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.
Above Digital Shifts Focus to Outcomes-Driven Performance Marketing in 2026
Dubai‑based Above Digital is pivoting from ecommerce to an outcomes‑driven performance‑marketing model that emphasizes revenue‑focused campaigns for service‑based firms, B2B brands, the aesthetics sector and events. The agency is de‑prioritising vanity metrics, instead tracking lead‑to‑sale conversion and actual revenue impact, and is investing heavily in email and WhatsApp automation while using AI for research and content variation. It targets growth‑stage companies with annual revenues of roughly $0.8‑$1.4 million (AED 3‑5 m) aiming to scale toward $2.7 million (AED 10 m). The shift mirrors a 2025 survey where 61 % of marketers cited high‑quality lead generation as their top challenge.
Forest Essentials Bets on ‘Slow Beauty’ with New Campaign
Forest Essentials launched the "Take Your Time" campaign, positioning Ayurveda‑based rituals and deliberate pacing at the core of its skincare narrative. The year‑long effort spans cinematic films, retail experiences, and in‑store activations that showcase slower, ritual‑centric beauty routines. Founder Mira...
From Acne Journey to Multi‑Million Skincare Brand
Alix Earle spent years posting about her acne, from Accutane rounds to bare-face breakouts. Now she turned that story into Reale Actives, a 4-step skincare line built with her dermatologist. For a year, she seeded unlabeled products, teased a mystery account, and...
Zydus Launches Glucon-D Recharge, Signs Milind Soman
Zydus Wellness has launched Glucon‑D Recharge, a glucose‑and‑electrolyte drink that expands the Glucon‑D brand into the performance‑hydration market. The product is offered in ready‑to‑drink bottles and sachets, with a no‑added‑sugar variant for low‑calorie users. Milind Soman has been signed as...
Crunchyroll Drops New Brand Film Featuring Rashmika Mandanna and Shubman Gill
Crunchyroll has launched the second installment of its “Ready to Anime?” brand film in India, starring actress Rashmika Mandanna and cricketer Shubman Gill. The spot dramatizes Gill’s disappointment at an anime’s ending and Mandanna’s reassurance that more content awaits, underscoring the platform’s...
Hashtags Aren’t Dead, They’re Just ‘on Life Support’ as AI Reshapes Discovery
Hashtags remain on platforms but have lost their discovery power as AI-driven algorithms now interpret content directly. TikTok and Instagram prioritize engagement signals, context, and viewer behavior over manual tags. Industry experts say performance hinges on relevance, timing, and the...
Adidas Trefoil Logo Makes a World Cup Comeback After 36 Years
Adidas has revived its classic Trefoil logo for the FIFA World Cup, debuting official away kits for 25 partner federations, including 13 nations qualified for the 2026 tournament. The designs fuse retro 1990s aesthetics with modern performance technologies such as...
How Pinduoduo’s Surprising $14 Billion Plan Could Transform Global Markets
Pinduoduo announced Xinpinmu, a self‑operated brand platform backed by a $14 billion investment. The Shanghai‑based entity will combine Pinduoduo’s and Temu’s supply‑chain assets to launch first‑party brands aimed at overseas consumers. The plan marks a pivot from the company’s low‑price marketplace...
Media Briefing: Overheard at the Digiday Publishing Summit, March 2026 Edition
Publishing executives at the Digiday Publishing Summit warned that falling search‑referral traffic is eroding their primary revenue source, prompting an accelerated push toward subscription and membership models. They described the transition as a multi‑year cultural overhaul, requiring new content strategies...
Julie Cartwright on Pvolve’s Prolific Partnership Strategy with Beauty, Wellness and Fashion Brands
Pvolve, the low‑impact functional‑movement brand founded in 2017, has built a prolific partnership ecosystem spanning beauty, wellness, apparel, and consumer giants such as Tower28, Lululemon, Amex and Amazon. These collaborations fuel brand awareness, drive foot traffic to its 43 U.S....
Turn Market Signals Into High-Converting Content Ideas
The best content ideas are right in front of you. Your clients and the market are already telling you exactly what they want to see. You just need to know where to look. Here’s how I pull that signal out...
Report: Local CTV Reshaping US Ad Market
AdImpact’s first local CTV ad trends report examined 511,000 advertisers across 210 U.S. TV markets in 2025. Markets outside the top 50 generated 52.5% of local CTV impressions while representing only 33% of the TV population. Quarterly data showed Q4...
Spider‑Man: Brand New Day Trailer Smashes 1 Billion Views, First in History
Sony Pictures released the first trailer for Spider‑Man: Brand New Day, which amassed over 1 billion views in four days, the first trailer ever to do so. The record‑breaking launch underscores the franchise’s enduring pull and sets a new benchmark for...
Nykaa Brings UK’s Q+A Skincare to India
Nykaa has introduced the UK‑based Q+A Skincare line to Indian shoppers, adding a brand known for its ingredient‑first, hero‑active naming and vegan, cruelty‑free formulas. The launch taps into a rapidly growing consumer appetite for transparent, efficacy‑driven products, driven by heightened...
Ecommerce: The Stock Mistake Killing Your ROAS
In this episode the Hamasley Brothers dive deeper into the 80/20 rule, focusing on how a small subset of SKUs drives the majority of revenue and ROAS for e‑commerce brands. They explain why stockouts of those critical products can dramatically...
‘The Box On My Kitchen Bench’: Domino’s Hands Bureau Of Everything Creative Account
Domino’s has appointed Bureau of Everything as its creative partner for Australia and New Zealand, tasking the boutique agency with a full brand revitalisation. The collaboration will deliver a new brand platform, strategy and integrated campaigns, alongside menu updates slated for...
TXT ‘HAPPY’ to 414: Skinny Turns Customers’ Calls Into Ads in New Campaign via Colenso BBDO
New Zealand telco Skinny, partnered with Colenso BBDO, launched a four‑week campaign that inserts short pre‑recorded ads into customers’ phone calls. Participants text “HAPPY” to 414, opt‑in, and receive up to 10‑second ad breaks during calls, earning entries to win...
Bazaarvoice Integrates with TikTok Shop to Let Brands Syndicate Reviews and UGC to Product Listings
Bazaarvoice announced a new integration that lets brands syndicate ratings, reviews, photos and videos directly to their TikTok Shop product pages. The feature eliminates the “cold start” challenge by automatically porting existing user‑generated content to TikTok listings. TikTok Shop’s U.S....
Café De Coral and Dentsu Hong Kong Bring Local Slang and Pop Culture to Breakfast Campaign
Café de Coral has launched a new Scrambled Egg Breakfast campaign in partnership with dentsu Hong Kong, introducing the brand platform “Hong Kong flavour is a must.” The initiative taps the Cantonese Gen Z slang “MNYY” to frame breakfast as an essential, feel‑good ritual....
Shopify‑ChatGPT Integration Instantly Surfaces Product Details
If you've been doing the boring work, clean product titles, structured data, real SEO, the @Shopify x ChatGPT integration is your payoff. I asked for the best Earl Grey, it returned our client as #1, complete with variants, rating, and...
Social Listening Remains Rare Yet Essential Communication Skill
Being aware of and caring about what people are saying about your company on social media is still a rare thing today, yet should be a bare minimum communication skill (when done appropriately). @bocumbo knows. The full interview: https://t.co/sCRPBAd8oI https://t.co/XKQQLg6STQ
Walmart Isn’t Just a Retailer Anymore — It’s an Advertising Powerhouse
Walmart’s advertising division, Walmart Connect, has evolved into a major revenue engine, posting $4.4 billion in 2024—a 27% jump from the prior year. The platform capitalizes on Walmart’s massive first‑party shopper data, delivering ads across its e‑commerce site, in‑store screens, and...
SAFI and MBCS Empower Young Malaysian Women Through Biasiswa Siswi Raya Campaign
MBCS Malaysia and halal personal‑care leader SAFI have launched a new Raya film and the third‑year Biasiswa Siswi SAFI scholarship, a RM 1 million (≈ $210,000) programme supporting young Malaysian women. The brand film, “Memperindahkan Versi Terbaikmu,” follows Bunga, an aspiring artist confronting financial...
Sachin Malik: How First-Party Data Is Redefining Precision Advertising
First‑party data has become a strategic asset as third‑party cookies disappear, reshaping advertising infrastructure. Sachin Malik, Block’s VP of revenue strategy, cites his experience at Uber, Walmart Connect, and Block’s Cash App and Afterpay to illustrate how transaction‑level signals turn...
Apple’s MacBook Neo Could Upend India’s Mid-Range Laptop Market, Say Experts
Apple has launched the MacBook Neo, priced at $599 globally and $499 with student discounts, with an Indian launch price of Rs 69,900 (about $840). The device retains premium features such as an aluminum body, 13‑inch Liquid Retina display, long battery...
Media Roundtable
The Media Roundtable preview episode introduces a new season focused on dissecting premium podcasts and their creators, promising weekly deep‑dives into show DNA to help listeners decide where to invest their time and money. It acknowledges current global turbulence—COVID‑19’s Delta...
Act Fast, Create Viral Content, Build Your Brand
The winning strategy to build a brand these days: Have an idea, act quickly and create viral content. When Rory Sutherland invented a fake business on a podcast, a coffee shop appealing to the busy commuter called “Flat White or...
Drinkable Sunscreen, Protein Mac, and Killer Brownies
In this episode of The Curious Consumer, hosts Nate and Jenna chat with Shemin Ross, third‑generation owner of Killer Brownie, about the brand’s evolution from a regional bakery staple to a national CPG powerhouse now in over 15,000 retail locations,...
'Less Is More' – Nicola Rosin on Turning Colnago Into Cycling’s Most Desirable Brand
In 2020 Abu Dhabi‑based Aurora Vision Group bought a majority stake in Italy’s heritage bike maker Colnago and installed Nicola Rosin as CEO. Rosin refocused the brand on ultra‑luxury cyclists, launching limited‑edition models tied to the Tour de France that...
Tubi Launches Scene Sense Contextual Targeting and Exclusive Amazon DSP Package at NewFronts
Tubi unveiled Scene Sense, a scene‑level contextual targeting engine that analyzes visual cues, tone and sentiment to serve relevant display ads when viewers pause content, alongside new carousel, trivia and poll pause‑ad formats. It also introduced Tubi Priority Access, an...
Free Gifts Can Distract From Core Product Development
Is it bad to send free stuff to companies just to get business? No, but it becomes a problem when you spend more time sending free donuts and doormats than you know… making a product… This tactic is already well...
Why Interactive Marketing Materials Are Becoming Essential for Brands
Interactive marketing materials are shifting from novelty to necessity as brands seek to cut through fragmented media landscapes. Formats such as QR‑enabled direct mail, NFC‑triggered print, and video brochures combine physical presence with instant digital actions, delivering up to 108...
Best Animation Studios in London Working With Brands, Film, and Digital Media
London’s animation studios are thriving thanks to a dense ecosystem of advertising agencies, film producers, game developers, and design schools. Studios such as Grizzle, Animade, Jelly London, Studio AKA, Nexus Studios, Golden Wolf and BlinkInk offer a range of services from...
Is AI Visibility Your 2026 Imperative? Learn How To Achieve It At B2B Summit
AI answer engines such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Google AI Mode are rapidly becoming the primary research tool for B2B buyers, moving inquiries off‑site and creating a "visibility vacuum" for marketers. This shift erodes traditional signals like keyword volume,...
If I Had to Start Over, Here’s Exactly How I’d Grow to 16,000 Subscribers and $100K in Revenue
The author outlines a three‑step framework that took his Substack from zero to over 16,000 subscribers and $100,000 in revenue. First, he stresses crafting a clear audience‑centric strategy before publishing any post. Second, he leverages Substack Notes as a daily...
Behr Paint’s New Marketing Campaign Speaks to DIYers’ FOMU — Fear of Messing Up
Behr launched its "Let’s Be Honest" campaign on March 23 to tackle DIYers' fear of messing up, a sentiment revealed by a survey showing 70% avoid projects over paint‑choice anxiety. The initiative features a toll‑free Behr Hotline where callers leave...
Trader Joe’s Boosts Sales via Store Design Psychology
Trader Joe's has a playful brand but its business is very serious (annual revenue = $14B+). With no ad spend or online sales, the chain perfected one psychological hack in its store/product design to achieve industry-leading sales of ~$1.7k per...
How Shopify Brands Are Using AI to Replace $300 UGC Creators
Shopify DTC brands are swapping $150‑$500 creator‑produced UGC videos for AI‑generated ads that cost roughly $2.50 each. The new workflow lets marketers produce 40 video variations for about $99, cutting turnaround from weeks to minutes. By testing dozens of hooks...
Results Are In: NBC’s Olympic Creator Bet Won Gold — Inside the Playbook
NBCUniversal’s Olympic Creator Collective sent more than 25 digital creators to the Milan‑Cortina Winter Games, generating over 4 billion impressions across its social channels – a 437% jump from Beijing 2022. The follow‑up Project Fortius program helped ten athletes add more than...
Align 3 Marketing Systems for Predictable Revenue – Free Training
I'm hosting a FREE training on how to align your 3 marketing systems to generate predictable revenue ➡️ https://www.amyporterfield.com/training
Russia Postpones Telegram and YouTube Ad Ban, Easing Pressure on Online Marketing
Russia’s Federal Anti‑Monopoly Service (FAS) has delayed the enforcement of its advertising ban on Telegram and YouTube until December 2026, after pushback from lawmakers and the online‑business sector. The postponement grants a three‑year grace period while the ban on Instagram,...
The Real Power Couple: AI and the Human Marketer
The CMO Council and WongDoody’s new report surveyed nearly 400 senior marketers and identified a stark split between firms that integrate AI with human expertise and those that do not. Organizations that treat AI‑human collaboration as a "power couple" report...
Turn Static Images Into $100K Viral AI Ads
How I Made $102k Turning Image Ads Into (Viral) AI Videos. WATCH HERE 👉 https://t.co/Iv6vzSoi9V In 2026, you don't need a $5,000 production budget or a house full of influencers to scale. I’m showing you the exact workflow I used to...
How Retail Data Analytics Turns Browsing Behavior Into Repeat Revenue
Shopify merchants earning $10K‑$500K monthly are urged to replace gut‑based decisions with retail data analytics. The article outlines five core metrics—repeat purchase rate, CLV, purchase frequency, sell‑through, and acquisition source cohorts—and a four‑step framework to flag at‑risk customers. It also...
Allen Media Group To Deploy Anoki ContextIQ
Allen Media Group announced it will integrate Anoki’s ContextIQ AI platform across its streaming assets, covering live news, weather, sports and premium entertainment. The technology provides scene‑level, real‑time content analysis, allowing advertisers to place brand‑safe ads while preserving high‑attention inventory....
What European Luxury Can Learn From American Fashion
In this episode of The Debrief, senior editor Diana Pearl explains why European luxury houses are in a slump while American brands like Coach, Ralph Lauren, and Tory Burch are thriving. She argues that U.S. brands succeeded by refocusing on...
Begin with Product Positioning, Then Let AI Handle Copy
The right way to use marketing-skills with Claude↓ Don't pick which skill to run first. You probably won't know the right order anyway. Start with product marketing context — your positioning, audience, and what makes you different. Once that's loaded, the model knows...
Stop Stalking, Dominate Hashtags, Attract Customers
If your #SocialMedia presence seems like stalking to your target audience; you're doing it wrong. Let us help you dominate your key hashtags, build your brand and have your customers coming to you. gingerich.james@gmail.com https://t.co/fDZKLkzDlx
Click Signals Shape Rankings and Power AI Answers
Brilliant read on how click signals drive rankings and AI answers. Including details on known signals that are tracked, how it informs AI answers & a playbook you can apply. -> How Google Click Signals Drive Rankings and AI Answers by @CyrusShepard...
Build New Relationships to Unlock LinkedIn’s Reach
Why “developing new relationships” is the only sustainable way to force the Linkedin algorithm to show you to new audiences https://t.co/OJa5Sg1oQj via @DLAIgnite #SocialSelling #DigitalSelling #Sales #SalesTips #SalesLeader #Marketing #MarketingSuccess #MarketingStrategy #ArtificialIntelligence