Gartner: 67% of B2B Buyers Prefer a Rep-Free Experience
Gartner’s survey of 650 B2B buyers shows 67 % now prefer a rep‑free buying experience, while 45 % used AI tools during a recent purchase. The findings highlight a shift toward self‑directed, digitally mediated buyer journeys. As early interactions drop, static sales collateral loses influence. Gartner advises sales enablement to adopt AI‑driven, modular content embedded in sellers’ workflows to maintain relevance and drive revenue.
Google Knowledge Panel: What It Is & How to Get One
Google’s Knowledge Panel is an information box that appears in search results when Google identifies a recognized entity such as a brand, person, or place. The panel can occupy up to half of the visible SERP, offering facts, images, and...
OPINION: Retail’s $210 Billion Paid Advertising Blind Spot
Global ecommerce retailers—estimated at nine to twelve million—are collectively spending about $210 billion on paid digital advertising each year, yet confidence in the returns from that spend is eroding. The rise of privacy regulations, cookie deprecation and AI‑driven ad platforms has...
How Software Startup InsightSquared Wrestled with Creating an Optimal Sales and Marketing Strategy
Harvard Business School lecturer Mark Roberge uses the InsightSquared case to illustrate why SaaS startups often stumble when they rush to scale sales after a Series A. He argues that founders rely on superficial Excel forecasts instead of bottom‑up revenue models,...
Perion Is So Over The AI Hype Cycle
Perion CEO Tal Jacobson says the AI hype is merely a re‑branding of technologies the company has used for 15 years, and the firm is now building an AI media‑trading agent called Outmax. The platform allocates spend across CTV, DOOH,...
The Next Phase of Social Strategy: Giving Audiences Ownership of the Story
Social marketers are moving from one‑way authenticity to audience ownership, inviting fans to co‑create brand stories. Panels at Ragan’s Social Media Conference highlighted how gaming, National Geographic, Xbox and U.S. Soccer use two‑way conversation, repeatable formats, and layered content capture...
Burberry’s Trench Coat Campaign Shows Luxury Marketing’s Shift to Social Platforms
Burberry’s latest trench‑coat campaign marks a decisive shift from traditional, season‑driven luxury advertising to a digital‑first approach. By tailoring assets for Instagram and TikTok, the brand can launch content in real time, reacting to viral moments and algorithmic boosts. The...
The Value of Search Visibility
Despite headlines proclaiming the death of search, Google’s query volume grew more than 20% in 2024, handling billions of searches daily. While zero‑click rates now hover around 60% overall and up to 77% on mobile, the total number of clicks...
Audacity Bangkok Creates New Campaign for My Chewy Reclaiming the Brands Name
Thai confectionery staple My Chewy, the nation’s best‑selling fruit‑flavoured milk candy, has struggled with consumers calling it by its packaging or flavour rather than its actual name. Audacity Bangkok responded with an emotional online film that asks viewers what name...
Digest: OpenAI Tests Ads Manager and Prepares Agentic Storefronts Feature; Meta Plans Layoffs While Publishers Back Its Expulsion From IAB...
OpenAI is expanding its commercial toolkit, testing an Ads Manager dashboard with a select partner group while preparing the Agentic Storefronts feature that will surface Shopify merchants’ products directly inside ChatGPT. In Sweden, major publishers have backed Meta’s expulsion from...
The Vital Role of Advertising in Times of Uncertainty
Terry Kane of The Trade Desk argues that advertising is a critical infrastructure that keeps the free internet, quality journalism, and economic activity alive during periods of uncertainty. Historical research shows brands that maintain or increase ad spend in downturns...
Why LinkedIn Might Have Two Algorithms — and Why Marketers Should Care
A recent analysis by Christopher Penn suggests LinkedIn runs two distinct algorithmic systems: a retrieval stage that decides whether a post enters a viewer’s candidate pool, and a ranking stage that orders those candidates in the feed. Retrieval relies on signals...
Mada Media Holds Official Ceremony for Naming Rights of ‘National Paints’ Station
Mada Media hosted an official ceremony to award naming rights of Dubai Metro’s Red Line station to National Paints, formerly Jebel Ali. In 2025 the station served 636,873 passengers and delivered over 47 million brand impressions with a 25.78% reach, highlighting the...
Brands Lag as Women Drive up to 85 per Cent of Buying Decisions
A HerKey‑Havas Creative India study finds women influence 70‑85% of purchase decisions in India, yet most brands lag behind. Only 14% of marketers consider themselves leaders in women‑centric marketing, and consistent women‑focused campaigns appear in just half to two‑thirds of...
Ai+ Smartphone Brings Ishan Kishan on Board for Brand Campaigns
Ai+ Smartphone announced a brand partnership with Indian cricketer Ishan Kishan to front its upcoming Nova Series campaigns. The deal aligns the athlete’s image of self‑made ambition with the company’s focus on accessible, high‑performance devices. Kishan will feature in multi‑channel...
The 10 Best Mailchimp Alternatives in 2026
Mailchimp remains a top email marketing tool, but growing user demands for better pricing, specialized features, and AI capabilities have spurred a vibrant alternatives market. Zapier’s updated 2026 guide lists ten contenders, ranging from advanced automation platforms like ActiveCampaign to...
Havas Thailand Taps Navinda Kittisubkul as Head of Strategy & Growth
Havas Thailand has created a Head of Strategy & Growth role and appointed Navinda Kittisubkul, a veteran with more than two decades of brand, media and research experience. The position will unite media, creative, data and AI capabilities to deliver integrated, client‑centric...
YouGov Launches AI Tool To Explain The ‘Why’ Behind Brand Metrics
YouGov has unveiled BrandIndex Voices, an AI‑powered qualitative research add‑on to its BrandIndex platform. The tool combines conversational AI with YouGov’s verified panel to surface the narratives behind shifts in brand metrics such as quality, value and reputation. By prompting...
Hotels.com Gets Refreshingly Literal in New Brand Push
Hotels.com launched a global brand campaign titled “It’s All in the Name,” featuring literal‑humor ads that play on the platform’s straightforward name. The spots – “Chicken Fingers” and “Headphones” – debuted on U.S. TV on March 17 and underscore the brand’s...
Westpac NZ Banks On New Omnicom Oceania ‘Goldilocks’ Bespoke Agency
Westpac New Zealand has launched a partnership with Goldilocks, a bespoke agency created within Omnicom Oceania to drive its brand transformation. The model embeds specialist talent across insights, data, media, technology and production directly within Westpac, bypassing traditional agency structures....
Meta Switches up Its Ad Transparency Labels In-Stream
Meta is replacing the “Sponsored” label with a smaller “Ad” tag on Instagram, part of a broader UI refresh. The change is already live on Instagram and being piloted on Facebook in limited tests. By reducing label size, the disclosure...
United and Marriott Pitch Ad Strategies to Target Travelers on Plane and Hotel Screens
United Airlines and Marriott are urging advertisers to shift spend toward in‑flight and in‑room screens, arguing that travelers are most receptive while en route or staying at a destination. Both companies have built proprietary platforms—United’s Kinective Media and Marriott Media—that...
Tesco and BBH Bring “Need Anything From Tesco?” To Life with 5,000-Tulip Billboard at King’s Cross
Tesco partnered with BBH to stage a 2.5 m × 8 m billboard at King’s Cross Station on 14 March, displaying 5,000 tulips and the prompt “Need Anything From Tesco?”. Passersby could collect a free bouquet, wrapped by brand ambassadors, as a last‑minute Mother’s Day...
Gartner Marketing Symposium/Xpo London 2026
Gartner’s Marketing Symposium/Xpo will convene senior marketing leaders in London on May 11‑12, 2026. The two‑day event emphasizes AI, growth strategy, and customer experience across brand activation, CMO leadership, and demand generation. Attendees will participate in data‑driven sessions, workshops, and the exclusive...
Coca-Cola Brings Exclusive New Soda to Walmart
Coca‑Cola has introduced a new Sprite Chill Mango Citrus flavor sold exclusively at Walmart, available in 20‑ounce full‑sugar bottles and 12‑pack zero‑sugar cans. The launch follows earlier Walmart‑only releases like Strawberry‑Kiwi and continues the company’s limited‑time offering (LTO) strategy to...
Phizz, the UK’s No. 1 Hydration Enhancer, Launches Latest Integrated Campaign
Phizz, the UK’s leading hydration enhancer, has launched an integrated London‑wide campaign running from March to June under the tagline “Phizz Makes It Better.” The multi‑channel effort combines out‑of‑home ads, a fleet of branded taxis and buses, large‑scale sampling and...
Wendy’s Launches a Dunks Menu for March Madness
Wendy’s has teamed up with the NCAA as the Official Dunks partner for the 2026 March Madness tournament, launching a limited‑time Dunks Menu featuring Frosty‑Fries combos. The promotion runs from March 16 to April 6, with every app purchase entering customers into...
“Message Not Received” Covers Marketing to Advisors
Financial institutions are struggling to reach independent advisors, a group projected to shrink by 32% by 2035. At Exchange’s Industry conclave, IAA CMO David Buzo outlined five rules to modernize advisor marketing, emphasizing precise targeting, appropriate channels, and value‑first engagement....
Why George Has Got It: Asda’s Recipe for Fashion Success
Asda’s private‑label clothing line George is becoming a key growth engine, helping to offset thin grocery margins. Vice‑president Karl Doyle announced plans for 100 standalone George stores within five years, alongside a major online revamp. The brand’s affordable style is...
DMWF Spotlight: The New Rules of B2B: Gen Z, AI, and the Rise of Social-First Marketing
B2B marketing is undergoing a rapid transformation as Gen Z buyers demand transparent, peer‑validated experiences and AI amplifies strategic insight. These forces are pushing social media from a support role to the primary go‑to‑market engine, where credibility and real‑time influence shape...
DMWF Spotlight: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): A Comprehensive Guide for 2026
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is emerging as a critical discipline that enables brands to appear within AI‑generated answers on platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and voice assistants. Unlike traditional SEO, AEO focuses on concise, structured content and schema markup so...
To Succeed With Paid Media, This Indie Agency Advises Nailing Organic First
LV8, a social‑first agency founded in 2024, has launched a dedicated paid‑media practice led by Ian Hiscock. The firm treats content creation and media buying as a single workflow, amplifying high‑performing organic posts with paid spend. By using organic insights...
‘One Version of the Truth’: How M&S Used Insights to Transform Its Summer Woes
Marks & Spencer (M&S) tackled its chronic summer fashion underperformance by leveraging a deep consumer‑insight project with Basis Global. The insights team created a unified “one version of the truth” using a ‘Moments Framework’ that captured customers’ emotional drivers rather...
The ENTERTAINER ‘Our Home. Our Heart’ Campaign Sees 100,000+ Offers Redeemed
The ENTERTAINER launched the "Our Home. Our Heart" campaign on March 12, 2026, offering free One Heart memberships to UAE residents to bolster the hospitality sector amid recent challenges. The initiative expanded from an initial 50,000 offers to 250,000 claimed...
3 CMS Platforms Control 73% Of The Market & Shape Technical SEO Defaults via @Sejournal, @MattGSouthern
Chris Green’s analysis of 17 million sites shows WordPress, Shopify and Wix now dominate 73 % of the CMS market, eclipsing legacy platforms like Joomla and Drupal. Their combined 2025 revenue exceeds $13.5 billion, funding engineering teams that set default technical‑SEO configurations for...
Bark Out Loud Rolls Out New Pet Food Campaign with Huma Qureshi
Bark Out Loud by Vivaldis has launched the #ThriveSharedJourney campaign for its Thrive pet food line, featuring Bollywood actress Huma Qureshi. The film positions pet wellbeing as a collaborative process between pets and their owners, emphasizing nutrition awareness alongside lifestyle...
Asian Paints Launches Damp Proof Campaign Featuring Ranbir Kapoor
Asian Paints has launched a new Damp Proof campaign starring Ranbir Kapoor and Saurabh Shukla, created by Ogilvy. The ad emphasizes terrace protection against monsoon leaks and summer heat, promoting a heat‑reflective coating that can lower surface temperatures by up...
US X-Venture & India’s SbInfowaves Announce Global Alliance To Launch ‘Agentic AI’ Marketing Infrastructure For USA-SMEs
X‑Venture.US and India’s SB Infowaves have formed a strategic alliance to deliver an Agentic AI‑driven marketing and operational platform for U.S. small‑and‑medium enterprises. The partnership pairs X‑Venture’s private‑capital placement expertise with SB Infowaves’ autonomous AI “digital colleagues,” aiming to modernize legacy firms...
How AI Agents Decide Which Brands To Recommend: Trust Is The New Ranking Factor via @Sejournal, @Purnavirji
Autonomous AI agents are turning trust into a ranking factor, shifting marketers from chasing visibility to proving eligibility. Brands must supply clear, verifiable data that agents can parse and use to justify recommendations. The Wharton paper outlines three trust pillars—goal...
How Quick Commerce Is Turning Into A Visibility Engine For Retail & D2C Brands
Quick commerce has evolved from a niche last‑minute service into a mainstream habit, with Indian consumers ordering multiple times a week. The 10‑minute delivery market, worth roughly $6 bn today, is projected to reach $35‑40 bn by 2030, while gross order value...
Most Marketing Agencies Are Held Together by Duct Tape. GoHighLevel Wants to Fix That.
Marketing agencies typically juggle six to twelve separate tools, driving up costs and operational friction. GoHighLevel offers a single‑platform alternative that bundles CRM, email, SMS, funnel building, scheduling, reputation management and AI‑driven automation. Its architecture provides unlimited, isolated sub‑accounts per...
Traveller Made Highlights Branding as Key to Luxury DMC Growth
Traveller Made’s CEO Quentin Desurmont warns luxury destination management companies (DMCs) that superior logistics alone no longer secures profitability; they must develop distinct brand identities. He suggests borrowing branding tactics from the luxury goods sector, where desirability and exclusivity have...
Ugg Brings Back the Fluff Yeah Sandal With a Sci-Fi-Inspired Twist
UGG has revived its popular Fluff Yeah fluffy sandal for a limited Spring 2026 run after strong fan demand. The brand launched a sci‑fi‑inspired campaign starring comedian Atsuko Okatsuka, featuring a hand‑crafted miniature Los Angeles set and a Venice Beach pop‑up on...
Chocolate-Scented Magnum Activation Sparks Commuter Backlash on London Tube
Magnum launched a multi‑sensory activation in the St Pancras‑King’s Cross tube walkway, releasing bursts of chocolate aroma and a cracking sound to mimic biting the ice‑cream. The installation, running from 9 March to 22 March, provoked mixed reactions, with many commuters describing the scent...
Uber Emboldens St Patrick’s Day Partygoers to ‘Irish Exit’ with a Quick Getaway
Uber has launched the "IrishXit" campaign for St. Patrick’s Day, urging partygoers to leave safely via UberX. The initiative features Love Island star Maura Higgins in a meta‑creative spot that dramatizes an "Irish exit" from a party. Partnering with Mother New York,...
How to Choose an AI Writing Assistant: Best Tips for 2026
Choosing an AI writing assistant hinges on matching the tool to specific writing goals, whether for academic research, marketing copy, or creative storytelling. The guide stresses evaluating core features such as grammar correction, content generation, and personalization, while also weighing...
Telstra Business Launches New ‘Tame Your Tech’ Campaign via In-House Agency Roam
Telstra Business introduced the “Tame your Tech” campaign to promote its Managed IT Services, developed by the newly formed in‑house creative agency Roam. The centerpiece is an animated film where sentient cables move from anticipation through chaos to a controlled...
Beyond the Brief: Inside SnackaChangi’s ‘One Chip per Kiwi’ Campaign – a Triumphant Trainwreck
SnackaChangi and Pitchblack Partners launched a "one chip per Kiwi" stunt that turned an impossible sampling brief into a nationwide content engine. By framing the absurd promise as a media‑driven narrative and later handing over the unspent sampling budget, the...
Rethinking AEO when Software Agents Navigate the Web on Behalf of Users
The rise of AI‑powered agents that browse the web on users' behalf is eroding the long‑standing assumption that every click, scroll or purchase funnel step reflects a conscious human decision. While the raw data—page views, button clicks, time on page—remains...
Pepsi Ropes in Saiyaara Star Pair Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda as New Brand Face
PepsiCo India has appointed rising actors Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda as the new faces of its summer campaign, aiming to deepen ties with Gen Z consumers. The move continues the beverage giant’s long‑standing practice of leveraging pop‑culture icons to reinforce...
