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.
Bhumika Realty Signs Rohit Sharma & Ritika Sajdeh as Brand Ambassadors
Bhumika Realty has appointed Indian cricket star Rohit Sharma and fashion executive Ritika Sajdeh as its new brand ambassadors. The partnership is part of a broader push to raise brand visibility and accelerate expansion in North India’s real‑estate market, especially in the NCR region. Executives say the ambassadors embody the discipline and long‑term focus that Bhumika aims to project as it rolls out new commercial, mixed‑use and township projects. The move aligns marketing with the company’s structured growth strategy.
Algorithms Penalize Authentic Content when You Stop SEO
I know how to make my posts go viral... But twitter gurus always say you should talk about your interests, daily life, etc. Thing is, the moment I stop yapping about SEO, the algo throws me out completely and visibility stops. I...
Accounts in Transit: ELMNTL Picks Up Bruneis Tourism Development Department
ELMNTL, a Denver‑based tourism marketing firm, has been appointed global agency of record for Brunei’s Tourism Development Department, marking the Sultanate’s first use of an international agency for digital storytelling and content strategy. The firm will oversee social media, creative...
#510 - The Amazon Ads Mistake Costing Sellers Growth
In this episode, hosts Shivali Patel and Keri Miller interview Destiny Wishon, CMO of Better AMS, and Carrie Miller, a seven‑figure Helium 10 seller, about common Amazon advertising pitfalls. They explain how focusing solely on low ACoS can stifle growth, why...
KitKat Turns Heist News Into Interactive PR Stunt
🏆 Best April's Fools PR Campaign? The KitKat Heist Tracker 👇 Spotted by Finchling via its PR campaigns tracker functionality: "KitKat published an online tracker where consumers can enter the 8‑digit batch code on a pack to check whether it was...
Clevertize Elevates Saumya Agrawal to Co-Founder
Clevertize has promoted Saumya Agrawal, a trainee who joined at the agency’s inception, to co‑founder as it marks eight years in business. The move formalises her long‑standing leadership role and signals a deeper commitment to AI‑enabled marketing and creative services....
HarperCollins’ “Canadian Classics” Is an American Side Hustle
HarperCollins Canada announced a seven‑title "Canadian Classics" line debuting May 5, 2026, featuring recent works by authors such as Emma Donoghue and Heather O’Neill. The series is timed to coincide with HarperCollins' larger "American Classics" campaign, sharing the same designer,...
Krolog Expands Amazon Consulting Suite to Boost Brand PPC and SEO Performance
Krolog, a Toronto‑based Amazon consulting agency, announced an expanded service portfolio that bundles pay‑per‑click, SEO and full account management into a single growth engine. The move targets brands seeking to cut ad costs, improve organic rankings and scale revenue on...
NordVPN's Free "My Location" Tool Threatens Ad Targeting by Revealing Real and Virtual Location Data
NordVPN rolled out a free browser‑based "My Location" tool that instantly displays a user's real GPS‑derived location alongside the IP‑derived virtual location visible to websites. The move spotlights how much location data fuels digital advertising and could force marketers to...
PMI Builds Commerce Engine to Glean Customer Insights
Philip Morris International (PMI) has launched an omnichannel commerce engine in South Africa to reach informal‑market retailers that account for up to 75% of counterfeit tobacco sales. The solution uses USSD short‑codes on feature phones, multi‑language support, and low‑cost scooter...
Chinese New Year: In 2026, Luxury Brands Put Spectacle Centre Stage
Luxury houses dramatically elevated their Chinese New Year 2026 activations, turning festive symbolism into immersive, culturally resonant experiences. Brands such as Céline, Loewe, Valentino and Miu Miu staged multi‑city installations that blended traditional rituals with contemporary storytelling and technology. The campaigns...
Ayushmann Khurrana Fronts Red Chief’s New Brand Campaign
Red Chief has unveiled a new brand film starring Ayushmann Khurrana, anchored by the "No Shortcuts" positioning that celebrates persistence over quick fixes. The campaign spotlights the brand’s footwear while signaling a strategic push into sports shoes and sneakers alongside...
Google Answers Why Some SEOs Split Their Sitemap Into Multiple Files via @Sejournal, @Martinibuster
Google’s John Mueller explained why SEOs sometimes split XML sitemaps into several files instead of using a single document. He noted that large sites often hit the 50,000‑URL or 50 MB limit, prompting proactive division. Additional reasons include grouping URLs by...
Belgian Shopping Center Is Embracing ‘Livestream Commerce’ on TikTok
Waasland Shopping in Saint‑Nicolas, Belgium, has launched a monthly livestream commerce series on TikTok, featuring influencer Jaël Ost and guest creators. The inaugural broadcast on April 2 attracted roughly 12,500 live viewers and generated an equal number of likes, while shoppers...
‘There’s No Place Like Home’: How Justlife Turned a Brand Promise Into Real-World Support
Justlife, the UAE‑based super‑app for at‑home services, launched the “There’s No Place Like Home” campaign to turn its “We Got You” promise into tangible community aid. The initiative offers free AED 10 (~$2.70) home‑cleaning sessions, support services for small businesses, and...
The Body Shop Marks 50 Years Globally, 20 Years in India; Eyes 20%+ Growth
The Body Shop celebrated its 50th global anniversary and 20th year in India, announcing a goal of more than 20% revenue growth this fiscal year and a plan to double its Indian business within four to five years. The retailer...
Playable Ads Trends in Mobile Games & Apps - February 2026
The February 2026 playable‑ads roundup highlights a surge in high‑budget campaigns, with the royalty‑themed Kingdom‑Match3 titles dominating the market. Increased investment from major networks like Applovin has amplified spend on SDK‑driven playables across multiple genres. Creators are leaning heavily into...
Only 8% of Brands Use AI for Campaign Optimisation: The B2B SaaS Affiliate Opportunity This Creates
A Supermetrics study released March 24 reveals that while 70% of e‑commerce and B2B SaaS brands list marketing‑spend optimization as a top priority, only 8% currently use AI for campaign optimization. The shortfall stems from fragmented, siloed data rather than...
Best AEO Agencies in the USA: Leading Answer Engine Optimization Experts Driving AI Discovery
The article outlines the emergence of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) as a critical evolution beyond traditional SEO, driven by conversational AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini. It profiles the five leading U.S. AEO agencies—AnswerManiac, NoGood, Avenue Z, iPullRank, and Siege...
Makers PR Offers Dubai SMEs Free Advisory Services
Makers PR has introduced MENA Makers, a free advisory program for Dubai‑based small and medium‑sized enterprises that runs through mid‑2026. The initiative delivers structured 1:1 sessions and closed‑door workshops covering media positioning, founder storytelling, crisis preparedness, and messaging clarity. It...
Homebase Taps Henry Agg to Front Garden Centre Push in The Range Stores
Homebase has appointed garden designer Henry Agg as its first ambassador for the Garden Centres by Homebase, now operating inside more than 200 The Range superstores across the UK. Agg will host a monthly “Plant of the Month” in‑store series beginning...
Michael Kors' Store Makeover: Jet Set for a New Era - Where We Buy #377
In this episode of Where We Buy, host James Cook chats with Kevin Vong, SVP of Global Store and Workplace Experience at Capri Holdings, about Michael Kors' evolving "jet set" store concept, highlighted by a new Rockefeller Center location featuring...
Quick Fire 🔥 with Semiloore Akoni
Semiloore Akoni, a growth and product‑marketing leader in African fintech and digital commerce, argues that retention must be engineered before a user even signs up. In his most recent role he slashed the time to a user's first transaction, lifting...
Free SEO Audit Reveals 58/100 Average, Easy Fixes
I ran our free SEO audit on 20 sites this week. The average score? 58/100. Most common issues: 1. Missing H1 headings (72% of sites) 2. No internal content links — just nav/footer links (65%) 3. Duplicate meta descriptions across pages (48%) 4. Thin content under...
Boathouse’s New Chief Strategy Officer Says It’s Time For Agencies To Take The Reins Of Measurement
Boathouse appointed Sonia Chung as its first Chief Strategy Officer, tasking her with dismantling data silos that tie marketers to Big‑Tech platforms. Chung argues agencies should build their own measurement infrastructure, using AI to fuse structured and unstructured signals across paid,...
Ads of the Week: 12 Campaigns That Caught Our Eye, From KFC to Pringles
Weekly roundup spotlights 12 standout ad campaigns, from KFC’s animated Colonel Sanders to e.l.f.’s true‑crime parody and Verizon’s suspenseful “Look Behind You.” The piece highlights unconventional collaborations such as McDonald’s with K‑Pop Demon Hunters and Liquid Death teaming with real‑estate...
How Samsung Ads And Crumbl Got Their CTV Campaign To Perform Like Social
Samsung Ads partnered with Crumbl for a seven‑week CTV acquisition push in Q4, delivering over 16,000 app installs and five‑figure revenue while achieving a 23% conversion rate that outperformed the brand’s social campaigns. The integration with AppsFlyer gave Crumbl transparent,...
How Samsung Ads And Crumbl Got Their CTV Campaign To Perform Like Social
Crumbl partnered with Samsung Ads for a seven‑week CTV acquisition campaign in Q4, leveraging Samsung’s integration with AppsFlyer to track performance. The effort generated over 16,000 app installs and a 23% conversion rate, slightly higher than the brand’s typical social‑driven...
How Brands Can Connect with Consumers Even Through Crises and Conflicts
Danube Home’s marketing leader argues that brands in the Middle East must be instantly understandable, using simplicity as a core value. He outlines four pillars—innovation, happiness, ease and passion—to create human‑centered positioning that resonates across diverse consumer lifestyles. Community‑focused initiatives,...
Best AI Agents for Sales: How AI Sales Agents Actually Work
AI sales agents are software that automate routine sales tasks such as abandoned‑cart recovery, lead qualification, and personalized follow‑ups, allowing merchants to operate 24/7 without expanding staff. They connect to ecommerce platforms, CRMs, and email tools via APIs, executing actions...
Exclusive: Can Skims’ Marketing Whiz Make Columbia Sportswear Cool?
Columbia Sportswear announced the appointment of Skims’ former chief marketing officer to spearhead a brand revamp aimed at younger, fashion‑forward consumers. The new executive will shift Columbia’s messaging from pure performance gear to a lifestyle‑centric narrative, leveraging influencer collaborations and...
Transparency Brought Down The Trade Desk’s Publicis Deal but It May Not Be Enough to Win Its Other Clients
The Trade Desk’s relationship with Publicis collapsed after a leaked transparency audit, prompting rivals to tout their own openness. However, agency buyers largely dismissed transparency as a decisive factor, focusing instead on margin and control. Competitors such as Nexxen are...
Stone Island Shows Up To Support Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE, and SURF GANG's 'POMPEII / UTILITY'
Stone Island leveraged its Stone Island Sound division to support the debut joint album *POMPEII/UTILITY* by Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE and SURF GANG. The brand hosted free, invitation‑less listening parties in Los Angeles, New York and London, each limited to 70...
Marriott Bonvoy Renews Hong Kong Sevens Partnership
Marriott Bonvoy has renewed its partnership with Hong Kong China Rugby to serve as an Official Partner of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2026, marking the brand's return after a 2019 exit. The tournament, celebrating its 50th anniversary, will run...
Inclusive Fashion Moves From Trend to Standard as Brands Redesign for Diversity
A Demode Magazine feature released on April 2 highlights how designers, influencers and social media are driving a rapid expansion of inclusive clothing lines. Adaptive wear, gender‑neutral silhouettes and broader size ranges are moving from niche to mainstream, reshaping consumer...
TheWrap’s Creators X Hollywood Summit Unites Top Influencers and Studios to Redefine Marketing
TheWrap hosted its first‑ever Creators x Hollywood Summit in Los Angeles, gathering Issa Rae, Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade, digital storyteller Dhar Mann and former NFL star Brandon Marshall. The event, backed by Whalar, The Lighthouse and major studios, unveiled a multiyear...
Great Content Fails without Compelling Title and Thumbnail
We posted a video that many people said was our best video in years, yet it was one of our worst performing videos in years. People who watch it love it. The problem is the title an/or thumbnail were not...
Email Frequency Drives Revenue—Don’t Fear Over‑Mailing
Skims emails their list 5 times a week with new drops and restocks, driving a multi-billion dollar valuation. Meanwhile you're afraid of "annoying" your list and only send one newsletter a month, leaving thousands of dollars on the table.
Macy's AI Chatbot Spurs 400% Sales Lift, Boosting Turnaround
Macy's rolled out its Gemini‑AI‑powered chatbot, Ask Macy's, and shoppers who used the tool spent roughly 4.75 times more than non‑users, a lift of about 400%. The surge in basket size is feeding the retailer’s dividend‑focused cash‑flow strategy and its...
Master One Pain Point, Then Scale Everything
Buc-ee's became a destination by obsessing over one thing: clean restrooms. They won trust on a single pain point. Then expanded into everything else. Win one thing. Grow everything. #Kaihan #Outthinker #Strategy #BrandStrategy https://t.co/ylzfuxN92t
Rams CMO Says Women Are the New Engine of Sports Fandom and Brand Loyalty
Los Angeles Rams chief marketing officer Kathryn Frederick told Newsweek’s Women’s Global Impact Forum that women now control the majority of sports‑related purchasing decisions. She argued that authentic storytelling that resonates with female fans will be crucial as Los Angeles...
How DeFacto Increased Experimentation 4x & Unlocked Data-Driven Growth
DeFacto partnered with Papersource to deploy Amplitude, consolidating web, mobile, and campaign data onto a single analytics platform. The unified system cut reporting cycles from weeks to days and boosted monthly experimentation by four times. Self‑service dashboards now let product,...
Who Should We Be Talking To
LexBlog is launching the LexBlog Library, a structured, citable repository of over two million pieces of legal practitioner publishing. The platform treats practitioner insights as secondary law, positioning them alongside traditional scholarly sources for citation by judges, researchers, and AI...
AI Unlocks Fast Growth in Slow Industries
Massive market that very few people know how to apply AI. The guy basically built an affiliate network / distribution channel to sell weight loss drug and he was able to do it extremely quickly and efficiently with AI. I believe the...
Persistent AI Context Cuts Project Time Tenfold
People tend to use AI like a calculator. Open ChatGPT. Paste context. Get an answer. Copy it back. Next time you need help, start over from scratch. That's calculator mode. You ask a question, get an answer, context disappears. I...
Malaysia: Youth on Social Media Shaping the Digital Economy
Malaysian youth are turning social media platforms into engines of commerce, generating an estimated $4.7 billion in gross value added and supporting 147,000 jobs by 2025. The government highlighted this trend at the launch of a socioeconomic impact report, linking it...
AI‑Generated Popups Capture 200+ Emails Monthly
I built a skill for Claude Code that designs high-converting popups — exit intent, scroll triggers, timed delays, slide-ins, and banners. You tell it what you want to capture and it builds the full popup spec: trigger rules, headline, offer, form...
Report Shows Document Posts on LinkedIn See More Engagement
Socialinsider’s 2026 LinkedIn Benchmarks, analyzing 1.3 million posts from 16,645 business pages (Jan 2024‑Dec 2025), reveal that native document posts—PDFs displayed in a carousel—generate the highest engagement on the platform. Video and image updates trail behind, a reversal of trends seen on most...
Instagram Allows Creators to Schedule Trial Reels
Instagram introduced a scheduling feature for Trial Reels on April 2, 2026, allowing creators to set future publish times for videos shown to non‑followers. Trial Reels, launched in December 2024, already boosted non‑follower reach by 80 % and prompted 40 % of users to increase...
AI Is Now Deciding Which Emails Get Seen. Here’s How to Stay in the Inbox in the Gemini Era
Google’s Gemini integration turns Gmail into an AI‑driven inbox assistant that decides which messages surface for users. The change means email volume alone no longer guarantees delivery; engagement signals now dictate placement. Marketers must prioritize segmentation, human‑like copy, and continuous...