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 all marketing functions, shifting AI from a productivity add‑on to a core strategic engine. The analysis notes early adopters are using generative tools, while the next wave will involve autonomous agents that orchestrate decisions across workflows, guided by a five‑step implementation roadmap.
McDonald’s Türkiye Introduces Video Game-Changing Promotion
McDonald’s Türkiye launched a Pro Gamer Menu that bundles a Big Mac, fries, onion rings, Coke and a new “Archie” controller accessory. The Archie device links analog sticks so in‑game characters keep moving while diners eat, preventing automatic kicks for inactivity. The promotion targets Turkey’s fast‑growing gaming segment, which now exceeds $1 billion in value and includes roughly 50 million active players. McDonald’s operates about 320 restaurants nationwide, positioning the chain at the intersection of quick‑service and digital entertainment.
Organic Content Fuels Massive Value, Not Just Reach
Organic content builds fandom. Paid media builds reach. They're not the same thing. The Dodgers generated $101M in social media value last season via organic content alone. When the content team stops being a support function and becomes the revenue...
WHOOP Becomes Official Health and Performance Wearable for UAE Team Emirates Through 2027
WHOOP announced a two‑year partnership naming it the official health and performance wearable of UAE Team Emirates – XRG through 2027. The deal gives the cycling powerhouse access to WHOOP’s strain, recovery and heart‑rate analytics, while broadcasting the data to...
Louis Vuitton Unveils Expanded Color Blossom Collection with Ana De Armas and Ouyang Nana Campaign
Louis Vuitton has broadened its Color Blossom fine‑jewelry line with a global campaign fronted by Ana de Armas and Ouyang Nana. The expansion introduces a deep‑blue sodalite stone and celebrates 130 years of the iconic Monogram, signaling a shift toward...
Volkswagen Group Unveils AI‑Driven "In China, for China" EV Campaign at Beijing Media Night
Volkswagen Group launched its "In China, for China" electric‑vehicle campaign at the Auto China 2026 media night in Beijing, unveiling four world‑premiere models and AI‑powered marketing systems. The rollout underscores the Group’s push to release a new vehicle every two...
Code Ninjas Hires Tyler Semerdjian as CMO to Power Global Franchise Growth
Code Ninjas announced Tyler Semerdjian as its new chief marketing officer. The 15‑year marketing veteran will steer a global strategy aimed at modernizing the brand’s infrastructure, improving enrollment at more than 350 centers, and expanding the franchise footprint. His prior...
AI Influencers Will Outpace Humans, Dominating Brands by 2028
By the end of 2026, an AI character will have a more loyal fanbase than 99% of human influencers. By 2028, brands will spend more on AI influencers than on real ones. What shocks me the most is FanproStudio ability to...
Haus Survey: Half of Marketing Leaders Can’t Explain ROI Measurement
The inaugural Decision Confidence Index surveyed 500 U.S. senior marketing and finance leaders and found only half can clearly articulate how they measure marketing ROI to the board. While 90% believe marketing drives growth, 35% say more than a fifth...
Market Yourself, Not Just Interview Answers
Don't Be the Best Interviewee. Be the Best Marketer. Most people prep for AI job interviews by practicing answers. That's sales — and by then, there's very little leverage left. The real game is marketing: your GitHub repos, your README files, your...
Kohl’s Spotlights Tek Gear Private Label at a Tough Time for Activewear
Kohl’s has enlisted U.S. women’s soccer star Carli Lloyd to front a spring‑summer campaign for its Tek Gear activewear label. The brand, highlighted as one of Kohl’s best‑performing private labels last year, is being promoted alongside the comedic “Kohl’s Mom” character to...
Block Launches Managerbot, a Proactive AI Agent for Square Sellers that Manages Inventory, Scheduling, and Marketing Autonomously
Block unveiled Managerbot, an AI‑driven agent built into Square that continuously monitors merchant performance and recommends actions for inventory forecasting, staff scheduling, and marketing campaigns. Unlike Square’s prior reactive chatbot, Managerbot operates proactively, suggesting changes before sellers request them. The...
Medialister Opens Editorial Media Marketplace to AI Agents with MCP Server
Medialister, a PRNEWS spin‑off, launched a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that lets AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini query its editorial media marketplace directly. The platform replaces the decades‑old email‑heavy workflow with a searchable, automated hub where...
Google Says Page Weight Is Not a Reliable SEO Metric because Raw Size Doesn’t Reveal Whether Data Is Useful or...
Google’s search quality engineers Gary Illyes and Martin Splitt said that raw page weight is a poor SEO metric because much of the increase in median page size—from 845 KB in 2015 to 2.3 MB in July 2025—comes from structured data, metadata,...
Ex-Warburtons Boss Quits Big Food to Launch Healthier Kids’ Snacking Brand
Former Warburtons chief executive has resigned from the multinational food sector to found a new brand focused on healthier snacks for children. The venture aims to replace sugar‑laden products with nutrient‑rich alternatives, leveraging the founder’s extensive bakery and distribution experience....
AI Creative Tools in Google Ads
Google has launched Asset Studio, an AI‑powered creative suite inside Google Ads that lets advertisers generate and edit images and videos with simple text prompts. The tool can produce lifestyle product shots, turn a single photo into a 5‑second video,...
Hannaford Refreshes Private Label Packaging Across Portfolio
Hannaford Supermarkets is rolling out a refreshed private‑brand packaging design, beginning in select markets in 2026 with a full portfolio rollout slated for 2027. The new look, driven by customer feedback, aims to make products easier to spot, convey clearer...
Google Ads Testing New Layouts for Multi-Location GBP Assets?
Google Ads is piloting new ad formats for Google Business Profile (GBP) location assets. The test introduces a vertical layout that displays individual location reviews alongside directions, exposing each store’s rating rather than a single brand score. A second variation...
Why CPA Firms Risk Losing Influence Before the First Conversation
CPA firms face a new competitive threat as AI‑driven answer engines now dominate how prospective clients discover accounting, tax and advisory services. Research shows nearly 60 percent of Google searches end without a click and overall search volume has dropped 20 percent,...
Coca-Cola Revives ‘Hilltop’ Commercial and Releases Limited-Edition America250 Cans
Coca‑Cola has revived its iconic 1971 “Hilltop” ad with a gospel‑inspired remake called “Drink in America,” produced by WPP Open X and Ogilvy. The brand teamed with the America250 Commission for a nationwide 2026 campaign and introduced 52 limited‑edition mini‑cans, each...
Dunkin’ Exits an Entire Market in 2026 After 14 Years
Dunkin' will cease operations in India when its franchise agreement expires on Dec. 31, 2026, ending a 14‑year presence. Jubilant FoodWorks, the Indian franchisee, reported that Dunkin' contributed only 0.61% of its revenue in FY2025 and posted a loss of...
Mastercard and PayPal Veteran Jill Cress Is Babylist’s First CMO
Babylist, the online baby‑registry platform, reported $750 million in revenue and 45% year‑over‑year growth, prompting the hire of veteran marketer Jill Cress as its first chief marketing officer. Cress, who previously led consumer strategy at Mastercard and marketing at National Geographic, PayPal,...
Eco-Friendly or Budget-Friendly Hotels? How To Market to Travelers Who Want Both
In 2026 sustainability has become a mainstream expectation for travelers, yet price sensitivity remains high. The TravelBoom Leisure Travel Study shows 21.8% of guests are willing to pay more for eco‑friendly hotels, while 45% are cutting back on dining and...
B2B Buyers Prefer AI Search; Marketers Still Blind
94% of b2b buyers now use ai during their purchase process, per forrester's 2026 survey of 18,000 buyers. ai search traffic converts at 14.2% vs google organic at 2.8%. that is 5.1x, per averi's analysis of 680 million citations. 84% of b2b...
David Melhado of Jive Records: Brands Need to Find Artists Before Their ‘Tipping-Point’ Moment
David Melhado, co‑president of Jive Records and former UnitedMasters executive, advises brands to seek authentic partnerships with musicians before they reach a tipping‑point moment. He stresses that genuine alignment, not just financial incentives, creates campaigns that resonate with audiences. Melhado...
Can the World Cup Solve Nike’s Problems?
Nike’s third‑quarter earnings revealed an 11‑year low in its stock, underscoring a disconnect between the brand’s product slate and consumer demand. Rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions are inflating supply‑chain costs, forcing the company to consider price passes. To revive...
Assemble’s Lara Vandenberg on Rethinking Marketing Teams for a Faster, Fragmented World
Assemble CEO Lara Vandenberg told the Brave Commerce podcast that traditional marketing orgs are collapsing in favor of flexible, on‑demand talent models. She highlighted that the primary bottleneck is not a shortage of skilled marketers but fragmented systems that hinder...
Two Low‑Cost Newsletter Platforms That Work With BookFunnel
I did a little research today to see what newsletter platforms integrate with bookfunnel and don’t require your left arm and right shoe to afford. I found 2. Now I don’t have experience with these companies but they are legit. Email...
KFC’s Colonel Dances in the Name of Affordable Fried Chicken in New Ads
KFC introduced a new music‑driven campaign featuring the single “Finger Lickin’ Machine,” starring Colonel Sanders dancing to promote its Value Feast menu. The ad includes an extended music‑video style spot and limited‑edition physical copies handed out in Los Angeles to...
Data Dominion: How Zeta Global Cracked the AI Code for the Next Generation of Martech
Zeta Global, led by CEO David A. Steinberg, has positioned its AI‑first data platform as a core infrastructure for marketers, now serving 51% of the Fortune 100. The company launched Athena, a voice‑enabled AI copilot built with OpenAI, after proving that...
AI Dismantles Agency Middlemen in Creator Economy
The creator economy just had its Uber moment. 30% agency cuts on a $5,000 brand deal = $1,500 gone to someone who forwarded three emails. An AI that knows your niche, pitches brands, and handles your inbox for free for a month...
Pipeline Integrity: How Hidden Revenue Leaks Sabotage Growth
Growth‑stage companies often see a seemingly healthy pipeline that fails to convert, leaking 15‑25% of potential revenue. The article identifies five common sources of leakage, with definitional drift of MQLs, SQLs and stage labels identified as the root cause that...
Tenant Turner Releases AI Virtual Agent Beta to Automate Lead Conversations and Schedule Showings Faster
Tenant Turner has launched a beta version of its AI Virtual Agent, a conversational tool that automates routine prospect inquiries and pre‑qualification for rental listings. The agent operates 24/7 via a web widget and SMS, instantly answering common questions and...
Dollar Shave Club Swipes at Competition in First Women’s Grooming Push
Dollar Shave Club announced a new women’s razor and grooming line, entering a market valued at roughly $1.8 billion. The launch is backed by a dual‑track ad campaign: a traditional filmed spot and an AI‑generated video that lampoons pastel‑laden competitors. CEO...
AI Agents Slash Costs, Boost Pipeline, Transform Work
A few magical @openclaw experiences: - Saving me $500k off of a simple finance query. - Finds PQLs swimming around in our products, email lists, etc. and finds the angle to reach out to them and surface more pipeline - Performance intelligence that...
Meta's Internal Metrics Wildly Overstate Actual View Counts
Meta's in platform numbers are super off. If you're relying on in platform buckle up. View is over-reporting a lot. Fun times.
LeadG2 Finds ‘AI Adoption Without Impact’ Gap In Revenue Teams
LeadG2’s new report reveals that while 100% of surveyed revenue leaders are using or piloting AI, only 12% have embedded it deeply into daily workflows. The study of 154 executives highlights persistent gaps in messaging consistency, training, and system integration,...
Mueller Slams Self‑proclaimed SEO Gurus as Imposters
Google’s Mueller On #SEO Gurus Who Are “Clueless Imposters” https://t.co/fvNdNLmxBj via @martinibuster, @sejournal Spot on. I've never called myself a "guru."
ABM: Build a System Around Your Top Deals
ABM isn’t just targeting accounts. It’s building a system around your most important deals. Saul Marquez breaks it down into three layers... 👀👇 Watch the full interview for a deeper breakdown: https://t.co/I8eCvTnUvZ @OutcomesRocket #ABM #hcmktg https://t.co/HbSBiwaHLs
TikTok and HubSpot Launch Native Integration to Manage Paid and Organic TikTok Campaigns Alongside CRM Data in One Place
TikTok and HubSpot have deepened their partnership by launching a native integration that embeds TikTok’s ad management, lead generation, and organic content tools directly within HubSpot’s Marketing Hub. Marketers can now run paid campaigns, build audiences from CRM data, enable...
AI Overviews Cut Traffic, Yet Signups Remain Stable
AI overviews killed Parseur's traffic but signups didn't drop. Product searches still drive website visits. Their take: AI SEO recommendations look like Google's playbook from 10 years ago. https://t.co/KGKWrFOFAz
Turn Top LinkedIn Posts Into Endless Scheduled Variations
Remixing your greatest hits has never been easier. https://t.co/kiPTom1dLi's Chrome Extension: 1) Pulls your successful posts from LinkedIn 2) Analyzes the bangers 3) Gives you 4-5 different alternatives in your voice 4) Lets you schedule them to go live in the future Create once. Distribute...
SEO vs "GEO" / AEO: Stop Choosing Sides!
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is gaining buzz, but it rests on traditional SEO fundamentals. Search engines still power large language models, so without SEO‑optimized URLs, LLMs can’t retrieve brand content. Core SEO tactics—keyword research, content optimization, site architecture, and link...
Unexpected, Emotional, Organic: The Formula for Killer Ad Hooks
What makes a great ad hook? ✔️ The unexpected ✔️ Tapping into negative emotion ✔️ Feels organic I leaned into all three with this one for Lineage Provisions. What do you think? 👇 https://t.co/tb5Q4KcIOm
Drumstick Teams with WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes for New Creative Platform
Drumstick has teamed with WWE superstar Cody Rhodes to launch a new creative platform, "Lick it. Flip it. Drumstick it." The campaign, timed for WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, combines a national TV spot, social media content, and the return of the...
fullthrottle.ai® Expands Into Audio With Premium Inventory, Streamlined Activation, and Unified Measurement
fullthrottle.ai has added audio advertising to its platform, giving marketers direct access to premium streaming and podcast inventory, including iHeartMedia. The new capability lets brands plan, activate, and optimize audio campaigns within the same workflow used for CTV and display,...
Trustpilot Launches New Features to Help Brands Get Found and Chosen in the Age of AI
Trustpilot unveiled a new AI‑focused product suite designed to keep brands visible and credible as generative AI drives the buyer journey. The offering, built around the “3Rs” of Recency, Relevance and Ranking, adds real‑time review collection, an invitation optimizer and...
In-Store Marketplace Launches New Framework for In-Store Media Success
In-Store Marketplace (ISM) partnered with Catalyst Media Consulting to publish research exposing a critical measurement gap in in‑store media, where brands, retailers, agencies, and retail media networks (RMNs) use divergent metrics. The study argues that applying digital‑style attribution to physical...
Marriott Switches to Coca-Cola After 34 Years
Marriott Is Finally Ditching Pepsi After 34 Years — Coca-Cola Takes Over Nearly 10,000 Hotels - View from the Wing https://t.co/yaw5UTYPfU
The Campaign That Built 621 Superfans for Under $1,000
An independent artist leveraged a low‑budget "Fandom Funnel" to identify 621 superfans while spending less than $1,000. The effort produced a sold‑out listening‑party show in four hours, generated $1,100 in merchandise sales, and drove a 160% increase in the direct‑email...
Evangelion Sapporo Beer Features Eva 01 and 13 on the Cans
Sapporo Breweries has launched a limited‑edition Kuro Label beer line featuring Evangelion Units 01 and 13, with the 350 ml cans showcasing Unit 01 and the 500 ml cans displaying Unit 13. The partnership also includes a range of merchandise—coasters, tote bags, T‑shirts, and a bar glass—priced...