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.
NEW Upgraded Keyword Data in SparkToro’s Audience Research Reports
SparkToro announced upgraded keyword data in its audience research reports, shifting focus from sheer comprehensiveness to relevance. The new system surfaces higher‑intent search terms while automatically filtering out off‑topic queries across verticals such as modern lighting design, Costa Rica travel, and infosec leadership. Under‑used features like SERP snippets, trending keywords, PAAs and Related Questions have been removed. The enhancement dovetails with the AI Prompt data added last month, positioning SparkToro as a more actionable, one‑stop audience intelligence platform.
Focus on One Visible Product; Timing and Margins Win
How to launch an 8 figure ecom product the right way in 2026: 1. If nobody can see your product being used in public (or in a day in the life reel), it won't spread. 2. One product, one obsession. Don’t diversify...
Building AI Tools for Viral UGC Marketing
As you know, coding now is not a problem. So... I'm going deep into UGC and MARKETING. Build tools to help me build viral content for Instagram/TikTok. Showing progress on real use-cases, what works and what doesn’t. The project is a...
United Celebrates 100 Years With Limited-Edition Vinyl Featuring Iconic “Rhapsody in Flight”
United Airlines commemorated its 100‑year anniversary by releasing a limited‑edition vinyl of its signature theme, “Rhapsody in Flight.” The record features a modern remix, a bonus track of the original song, and a zoetrope design that animates as it spins....
Semrush Data Shows Unusual Turkey Traffic Spike Anomaly
OK, let's talk turkey. No really, I mean the country. :) Semrush data looks very wonky for the country. Every site I'm checking surged through the roof for Turkey, but not for other countries. There must be some type of...
Signal Shifts: How Finance Advertisers Are Quietly Rewriting the Media Mix
Financial services advertising is undergoing a strategic overhaul as fintech firms allocate roughly 75% of their media budgets to digital channels, outpacing traditional banks’ 60% share. In the investment segment, digital spend surged 68% year‑over‑year while TV budgets contracted, prompting...
"Have Research? Want Readers?"
OTW has launched a dedicated Spine Research Hub that places orthopedic and spine research directly in front of thousands of practicing surgeons. The service promises to turn years of academic effort into measurable surgeon awareness, interest, and action. Researchers can...
“Sunshine” Is a 30-Foot-Long Animated Dachshund Sculpture
A 30-foot-long, hyperrealistic animatronic dachshund named "Sunshine" has been unveiled as a brand‑centric spectacle. The sculpture moves, wags its tail, and interacts with viewers, turning a simple dog figure into a kinetic advertising platform. Created by an unnamed production studio,...
Mekale Jackson of Under Armour: Trust the Culture and Let the Story Lead
Mekale Jackson, senior director of global social media strategy at Under Armour, leverages his 18‑year sports‑marketing background to fuse culture and storytelling across the brand’s product lines. Recent initiatives such as the Gunna x Under Armour Wunna Run 5K series and the episodic “Full...
Q&A with Lands’ End CMO on Marketing to the Modern Consumer
Lands’ End appointed Sarah Sylvester as its first chief marketing officer in over a decade, shortly after WHP Global acquired a controlling stake for $300 million. Sylvester, a former Victoria’s Secret executive, says she will start by listening to customers and...
Creator Natalie Marshall Turns $500 Deal Into Multi‑Million‑Dollar Influencer Empire
Natalie Marshall transformed a modest $500 brand deal into a creator business worth multiple millions and launched Expand Co‑Lab, a creator‑led influencer marketing agency. Her rapid rise underscores how small partnerships can be scaled into full‑service agencies in today’s influencer...
Code Ninjas Names Tyler Semerdjian CMO to Accelerate Global Franchise Growth
Code Ninjas, the world’s largest kids coding franchise, announced Tyler Semerdjian as its new chief marketing officer. The 15‑year marketing veteran will lead a global strategy aimed at modernizing infrastructure, improving enrollment at more than 350 centers, and scaling the...
Instagram Leads March Updates; TikTok Slipping, Plan April
Instagram had more updates last month than any other platform. TikTok is losing its grip. And Mosseri finally said out loud what I've been telling you for years. Here's everything that happened in social media in March, and how you should move forward...
What OpenAI’s TBPN Deal Reveals About Branded Entertainment’s Limits
OpenAI has acquired the daily tech‑talk show TBPN for a low‑hundred‑million‑dollar price, adding a platform that already generates over $30 million in ad revenue. The purchase gives OpenAI access to a roster of high‑profile tech leaders and a credible, audience‑first format...
Skip Ads, Knock Doors: Build Pipeline Faster
Most founders burn cash on ads before they knock on 10 doors. I tested a 6-step door strategy and booked more meetings in a week than a month of paid clicks. Lead with a question, map the right streets, track every talk,...
Nielsen IQ Rolls Out New US Market Intelligence Product
Nielsen IQ introduced Early Market Read, a US market intelligence service delivering weekly sales data as soon as two days after the week closes, cutting the traditional nine‑day lag. The faster reporting enables CPG manufacturers, retailers and other market participants...
Spirit Airlines Debuts Playful “Banana Plane” Liveries Celebrating Its Iconic Yellow Brand
Spirit Airlines has rolled out six special‑edition “banana plane” liveries, turning its signature bright‑yellow jets into oversized banana stickers. The first aircraft will enter service this week, with five more receiving the playful designs later in the month. Airbus is...
Coca-Cola Says ‘I’d Like to Buy America a Coke’ in America250 Campaign
Coca‑Cola has launched a year‑long America250 partnership to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday, anchored by a three‑minute anthem video titled “Drink In America.” The campaign rolls out limited‑edition bottles and the brand’s first collectible mini‑cans, each showcasing state‑specific artwork...
Callen Devises Product Hook For Hulu, Disney+ 'Drama'
Disney+ and Hulu launched “The Drama You Want” campaign, turning iconic series moments into tangible product‑like items sold on Facebook Marketplace. The initiative leverages influencers and a mix of OOH, AV, digital, and social media to boost visibility. Concurrently, Hulu...
Teneo Tees Off with Justin Rose
Teneo, a global advisory firm with about 1,800 professionals, has signed Olympic gold‑medalist golfer Justin Rose as a three‑year brand ambassador. Rose, world No. 7 and recent Farmers Insurance Open champion, will wear the Teneo logo on his left sleeve at...
The Scoop: Pepsi Drops Sponsorship of UK Music Fest After Ye Added as Headliner
Pepsi has withdrawn its presenting sponsorship of the UK's Wireless Festival after rapper Ye was added as the headliner, joining Diageo, which also announced it will not sponsor the 2026 event. Both companies issued brief statements, with Diageo noting concerns...
Octave Launches Intelligence-at-Scale Brand
Octave announced its spin‑off from Hexagon AB on March 2, unveiling a new brand identity as an independent company. The new entity consolidates Hexagon’s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence, Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial divisions along with Bricsys, ETQ and Projectmates under a single...
Top Influencer Marketing Firms for Brands and Marketers
Influencer marketing agencies remain essential for brands seeking scalable creator campaigns, with 85% of marketers rating the channel effective per the 2026 Benchmark Report. The guide evaluates five leading firms—HireInfluence, Influencer, Nine Agency, Monks, and Disrupt Agency—detailing their minimum spend,...
Kraft Heinz Becomes NFL’s First Condiment Partner In Five-Year Global Deal
Kraft Heinz has secured a five‑year global partnership with the NFL, becoming the league’s first condiment partner. The agreement places flagship brands such as Heinz ketchup, Kraft cheese, Velveeta and Philadelphia cream cheese at the heart of high‑visibility NFL moments,...
How Do You Want Your Perimenopausal Celebs: Graceful Or Funny?
Midlife health brands are turning to celebrities to spotlight perimenopause. Comedian Amy Schumer leads Midi Health’s national campaign, using humor to list symptoms such as hot flashes and low libido, while ballet star Misty Copeland fronts Thorne’s Perimenopause Complete supplement,...
Hannaford Unveils Redesigned Private Label Line
Hannaford, a banner of Ahold Delhaize USA, has launched a redesign of its private‑label packaging, swapping the previous graphics for a simpler look featuring bold red block lettering. The overhaul, which took roughly a year of consumer research, is being rolled out...
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IHOP Embraces Acronym Culture with BLT Trademark
IHOP has filed a trademark for the acronym BLTAF, standing for “Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato … And Fries,” to promote a new addition to its $6 Everyday Value Menu. The move reflects President Lawrence Kim’s “move at the speed of culture”...
ChatGPT 5.3 Upgrade Cuts URLs by 20%, Drops L
Added a note about March 4, 2026 to my algo update list. Not a Google update, but it looks like ChatGPT's upgrade to GPT 5.3 instant resulted in it showing 20% fewer urls in answers. If your LLM visits are down...
U.S. Creator Marketing Spending to Surpass $21B as Brands Move Beyond Social
U.S. creator marketing spend is projected to top $21.1 billion in 2026, more than double the 2022 level. Nano and micro‑influencers now command roughly half of that budget as brands chase audience relevance over sheer reach. Companies are repurposing creator assets...
Avoid Ghost Citations: Embed Your Brand in AI Answers
What is your "Ghost Citation" percentage by AI model? A ghost citation is when your content gets a link in an AI answer, but your brand doesn't get mentioned in the text of the answer. We saw a client's post had...
Use Reddit Trends Data to Boost SEO Insights
Are you using Reddit Pro? -> How to use Reddit Trends data for SEO *Topic Ideas *Brand sentiment *Monitor competitors *Trends and popularity https://t.co/rCR4e4Lk9j via @seosmarty https://t.co/GMd5sR5w28
Smucker’s Updates Fruit Spread Packaging For First Time In 30 Years
The J.M. Smucker Co. has launched its first visual overhaul of Smucker’s fruit‑spread jars in nearly 30 years, introducing bolder colors, larger fruit imagery, and an expanded gingham pattern that now covers the front label. Each flavor receives a distinct...
Talk to Customers, Not Just Social Media Echo Chambers
I've coached 200+ store owners. Here's the pattern: The ones who spent all day on Twitter and in Discord groups failed. The ones who spent all day talking to their customers won. Your echo chamber isn't your market. Trust nothing.
Instagram Launches TikTok‑style Shop, Reshaping Influencer Marketing
Instagram just copied a big TikTok feature. Meta now has their own TikTok Shop. It’s either gonna ruin Instagram… Or revolutionize Influencer Marketing… https://t.co/wnlWi5RDr7
ChatGPT Search Is Citing Fewer Sites, Data Shows via @Sejournal, @MattGSouthern
ChatGPT Search is citing fewer websites per response following the early‑March shift to the GPT‑5.3 Instant model. Data from Resoneo, using Meteoria’s tracking of 400 daily prompts over 14 weeks, shows average unique domains per answer dropped from 19 to...
Sequence Over Quantity: Fix Foundations Before Scaling
Most CMOs inherit a messy system. So they add more: • new campaigns • new channels • new ideas But pipeline doesn’t improve. What helps is sequence: • fix the foundation • capture high-intent demand • align messaging • clean up channels Order matters more than activity. https://t.co/DWAOnm26p8
Free Scorecard Reveals Your Content’s AI Search Ranking
Most content marketers have no idea how their content scores in AI search engines. So I built a free scorecard to make it easy. It covers everything from content depth + entity optimization to technical structure and authority. Try it: https://t.co/hulXxcwVxg https://t.co/n8EbGfoBY1
Keyword Blocking Demonetized More Than Half Of Reuters’ Brand-Safe Stories
A joint study by Integral Ad Science (IAS) and Reuters found that over half of Reuters' brand‑suitable news pages would be demonetized by typical keyword blocklists, despite meeting IAS' Context Control Targeting standards. In the news section, 54% of URLs...
Gamma Imagine Creates Professional Visuals Instantly, No Designer Needed
🚨 Gamma just made hiring a designer for every presentation completely unnecessary. It's called Gamma Imagine and it turns any idea into a professional visual in seconds. No design skills. No tool switching. No templates. https://t.co/Oq0aigotqu
Measure Conversions, Not Likes: Move Audiences Forward
The most important analytics for creators: Not: • Likes • Followers • Comments But how many people you move to the next step. The: • Stanger to a follower • Follower to a lead • Lead to a client Focus on those numbers
Amazon Turns Alexa Smart Speakers Into a $26 B Voice‑Driven Sales Engine
Amazon has repurposed its Alexa+ smart‑speaker platform into an autonomous sales channel, letting the voice assistant make purchases, run ads and share revenue with developers. The move taps a $26 B global smart‑speaker market and deepens the value of Prime subscriptions.
Reddit Beats Paid Ads on $50+ SaaS Keywords
Here’s the brutal part. On high-CPC SaaS keywords ($50+), Reddit’s win rate hits 67%. You’re paying a premium for ads. A Reddit thread is taking the organic click. The money keywords are where Reddit is strongest. https://t.co/PlWF0NT1Gq
Coca-Cola Taps Iconic Jingle Archive to Stand Out
Coca-Cola uses something only a handful of corporations can -- a massive archive of promotions that won over large audiences -- in bid to stand out in the ad pack. Beverage giant revives its famous 'I'd like to buy...
Mada Media Grants PHI Advertising Rights to Major Dubai OOH Portfolio
Mada Media signed a contract with PHI Advertising, giving the agency rights to install and monetize 19 out‑of‑home assets across three of Dubai's main road networks. The deal, sealed by CEOs Mansoor Al Sabahi and Naif Saleh Al Rajhi, underscores...
Cardi B’s Grow-Good Is Finally Here, With a Visual Identity By Bully
Cardi B’s hair‑care brand Grow‑Good officially launched and quickly sold out its opening inventory. The line’s visual identity, crafted by agency Bully, draws on the aesthetic of Bronx bodegas. Formulations combine traditional Dominican ingredients—green banana, moringa, aloe vera, avocado—with a...
Bic Reignites ‘Flick Your Bic’ Tagline for a New Generation
Bic is reviving its classic “Flick Your Bic” tagline with a new “Waxy Saxy” ad that positions the lighter as a romance‑spark for candle‑lighting moments. The 30‑second spot, created with Doner, modernizes the 1970s catchphrase while showcasing pocket, EZ Reach...
SEO Wins From Reddit Pro
Reddit has launched Reddit Pro, a free dashboard that gives businesses on‑platform analytics, visibility tools, and ad options. The suite includes a Trends section that tracks keyword mentions, provides AI‑generated sentiment analysis, and offers a Questions filter for content ideas. Users...
Weather Is Reshaping Marketing – How Brands Are Turning Storms Into Sales
Brands are leveraging real‑time weather data to power programmatic digital‑out‑of‑home (DOOH) campaigns that shift messaging hour‑by‑hour during events such as snowstorms. AdOmni’s platform lets marketers set predefined triggers—temperature drops, snowfall, traffic disruptions—and automatically swap creative, timing, and channel mix, moving...
PracticeLink Reveals Refreshed Brand for Healthcare Hiring
PracticeLink, the leading physician recruitment platform, unveiled a refreshed brand identity aimed at emphasizing clarity, simplicity, and trust. The visual overhaul coincides with ongoing challenges in healthcare hiring, where clinicians juggle career decisions and recruiters scramble to fill critical roles....
The Top 6 Search Engines Market Share & The AI Search Engines To Watch via @Sejournal, @MattGSouthern
As of March 2026 Google commands roughly 90 % of global search traffic, edging just above the 90 % threshold after a brief dip in early 2026. Bing has risen to about 5 % worldwide and exceeds 10 % in the United States, boosted by AI‑driven...