique model...
PayPal Partners with Meta to Enable One-Tap Checkout on Facebook without Leaving the Feed, with Instagram Coming Soon
PayPal and Meta have teamed up to embed a one‑tap checkout directly into Facebook’s news feed, letting users complete purchases without leaving the platform. PayPal will process the transactions, and the integration is slated to expand to Instagram. The deal...
Le Purée Taps Steph Claire Smith To Position The Brand As A Trusted Choice Via Willow & Blake
Le Purée has enlisted actress Steph Claire Smith as the face of its latest campaign, developed with branding agency Willow & Blake. The multi‑channel effort positions the baby‑food brand as a trusted, nostalgic yet modern choice for parents, highlighting real ingredients, whole foods,...
FreshChoice Turns City2Surf Fun Run Into a World-First Virtual Shopping Spree with ‘Add to Cart’ Launch via Dentsu Creative Aotearoa
FreshChoice partnered with dentsu Creative to turn Christchurch’s City2Surf fun run into a world‑first virtual shopping experience. RFID tags in runners’ bibs added free grocery items to a digital ‘cart’ when participants passed under prize arches. The activation culminated in...
HubSpot vs RecurPost 2026: Which Platform Actually Helps Ecommerce Brands Grow?
HubSpot Marketing Hub and RecurPost are pitted against each other as the go‑to platforms for ecommerce marketers in 2026. HubSpot offers an all‑in‑one suite that merges ads, email, landing pages, CRM data and AI‑driven automation, enabling revenue‑linked reporting. RecurPost focuses...
No Name Dishes Out ‘Grocery Goss’ in 2000s-Inspired Campaign
Loblaw’s No Name brand is rolling out a 2000s‑inspired “grocery goss” campaign that mimics tabloid journalism. The activation launches April 10‑12 with retro yellow newsboxes stocked with a free‑snack‑filled first edition of the tabloid in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. A digital hub...
Liquorland Teams up with Aussie Stars for a Campaign that Is ‘Legendary’ via Bashful
Liquorland has rolled out a new "Legendary" campaign with creative agency Bashful, starring Australian icons Andy Allen, Adam Gilchrist, Bailey Smith and Charlie Curnow. The TV commercial showcases low‑carb lager travla and low‑calorie mixed‑drink brand Barry in everyday party scenarios....