News•Feb 26, 2026
ChatGPT Ecommerce Traffic Converts 31% Higher than Non-Branded Organic Search
Visibility Labs analyzed 94 ecommerce sites in 2025 and found that traffic referred from ChatGPT converted at a 1.81% rate, 31% higher than non‑branded organic search. While ChatGPT visits surged 1,079% over the year, they accounted for only 1.48% of organic revenue, generating $474,000 versus $32.1 million from organic. The higher conversion is attributed to intent compression, but average order value was 14% lower, offset by a 10% higher revenue‑per‑session. Growth slowed after a product‑carousel update in mid‑2025, leaving AI traffic a niche but promising channel.
By Search Engine Land
News•Feb 26, 2026
The Loyalty-Building Advantages of Embracing Black Audiences
Brands that authentically engage Black audiences can unlock significant economic upside, as Black consumers are projected to wield $2.1 trillion in buying power by 2026. They are four times more likely than average shoppers to follow the WNBA and spend roughly...
By Nielsen — Insights
News•Feb 26, 2026
Why Deep Analysis Is Essential for Influencer Marketing Governance
Influencer marketing budgets are set to surge, with 72% of marketers expecting over a 50% increase in 2026. This rapid expansion brings heightened scrutiny from finance, procurement and leadership, especially around audience authenticity, which 56% cite as their top risk....
By Influencer Marketing Hub
News•Feb 26, 2026
Meta Andromeda Update Explained: How Meta Ads Work Now
Meta’s Andromeda overhaul replaces the legacy ad‑retrieval layer with a unified deep‑learning system, reshaping which ads enter the auction on Facebook and Instagram. The change was driven by exploding creative volume, the rise of Advantage+ automation, and the limits of...
By Influencer Marketing Hub
News•Feb 26, 2026
When Google Is No Longer A Verb: Search Becoming Infrastructure via @Sejournal, @DuaneForrester
The article argues that traditional keyword‑based search is being eclipsed by AI‑driven personal agents that handle the entire decision‑making workflow. As conversational interfaces reach massive scale, users shift from typing queries to delegating outcomes, turning the search loop into a...
By Search Engine Journal
News•Feb 26, 2026
Google Expands AI Max Text Guidelines Globally
Google has opened beta access to AI Max text guidelines for all advertisers worldwide, covering Search and Performance Max campaigns. The new feature supports every language and industry vertical, letting marketers steer AI‑generated ad copy with plain‑language instructions. Brands can...
By Search Engine Land
News•Feb 26, 2026
We’re Expanding Beta Access to Text Guidelines for All Advertisers Globally in AI Max.
Google is rolling out beta access to text guidelines for all advertisers worldwide within its AI Max platform, covering both Search and Performance Max campaigns. The feature now supports every language and industry vertical, letting marketers define prohibited terms or...
By Google Analytics Blog
News•Feb 26, 2026
Google Opens 'Text Guidelines' To More Advertisers
Google is expanding its AI‑driven "text guidelines" feature to all AI Max and Performance Max advertisers in a global beta. The tool lets brands specify terms or concepts to include or exclude, ensuring AI‑generated headlines and descriptions stay on‑brand, tone‑appropriate,...
By MediaPost
News•Feb 26, 2026
How to Create an Effective Instagram Sales Funnel
Instagram is evolving from a visual showcase into a platform‑native sales engine, replacing traditional landing‑page funnels with content‑driven conversations. Brands move prospects from Reels‑based discovery through interactive Stories and comments into direct‑message (DM) dialogues that close sales without leaving the...
By Influencer Marketing Hub
News•Feb 26, 2026
IAB Unveils 2026 NewFronts, Marking a Defining Moment for Streaming, CTV, and AI-Powered Video
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced the 2026 NewFronts event, scheduled for March 23‑26 in New York, spotlighting AI‑driven video, streaming, and CTV innovations. The four‑day conference will feature live and virtual sessions from tech giants like Google, Meta, and...
By IAB
News•Feb 26, 2026
What to Know When Marketers Compare Free vs Paid UGC Video Creation Tools
User‑generated content (UGC) video has become a cornerstone of social and performance marketing, offering authentic, creator‑style creatives for paid ads and testing. Marketers must decide whether free editing tools or paid platforms best support the volume, speed, and brand control...
By Influencer Marketing Hub
News•Feb 26, 2026
Google Circle to Search Looks At The Whole Image
Google announced a major upgrade to its Circle to Search feature, enabling the tool to analyze an entire image rather than just the circled portion. Powered by Gemini 3’s multi‑object recognition and visual query fan‑out, the system automatically crops and searches...
By Search Engine Roundtable
News•Feb 26, 2026
Google Ads API Version 23.1 Now Available
Google has launched version 23.1 of the Google Ads API, introducing enhancements across account management, campaigns, conversions, incentives, planning, reporting, and a new YouTubeVideoUpload service. The update adds EU political advertising declaration fields, AI‑driven text‑guidelines for Performance Max and Search campaigns,...
By Search Engine Roundtable
News•Feb 26, 2026
Microsoft Updates Bing Webmaster Guidelines (A Bit)
Microsoft has refreshed the Bing Webmaster Guidelines, updating the page design to match the new Bing Webmaster Tools interface. The most notable textual change adds references to Bing’s AI-driven Copilot and grounding API results. While the revisions are largely cosmetic,...
By Search Engine Roundtable
News•Feb 26, 2026
Estée Lauder to Armani: The Risks and Rewards of Reformulating a Hero Beauty Product
Iconic beauty brands such as Estée Lauder and Armani are reformulating flagship foundations like Double Wear and Luminous Silk to address regulatory changes, ingredient costs, and supply‑chain disruptions. While reformulations can alienate loyal consumers, companies argue that staying static poses...
By Cosmetics Business
News•Feb 26, 2026
Reporting Andrew Arrest, Robot Reporters at Mediahuis and Dom’s Verdict on Prince Harry Trial
The Future of Media Explained podcast examined how journalists disclosed the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor, weighing the public interest against privacy concerns. It revealed Mediahuis’s initiative to deploy AI agents for generating first‑line news stories, signaling a shift toward automated...
By Press Gazette
News•Feb 26, 2026
Google Post Recurring Scheduling Coming
Google announced that its Business Profile platform will soon support recurring scheduling for Google Posts, enabling businesses to set a post to repeat on a defined cadence. The feature, revealed by product manager Mike Gnagy during a live workshop, builds...
By Search Engine Roundtable
News•Feb 26, 2026
CTV Is Defining the Future of Streaming Ads
Connected TVs now reach over 85% of U.S. households, with roughly 60% of Gen Z streaming on them, and have surpassed cable as the primary source of video consumption in 2025. Advertisers are shifting focus to CTV because it gathers the...
By Streaming Media
News•Feb 26, 2026
Agencies Using Open, AI-Driven Media Buying Are Outperforming the Market – AI Digital’s Open Garden Framework Animation Shows Exactly Why
AI Digital unveiled an animated explainer of its Open Garden Framework, highlighting how AI‑driven, open‑ecosystem media buying outperforms closed‑platform approaches. The data shows advertisers achieve 2.9‑times higher performance, 26% greater ROI, and make decisions 73% faster when leveraging predictive analytics...
By MarTech Series
News•Feb 26, 2026
Nestlé’s AI Push Brings New Marketing Tools Into Daily Workflows
Nestlé is embedding artificial intelligence across its marketing and sales functions by upgrading to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, a platform now serving over 50,000 users in 112 countries. The rollout introduces SAP’s AI copilot, enabling automated insights and routine‑task...
By Marketing Tech News
News•Feb 26, 2026
The PR Week: 2.26.2026 - Armando Azarloza, Axis Agency
Armando Azarloza, chief strategist at Axis Agency, appeared on PR Week’s weekly podcast to dissect Bad Bunny’s high‑profile Super Bowl performance and its ripple effects across the U.S. Hispanic market. He highlighted how the artist’s crossover appeal is reshaping brand activation strategies...
By PRWeek US
News•Feb 26, 2026
EcoVista Evolves Brand to Sharpen Focus on Retail Media, DOOH and Stadia
EcoVista has launched a refreshed brand identity and website, sharpening its focus on three core verticals—Retail Media, Digital Out of Home (DOOH), and Venues & Stadia. Over the past year the company expanded its retail‑media projects, moving from pure installation...
By Retail Focus (UK)
News•Feb 26, 2026
AdPlayer.Pro Introduces New Results-Driven Features in Its Ad-Enabled Video Player
AdPlayer.Pro has rolled out new configuration capabilities for its ad‑enabled video player, targeting both instream and standalone video placements. The updates expand ad‑interval settings and aim to boost performance amid a market slowdown reported by over 40% of its users....
By ExchangeWire
News•Feb 26, 2026
Campaign Big Global Awards 2026: Winners Revealed
The Campaign Big Global Awards 2026 have announced their winners, with agencies from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas taking top honors. VCCP and Serviceplan emerged as the most celebrated firms, each securing multiple category wins. The results underscore the...
By Campaign UK
News•Feb 26, 2026
Oceania Cruises® Introduces the Oceania Club Ambassador Program
Oceania Cruises has launched the Oceania Club Ambassador Program, a referral initiative that grants a US $200 future cruise credit to both the referring Club member and the newly booked guest. The offer applies only to first‑time, full‑fare bookings and credits...
By Breaking Travel News
News•Feb 26, 2026
Soft Drink’s Jio Moment? RIL’s Campa Tests Coke-Pepsi Duopoly of 30 Years
Reliance Industries has revived the legacy Campa Cola brand, pricing bottles at INR 10 and quickly gaining a foothold in India's carbonated soft‑drink market. Within a year, Campa grew to roughly 7% market share and generated about INR 1,000 crore in revenue, contributing...
By ET BrandEquity (Economic Times) — Marketing
News•Feb 26, 2026
Study: Addressable TV Delivers 3x Web Uplift vs Linear
Sky Media’s Addressable Advantage study of 2,400 campaigns shows addressable TV generates a 121% lift in aided ad recall and delivers three times more incremental web traffic than linear TV. The analysis, based on household‑level data from a five‑million‑home panel,...
By Advanced Television
News•Feb 26, 2026
Ralph Lauren Creates MLB Capsule Just in Time for World Baseball Classic
Ralph Lauren unveiled a new MLB capsule featuring six teams, timed for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The line offers satin jackets, fleece sweatshirts, caps and novelty pieces, with a pronounced focus on the New York Yankees. The collection launches...
By WWD
News•Feb 26, 2026
How to Automatically Respond to Google Business Profile Reviews
The article explains how to build a Zapier workflow that uses OpenAI’s GPT‑4o to draft replies to new Google Business Profile reviews. By setting Google Business Profile as the trigger, feeding the review data into a ChatGPT prompt, and sending...
By Zapier – Blog
News•Feb 26, 2026
Klook Inks Osaka Tourism Partnership to Support Regional Growth
Klook has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau to combine its digital platform and traveler data with OCTB’s local expertise. The partnership will deliver joint content, online promotions, data sharing and digital tools such...
By TTG Asia
News•Feb 26, 2026
Shiine Media Drives Rooftop Rideshare OOH Growth Across WA
Shiine Media, a Perth‑based rooftop rideshare OOH operator, is experiencing rising demand for its mobile digital inventory as advertisers target events and nightlife districts. The company runs 20 rideshare vehicles equipped with 40 programmable LED panels that can be geofenced...
By Mumbrella Australia
News•Feb 26, 2026
Meta Is Auto-Generating AI Ads for Its Advertisers, Causing Headaches for Image-Conscious Fashion Brands
Meta has begun automatically generating AI‑derived advertisements from brands' existing creative assets, inserting them into Facebook and Instagram feeds without explicit advertiser approval. The move aims to boost ad inventory and lower production costs, but early adopters like British tights...
By Glossy
News•Feb 26, 2026
Can Amika Conquer Body Care?
Amika, the Brooklyn‑based prestige hair‑care brand, is launching a three‑piece body‑care line featuring a body wash, whipped butter and a vitamin C‑infused oil priced between $27 and $50. The move follows a 97% consumer demand signal and taps into the fastest‑growing...
By WWD
News•Feb 26, 2026
Why Ruggable’s Lauren Sherman Is Focused on Resetting the Balance of Brand and Performance Marketing
Lauren Sherman, Ruggable’s chief marketing officer, is leading a deliberate reset that shifts focus from pure performance‑driven digital spend to brand‑centric initiatives. After seven months in the role, she aims to embed consumer‑led creative, real‑world activations, and designer collaborations into...
By Modern Retail
News•Feb 26, 2026
Coach Just Turned Storytelling Into a Fashion Statement
Coach’s Spring 2026 "Explore your story" campaign turns storytelling into a fashion platform, pairing a new book‑charm collection with the iconic Tabby bag. The initiative was co‑created with Gen Z communities across the U.S., China and beyond, and features ambassadors from film,...
By Marketing-Interactive
News•Feb 26, 2026
84 Lumber Launches Campaign to Honor Nation’s 250th Anniversary
84 Lumber has launched the Building America 250 campaign to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence. The initiative ties the company’s 70‑year history to the national celebration, featuring a new logo unveiled at the International Builders’ Show and a series...
By Hardware Retailing
News•Feb 26, 2026
International PPC: Why Consistency Is So Hard To Maintain via @Sejournal, @Brookeosmundson
International pay‑per‑click (PPC) programs often stumble on consistency as agencies across regions diverge on creative assets, bidding tactics, and reporting formats. This fragmentation leads to brand dilution, inflated costs, and regulatory blind spots. Experts recommend a global brand playbook, centralized...
By Search Engine Journal
News•Feb 26, 2026
How Cafuné Built a Contemporary Handbag Brand From Hong Kong
Queenie Fan and Day Lau launched Cafuné in 2015 to address a lack of affordable, high‑quality contemporary handbags in Asia. Leveraging Fan’s New York design experience and a digital‑first, direct‑to‑consumer model, the brand built a reputation for structured, timeless silhouettes...
By Inside Retail Asia
News•Feb 26, 2026
CTV Fueled Magnite’s Q4 Growth As Display Falters
Magnite reported Q4 revenue of $205 million, a 6% year‑over‑year increase, driven largely by its fast‑growing connected‑TV (CTV) segment. While the DV+ platform’s display revenue grew modestly 4% to $101.5 million, CTV revenue surged 32% to $93.6 million, representing 48% of the quarter’s...
By AdExchanger
News•Feb 26, 2026
Myer Celebrates TOPSHOP Arrival With Star-Studded Campaign Via Howatson+Co
Australian department store Myer announced the arrival of British fast‑fashion label TOPSHOP with a high‑profile “My Store Is” campaign. The campaign, produced by Howatson+Company, stars actress Olivia De Jonge, TikTok creator Guy Vadas and artist Bella McGoldrick, emphasizing personal style as identity....
By B&T (Australia)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Urban Ethos Appoints TRP For Brand Strategy, Creative & Media
Urban Ethos, the Australian design‑focused kitchenware brand, has engaged independent agency TRP to steer its brand strategy, creative development, and media planning. The partnership targets accelerated growth and heightened category recognition amid a crowded, competitive market. Urban Ethos emphasizes eco‑conscious...
By B&T (Australia)
News•Feb 26, 2026
‘Humour Is How We Connect With Customers’: Jetstar Boards MAFS Bandwagon
Jetstar tapped the popularity of Nine’s reality show Married At First Sight (MAFS) with a humor‑driven TikTok video that links the show’s drama to its flight offers. The clip uses AI‑generated dancing footage of a contestant in an orange star...
By B&T (Australia)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Heineken Unveils Global ‘Cheers To All Fans’ Campaign in Australia via Le Pub + VML Italy
Heineken has launched its global “Cheers To All Fans” campaign in Australia, created by Le Pub and VML Italy, to leverage fandom as a social catalyst across football, Formula 1 and music festivals. Commissioned research shows 75% of fans use their fandom...
By Campaign Brief Asia
News•Feb 26, 2026
Skincare Brand QV Launches First Global Campaign ‘Skincare For Life’ via Those That Do
Australian skincare staple QV has launched its first ever global campaign, “Skincare for Life,” created by the Sydney‑based agency Those That Do. The multi‑platform effort will run across Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and China, featuring TV, out‑of‑home,...
By Campaign Brief Asia
News•Feb 26, 2026
Padua College Launches New Brand Positioning ‘Motivating Every Purpose’ via The Fuel Agency
Padua College has unveiled a new brand positioning, “Motivating Every Purpose,” developed by The Fuel Agency. The platform emphasizes the school’s Catholic ethos and a holistic approach that nurtures academic, spiritual, emotional, and social growth. A refreshed visual identity, brand...
By Campaign Brief
News•Feb 26, 2026
AMA with Krista Doyle on Reddit Best Practices
In a recent AMA, Reddit community strategist Krista Doyle shared actionable best‑practice guidelines for hosting successful Ask Me Anything sessions. She emphasized the importance of pre‑planning topics, crafting concise prompts, and leveraging Reddit’s moderation tools to maintain focus. Doyle also...
By Superpath
News•Feb 26, 2026
#TheMarketer: What SA CMOs Would Advise Their Peers
South African CMOs shared hard‑won advice, urging peers to pursue bold, visionary moves that redefine brands rather than chase incremental tweaks. They stress protecting a brand’s emotional truth, granting marketers freedom to experiment, and blending creativity with data‑driven insight. Consistency,...
By MarkLives (South Africa)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Gushwork Bets on AI Search for Customer Leads — and Early Results Are Emerging
Gushwork, an India‑founded startup, closed a $9 million seed round that values it at $33 million post‑money. The company’s AI‑driven platform creates search‑optimized content, builds backlinks, and tracks leads to help businesses appear in AI‑powered search results such as ChatGPT and Gemini....
By TechCrunch AI
News•Feb 25, 2026
Explora Journeys Turns the Ocean Into a Five-Star Hotel
Explora Journeys launched a global “hotel without an address” campaign, positioning its cruise ships as five‑star floating hotels. Developed by McCann Paris and directed by Jonas Lindstroem, the film showcases on‑board rituals reimagined as hotel experiences. The brand highlights its...
By Marketing-Interactive
News•Feb 25, 2026
TikTok Releases Its 2026 Discover List
TikTok unveiled its 2026 Discover List, highlighting 50 creators across five categories—Educators, Foodies, Icons, Innovators, and Originators. Selections were based on video volume, account growth, engagement, and social impact. The program adds extra training and direct TikTok support for the...
By Social Media Today