Online Marketing Strategy ⌘

Portal Latino research shows mobile in-game ads deliver higher brand recall among Hispanic consumers than Instagram. Gaming platforms are emerging as an effective channel for targeting this demographic. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/hispanic-consumers-and-mobile-in-game-ads-heres-what-the-numbers-say/815242/ #Marketing #Strategy #Analytics

Forrester predicts private AI models will generate 70% of AI revenue within five years, outpacing public models like ChatGPT and Gemini. Trust issues around data security are driving companies to build their own AI systems for customer interactions. Banks, insurers and brands are already replacing websites with conversational AI. https://www.forrester.com/blogs/the-private-ai-model-explosion/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI

Websites now need to optimise for AI agents, not just human users. A new framework called AAIO (Agentic AI Optimization) is emerging as the successor to SEO, AEO and GEO. AI agents are already shopping, researching and making decisions - the question is whether websites can serve them. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/from-seo-and-cro-to-agentic-ai-optimization-aaio-why-your-website-needs-to-speak-to-machines/569983/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #SEO

TikTok and Tubi launch a creator programme to bring social media stars to streaming television. The partnership will identify talent through TikTok's Creatorverse Incubator while Tubi supports development of original series. The move reflects growing convergence between social platforms and streaming services. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/tiktok-tubi-start-creator-program-to-bring-social-stars-to-streaming/815190/ #Marketing #Strategy #TikTok

LinkedIn has over 830 million users worldwide with 310 million monthly active users, making it essential for B2B marketing. A new guide covers the platform's tools, strategies and best practices including its simplified approach to scaling creators and video. The professional network is projected to reach 10.35 billion USD in ad revenue by 2027. https://martech.org/linkedin-the-marketers-guide/ #Marketing #Strategy #SocialMedia #LinkedIn

Email is the only owned or earned channel growing its budget share, now at 7.4% of digital spend. With 65% of programs generating 10x-50x ROI, email delivers rare measurable returns. Yet inbox placement averages just 83%, and avoiding spam folders remains the top challenge for 48% of marketers. https://martech.org/why-email-is-now-identity-and-deliverability-infrastructure/ #Marketing #Strategy #MarTech

Google expands its Universal Commerce Protocol with Cart and Catalog capabilities, letting AI agents build shopping baskets and query live inventory. Identity Linking via OAuth lets shoppers carry over loyalty discounts when buying through AI Mode or Gemini. The update aims to simplify Merchant Center onboarding. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-expands-ucp-with-cart-catalog-onboarding/570084/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #Google

Marketers' confidence in defending ROI varies significantly across channels, with Google Search and YouTube leading at 57% confidence each, while TikTok and Meta sit in the low-to-mid 40% range. The 2026 Haus Decision Confidence Index reveals how this concentration of confidence is driving budget decisions. https://martech.org/why-confidence-not-performance-is-shaping-media-spend/ #Marketing #Strategy #Analytics

According to PYMNTS Intelligence, AI is becoming the starting point for everyday online activity for consumers. A December 2025 survey of 2,100 US adults reveals how the structure of digital discovery is shifting from traditional search engine portals to AI-driven interactions. The report examines how AI shapes the comparison and purchase process. https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/ai-search-in-the-comparison-and-purchase-process-report/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #AIinMarketing

Coca-Cola is marketing Mr Pibb with a challenger mindset, using NBA legend Scottie Pippen to confront misconceptions about the recently relaunched soda brand. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/how-coca-cola-embraces-a-challenger-mindset-to-market-mr-pibb/815169/ #Marketing #Strategy #CocaCola

HubSpot's February 2026 updates bring AI-powered prospecting tools that detect buying signals and suggest contacts, TikTok integration for social publishing, and enhanced Customer Agent configuration. The platform also introduced upgraded social analytics, a Chrome extension with calling capabilities, and workflow improvements for Pro customers. https://martech.org/15-hubspot-updates-from-february-2026-you-dont-want-to-miss/ #Marketing #Strategy #MarTech #HubSpot

Sprite is launching a global brand refresh called 'It's That Fresh' to engage Gen Z, featuring partnerships across music, basketball, food, fashion and street culture. The soda brand aims to strengthen its cultural bona fides with younger consumers through multidisciplinary collaborations. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/sprite-reasserts-cultural-bona-fides-with-global-platform-brand-refresh/815318/ #Marketing #Strategy #Social #CocaCola

ActiveCampaign expands its AI capabilities with Performance Intelligence that benchmarks campaigns against billions of platform signals, alerting marketers to what is outperforming and why. The platform aims to keep users within its ecosystem rather than relying on external LLMs like ChatGPT. https://martech.org/activecampaign-extends-its-ai-capabilities-with-context-and-scale/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #ActiveCampaign

For B2B event teams, AI adoption has increased significantly but many struggle to move beyond tactical experimentation. With 60% reporting flat budgets and 71% expecting rising costs, AI can help assess events, validate audiences and reduce wasted effort. https://www.forrester.com/blogs/why-an-ai-event-strategy-is-becoming-a-leadership-issue-not-a-technology-one/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI

Colgate is targeting stressed millennials with its Your Smile Is Your Strength campaign, partnering with over 30 content creators and Calm app for meditation content. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/colgate-aims-for-stressed-millennials-with-campaign-about-resilience/815098/ #Marketing #Strategy #Colgate

Nano Banana Pro, Google's AI image generation tool, is now available for free inside Google Ads. Advertisers can generate visuals using prompts, edit assets conversationally and create multi-product scenes directly in the platform. The move aims to reduce friction between creative generation and campaign execution. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ppc-pulse-google-ads-creative-tools-expand-microsoft-simplifies-bidding/570104/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #Google

Walmart let shoppers buy directly in ChatGPT, but those transactions converted at just one-third the rate of purchases on Walmart's own website. The retail giant is pulling back and will embed its Sparky chatbot instead, letting users complete purchases within Walmart's environment. Discovery moves into AI, but conversion still happens where brands control the experience. https://martech.org/walmart-says-chatgpt-checkout-converted-3x-worse-than-its-own-website/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #Walmart

AI tools can now generate audience assessments, map competitive landscapes and audit SEO content gaps that once took days of manual work. For marketing directors, this accelerates time-to-insight from hours to minutes. But for entry-level marketers, the automation of foundational tasks is sparking anxiety - 56% of college seniors are pessimistic about their career prospects, with 62% citing AI concerns.

https://martech.org/ai-is-reshaping-what-entry-level-marketing-work-looks-like/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #MarTech

Content teams lose hours to rework, vague briefs and fire drills when workflows lack structure. This analysis shows how standardizing processes can reduce the chaos tax and help AI scale production effectively. https://martech.org/the-hidden-costs-of-chaotic-content-workflows/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #MarTech

Adobe and NVIDIA partner to build new Firefly models and marketing workflows, using NVIDIA technology to process AI models for content creation and automated campaign tasks. https://martech.org/the-latest-ai-powered-martech-news-and-releases/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #Adobe

LINE Plus has launched ActEngine AI, a platform that lets businesses build AI agents for customer service and sales directly within the messaging app. Already deployed in LINE MAN Wongnai in Thailand, the system shows how messaging apps in Asian markets are becoming direct sales channels. https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/line-ai-agents-point-to-messaging-apps-becoming-sales-channels/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #LINE

B2B marketing reshaped by Gen Z buyers and AI. Gen Z validates through peers and expects transparency over polish. AI accelerates execution and amplifies signals. The old gated content playbook gives way to credibility and intelligence. https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/the-new-rules-of-b2b-gen-z-ai-and-the-rise-of-social-first-marketing/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #B2B

Forrester: B2B event teams face budget pressure (60% flat/declining budgets, 71% expect rising costs). AI offers a way forward by improving team productivity, enhancing attendee experiences, and extending event value beyond live delivery. But teams struggle to move beyond tactical experimentation to strategic impact. https://www.forrester.com/blogs/why-an-ai-event-strategy-is-becoming-a-leadership-issue-not-a-technology-one/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI

Social discovery and distribution have shifted. Discovery now happens across feeds, creators, and owned channels working together. Reach is earned through relevance, not volume. Content needs to connect quickly to hold attention and unlock distribution. Social no longer rewards the loudest brands or most frequent posters. It rewards smart creative. Winning brands are pairing strong creative with smart distribution. https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/dmwf-spotlight-the-2026-social-media-trends-rewriting-the-rules-of-discovery-and-distribution/ #Marketing #Strategy #Social

Coca-Cola is embedding AI across its marketing pipeline, from campaign production to consumer analysis, shifting toward what executives call persuasion-led growth. A McKinsey survey found 78% of organizations now use AI in at least one business function, up from 72% a year earlier. Generative AI could create 2.6T to 4.4T USD in economic value annually. https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/coca-cola-expands-ai-use-in-marketing-and-product-development/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #CocaCola

A study of 4M AI citations found press releases via syndication barely appear in AI answers. Press releases via Yahoo and MSN were just 0.32% of news citations, while PRNewswire made up 0.21%. Editorial content performed better. For marketers, this challenges press release value for AI search visibility. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ai-search-barely-cites-syndicated-news-or-press-releases/569854/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI

PMG, an independent marketing agency, is piloting an AI agent infrastructure from FreeWheel to streamline premium video transactions. The partnership embeds AI within video advertising workflows to help buyers optimize performance in real time and automate processes. The move comes as PMG undergoes a repositioning with a new 'Engineered for Impact' tagline to align with the industry's AI emphasis. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/pmg-eyes-expansion-with-ai-focused-repositioning-freewheel-partnership/814740/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #PMG

Since launching at Dreamforce 2024, Salesforce Agentforce has secured more than 6,000 paid deals. CEO Marc Benioff declared Agentforce is the only focus for Salesforce going forward, with pricing starting at per conversation. The platform enables low-code agents for marketing, sales, and service. https://martech.org/salesforce-agentforce-what-you-need-to-know/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #Salesforce

AI is reshaping marketing and exposing the limits of current operating models. CMOs must lead transformation with clear decision-making, role accountability, and alignment. AI amplifies what's working and exposes what's not - it's a stress test for leadership clarity. https://www.forrester.com/blogs/ai-is-reshaping-marketing-and-cmos-must-lead-the-transformation/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI

Marketing teams often build new workflows for every campaign, even when nearly identical. This leads to complexity and risk. A better approach: separate operational data processes from campaign workflows to reduce chaos and improve efficiency. https://martech.org/too-many-workflows-are-breaking-marketing-automation/ #Marketing #Strategy #Automation

AI agents will soon recommend brands to users making purchasing decisions - but only those they can trust enough to defend. A Wharton paper outlines three components of trust: reasoning and goal alignment, action feedback, and interface anti-sycophancy. For marketers, this means clear facts and honest content matter more than clever SEO. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-ai-agents-decide-which-brands-to-recommend-trust-is-the-new-ranking-factor/568067/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI

Ranking No. 1 in Google means less when product grids dominate the SERP. A new analysis of 4,000+ keywords and almost 40,000 product grids found 96% of ecommerce SERPs show product grids above blue links. Product grid CTRs cut organic result CTRs in half, making traditional rankings insufficient for ecommerce visibility. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/organic-rankings-vs-product-grids-the-new-ecommerce-divide/569159/ #Marketing #Strategy #SEO

Travel marketing is shifting from static destination pages to dynamic AI-powered content that adapts to traveler context in real time. As AI generates content at scale, the real advantage shifts from volume to intelligent systems design. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-ai-automation-turns-static-travel-pages-into-living-content-experiences/568599/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #Travel

A study finds ChatGPT's premium and default models cite almost entirely different sources when searching the web. Premium GPT-5.4 used site: operators in 156 of 423 queries and cited brand websites 56% of the time, while default GPT-5.3 cited third-party articles 32% of the time. Only 7% of sources overlapped between models. For marketers, this means brand visibility in AI search may depend heavily on which model users have access to. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/chatgpts-default-premium-models-search-the-web-differently/569594/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #ChatGPT

Marriott Bonvoy's March Madness campaign shows how hotels are part of athlete gameday rituals. The 'Where Gameday Checks In' campaign features athletes getting pep talks at breakfast and practicing poolside. The chain is also launching a limited podcast tied to the tournament and partnering with the NCAA and U.S. Soccer Federation. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/marriotts-march-madness-ads-show-key-role-hotels-play-in-pregame-rituals/814402/ #Marketing #Strategy #Marriott #Sports

P&G briefly retired Mr. Clean in February as a social-first marketing stunt to launch its biggest product innovations in over 20 years. The mascot announced his retirement on social media, pursued new hobbies, then unretired on March 4 with new products. The campaign generated buzz while avoiding the pitfalls of Planters' controversial Mr. Peanut stunt. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/how-procter-gamble-got-good-buzz-by-briefly-retiring-mr-clean/814312/ #Marketing #Strategy #PG

A federal judge granted Amazon a preliminary injunction barring Perplexity's AI agent Comet from accessing password-protected Amazon accounts. The ruling requires Perplexity to destroy data collected through the browser. Amazon sued Perplexity in November, alleging the startup disguised its AI agent as a standard Chrome browser to make purchases. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/amazon-wins-preliminary-injunction-against-perplexitys-comet/569256/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #Amazon

Unwanted marketing emails and texts feel unavoidable, but laws restrict spam. Lululemon just paid a A02,900 penalty for sending 370,000 emails without unsubscribe options. Here is how to stop or report marketing spam and why rules need tightening. https://theconversation.com/sick-of-spam-marketing-texts-and-emails-this-is-how-to-stop-them-278064 #Marketing #Strategy

Building context-aware customer experiences requires focusing on immediate friction points rather than chasing a perfect 360-degree view. A MarTech Conference panel emphasized that context about what a customer is doing right now matters more than knowing everything they've ever done. The key: honor the most recent interaction. https://martech.org/how-to-building-context-aware-customer-experiences/ #Marketing #Strategy #MarTech

A study finds 14% of U.S. workers report 'brain fry' from excessive AI use, with marketing workers hit hardest at 26%. Researchers say AI oversight and workload expansion widen workers' 'sphere of accountability,' creating mental fatigue. The findings suggest a ceiling exists for how many AI tools one person can use effectively. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/marketers-report-highest-rates-of-ai-brain-fry-report-finds/569110/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI

Publicis has acquired AdgeAI, an AI-powered creative measurement startup, to help marketers predict which video and creative assets will drive engagement and conversions. The deal aims to address the growing challenge of content quality amid an AI-generated glut. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/publicis-acquires-adgeai-to-sift-quality-creative-from-content-glut/814675/ #Marketing #AI #Publicis

60% of consumers now use AI tools weekly, but only 13% fully trust AI for purchasing decisions. A Klaviyo study of nearly 8,000 consumers finds 41% bought products AI recommended in the past six months. The gap between rising usage and lagging trust is creating new challenges for marketers. https://martech.org/most-consumers-use-ai-but-few-fully-trust-it/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI

TreSemmé partners with The Devil Wears Prada 2 for a new campaign starring podcaster Paige DeSorbo. The "Get Your Hair on the A-List" effort includes a 30-second spot during the Oscars, special-edition products and marks a traditional media approach for the Unilever brand. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/tresemme-links-with-the-devil-wears-prada-2-for-affordable-luxury-push/814509/ #Marketing #Strategy #TreSemmé

LINE's new AI agent platform ActEngine aims to automate customer service and sales through messaging apps. In Asian markets where LINE serves as a super-app for payments and commerce, businesses can now build AI agents to handle support requests and send targeted promotions directly through chat. https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/line-ai-agents-point-to-messaging-apps-becoming-sales-channels/ #Marketing #AI #LINE

Coors Banquet is returning to live sports marketing for the first time in half a decade following consecutive years of sales growth, largely driven by increased popularity among younger consumers. The brand's media budget is getting a double digit increase, with TV ads scheduled during the 2026 MLB and college football seasons. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/coors-banquet-returns-to-live-sports-marketing-following-growth-spurt/814418/ #Marketing #Strategy #Sports #Coors

Nestlé is embedding AI into marketing and sales operations, rebuilding infrastructure to support artificial intelligence. The company upgraded to SAP S/4HANA Cloud covering 50,000 users in 112 countries, with AI copilots embedded in core systems. It also deployed AI-powered content creation using digital twins for product visuals. https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/nestles-ai-push-brings-new-marketing-tools-into-daily-workflows/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #Nestle

Zendesk is acquiring Forethought for more than 200M USD to build AI agents for customer service. The deal is Zendesk's seventh AI acquisition in 2.5 years. The company expects over half of all voice and chat interactions on its platform to be handled by AI agents this year. https://martech.org/the-latest-ai-powered-martech-news-and-releases/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #Zendesk

Zevia is again skewering artificial intelligence with a new advertising campaign featuring a creepy robot coworker who short circuits after sipping Zevia instead of artificial sludge. The Real Soda for Real Humans campaign targets consumers seeking better-for-you options and experiencing AI fatigue. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/zevia-doubles-down-on-ai-satire-in-ads-starring-creepy-robot-coworker/814584/ #Marketing #AI #Zevia

AI is transforming the marketing tech landscape, but not in the way many expected. Rather than collapsing the stack, AI is repricing it by making coordination layers easier to replicate while structural systems that absorb liability retain their value. For marketing operations leaders, the key is distinguishing between convenient surface tools and systems that manage real operational risk. https://martech.org/ai-is-repricing-the-marketing-stack-not-collapsing-it/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #MarTech

Analysis finds ChatGPT's premium GPT-5.4 model cites brand websites 56% of the time versus just 8% for the default GPT-5.3. The premium model uses targeted searches with site: operators while the free version leans on third-party articles. For brands, this means AI search optimization may need different strategies depending on which model users access. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/chatgpts-default-premium-models-search-the-web-differently/569594/ #Marketing #Strategy #AI #ChatGPT