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.
Click Here to Lose Trust
Banks are confronting a trust crisis as cyber crime targets systemic vulnerabilities and victim‑blaming campaigns erode confidence. Recent advertising that shames fraud victims highlights a shift from education to blame, while digital banking exposes weak fraud detection and employee collusion. The article argues that brand equity now hinges on real‑time analytics, robust security execution, and a human‑centric approach to customer relationships. Rebuilding credibility requires banks to invest in technology and restore the personal touch that historically underpinned trust.
Social Media Analytics Explained: Metrics, Tools, and Strategy
Social media analytics transforms raw platform data into actionable insights that drive content strategy and ROI. The guide outlines how to differentiate analytics, listening, and reporting, and stresses focusing on a handful of KPIs tied to business goals. It recommends...
Best Social Media Schedulers in 2026 (and How to Pick One)
The social media scheduler market, now worth roughly $39.14 billion, is crowded with tools that differ in pricing, platform coverage, and collaboration features. The article evaluates nine leading schedulers—Later, Buffer, Sprout Social, Hootsuite, Planable, Metricool, Agorapulse, Loomly, and Sendible—using criteria such...
Align Funnel Intent, Triple Conversion Rates
Earlier this week, a client reached out feeling stuck (Online Coaching Business) $2.2K spend… CPL rising 47%, conversion barely 1.2% “Leads come… but they don’t convert into calls” We realigned funnel + intent → conversion hit 3.5% It’s a pattern I don’t overlook anymore
Samples Are Modern Promotional Tools, Not Obligations
Because they're promotional tools. I've talked about this, but back in the day they went to journalists and book sellers only. Now they go to lots more ppl because of the rise of social media and the destruction of traditional...
‘Do We Half Accept It As Normal?’: MOBI’s Liz Cherry Warns Marketers Of AI Language Creeping Into Campaigns
MOBI’s marketing lead Liz Cherry warned that the rapid adoption of AI tools is making campaign language increasingly uniform, even as it accelerates production and improves metrics. While AI can automate repetitive tasks and free marketers to focus on strategy,...
Use Amazon Attribution to Track ROI, Cut Losing Ads
Q&A If you are running a single ad for a book in a single country it’s easy to see if it’s performing or not based on the increase in sales/reads. If you are running multiple ads for the same book-...
IROAS Uses Dual Factors, Campaign Ranks Vary
Thanks @PhilKiel for engaging seriously with the CPMr report. A thoughtful critique is beneficial to all research. But, two pieces of the thread rest on methodology misreads, and most of the "limitations you surface" are limitations we published ourselves. Here's...
Macy's Ramps up AI-Driven Digital Overhaul, Expanding to 35+ Use Cases
Macy's announced a broad rollout of artificial‑intelligence tools, now running more than 35 use cases across its operations. The retailer says AI is sharpening merchandising, pricing and delivery, while analysts note a forward price‑to‑sales ratio of 0.24×, well below the...
Seeking Tips for Brand‑Consistent AI‑Generated Infographics
Does anyone from @OpenAI want to share some tips on how to get image 2 to generate good infographics or have it match your brand style? I haven't had any luck either.
WWE’s Celebrity Push Costs Fans While TKO Defends Strategy
WWE, now owned by TKO, amplified celebrity appearances at WrestleMania 42, prompting criticism that the approach inflates costs and alienates core fans. TKO President Mark Shapiro defended the tactic as essential for growth in a shifting media landscape.
Spinnaker Support Appoints Pete Castello as CRO to Accelerate Global Growth
Spinnaker Support announced Pete Castello as its new chief revenue officer, joining CEO Matt Stava and VP of Global Marketing Belle Smith in a leadership expansion aimed at scaling sales worldwide. The move targets growing demand from Oracle, SAP and...
DISQO Hires Veteran Ad‑tech Exec Terri Walter as CMO to Scale AI‑driven Measurement
DISQO announced the appointment of Terri Walter as chief marketing officer. Walter, a two‑decade ad‑tech veteran, will steer brand, communications and go‑to‑market strategy as the firm serves more than 500 brands and 150 agency partners. The hire underscores DISQO’s push...
Burger in Front, Party Out Back: McDonald’s NZ Debuts the Cheeseburger with a Mullet via McCann NZ, FleishmanHillard Aotearoa +...
McDonald’s New Zealand rolled out a limited‑time "Cheeseburger with a Mullet" – nicknamed the McMullet – after a social‑media buzz around adding an extra slice of cheese at the back of a cheeseburger. The campaign, created with McCann NZ, FleishmanHillard Aotearoa...
Ubisoft to Unveil Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Remake in Live Stream on April 23
Ubisoft announced a worldwide livestream for April 23 to unveil Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the long‑rumored remake of the 2013 pirate classic. The showcase will reveal gameplay, a release window for July 9, 2026, and confirm that the title...
Why Agentic AI Is Redefining the Next Stage of Customer Experience
Customer experience is shifting from reactive, script‑based interactions to proactive, real‑time personalization powered by agentic AI. Unlike traditional chatbots, agentic AI analyzes entire journeys, predicts needs, and autonomously orchestrates campaigns across channels. Marketers who adopt these systems can automate segmentation,...
Omnicom Media Study Flags 'Negative Reach' As Over‑Frequency Hurts Campaigns
Omnicom Media Intelligence’s new report warns that excessive ad frequency creates "negative reach," where repeated impressions frustrate consumers and damage brand perception. More than 60% of surveyed viewers say they see the same ad multiple times in one streaming session,...
The Strategy Behind Comcast’s Refreshed Xfinity Mobile Plans
Comcast has streamlined Xfinity Mobile into two clear plans—Mobile Select at $30 per line and Mobile Plus at $45—phasing out its previous by‑the‑gig pricing. Both tiers include unlimited talk and text, while Select offers 50 GB premium data and a Global...
WiredCo Joins OpenAI’s ChatGPT Ads Pilot in Australia
WiredCo, an award‑winning brandformance agency, has joined OpenAI’s ChatGPT Ads pilot in Australia, bringing Boost Mobile and THE ICONIC on board as the first local brands. The agency is creating conversational ad units that sit natively within ChatGPT, targeting the...
Major Burger Chain Adds Highly Popular Star Wars Menu Items
Burger King is launching a limited‑time Star Wars menu on May 4, featuring four themed items and collectible cups tied to Disney’s upcoming “Mandalorian and Grogu” film. The promotion is part of BK’s “Reclaim the Flame” growth strategy, which has previously...
LinkedIn’s New Tool Lets You Test the Outputs of Various AI Models
LinkedIn has launched Crosscheck, a new feature for Premium members in the United States that lets users test prompts across leading AI models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft and others. The tool presents two anonymous model responses for each prompt...
Treat Inbound Leads as Contests, Not Closed Deals
Inbound leads feel like gifts. They're actually traps if you handle them wrong. Most AEs treat inbound like the deal is already half closed. It's not. Inbound buyers are also talking to your 3 closest competitors. Speed + deep discovery + strong demo = you...
Marketing Skills 1.8 Adds Directories, Competitor Profil
Marketing Skills v1.8.0 is out. What shipped: 🆕 /directory-submissions — Product Hunt, G2, AI directories, and backlink strategy. Launch playbooks, listing optimization, and submission tracking. 🆕 /competitor-profiling — competitive intelligence research. Market positioning analysis, feature gap identification, pricing intelligence, and messaging teardowns. Enhanced skills: •...
S07.EP07 - UX & UI — The Brand Experience Gap W/ Alexander Lofthouse
In this episode, hosts Jacob Cass and Matt Davies explore the often‑overlooked intersection of branding and user experience with senior designer Lex (Alexander) Lofthouse. Lex defines UX as the full spectrum of a user's interaction with a brand, while UI...
Broadsign Partners with JB Hi-Fi to Accelerate Retail Media Network
Broadsign announced a partnership with Australian electronics retailer JB Hi‑Fi to power its in‑store retail media network across more than 200 locations. The Broadsign Platform will centralise campaign planning, execution, optimisation and reporting, giving JB Hi‑Fi real‑time control from a single hub....
Target One Person, Not Everyone, for Inbound Success
I have reviewed hundreds of profiles. The ones that generate inbound were clearly written for one specific person. Not the whole world. One person with one problem.
How to Make a Brand Activity Impossible to Ignore in the City
The article argues that in crowded cityscapes brands must move beyond static ads to temporary, architectural‑scale multimedia installations. Transparent LED curtain systems are presented as the ideal medium, acting as both structure and screen while remaining lightweight and breathable. The...
Self‑skit Ads Win when You Lack a Product
Here's the TOP performing ad type if you don't have a physical product: When you don't have a product to show, it can be hard to make the ad engaging. This is where the self-skit ad format shines ⭐️. Simply record a...
Why Your Story, Engagement, And Empathy Matter More Than Ever
In a recent interview, Megan Hargroder of Legends Legal Marketing explains that modern law firms must build trust online through storytelling, authentic engagement, and empathy. She notes that prospective clients research attorneys long before the first call, so credibility is...
Snickers, Twix Use Laughs To Launch New Products
Mars is rolling out humor‑driven campaigns for Snickers and Twix as it expands its product lineup. The "Stuck" campaign promotes Snickers Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter Ice Cream with a comedic hiker ad, while Twix launches bite‑size Twix Bits starring...
KIME Review 2026: The AI Search Visibility Platform Built for Brands That Want to Win in LLM Search
KIME is a purpose‑built AI search visibility platform that monitors how Shopify brands appear in large‑language‑model responses such as ChatGPT and Perplexity. It provides prompt‑level share‑of‑voice, citation analytics, sentiment scores and an Action Centre that delivers weekly optimization recommendations. Pricing...
AI-Powered Rules Automate LinkedIn Message Management
Imagine this: LinkedIn lets you create a prompt/instructions (let's call it MESSAGES.md and INVITES.md ). You can write instructions as to how to handle DMs and invites to connect. Examples: 1) Auto-archive any messages that are requests for a "paid...
Context Matters: How to Target Smarter When Tracking Gets Worse
With third‑party cookies disappearing, 60% of brands feel unprepared, leaving small advertisers especially vulnerable. Lacking first‑party data and limited budgets, they struggle to track and retarget prospects. Contextual targeting—matching ads to page content—offers a cookie‑free solution, delivering up to tenfold...
RAIN Notes: April 21
Bauer Media has partnered with Experian to bring data‑driven, hyper‑local targeting to its digital radio advertising. Experian’s MicromarketerG3 aligns listening areas with postal districts, feeding the audioXi platform so ads reach the right listeners in specific neighborhoods. The combined solution...
Virgin Atlantic Launches First-of-Its-Kind Airline App in ChatGPT to Revolutionise Travel Planning
Virgin Atlantic has become the first airline to launch an app inside OpenAI’s ChatGPT, enabling customers to search and book flights using everyday language. The AI‑driven interface instantly surfaces tailored flight options and then redirects users to the airline’s website...
Modelo Beer Goes All-In On World Cup With Largest Ever Futbol Investment
Modelo Especial and Modelo Negra have launched the “Best Seat in the House” campaign for the 2026 World Cup, marking the brand’s largest futbol media spend. The effort includes TV ads during 104 Spanish‑language matches and sponsorship of every Telemundo...
Apple Targets September Launch of Smart Glasses to Undercut Meta’s AR Push
Apple is slated to introduce its first-generation Apple Glasses in September or October 2024, a move designed to pre‑empt Meta’s holiday‑season sales and steal momentum from Google, Warby Parker and Samsung. The launch will lean on tight iPhone integration, premium...
How a Niche YouTube Channel Became a Multi-Platform Travel Business
Jessica Dante left a corporate travel role to launch a YouTube channel that delivers hyper‑specific London travel advice. By concentrating on a single city, her videos quickly surpassed a million views and attracted a "drive‑by" audience of trip planners. She...
Mobile Messenger and Telescope Team Up to Power Mobile Fan Engagement for Entertainment Brands
Mobile Messenger and Telescope have formed a joint initiative to bring industry‑leading mobile participation media solutions to entertainment brands. The partnership combines Mobile Messenger’s aggregation and secure billing platform with Telescope’s high‑throughput participation‑TV technology, promising real‑time fan interaction and new...
Integral Ad Science Expands TikTok Ad Quality Measurement to Four New Formats
Integral Ad Science (IAS) announced on April 21 that its TMQ solution now covers TikTok Search ads, upgraded campaign creation, GMV Max and TikTok Lite, giving marketers a fuller suite of brand‑safety and viewability metrics on the platform’s fast‑growing ad...
Microsoft Launches AI‑focused Premium Content Marketplace to Challenge Google
NEW: @Microsoft saw @Google become the dominant information marketplace over past 20 years. Now, it wants to get ahead for AI era. — The company is building a premium content marketplace for publishers, advertisers and merchants to transact on — It's...
Businesses Overlook Retention Despite Higher Acquisition Costs
On Which Does Your Company Focus: #Acquisition or #Retention https://t.co/pFDh3qmTg4 Despite the cost of bringing in new customers is much higher than the cost to keep existing customers, cos place a disproportionate focus on #marketing / #advertising to attract new...
ChatGPT Ads Now Offer CPC Bidding Between $3 And $5: Report via @Sejournal, @MattGSouthern
OpenAI’s ChatGPT Ads Manager has added a cost‑per‑click (CPC) bidding option, with bids ranging from $3 to $5 per click. The change follows a rapid price decline since the pilot’s February launch, where CPM rates fell from $60 to as...
Rams' Post Becomes NFL Teams' Top-Performing Content
Not only was this EASILY the best performing piece of content the @RamsNFL have ever had, but it's also likely the best performing brand content any @NFL team has had (with a nice assist from @SnoopDogg sharing on Instagram to...
Measure, Build, and Leverage Brand Equity
RT @VisionEdgeMktg 👑 Brand equity: Measure it, build it, leverage it. https://t.co/UWCQAsUDMN #BrandEquity #Leverage #Metrics
TinyLog: One Backlink a Day
TinyLaunch’s latest post urges creators to boost their SEO by earning one backlink per day through directory submissions. It explains that Ahrefs’ Domain Rating (DR) reflects backlink strength and that a modest 365 backlinks annually can markedly improve rankings and...
My Two-Rule Formula for Building Personal Brands
Justin O'Brien argues that most personal‑branding advice reduces distinctive leaders to generic listicles, stripping away the unique stories that make them memorable. He proposes a two‑part formula—keep it simple and make it exciting—where the message must be inherently clear and...
GrowthRise Mastermind Recap Apr 21, 2026
The GrowthRise Mastermind recap highlighted key decisions around display advertising platforms, noting that AdRoll is most effective when a company’s Google spend is below $50,000, while Google Display outperforms once that threshold is crossed. It reinforced that a 1.5‑2% click‑through...
ABM’s Cost Myth Debunked: Focus on Foundations First
ABM has a reputation for being expensive and complex. But according to Saul Marquez, that’s a myth. The real issue? Teams focus on tools before they’ve done the foundational work. Full interview 👉 https://t.co/I8eCvTnUvZ @OutcomesRocket #ABM #hcmktg
Stop Measuring. Start Moving: Closing the Execution Gap in Peak Sales Moments
Marketers often treat BFCM data as a post‑campaign report, missing real‑time optimization opportunities. QR code scans, which capture high‑intent consumer signals, are especially underutilized—one‑quarter of marketers failed to act on 2024 scan data before Cyber Monday. Brands that responded to...