Adform Becomes First-Ever DSP to Join ISBA’s Partner Programme, Championing Digital Sovereignty for British Advertisers
Adform announced it is the first demand‑side platform to join the Institute of Shared Business Advertising (ISBA) Partner Programme, positioning itself as a champion of digital sovereignty for UK brands. The partnership aims to give advertisers greater visibility, accountability and control over data, countering the dominance of US‑based walled‑garden platforms. Adform also reinforced its commitment to an independent media ecosystem by sponsoring the Alliance of Media Independents and the Indie Agency Club at MAD//North. The move highlights the platform’s European‑rooted, privacy‑first approach.
M&S Joins Atlassian Williams F1 Team as Official Travel Kit Partner
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has signed a multi‑year agreement to become the Official Travel Kit Partner for the Atlassian Williams Formula 1 Team, outfitting drivers, engineers and staff with performance‑focused travel apparel. The partnership will see M&S supply wrinkle‑resistant, moisture‑wicking, four‑way...
Analytic Partners Identifies ‘5 Forces Shaping Marketing Budget Decisions in 2026’
Analytic Partners released a preview of its 2026 State of Commercial Decisioning Survey, based on 455 senior executives at $1 billion‑plus advertisers. The study finds commercial analytics, especially marketing mix modeling, now serves as the primary source of truth for budget,...
Authentic Brands, IAC Partner to Expand Dockers Across Americas
Authentic Brands Group and IAC have signed an agreement to expand Dockers apparel across Central America, the Andean region, Ecuador, and select Caribbean markets. IAC will manage manufacturing and distribution for men’s and women’s lifestyle apparel and accessories. The partnership...
64 Is The New 54: Is Radio Due For A Demographic Target Reset?
Audacy’s research proposes expanding the core advertising demographic from Adults 25‑54 to 25‑64, adding 33 million listeners and boosting total radio listening by 48 %. The broader slice captures a financially powerful 55‑64 cohort that now accounts for nearly 20 % of U.S. spending....
Are Your Job Ads Invisible? Here's Why the Best Candidates Aren't Applying
Recruiters are increasingly treating hiring as a performance‑marketing channel, where visual appeal and brand perception dictate candidate interest. Traditional text‑only job ads are losing to platform‑driven, image‑rich campaigns, creating a visibility gap for top talent. Chatly’s AI image generator and...
Limelight Inc.’s Case Study: Adaptive Rules Centre Delivers Near-3x Revenue Uplift & 10x Fill Rate Improvement for APAC Ad Exchange
Limelight Inc. released a case study showing its Adaptive Rules Centre (ARC) boosted a leading APAC ad exchange’s revenue by 289% and lift fill rates tenfold. The exchange replaced manual reporting with two account‑wide automation rules that dynamically adjusted QPS...
TapClicks Introduces SmartStory: Turning Campaign Data Into Stakeholder-Ready Presentations in Minutes
TapClicks launched SmartStory, an AI‑driven platform that converts live marketing data into polished PowerPoint and PDF decks within minutes. Built on TapClicks' enterprise‑grade data management layer, the solution pulls from thousands of MarTech and AdTech connectors to create unified, insight‑rich...
Digest: UK VOD Services to Face New Ofcom Regulation; Canva Buys Animation and Marketing Startups; OOH Hit Record Revenue in...
The UK government is extending the Media Act 2024 to bring major video‑on‑demand services under Ofcom’s oversight, designating platforms with over 500,000 users as Tier 1 providers. New rules will enforce a broadcasting‑style code, introduce a complaints channel, and impose accessibility quotas...
Retail Media Measurement: Absence of Evidence Is NOT Evidence of Absence
Retail media measurement is often portrayed as broken, yet the same sampling‑based, attention‑agnostic methods underpin TV, radio and outdoor metrics. Industry bodies such as IAB Europe and the MRC have already issued standardized frameworks that enable closed‑loop attribution and incrementality...
CEO Sets Out the Case for Beehiiv versus Substack
Beehiiv CEO Tyler Denk argues the platform diverges from Substack by giving publishers full ownership of their audience and charging flat monthly fees instead of a revenue share. Beehiiv bundles newsletters, website hosting, ad networks, growth tools and soon podcasts...
Capcom's Resident Evil Requiem Ad Campaign Involves a Faux Lawsuit Against Nissin Foods (UPDATE)
Capcom is promoting the upcoming Resident Evil Requiem (Feb. 27 2026) with a tongue‑in‑cheek partnership with Nissin Foods. The campaign pretends Umbrella Corporation is suing Nissin over its Cup Noodles, framing the stunt as an IP infringement claim. A commercial featuring the...
American Eagle Just Turned 911 Customers Into a Marketing Army. Here’s Why Every Brand Should Be Taking Notes
American Eagle launched the AE Creator Community, a gamified affiliate program that recruited 911 micro‑influencers within weeks. The platform rewards creators with commissions and points redeemable for gifts, encouraging ongoing content creation through monthly challenges. By owning the community, AE...
ETGIRS 2026: Manish Malhotra Maps the Journey From Costume Designer to Global Luxury Brand Builder
At ETRetail GIRS 2026, designer Manish Malhotra outlined his 20‑year evolution from Bollywood costume artist to global luxury label. He highlighted the discipline learned on film sets, the pivotal Delhi flagship opening, and the need for a distinct, cinema‑inspired brand...
AFL Celebrates the Feeling of Footy in New Brand Campaign ‘If You Feel It, You’re in on It’ via TBWA
Australia’s AFL has unveiled a new brand campaign, "If you feel it, you’re in," developed with agency TBWA to kick off the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. The campaign centers on the iconic “specky”—high‑flying marks—and uses fans’ emotional reactions to...
Stop Shouting: A Case for a Quieter Honesty in Behaviour Change Campaigns
Erin Moy highlights the New Zealand Herpes Foundation’s campaign as a benchmark for behavior‑change communication, swapping shock tactics for radical honesty, wit, and empathy. The ad dismantles long‑standing stigma around genital herpes by inviting viewers into a relatable conversation rather...
No Traffic, No Moat: How AI Breaks The Economics Of Destination Publishing
Google’s AI Overviews launched in May 2024 sharply cut referral traffic to publisher‑owned sites, exposing the fragility of the destination‑publishing model. Fixed costs—CMS, ad tech, analytics, compliance—remain while traffic‑dependent ad and subscription revenues collapse. Only publishers with strong brands, durable subscriptions,...
Can Solid Perfume Be the Next Body Mist?
Solid perfume is emerging as a fast‑growing fragrance format, with Sol de Janeiro’s new Jelly Perfume balms leading the latest wave. The alcohol‑free sticks prioritize a skin‑felt, intimate scent rather than room‑filling projection, echoing a broader consumer desire for subtlety...
Snowflake Postgres: Unify Postgres and Analytics on One Platform
Snowflake announced the general availability of Snowflake Postgres, a fully managed PostgreSQL service built directly into the Snowflake platform. The offering delivers 100% community‑Postgres compatibility while leveraging Snowflake’s security, high‑availability architecture, and native AI capabilities. By unifying transactional and analytical...
The "Unlearning" Curve for India's FMCG Giants
India’s seven FMCG powerhouses posted a modest 7.4% sales rise in Q3 FY26 despite an unusually supportive macro backdrop of tax cuts, GST tweaks and low‑interest rates. The growth gap is widening as digital‑first food and beauty brands have seized...
McDonald’s Australia Trials Global Beverage Platform for McCafé
McDonald’s Australia began a trial on February 25 of ten handcrafted beverages across more than 500 restaurants in Victoria and Queensland. The rollout marks the second market to test the company’s new global beverage platform, extending McCafé beyond coffee to include...
Eu Yan Sang Picks Brand Partner to Give 150 Years a Modern Twist
Heritage traditional‑medicine brand Eu Yan Sang has engaged Agency Design, led by fractional CMO Bassam Abdel‑Rahman, to revamp its brand and growth‑marketing strategy ahead of its 150th anniversary. The partnership will focus on brand positioning, digital acceleration and e‑commerce across...
Why Asia Is H&M’s Testing Ground for a New Model of Physical Retail
H&M has opened a concept store in Seoul’s Seongsu district, turning the space into an experiential retail lab. The three‑level venue showcases curated, locally‑relevant assortments and cultural programming rather than traditional fast‑fashion layouts. By blending fashion with art, community areas...
KAYAK Launches Global ‘Got That Right’ Campaign Via Rethink
KAYAK unveiled a new global brand platform, "Got That Right," with agency Rethink to address the anxiety travelers feel during the booking decision. The campaign targets 25‑45‑year‑old users and centers on two comedic 30‑second video spots that highlight the app’s...
Thompson Spencer Appoints Ex-OMG Group Director As Head Of Performance
Thompson Spencer announced the appointment of Sam Casey, former OMG Group Director of Media Implementation, as its new Head of Performance. Casey brings extensive experience in programmatic, paid social and search across New Zealand, Australia and global markets. The hire coincides...
UGG & Love Athletica Partner Up To Celebrate ‘Her’
UGG has teamed with Australian Pilates network Love Athletica to launch a women‑focused partnership that blends comfort footwear with wellness experiences. The collaboration will roll out a series of in‑studio events, exclusive discounts for members, and product seeding to trainers...
KAIFUN Asks “What Will You Bring to the Table?” In New Campaign via ROCK YU Creative Taiwan
Rock YU Creative Taiwan re‑imagined Sichuan chain KAIFUN’s messaging by shifting from menu‑centric ads to emphasizing the social moments of group dining. The agency leveraged the Mandarin colloquialism “kaifun” as an invitation to share conversation, launching the “What will you bring...
Qantas Splits Strategy From Execution in Loyalty Marketing Shake-Up
Qantas Loyalty, serving 18 million members, generated $2.86 billion revenue and $556 million EBIT in FY25. The airline is restructuring its loyalty marketing by separating high‑level strategy and partnership management from day‑to‑day campaign execution. A new Sydney‑based Marketing Centre of Excellence, backed by...
LinkedIn Shares Top Skills on the Rise in Marketing for 2026
LinkedIn has released its 2026 "Skills on the Rise" list for marketing, combining profile updates with hiring outcomes to highlight emerging competencies. Performance analysis tops the ranking, followed by AI literacy, while social media branding and community engagement also climb....
Bad Daddy’s Announces Monthly Drop of Limited-Time Menu Items
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar is launching Big Bad’s Monthly Drops, a rotating lineup of limited‑time burgers beginning in March. The inaugural offering, the French Onion Smash Burger, combines a smashed beef patty with caramelized onions, Swiss and provolone, onion straws,...
IProspect Indonesia’s Faheem Merchant: When AI Kills the Click, Brands Must Earn Inclusion
iProspect Indonesia’s Faheem Merchant warns that generative AI is ending the era of click‑centric digital advertising and ushering an intent‑driven economy. Brands must shift from demographic targeting to solving the user’s problem at the exact moment an AI model decides...
Kochava Launches First Supply Performance System for Premium Publishers
Kochava unveiled Atlas Performance, the industry’s first Supply Performance System built for premium publishers and platforms. The solution plugs directly into existing ad servers, SSPs and DSPs, avoiding costly technology overhauls, and is powered by the StationOne AI workspace for...
Pinterest Publishes Inaugural Parenting Trend Report
Pinterest released its first Parenting Trend Report, revealing a sharp rise in searches for screen‑free activities, no‑phone summer plans, and digital detox aesthetics. The data shows a 200% increase in “screen free activities” queries, a 340% jump for “no phone...
Audacy’s Eagle To Be Guided By A Hawk In Sacramento
Audacy Sacramento has expanded Andy Hawk’s responsibilities, naming him brand manager for ALT 94.7 (KKDO), 96.9 The Eagle (KSEG) and 98 Rock (KRXQ), effectively consolidating the market’s rock portfolio under a single leader. Hawk, a Sacramento native who began as an intern at...
Land O’Lakes CMO Aims to Change Rural America’s Image
Land O’Lakes, a $16.2 billion farmer cooperative, launched the Modern Rural Collective toolkit and a Getty Images stock‑photo collection to reshape how entertainment depicts rural America. The initiative, unveiled at a Sundance panel, offers creators authentic story‑elements, demographics and diverse imagery....
The Low-Stress Business Model That Scales Quickly and Doesn’t Require You to Create Anything New
Curation—organizing and presenting existing information—has emerged as a scalable, low‑effort business model. By filtering the endless flow of data, curators provide trusted shortcuts for time‑pressed audiences, reducing creative pressure and accelerating growth. The model can be monetized through newsletters, affiliate...
Put Your AI Stack to the Test: Offer Performance Based On Cost Per Sale
The article urges marketers to shift from CPM and traditional CPA models to Cost‑Per‑Sale (CPS) pricing, leveraging AI‑driven personalization, real‑time A/B testing, and predictive analytics. Recent AI advances have improved conversion rate optimization, allowing campaigns to predict and deliver higher...
WPP Media Promotes Elliott Eldridge and Laura Fell in Strategy Shake-Up
WPP Media has elevated Elliott Eldridge to Chief Strategy Officer and Laura Fell to Chief Planning Officer, effective immediately. The duo will oversee strategic and planning products across Mindshare’s national accounts, including Unilever, NAB, MG, Foxtel Group, the Australian Labor...
Fresh Step’s Valentine’s Day Campaign Bolsters Its Brand Refresh – and Cat Adoptions
Fresh Step partnered with Bumble and Best Friends Animal Society for a Valentine’s Day "Date Cats, Not Humans" campaign, encouraging single users to swipe for adoptable cats. The initiative covered adoption fees and offered free litter throughout February, resulting in...
Profound
Profound is a GenAI‑powered marketing intelligence platform that gives enterprise brands real‑time visibility into how they appear across AI‑driven discovery channels. The solution combines analytics, competitive intelligence and actionable recommendations across the entire GenAI ecosystem. Founded by Albert Malikov, the...
Google Ad Grants Now Lets Nonprofits Optimize for Shop Visits
Google has lifted the restriction on using “shop visits” as a goal in its Ad Grants program, allowing eligible nonprofit accounts to optimize campaigns for real‑world foot traffic. The change lets advertisers align bidding with Maps and location‑driven search results,...
Study: Premium Video Ads Outperform YouTube
A new Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) study, conducted with TVision, finds premium video platforms on connected TV outperform YouTube in key engagement metrics. Across Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max and other services, premium platforms deliver 33% higher co‑viewing, 49% longer session...
The Mistakes That Make Founders Invisible
Founders often blame outbound for low reply rates, but the real issue is a flawed mental model that treats outreach as a volume problem. The article argues that outbound should be a learning system where hypotheses about the ideal customer...
Why the Smartest Omnichannel Brands Are Thinking in Moments, Not Channels
Retailers can no longer treat omnichannel as a checklist of platforms; they must view it as a storytelling discipline anchored in the customer’s moment. At eTail Palm Springs 2026, leaders from Furniture.com, Lowe’s, Stila, Perfect Corp. and tentree highlighted the...
Building Preference Is The Key To Winning B2B Buyers
B2B buying networks have become increasingly chaotic, with Forrester reporting that 73% of purchases involve three or more departments and an average of 13 internal and nine external participants. The research shows 68% of buyers start the process with a...
What BodyArmor’s NCAA Deal Means for Coca-Cola’s Hydration Portfolio
BodyArmor has reclaimed the official NCAA sports‑drink title for the 2026 March Madness tournament, supplanting Powerade and rolling out a refreshed “Choose Better” campaign featuring athletes like Flau’jae Johnson and Jalen Brunson. The brand will be the exclusive hydration provider on‑court,...
Olaplex Links with ‘SNL’ Star to Blend Science, Style and Humor in New Ads
Olaplex has launched a new multichannel campaign titled “Science Never Looked So Good,” featuring Saturday Night Live star Chloe Fineman as the brand’s Chief Hair Officer. The 45‑second hero spot introduces the No. 3Plus bond‑repair treatment, which claims three‑minute application repairs three...
QYOU Media Earns TikTok Agency Partner Badge, Expanding Creator Marketing Capabilities
QYOU Media has earned TikTok Agency Partner status, joining a select group of trusted advertising partners. The badge gives the Toronto‑Los Angeles agency direct access to TikTok’s premium tools, analytics, and support for both organic and paid campaigns. QYOU already...
How Adidas Built A Loyalty Infrastructure That Blends Commerce, Fitness, And Content
Adidas has transformed its adiClub loyalty program into a multi‑dimensional ecosystem that blends commerce, fitness tracking, and user‑generated content. Members earn points not only for purchases but also for workouts, reviews, and outfit photos, with points serving both as tier...
Designing HTML Email Templates for Transactional Emails
Transactional email templates are automated, action‑triggered messages that convey essential information such as order confirmations, password resets, or alerts. Designing these HTML templates is notoriously complex due to diverse client rendering engines, limited CSS support, and the need for mobile‑responsive...