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.
Sainsbury’s Tech and Data Chief to Steer Future of ISBA
Mark Given, Sainsbury’s chief technology, marketing and data officer, has been appointed president of the Institute of Search & Business Advertising (ISBA), succeeding Pete Markey. He will chair the ISBA Council, guiding the trade body as AI and generative AI reshape advertising. Given brings over a decade at Sainsbury’s and six years on the ISBA Council, overseeing technology, data, Nectar360 and AI investments. His appointment signals ISBA’s push to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving, AI‑driven marketing landscape.
How I Started in Fashion: Ross Worswick, Co-Founder & Creative Director of The Couture Club
Ross Worswick co‑founded The Couture Club in 2015 to fill a style gap he spotted in Manchester’s nightlife. Over a decade the label has shifted from a niche streetwear label to an established fashion brand sold through Selfridges, Flannels and...
Adidas Brings ‘Backyard Legends’ to Life with Chalamet, Bellingham, Yamal and Rodman
adidas unveiled "Backyard Legends," a short film starring Timothée Chalamet alongside football icons Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal and Trinity Rodman. The spot celebrates the freedom of backyard play while linking it to the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, using 90s‑era visuals, CGI and a...
Digest: ChatGPT Ads Manager Opens to All US Advertisers; Amazon Targets Supply Chain; Publishers Sue Meta Over AI Copyright
OpenAI has opened its ChatGPT Ads Manager to all U.S. advertisers, eliminating the previous $50,000 (≈ $49,000) minimum‑spend threshold to attract small and midsize brands. The beta now includes cost‑per‑action bidding and plans for third‑party measurement, signaling a push toward a...
Visibility Builds Trust: Doctors Must Show Up Online
Most Indian doctors think: 📚 “If I treat well, patients will come.” Truth is— If they don’t know you, they won’t trust you. And if they don’t trust you, they won’t come. Visibility is credibility. Start sharing. Start showing up.
B2B Podcast Strategy: The 2026 Demand Gen Guide
A new guide warns that B2B podcasts are becoming non‑negotiable by 2026. With 83 % of senior executives having listened to a podcast in the past week and the global audience projected to hit 619 million listeners, the format offers direct access...
Magnum Owns Ben & Jerry’s. Now It’s Destroying What Made the Brand Worth Buying
The newly public Magnum Ice Cream Company, which acquired Ben & Jerry's, is facing intense backlash after dismantling the brand's social‑mission structure. Co‑founder Jerry Greenfield resigned, the independent board and foundation sued Magnum for breach of contract, and activist Ben...
Editor’s Letter: Inside the 2026 Place Brand Leaders Yearbook
The 2026 Place Brand Leaders Yearbook profiles 32 cities, regions and nations that are redefining place‑branding through governance, institutional alignment and lived experience. It moves beyond narrative‑driven strategies, showcasing examples from Flanders, Gothenburg, Costa Rica, Canberra, Al Madinah and others. Contributions from...
ICICI Lombard Marks 25 Years with Immersive Cinema Activation
ICICI Lombard marked its 25th anniversary with an immersive cinema activation at PVR Inox in Mumbai’s R City Mall. The brand film featuring the insurer’s origami‑bird symbol was projected not only on the screen but also onto the auditorium ceiling during screenings...
Surprising Ways To Create Moments Of Delight To Keep Members Coming Back To Your Coworking Space
Coworking operators are moving beyond amenities toward hyper‑personalization, using tiny, human‑focused gestures to make members feel noticed. By consolidating data from billing, Wi‑Fi, CRM and booking systems, operators can spot patterns such as frequent visits or sudden drop‑offs and trigger...
Farfetch Looks to Enrich Customer Experience With Speedier Deliveries
Farfetch is rolling out a new premium delivery service called Farfetch First, which guarantees free next‑day shipping on thousands of luxury items. The program launches this week across major European markets—UK, Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland—before expanding globally. The initiative...
Thailand Targets 6 Million Chinese Visitors via ‘Authentic’ Content on RedNote, WeChat
Thailand is targeting more than 6 million Chinese visitors in 2024, up from 4.5 million in 2025, by leveraging the RedNote travel app and WeChat. After a 30 percent drop in Chinese arrivals last year due to safety scares and economic concerns, the...
From Sneaky Kisses To First Jobs: Scentre Group Says Westfield Gives Punters The Feels & Drives Better Performance For Brands
Scentre Group used its BrandSpace Upfront event to rebrand Westfield as an emotional, experience‑driven ecosystem, unveiling the "World of Wonder" positioning for its media arm. The company reported 540 million customer visits in 2025, 99.8% occupancy and record partner sales, underscoring...
Publishers Shift From Google Dependency to Own Traffic
“Diller said publishers had been “serfs on the property and land of the monopoly of Google and this transition out of depending upon someone else to give you traffic, this is what every animal has done in this digital world...
The Practical Guide for Using AI in Marketing – What Actually Matters
The piece argues that AI is not a magic fix but a speed and scale layer on top of solid marketing fundamentals. Teams that already understand their customers can leverage AI for smarter acquisition, frictionless conversion, and proactive retention. It...
Sustainable Fashion’s New Marketing Angle Is All About Wellness
The fashion industry is pivoting from pure sustainability messaging to a wellness‑focused narrative, with natural‑fiber activewear like cotton and wool seeing rising demand across the political spectrum. Brands are opening “third‑space” concepts that blend health and shopping, while a U.S....
Coty Is Pivoting CoverGirl to Gen X Market Amid 1% Decline in Net Revenue
Coty reported a 1% dip in Q3 FY2026 net revenue to $1.28 billion, with Consumer Beauty sales falling 4% to $450.7 million. Executive chairman Markus Strobel announced a strategic shift to reposition CoverGirl as a Gen X‑focused brand, leveraging core lines like Simply Ageless and...
‘The Chanel Hunger Games’: Shopping Haul Videos Go Luxury
Luxury influencers are turning haul videos into high‑stakes spectacles, dubbing the trend the "Chanel Hunger Games." Creators showcase multi‑thousand‑dollar purchases, sparking fierce competition for likes, comments, and brand partnerships. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram amplify these displays, driving measurable spikes...
Winning in AI Overviews: Protecting Brand Accuracy in AI-Generated Answers
The PharmExec webinar "Winning in AI Overviews" will teach pharma marketers how AI‑generated answers reshape search discovery and how to safeguard brand accuracy. It explains the mechanics behind AI overviews, the regulatory and reputational risks of mismatched content, and practical...
Retail Daily Minute | Target Launches Creator Commerce Programs, Old Navy Taps Marketing Veteran & Apple Readies Wallet Pass Builder
The episode covers three major retail updates: Target’s launch of two creator‑commerce programs—Club Target, a gamified platform for emerging influencers, and Target Ambassadors, a higher‑pay tier built on LTK that integrates campaign management and performance tracking; Gap Inc.’s appointment of...
Suzuki Swift Hybrid Positioned as Perfect Gift for Mum in Mother’s Day Campaign via ATime&Place
Suzuki Automotive, together with creative agency ATime&Place, launched a Mother’s Day campaign in Australia promoting the Suzuki Swift Hybrid. The promotion offers a $500 fuel voucher (≈ $330 USD) via Mother’s Day Card Coupons for customers who purchase a new Swift Hybrid...
All-Natural Breasts Take Centre Stage Born’s First Work For Paddock-To-Plate Meat Brand Our Cow
Australian paddock‑to‑plate brand Our Cow has launched its debut campaign, “No Bull,” created by independent agency Born. The provocative work rolls out across social channels and out‑of‑home billboards, using cheeky visuals like chicken breasts and a suspicious fish to call out...
Canva Survey Finds 98% of UK Marketers Plan to Boost AI Budgets
Canva's latest study reveals that 98% of UK marketing leaders intend to increase AI spending, with 92% already using AI daily. The report also highlights a consumer backlash, as most prefer ads crafted by humans despite the efficiency gains AI...
Cloudinary Rolls Out AI Agents to Automate E‑Commerce Media Management
Cloudinary announced the general availability of a five‑agent AI suite that automates tagging, search, workflow, moderation and coordination of visual assets for e‑commerce teams. The tools integrate via APIs with existing DAM stacks, aiming to cut manual effort for its...
How the Gun Industry Targets Kids Using TikTok, Instagram, and Video Games
A new Mother Jones report reveals that gun manufacturers are aggressively marketing AR‑15‑style rifles to children through TikTok, Instagram, and video‑game platforms. The investigation cites historic campaigns like Remington’s “Man Card” and recent social‑media glorification of figures such as Kyle...
Google AI Shopping Lens Spurs 239% Jump in E‑Commerce Product Discovery
Google’s AI Shopping Lens, rolled out globally in March 2026, has driven a 239% surge in product discovery and an 84% lift in conversion for retailers that optimize their catalogs. The tool now handles over 2.3 billion visual searches daily, reshaping...
Westpac NZ Brings People-Powered Rescue Chopper to Life in First Campaign via Goldilocks
Westpac New Zealand has partnered with Goldilocks, its Omnicom‑run agency model, to launch the first “Chopper Appeal” campaign. The centerpiece is a 60‑inch hero TV commercial that shows a rescue helicopter assembled entirely from people, symbolising community “people power” rather than...
Travel Marketing Summit Returns with Brand Gold Coast CEO Among First Speakers
Mumbrella’s Travel Marketing Summit returns to Sydney on August 27, featuring Brand Gold Coast CEO Todd Babiak as a headline speaker. Babiak’s session, “The Story Behind Your Brand,” will explore how storytelling, culture and economic development can differentiate travel brands in...
The Weather Company’s New Ad Play Aims to Sell Experiences and Hotel Bookings
The Weather Company and travel‑content platform Steller are piloting a new ad product on Weather.com that surfaces creator‑led destination videos and direct booking links whenever users search for out‑of‑town weather. Leveraging the site’s more than 400 million monthly users, the feature...
Da Nang Leverages Slow‑Travel Trend with Cultural Immersion Focus
Da Nang is aligning its tourism brand with the growing slow‑travel movement, highlighting nearby Hoi An’s top‑foot‑travel rankings and expanding cultural experiences at My Son. The city’s strategy aims to draw longer, more immersive stays from travelers seeking deeper connections...
Cathay Celebrates 80 Years of Shared Journeys with ‘The Journey Home’ via Leo Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific marked its 80th anniversary by unveiling “The Journey Home,” a short film created with Leo Hong Kong and directed by veteran filmmaker David Tsui. The narrative follows a mother‑daughter separation and reunion, weaving in nostalgic Easter eggs that reference...
Adobe and OpenAI Link GenStudio to ChatGPT for AI‑Powered Ad Creation
Adobe and OpenAI unveiled an integration that lets enterprise marketers assemble, approve and activate ads directly inside ChatGPT using Adobe GenStudio for Performance Marketing. The workflow promises to cut creative production from days to minutes while preserving brand governance.
Dollar General Unveils Integrated On‑Site/Off‑Site Retail Media Platform
Dollar General announced a new retail media solution that links its DG Media Network on‑site inventory with off‑site activation through The Trade Desk, using Kevel’s ad‑serving technology. The integration promises advertisers a single framework for planning, activating and measuring campaigns...
Post Right, Not More: Daily LinkedIn Prompt Challenge
The Jobfather LinkedIn Challenge is not about posting more. It is about posting right. One focused prompt a day. No blank screen. No guessing. Free to join. May 19th: https://jupiterhr.myflodesk.com/jobfatherlinkedinchallenge
2026 SEO Stuck Between Personalized and Generic AI Results
SEO is in 2026 is hitting “try without personalization” every other time you search on AI Mode 🫠🫠
Parker Institute Hires Former Zillow, Starbucks Exec Aimee Johnson as CMO
The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy announced Aimee Johnson, a former CMO of Zillow and senior leader at Starbucks, as its new chief marketing officer. Johnson will steer brand, marketing and digital strategy as the nonprofit seeks to expand awareness...
Adobe's AI‑First ARR Triples, Highlighting Build Effort
Adobe's AI-First ARR Just Tripled. The Real Signal Is What It Took to Build That Number. https://t.co/vSbM8SM7gb
How We Gained 15K IG Followers in 4 Days
we grew Malbon Home's IG to 15k followers in 4 days. this entire episode breaks down exactly how we did it.
Bread Agency Is Appointed as MoleMap Social Media Partner
Bread Agency has been selected as the social media partner for MoleMap across Australia and New Zealand after a competitive review. The agency will handle MoleMap’s strategy, creative campaigns, influencer marketing, content production, and community engagement. MoleMap, which runs more...
Brands Abandon Strategy on Threads without CMO Presence
For whatever reason, Threads is the social network where brands just decided that social strategy literally doesn’t exist. It’s bizarre and I honestly think it’s because marketing directors & CMOs aren’t on the network.
Snap Send Solve Introduces MC Bin Chicken in New Campaign
Snap Send Solve has rolled out a quirky new campaign featuring MC Bin Chicken, a trash‑loving mascot created by Thinkerbell to mock the app’s mission of cleaning streets. The character stars in a diss track that urges Australians not to report litter,...
Zalando Attributes 24% Q1 Revenue Jump to AI Boost From ABOUT YOU Deal
Zalando posted a 23.8% rise in first‑quarter revenue to €3bn ($3.2bn), saying AI‑driven personalization and logistics improvements from its ABOUT YOU acquisition powered the growth. The German‑based fashion marketplace also lifted GMV 21.7% and adjusted EBIT 38.7% year‑on‑year.
Why Kaatil Sees a Rs 20,000 Crore Opportunity in India’s Fiery Palate
Indian condiment startup Kaatil, founded in 2022, is building a $2.4 bn (Rs 20,000 crore) heat‑focused condiment category using globally familiar formats like hot sauces, chilli oils and hot honey. The brand differentiates with region‑specific chilies and a numeric heat‑scale (e.g., No. 4, No. 7,...
#ThisWeek on MarkLives MEDIA: Murder, Mystery & Marketing • #NextWeek: TFG Media on Magazine Growth
South African audiences are gravitating toward true‑crime content across streaming, audio and television, creating a new, highly engaged viewer segment. Brands are racing to tap this niche, recognizing that true‑crime fans exhibit strong loyalty and a willingness to interact with...
#MasterclassNotes: Understanding Influence Marketing
Johanna McDowell hosted an online masterclass in April 2026 for South African marketers, drawing over 100 blue‑chip attendees. Three agencies—Clockwork, Publicis/MSL, and CoolR—each delivered 20‑minute showcases on influencer marketing tactics, pitfalls, and case studies. Scopen Africa data revealed influence marketing now...
Ask Three Questions Before Pausing High‑CPA Meta Ads
Do your Meta ads consistently spend with high CPA's? Before you turn them off, ask yourself these three questions:
Brandmovers India and Titan Smart Explore How Mothers Really Experience Time
Titan Smart launched the “Mom’s Standard Time” campaign on Mother’s Day, created by Brandmovers India, to illustrate how mothers experience time differently than the clock shows. The film pairs mothers with their children in candid interviews, then reveals smartwatch‑derived data...
BoAt's Mother's Day Ad Holds up a Mirror to the Impatient Indian Son
boAt released a Mother’s Day commercial that shows a mother struggling to get her son to change her WhatsApp profile picture. Frustrated, she turns to an AI assistant she calls “AI beta,” which dutifully fulfills her requests and even orders...
Meghan Uses Archie’s Birthday to Sell Candles That Smell Like Him
Meghan Markle posted two Instagram photos to celebrate Archie’s seventh birthday while promoting her As Ever Mother’s Day candle line that claims to capture his scent. The candles are marketed as a limited‑edition “Archie‑scented” fragrance, tying a personal family milestone...
Estate Agency Leads to Be Contacted by AI Voice System
Estate‑Agents.ai has launched an AI‑driven prospecting platform that uses synthetic voice calls to reach homeowners in an agency’s existing database. The system engages former enquiries and dormant contacts in natural‑language conversations to gauge intent to sell within six months. Responses...