The Platform Updates You Need to Know From March
Meta will count only link clicks for click‑through attribution, moving likes, shares and saves to a new “engage‑through” category. Spotify launches an interactive BTS ARIRANG campaign and introduces SongDNA, a discovery‑focused music experience. Anghami adds AI‑generated metadata to 2.5 million songs, while Google rolls out Nano Banana 2 image generation and Lyria 3 Arabic music models in the MENA region. Canva debuts Magic Layers for editable AI‑generated designs, and Pinterest publishes its first Parenting Trend Report for 2026.
How To Avoid Top Down SEO Systems Failures With The Visibility Governance Maturity Model via @Sejournal, @Theshelleywalsh
Ash Nallawalla warns that most SEO breakdowns stem from missing governance, not poor practitioners. He illustrates the danger with a case where 22 million orphaned pages would take 310 billion years for Googlebot to crawl. To address this, he created the Visibility...
MessageGears Delivers Warehouse-Native Revenue Tracking for Enterprise Marketers With New Cross-Channel Conversion Analytics
MessageGears unveiled a warehouse‑native conversion reporting suite that links campaign performance directly to an organization’s data warehouse. The new capabilities deliver real‑time revenue and purchase attribution across email, SMS, push, in‑app and embedded messaging without adding extra tools. By reading...
Corporate Reputation Is a Key Motivator for Consumers to Pay More
Corporate reputation now directly influences consumer spending, with studies showing shoppers willing to pay up to 25% more for trusted brands and nearly 10% more for sustainable offerings. Four pillars—trust, sustainability, transparency, and inclusivity—drive this premium, each backed by recent...
Wyndham And Goop Are Using AI To Scale Creative And Avoid Burnout
Wyndham and lifestyle brand Goop have partnered with Adora, an AI‑driven performance‑marketing platform, to automate creative generation and real‑time ad optimization. The system produced over 90 ad variants for Wyndham, tailoring imagery and messaging to 15 audience segments and boosting...
Q4 2025 EMEA Ad Viewability Trends Report
Pixalate released its Q4 2025 programmatic ad viewability report for the EMEA region, covering the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Israel. The study shows non‑viewability rates ranging from 21% to 50% across mobile web, mobile in‑app and desktop web platforms, with...
Q4 2025 APAC Ad Viewability Trends Report
Pixalate released its Q4 2025 Asia‑Pacific programmatic ad viewability report for India, revealing that 46% of mobile in‑app ads, 30% of mobile web ads, and 36% of desktop web ads were not viewable. The study, based on 106 billion global open‑programmatic impressions,...
Q4 2025 CTV Ad Supply Chain Trends Report
Pixalate’s Q4 2025 CTV Ad Supply Chain Trends Report, based on over 7 billion programmatic transactions, shows Roku commanding the largest market share of voice (SOV) in North America (32%) and Latin America (30%). Samsung leads in EMEA with 24% SOV while...
CTrader Store Expands Affiliate Programme with Two Revenue Streams in One Extended IB Model
Spotware has upgraded the cTrader Store Affiliate Programme by adding a second revenue stream, allowing partners to earn both traditional Introducing Broker (IB) commissions from broker sign‑ups and up to 20% affiliate commissions on product sales. The new model preserves...
Lipton Drafts in Ice-T to Kick Ass and #RespectThePeach
Lipton has tapped legendary rapper Ice‑T to lead its pan‑European #RespectThePeach campaign, aiming to correct the widespread misuse of the peach emoji for butt references. The initiative rolls out a video message, a new “buttmoji,” TikTok‑friendly audio remixes, and digital...
Are We Due Another Florida-Style Update? Via @Sejournal, @TaylorDanRW
The article warns that the surge of AI‑generated, low‑value pages is recreating conditions that triggered past Google algorithm overhauls such as Florida, Allegra and Brandy. Google’s current suite of continuous signals—Helpful Content, SpamBrain and ongoing core updates—has shifted from single‑day...
Lastminute.com Appoints BBH to Be ‘Bigger and Better’
Lastminute.com has engaged advertising agency BBH to create a new brand platform for key European markets, aiming to capitalize on a surge in last‑minute travel bookings. The partnership replaces Trouble Maker and follows a strategic shift toward AI‑driven personalization, automated...
Anta’s Core Label Slows in 2025 as Fila and Other Labels Pick up the Pace
Anta Sports posted a 13.3% revenue increase to $11.6 billion in 2025, driven largely by its Fila label and smaller brands, while the core Anta brand grew only 3.7%. Operating profit rose 15% to $2.8 billion, with margins expanding to 23.8% despite...
NuSpice Launches Retro-Inspired ‘NuStalgia’ Campaign
NuSpice, a custom spice‑blending firm, unveiled its ‘NuStalgia’ campaign, a retro‑themed promotional kit featuring a 1980s‑style metal lunchbox, trading cards, a Rubik’s Cube, and three Chili Crunch seasoning blends. The kit includes an interactive digital experience that unlocks upon receipt,...
ChatGPT’s Ad Platform Cannot Tell You If Your Money Is Working: What That Means for Affiliate Budgets
OpenAI will roll out its ChatGPT advertising product to all U.S. free and lower‑cost tier users, but the platform provides virtually no performance data, no automated buying tools, and no reliable attribution. Advertisers must negotiate deals manually and rely on...
![[Industry News] DIVA Agency Launches New Community and Creator Division Dedicated to Fan Engagement, Creator Partnerships and Community Building](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/div.png)
[Industry News] DIVA Agency Launches New Community and Creator Division Dedicated to Fan Engagement, Creator Partnerships and Community Building
Diva Agency is launching a dedicated Creator and Community division in March 2026, led by Charlotte Willis, who grew the firm’s influencer business by 300% in 2025. The new team will serve the agency’s global games and entertainment clients, acting as...
HAVAS Red Middle East Launches CRed to Bridge Brands and the Creator Economy
HAVAS Red Middle East has launched CRed, a new creator‑marketing practice that integrates the agency’s PR, influencer and experiential capabilities. CRed aims to shift brand‑creator collaborations from short‑term transactions to long‑term, credibility‑driven partnerships rooted in regional culture. The service will...
Foxtale Signs Tilak Varma as Brand Ambassador
Foxtale has appointed Indian cricketer Tilak Varma as the face of its sunscreen line, extending the ‘Play On Till The Sun’s Gone’ campaign. The partnership highlights a shift toward using young athletes to influence grooming and skincare habits. The campaign...
Malaysia Targets Intra-Asia Travel as Middle East Tensions Reshape Demand
Amid rising Middle East tensions, Malaysia is reshaping its tourism strategy to capture intra‑Asian travel demand. The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry is redirecting the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign toward Asian source markets and exploring transit routes that avoid Middle Eastern...
Al Dhannah City Picks Entourage to Lead Destination Marketing and Communications
Entourage, a leading creative agency in the Middle East, has been hired to spearhead destination marketing, brand positioning, and integrated communications for Al Dhannah City. The agency will craft a differentiated identity and a structured roadmap covering brand strategy, narrative development, and...
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,...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
‘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...
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....
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...
'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...
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,...
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...
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...
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....
58% of Shoppers Lose Brand Trust over Faulty AI Suggestions
Rithum’s new study of 1,046 U.S. and U.K. shoppers shows that 58% of consumers blame retailers when AI‑generated product recommendations contain errors, and 16% would abandon a purchase after a bad suggestion. In the U.K., 70% have used AI tools...
Tambourine Reimagines Nevis for a New Era of Luxury Travel, Honored with 2025 Adrian Award
Tambourine, a Fort Lauderdale hospitality marketing firm, earned a Silver 2025 Adrian Award for its comprehensive rebrand and digital overhaul of Nevis. The initiative lifted mobile engagement by 84%, hotel leads by 75%, and restaurant leads by a staggering 2,281%,...
Eight Pro Tips on Using Real-Time AI Language Translation in B-to-B Events
B-to-B event organizers are increasingly adopting real-time AI language translation to serve global, multilingual audiences. Platforms such as Wordly and Voxo offer affordable, software‑based solutions that can be set up in minutes and include features like ASL support, customizable glossaries,...
What TikTok’s Volatility Means for Retail Media Planning
TikTok’s uninstall rates have surged roughly 150% as U.S. regulatory uncertainty intensifies, prompting retailers to reassess video spend. The spike highlights the risk of concentrating advertising budgets on a single social feed during critical back‑to‑school and holiday periods. Marketers are...
How Lowe’s Creator Network Is Winning over the Next Generation of Shoppers
Lowe’s has rolled out a Creator Network, partnering with top influencers such as YouTuber MrBeast to reach Generation Alpha before they become homeowners. The program, launched in June 2025, offers creators personalized storefronts on Lowe’s site and commissions on sales,...
Meta Expands AI Commerce and Launches Small Business Initiative to Accelerate Adoption
Meta announced AI‑driven commerce upgrades for Facebook and Instagram, adding real‑time summaries of user reviews, brand insights, and product recommendations within ads. The company also rolled out an updated in‑app checkout powered by Stripe and PayPal, with future integrations planned...
Google Analytics Launches Scenario Planner and Projections via @Sejournal, @Brookeosmundson
Google Analytics has introduced two new beta tools—Scenario Planner and Projections—to help advertisers model and monitor paid‑media budgets across Google and non‑Google channels. Scenario Planner lets users simulate future budget allocations and forecast impacts on conversions, revenue, or ROI, while...
