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.
Fallout Co‑Creator Tim Cain Warns Influencers Are Shaping Gamer Opinions
Tim Cain, co‑creator of Fallout, told his YouTube audience that many players now turn to streamers and YouTubers for prescribed opinions rather than forming their own judgments. The veteran developer warned that this shift is influencing how studios design games, prioritising "clip‑worthy" moments over authentic gameplay experiences.
ThredUp Q1 Revenue Jumps 14.6% to $81.7 M on Record Buyer Gains
ThredUp posted first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $81.7 million, up 14.6% year over year, as new‑buyer acquisition and marketing efficiencies lifted active buyers 25% and orders 19.3%. The growth came with a slight dip in average selling price and a 190‑basis‑point decline...
Clio Health Champions: Sara Brooks, Chief Growth Officer – BetterHelp
Sara Brooks, BetterHelp’s Chief Growth Officer, leverages 18 years of scaling consumer‑tech firms—including two IPOs—to drive global marketing and expansion. She recently spearheaded the "Mind Over Madness" campaign, partnering with NBA star Joakim Noah to tie free therapy hours to basketball assists...
Polymarket Rolls Out $20 Referral Bonus to Boost New User Sign‑ups
Polymarket announced a referral program that gives new users a $20 bonus after a $20 deposit, allowing them to bypass the platform’s waitlist. The move aims to accelerate user growth for the crypto‑powered prediction market amid rising political and sports...
Turn Your Data Into Decisions: 3 Things Your Business Needs for Growth in the AI Era
Google announced a suite of updates aimed at simplifying data measurement for marketers in the AI era. The refreshed Data Manager will visually map connections across platforms like BigQuery, HubSpot and Shopify, while a no‑code visual tag upgrade lets existing...
Predict Virality, Then Reverse‑engineer Your Post
btw this is my dumbest prompt but its actually so effective for cooking viral content: "fast forward 1 week. this post just crossed 1M views. why did it go viral?" it'll tell you what worked (the hook/structural beat/lines that got shared, etc) then...
Automate Honest SEO‑friendly
I built a skill that creates competitor comparison and alternatives pages — "vs" pages, "alternative to" pages, feature matrices, and migration guides. You tell it your competitors and it builds SEO-targeted comparison content that positions you honestly, acknowledges competitor strengths, and...
U.S. Digital Video Ad Spend to Surpass $80B in 2026; Growing 20% Faster Than the Total Ad Market, According to...
The Interactive Advertising Bureau projects U.S. digital video ad spend to top $80 billion in 2026, an 11% year‑over‑year increase that outpaces the broader ad market by roughly 20%. Digital video—encompassing CTV, online and social video—will claim more than 60% of...
How To Test A New Bid Strategy In Google Ads
Google’s AI‑driven Smart Bidding continues to dominate paid‑search, but even top‑performing campaigns eventually hit a plateau. The article outlines a data‑driven framework for deciding when to test a new bid strategy, choosing between native experiments and manual sequential tests, and...
Social Video Ad Spending Is Set to Outpace CTV in Growth Rate This Year
The IAB projects social video ad spend to grow 13% year‑over‑year in 2026, surpassing CTV’s 11% growth. Total U.S. digital video investment is expected to reach $80 billion, with platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Reddit capturing a larger share of...
Automated Social Media Machine Generates 37 Brand Assets
Excited to share something I've been working hard on. Built a Social Media Machine to distribute and run your entire personal brand for you. 37 assets made from YOUR brand, voice, and systems It's the new marketing system for all our...
Be Visible in AI Answers or Lose B2B Traffic
AI is changing B2B marketing 👇 • Buyers start with AI • 60% of searches = zero-click • AI traffic growing 40%+ • Up to 50% web traffic at risk 🚀 New rule: be visible in AI answers If you’re not there, you’re invisible. Via Giuliano Liguori...
AI Made Marketing Faster. It Also Made It Harder to Control.
Generative AI is slashing creative production cycles, letting midsize teams launch campaigns in days instead of weeks. However, the flood of AI‑generated assets erodes brand consistency and makes performance attribution opaque. The article argues that speed alone is insufficient; marketers...
Gen Z Now Makes up over Half of Pinterest Users
While @Pinterest has long talked about Gen Z being its fastest growing demographic, what is NOT getting enough attention now is that Gen Z users represent over 50% of its 600 million monthly active users. $PINS aging down has meaningful...
Inside the Mastermind Behind Vitamin Water and More
This is a great episode with the guy behind Vitamin Water, Poppi, Smartwater, and Vita Coco — insane run of brand building https://t.co/tGRp3UlvNs
Build a Brand Like Trader Joe’s: Why Human Interaction Still Drives Customer Loyalty
Trader Joe’s has built a cult‑following by turning everyday grocery trips into personal experiences. The chain relies on friendly staff who greet shoppers by name, frequent in‑store tastings, and a rotating roster of quirky, limited‑time products. Community events and empowered employees...
Digest: OpenAI Lays Groundwork For ChatGPT Ads in EU; Blackstone, H&F, Goldman Back AI Venture; Musk Settles Twitter Lawsuit Paying...
OpenAI is preparing to launch ChatGPT advertising in the European Union by adding a consent‑management pixel and updating its privacy policy to permit sharing purchase data with advertisers. Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman and Goldman Sachs are backing a new Anthropic‑led...
Do You Really Need 100,000 Influencers, Or Just the Right Few?
The article argues that brands achieve higher ROI by partnering with a curated group of influencers rather than casting a wide net of 100,000 creators. It highlights the growing role of influencer talent agencies that negotiate deals, manage contracts, and...
Today’s Housing Market Favors Storytellers — and Video Is King
Jason Cassity, chief growth officer at The Real Brokerage, argues that video has become the most efficient distribution channel for real‑estate agents. He urges a "media‑first" mindset, recommending agents document daily activities rather than chase polished productions. By batching shoots...
How to Use AI to Grow Your Business on Social Media in 2026
In this episode, Gary Vaynerchuk and his guest discuss how AI is becoming as essential as electricity for small business owners, using the example of dog trainers who want to boost their social‑media presence. They outline practical AI tools—like Runway...
How To Evaluate AI Solutions (Without Getting Distracted by the Hype)
Marketers are drowning in AI‑laden hype, yet 95% of pilots flop because teams start with technology instead of a clear business problem. The article urges firms to define the specific use case, verify that the tool can ingest fragmented enterprise...
How China’s Fragmented Search Ecosystem Is Reshaping SEO in 2026
China’s search landscape in 2026 is a fragmented, intent‑driven ecosystem where Baidu still commands roughly 70% of mobile searches, but users increasingly turn to super‑apps, e‑commerce platforms, and generative AI assistants for discovery. New LLMs such as Doubao, DeepSeek, and...
Brand Storytelling Is Evolving Into Micro-Dramas and Agencies Need to Keep Up
Brand storytelling is shifting from long‑form narratives to bite‑size "micro‑dramas"—15‑30 second video loops that dominate TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Snapchat. Agencies that once relied on traditional copywriters now face a talent gap as brands demand rapid pacing, cinematic visuals, and...
Google Business Profile Suspensions Spike Over User Account Restrictions
Google Business Profiles are experiencing a sudden surge in suspensions linked to user account restrictions, according to several local‑SEO professionals. Within a 24‑hour window, some experts reported up to eight accounts being blocked, despite no evidence of spam or policy...
PG Tips Ties with Disney+ for “Rivals” Exclusive Limited-Edition Monkey Competition to Drive Shopper Engagement
PG Tips has partnered with Disney+ to launch a limited‑edition "Rivals" promotion that runs nationwide from May 1. Shoppers who buy a PG Tips pack can scan a QR code and enter a 10‑digit code for a chance to win one...
Google Ads Adds Granular Data Retention Policy
Google Ads updates its data retention policy for more granular data https://t.co/XLNzzwX4Yz via @AnthonyHigman and @beXtremeArpan https://t.co/4swmvGKLWC
Google Ads Data Retention Policy Updated
Google announced that its Ads performance reporting data will have extended retention periods. Hourly, daily and weekly metrics will be kept for 37 months, while monthly, quarterly and annual data will be stored for 11 years. The change, communicated via...
Adobe Acquisition Triggers Surge in Semrushbot Blocks
Interesting, based on the top 1000 sites being tracked by @AIoriginality, there was a spike in sites blocking Semrushbot right when the Adobe acquisition was announced. So if that's right, the Adobe acquisition freaked some people out. :) See the...
INTERSPORT Launches 2026 Global Brand Campaign
INTERSPORT has unveiled its 2026 global brand campaign, "YOUR PASSION. YOUR PLACE. MAKE IT YOUR GAME," positioning the retailer as the common ground for athletes of all levels. The campaign features four high‑profile footballers—Joshua Kimmich, Frenkie De Jong, Bradley Barcola and Sandy Baltimore—backed by...
Brands Need to Pump Up the Volume With Creators. But There's a Catch.
At the Possible conference Gary Vaynerchuk urged brands to increase creator‑generated content, warning many are still under‑investing. CreativeX analyzed 1.4 million ads from 176 brands in 105 countries and found creator‑produced ads that omit core brand cues perform worse on recall...
Watch It. Love It. Want It. How TikTok Is Blending Discovery, Connection and Commerce
TikTok unveiled its new global positioning, “Watch it. Love it. Want it.”, at the OMR Festival, emphasizing the seamless blend of discovery, connection, and commerce on the platform. Research from Ipsos shows TikTok is the most influential channel during the...
If AI Can’t See You, Buyers Won’t Either: Is Your Inbound Strategy Ready?
The article warns that B2B inbound strategies built for legacy SEO are losing relevance as AI chat tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot become the primary way buyers discover and evaluate vendors. It outlines three maturity levels—Indexed, Answerable,...
Product SEO: 8 Strategies That Drive Demand for B2B & SaaS
Product SEO is a high‑leverage, often neglected tactic for B2B and SaaS firms, focusing on optimizing feature, integration, comparison, pricing, and documentation pages rather than generic top‑of‑funnel content. By aligning site architecture, keyword mapping, and structured data, companies can capture...
Taco Bell Grows Loyalty and Digital Sales
Taco Bell is expanding its loyalty program, driving a 30% year‑over‑year increase in loyalty sales and pushing its U.S. digital sales mix toward 50%. Across Yum Brands, digital transactions reached a record 63% of total sales, equating to about $11 billion...
Why American Family Insurance Made a Reality Competition Series for Hulu
American Family Insurance partnered with Disney Advertising to launch “Designed To Last,” a four‑episode reality competition premiering May 5 on Hulu. The show pits architects, engineers and inventors against design challenges focused on home‑preparedness for threats like wind, fire and ice,...
Google: AI Makes Human Experience More Important For Content via @Sejournal, @Martinibuster
In a recent Search Off The Record episode, Google Search engineers Martin Splitt and Nikola Todorovic warned that AI is making basic factual content less valuable. As large language models can instantly retrieve specs and data sheets, the competitive edge...
Stop Picking Sides: Let ‘Living Data’ Power Total TV
Matt Bryan of Samsung Ads argues that CTV success hinges on "living data"—a continuously refreshed blend of first‑party screen signals and third‑party intent data. Samsung smart‑TV analytics show Europe’s viewing split 55 % streaming, 45 % linear, underscoring audience fragmentation. Research indicates...
Mirinda Refresh Is All Smiles, Courtesy of PepsiCo Design & Innovation
PepsiCo’s Design & Innovation team unveiled a refreshed visual identity for its soda brand Mirinda, launching a global platform called “Smile Please.” The new branding leans on retro cues from the 1960s‑1990s and places flavor front‑and‑center to appeal to Gen Z...
SEO Wins Through Strategic Content Architecture and Internal Links
Most think SEO is "backlinks" and "content" The real magic happens in content architecture Pillar pages support commercial pages Cluster content reinforces expertise Everything must connect w/strategic internal links Works for e-Commerce, Local SEO, marketplaces, etc. https://t.co/nr2yC8WSW2
Lidl Plus Points Ramps up UK Grocery Loyalty Push – but Shoppers Divided on New Scheme
Lidl has launched Lidl Plus Points, a new loyalty program that awards one point per £1 spent and lets shoppers redeem points for vouchers or discounted items via its app. To jump‑start adoption, the retailer is gifting 100 free points...
Al-Futtaim Toyota Tugs Heartstrings Among UAE Locals, Residents with ‘The Accidental Icon’
Al‑Futtaim Toyota launched “The Accidental Icon,” a three‑month UAE campaign that revives the emotional bond with the iconic Toyota Building sign removed in 2018. The effort combines a five‑minute documentary on LinkedIn, Meta and TikTok, outdoor billboards on Sheikh Zayed...
Go Fish Digital Adds Predictive AI to Barracuda Platform, Promising Pre‑launch Campaign Insights
Go Fish Digital unveiled new predictive capabilities for its Barracuda AI‑powered marketing intelligence platform, allowing brands to forecast SEO and paid‑media outcomes before campaigns go live. Early results show a 75% lift in clicks and over 50% rise in impressions...
Flipkart’s Summer Sale Campaign Finds Its Match in Kodinhi — India’s Twin Town
Flipkart has launched the second edition of its flagship SASA LELE summer sale with a new creative titled “Kodinhi Code.” The campaign, developed by agency 22feet, uses the Kerala village of Kodinhi—famous for its high twin birth rate—as a metaphor...
EverQuote Q1 2025 Revenue Jumps 83% to $166.6M on Carrier Spend and AI‑Driven Growth
EverQuote reported $166.6 million in Q1 2025 revenue, an 83% year‑over‑year rise, powered by a 175% jump in enterprise carrier spend and a 22% lift in agency operations. The insurtech firm also posted $8 million net income, $22.5 million adjusted EBITDA and a...
Finn Partners’ Steven L. De Luca Named to Marquis Who’s Who for Marketing Leadership
Steven L. De Luca, senior partner of business development and marketing at Finn Partners, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. The honor highlights a career that delivered a 40% revenue lift at American Express’s DEPARTURES unit, tripled...
Generative Engine Marketing: Retail Media’s Next Move
Generative Engine Marketing (GEM) is emerging as a new approach that positions brands to be discovered by AI models rather than just human shoppers. Jellyfish’s report highlights early successes, such as Gentle Monster’s 17% click‑through‑rate lift and MSC Industrial’s 45%...
Pinterest Posts $1.08 B Q1 Revenue, 18% YoY Rise, but Net Loss Swells
Pinterest reported first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $1.08 billion, an 18% year‑over‑year increase, as monthly active users hit a record 631 million. The growth was offset by a GAAP net loss of $73.6 million, underscoring the tension between rapid user expansion and rising cost...
Pinterest Posts 18% Q1 Revenue Rise as Ad Spend Rebounds
Pinterest announced first‑quarter revenue of $1.01 billion, up 18% year‑over‑year, as advertising spend surged and monthly active users hit a record 631 million. The growth was powered by AI‑enhanced ad products and a $2 billion share‑repurchase program, even as the company posted a...
ABG Hosts CMO Forum: Candid Conversation on Marketing Leadership Under Pressure
The Advertising Business Group (ABG) convened its inaugural CMO Forum in Dubai, gathering senior marketers from FMCG, travel, retail, tech, property, QSR and e‑commerce to discuss delivering measurable growth while safeguarding brand equity. Participants highlighted the clash between short‑term performance...
The First-Party Data Advantage
Mike Ford, CEO of Skydeo, outlines a no‑fluff playbook for turning first‑party data into a growth engine as privacy rules tighten and third‑party cookies disappear. He defines first‑party data, explains its privacy‑friendly, accurate nature, and contrasts it with second‑ and...