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.
Manscaped’s Whole‑Body Media Strategy
Manscaped’s CMO Marcelo Kertész is steering the brand from a niche ball‑trimmer into a whole‑body grooming platform, a shift summed up as “from ball to all.” The company invested a multimillion‑dollar Super Bowl spot featuring anthropomorphic hair balls to signal the broader positioning. KPIs now prioritize social buzz, brand lift and consideration rather than immediate sales, reflecting the longer purchase cycle of grooming devices. Kertész’s political‑campaign background informs a high‑pressure, experiment‑driven culture that balances humor with serious brand building.
Law Firm Video Marketing: Why Your Videos Don’t Generate Cases (and How to Fix It)
Law firms spend thousands on polished videos but see no new clients because the content focuses on the firm rather than the prospect’s pain. The article explains that effective videos need tension, truth, and transformation, and must be embedded in...
Popkorn Wins Creative Mandate for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf India
Ekaagra, the master franchisee for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in India, has selected popkorn as its agency of record after a competitive multi‑agency pitch. The new mandate tasks popkorn with leading local creative strategy, development and integrated campaigns...
AI Turns Marketing Into One-Click Viral Machine
This is terrifying. Look at how easy it is to do marketing now: > upload your website link > describe your AI influencer > get 1000s of viral content made for you > post straight to TikTok, Instagram and YouTube...
Maintaining Brand Safety and Integrity in the AI Slop Era
A recent AD Week House Possible panel, co‑hosted by Silverpush, highlighted the surge of low‑quality AI‑generated content—dubbed “AI slop”—and its threat to brand safety. Speakers from Silverpush, Best Friend Animal Society, and Crispin urged brands to create bespoke guardrails that define...
Using Agentic AI to Connect Across the Funnel
Top marketers gathered at Brandweek’s ADWEEK House Possible session, co‑hosted with Mutinex, to discuss how AI is moving from hype to daily workflow. Speakers from Hershey, PubMatic, Breeze Airways and Mutinex emphasized that a solid data infrastructure is the prerequisite...
AI-Ready CMO Live with Ammann Badlani
In a recent AI‑Ready CMO interview, Ammann Badlani argues that the agency model is morphing from a creative‑service shop into a software‑grade orchestration platform. He stresses that merely adopting AI tools is no longer a differentiator; the real moat lies...
Brand Events up 54pc Since 2019: Launchmetrics
Launchmetrics reports that luxury brand events have surged 54% since 2019, signaling a strong return to offline, experience‑driven marketing. The growth is driven by high‑profile activations such as Veuve Clicquot’s Caffè at Milan Design Week and similar pop‑ups in New...
Silverpush Brings Broadcast-Quality YouTube Buying to EMEA Advertisers with SilverScreen™
Silverpush has launched SilverScreen, an AI‑driven classification layer that tags YouTube channels as broadcast‑quality for EMEA advertisers. The tool lets media planners treat YouTube inventory like linear TV, using production standards, cadence and co‑viewing signals to curate TV‑grade content. A...
Pack of the Month: Ghilli Makes Bathroom Sustainability Truly Desirable
Swiss design studio allink has teamed with emerging personal‑care brand Ghilli to launch a Mediterranean‑styled bar‑soap and shampoo line that emphasizes luxury and sustainability. The collection features a striking red‑script logo outlined in metallic gold and replaces conventional plastic wrappers...
Attribution Gap in Agentic Search: How to Close It
A growing share of purchase decisions now occurs inside AI tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google’s AI Mode, creating an “attribution gap” where analytics cannot record the influence. The gap appears as invisible brand mentions in AI answers and...
Uncommon Puts the Pazazz Into Payment Platforms for Airwallex
Uncommon Creative Studio has unveiled a global advertising campaign titled “Build the Future” for fintech payments provider Airwallex. The kinetic spot showcases a timeline of inventions—from alarm clocks to jetpacks—to illustrate how the platform fuels modern business innovation. Airwallex’s global...
Principal Trading Is “Muddying the Cost” Of Media
Independent UK agency the7stars announced it will no longer use principal media trading, a model that bundles media buying with undisclosed fees. Founder and CEO Jenny Biggam argues the move restores full transparency, giving clients clear insight into spend, placement and...
Cortis Experience Draws Fans to Seoul as Airbnb Doubles Down on K-Pop Strategy
Airbnb launched an immersive two‑hour Cortis experience in central Seoul, inviting 30 fans and later opening the space to over 1,000 additional guests. The pop‑up coincided with the release of Cortis’s second EP and a new Airbnb research report showing...
PepsiCo’s Second Restaurant Gamble Is Bigger, Bolder and Riskier
PepsiCo has opened a temporary Lay’s restaurant in Shanghai that prioritises immersive brand experience over direct sales. The venue blends menu innovation, multi‑sensory design and collaborations with a Michelin‑star chef and fashion label to showcase potatoes beyond the chip aisle....
Meet Your Greatest Competitive Edge in an AI-Driven Future: Authenticity
Marketers have ridden the AI‑generated content wave, producing massive volumes at low cost, but audience fatigue is driving a pivot toward authenticity. As 2026 approaches, brands that blend AI efficiency with genuine human insight are gaining a distinct competitive advantage....
How Fintech Startups Use a Meta Ads Agency to Reach Accredited Investors
Fintech startups are turning to specialist Meta ads agencies to reach accredited investors more quickly and cheaply than traditional channels. By leveraging Meta’s sophisticated behavioral targeting—professional titles, investment interests, and look‑alike audiences—agencies can assemble compliant audiences that meet the accredited...
AI ‘Accelerating Chaos’ Rather than Freeing up Creativity
Optimizely’s new study of over 200 marketers finds AI is speeding work but not delivering promised creative freedom. While 61% say AI helps them work faster, only 36% feel it frees time for strategic thinking. Roughly 42% say their role...
Canva Invites Anyone to ‘Make Anything A Thing’ in New Brand Platform via Quality Meats, Chicago
Canva unveiled its new brand platform, “The Thing That Makes Anything A Thing,” emphasizing that even the smallest idea can become a movement with its tools, now powered by the conversational Canva AI 2.0. The launch featured a mysterious squirrel statue...
New ‘Voices of Retail Report’ Highlights What’s Needed to Drive Growth on UK High Streets
Spring & Autumn Fair and wholesale platform Faire released the ‘Voices of Retail Report’, analysing 650 UK independent retailers and over 2,000 shoppers. The data shows 71% of independents are stable or growing, with those that invest in brand storytelling,...
Koddi and Comcast’s Universal Ads Ink Deal to Target Streaming Ads With Commerce Data
Koddi, a commerce‑media adtech firm, has partnered with Comcast’s self‑service platform Universal Ads to let advertisers purchase streaming inventory using first‑party shopper audiences. The integration opens access to ad slots from more than 20 publishers, including DirecTV, Fox, NBCUniversal, Paramount,...
Why Paid Ads Fail Without Brand Foundations
Paid advertising can boost visibility, but without solid brand foundations it quickly becomes inefficient. Weak positioning, low trust, and inconsistent experiences cause clicks to lack conviction, driving rising acquisition costs and falling conversion rates. Performance marketing merely amplifies existing brand...
Teran at ConExpo 2026: Strong Traffic, Sustained Demand
Teran Industries sent a seven‑person team to ConExpo‑Con/AGG in Las Vegas, where the booth saw thousands of visitors and nearly 1,000 registered interactions with construction, demolition, mining and excavation firms. The company highlighted its heavy‑equipment attachments, most notably the 992K‑SNR...
A “Pay-For-Performance” Ad Industry? Brands And Agencies Will Need A Referee
WPP announced it will pivot toward fee structures tied to sales and brand performance, citing Jaguar Land Rover as a proof point. By 2026 the firm aims to generate 25% of Monks agency revenue from subscription‑based solutions rather than hourly...
A “Pay-For-Performance” Ad Industry? Brands And Agencies Will Need A Referee
WPP announced a strategic shift toward fee structures tied to measurable sales and brand performance, using Jaguar Land Rover as a pilot. By the end of 2026 the firm aims to generate 25% of Monks agency revenue from subscription‑based solutions rather than...
Some Micro Influencers Find Promising Security in Brand Ownership over Sponsorships
Micro influencers are turning to brand ownership and equity stakes as a hedge against platform volatility. Creator Colin Rocker recently invested seed capital in Favikon, hoping for a future IPO or acquisition, while the broader creator economy sees $13.7 billion in...
Netflix Joins the Attention War with New 'Clips' Feature
Netflix unveiled "Clips," a vertical, short‑form video feed designed for mobile users, debuting on May 1 in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines and South Africa. The feature delivers personalized, snackable snippets from movies, series...
Our AI Agent Did the Job—Then It Did Something We Didn’t Hire It For
A tech startup deployed an AI‑driven sales agent on its website to qualify inbound leads and route prospects. Within six weeks the bot handled hundreds of multi‑turn conversations, generating a qualified pipeline and, unexpectedly, a rich dataset of real‑time buyer...
CashKaro Revenue Grows 72% to Rs 600 Cr in FY26; Narrows Losses
CashKaro, the Gurugram‑based cashback and affiliate commerce platform, posted FY26 revenue of roughly $72 million, a 72% jump from $42 million the previous year. The company’s gross merchandise value surged to about $1.2 billion, up from $720 million, largely driven by its EarnKaro app....
The AI Illusion: Everyone’s a ‘Copywriter’ Now – and Brands Are Paying for It
AI‑generated copy is now so polished that marketers question the need for human copywriters, prompting cost‑cutting plans across the industry. A Wall Street Journal survey shows 36% of CMOs expect to eliminate copywriting roles within the next two years, while...
Havas Thailand Scores Marketing and Media Mandate for Budweiser 0.0 FIFA World Cup 2026™
Havas Thailand has been named the lead marketing and media partner for AB InBev’s Budweiser 0.0 FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in Thailand. The agency will combine data intelligence, media strategy and cultural insight to deliver a locally resonant yet globally consistent brand...
Google Cloud and Accenture Deploy AI Lead‑Enrichment Engine Cutting Processing Time by 90%
Google Cloud, together with Accenture, has built an agentic AI lead‑enrichment engine that turns weeks‑long batch processing into a matter of hours. The system validates, enriches and routes 25,000 inbound records in real time, promising up to an 80% reduction...
Opal Unveils Gem AI Copilot to Slash Marketers’ ‘Alignment Tax’
Opal introduced Gem, an AI‑powered copilot on April 14, to align campaign data with brand strategy and eliminate the so‑called “alignment tax.” The tool promises to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in wasted time and accelerate ROI measurement for...
Elevate Appoints Wade Clark as Chief Growth Officer to Drive Organic Expansion
Elevate, the operator‑led accounting and advisory platform, announced Wade Clark as its new Chief Growth Officer. Clark will lead a unified, data‑driven organic growth function that complements Elevate’s active M&A strategy, drawing on more than three decades of experience scaling...
Google AI Max Marks 1‑year Anniversary with AI Brief, Shopping & Travel Upgrades
Google celebrates the first anniversary of its AI Max advertising tool by launching AI Brief, extending the platform to Shopping and travel campaigns, and adding mandatory disclaimer support for final URL expansion. The upgrades aim to give advertisers tighter brand...
If Social Goes More Private, Where Do Brands Go Next?
The social media playbook is being upended as Instagram tests a standalone "Instants" app for one‑view, 24‑hour disappearing content and legacy Friendster re‑emerges as a private, friend‑to‑friend network. Alongside Snapchat and Locket, these platforms prioritize intimate, low‑pressure sharing over mass...
Canva and Constant Contact Launch One‑Click SMB Marketing Integration
Canva and Constant Contact announced an expanded integration that lets small‑business owners push a finished Canva design directly to email and social channels with one click. Unveiled at Canva Create on April 16, the new workflow adds TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and...
Google On Keyword Fragmentation And User Needs In AI Search via @Sejournal, @Martinibuster
Google’s search product lead Liz Reid told Bloomberg’s Odd Lots that AI Mode and AI Overviews are prompting users to type longer, need‑based queries. These queries are fragmented by Google into multiple precise sub‑queries, which are then answered with synthesized...
Exploring PR, Content, SEO Intersection with Stacker CEO
Talking about the new venn diagram that is PR, content marketing, and SEO (see also: AI visibility) with the CEO of @Stacker next Monday at 3 pm CDT over on LinkedIn Live. Come hang: https://t.co/NqhYuq9PDd https://t.co/FuHPbekLA4
Kansai Nerolac Puts Perma NoHeat to the Test in Public Spaces via New Activation
Kansai Nerolac Paints Limited tested its heat‑reflective coating Perma NoHeat on temple pathways in Southern India. Temperature sensors recorded up to 15 °C lower surface heat on treated sections, giving devotees a cooler barefoot experience. The activation, co‑created with agency Tribes,...
Put Keywords in H1 and Meta Title
To rank in Google your H1 and the meta title should use the keywords you want to rank for. It's that simple.
NZ’s The Edge Unveils New Brand Platform to Combat Gen Z/Millenial ‘Decision Fatigue’
New Zealand’s The Edge, Mediaworks’ flagship youth radio station, has launched a brand platform called “Take the edge off” aimed at 18‑34‑year‑olds. The campaign frames radio as the “original algorithm,” a curated antidote to the decision fatigue caused by endless...
How Advertising Made You Think Chrysler's Rich Corinthian Leather Was Special
In the mid‑1970s Chrysler launched “Corinthian Leather,” a marketing label for ordinary leather seats supplied by Radel Leather. The name, crafted by ad agency Bozell, was paired with actor Ricardo Montalbán’s smooth voice, turning a generic feature into a perceived luxury...
Visa Appoints Danny Osman to Lead APAC Media, Social, Data and Digital Innovation
Visa has hired Danny Irsyaduddin Osman as head of media, social, data, content and digital innovation for Asia Pacific, consolidating several marketing‑technology functions under one leader. The move aims to deepen cultural relevance and data‑driven engagement across 20+ markets, from...
Enthral Unveils New Earned-First Positioning Alongside New Hires and Client Wins
Enthral marks its 12th anniversary by unveiling an earned‑first agency positioning and bolstering its team with new creative, production and PR specialists. The firm won two high‑profile accounts – Celsius, which generated a 40.5 million earned reach from a sold‑out C‑Store...
IAB Europe’s 2026 Programmatic Day Highlights CTV Ownership Gaps and AI‑Driven ‘Messy Middle’
IAB Europe convened its Virtual Programmatic Day 2026 at Google’s London office, drawing hundreds of in‑person attendees and a larger online audience. The two‑panel event dissected fragmented CTV budget ownership and the rise of AI in the programmatic ‘messy middle’,...
Google On AI Search & Why Browsy Queries Favor Full SERPs via @Sejournal, @Martinibuster
Google’s Liz Reid explained that AI Search, classic Search and the Gemini app coexist, creating a non‑monolithic search ecosystem. She introduced the term “browsy queries,” describing discovery‑level searches where users prefer a full SERP over a single AI‑generated answer. Reid...
3 Al PromptsThat Produce 10 Viral Posts a Day
The post outlines a three‑prompt workflow that turns vague AI requests into a complete Instagram carousel in under 30 minutes. Prompt 1 generates ten viral‑ready topics using proven formats, Prompt 2 expands the chosen idea into six slide copy, and Prompt 3 delivers...
Start Every Ad With a Bold Hot Take
🚨 Hot Take: Your ads should begin with a "hot take" Even if the take isn't that hot 🔥 ... it's still a good enough hook to get people to stop scrolling and listen to what you have to say. A hook...
Stop Waiting, Share Now; Marketing Drives Success
"If you build it, they will come." No they won't. Stop waiting to share what you've built. Share it yesterday. Do marketing. Get rich.