Marketing

Marketing

This year has been volatile for brands. With tariffs taking effect, the job market slowing, and consumer spending barely keeping pace with inflation, it's no surprise that ad spend has slowed in tandem. Amidst economic uncertainty and an onslaught of unanswered questions, brands are increasingly looking for demonstrable ROI in their marketing and design budgets. Some may choose to invest in a costly new campaign or commit to a new brand identity, while others will default to slashing their budgets altogether.

Media and creative agencies face a range of threats in 2026, from generative AI to media fragmentation and the continued dominance of Meta and Google's platforms. In response, few businesses in this sector have stood still. They've chosen to merge, acquire - or in the case of Dentsu, cast loose - to keep moving forward. The likely destination? A leaner sector that employs fewer people and trades on its tech bonafides and principal-media trading capabilities over its creative chops.

So you could be like, 'I hate her because of the American Eagle,' or you love her because of the American Eagle, but no matter what, you're talking about her. For a brand launch, that's always a good thing. Controversy and craziness and all that kind of stuff is good for initial curiosity.

Less than a year after some backlash to American Eagle's decision to enlist actress Sydney Sweeney as the face of its brand, the retailer is reinvesting in its celebrity strategy. Last week, the blonde haired, blue-eyed actress joined the retailer to ring in the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The NYSE appearance comes after the "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans" ad campaign last summer which sparked debate as to whether the play on "jeans" and "genes" was racially charged.

Omnicom posted its first earnings report following its $13 billion-plus acquisition of rival Interpublic Group in November, but did not break out organic revenue figures, a closely watched measure of agency health. Total revenue for Q4 landed at $5.5 billion, up 27.9% versus the year-ago period, with gains partially attributed to a month of factoring in the IPG business. Media and advertising made up about 60% of revenue for the period ended Dec. 31, while precision marketing contributed 10.3% and public relations 9.1%.

Last week, I bought a first edition management book for $150, even though the entire text is available online for free. It wasn't until my therapist asked me about my childhood relationship with books that things clicked. Growing up in a suburban town where the library was my escape, I remember desperately wanting to own the books I borrowed, to have something permanent that couldn't be taken back. Now, thirty years later, I'm still buying that feeling of security.

It's human nature to want to act immediately and alleviate pressure when you find yourself in hot water. But sharing news that isn't complete yet or telling the public too much too soon can turn up the temperature even more. Avoid the need for a public retraction later by accurately, concisely and clearly communicating with your audience from the start.

CMSWire's Marketing & Customer Experience Leadership channel is the go-to hub for actionable research, editorial and opinion for CMOs, aspiring CMOs and today's customer experience innovators. Our dedicated editorial and research teams focus on bringing you the data and information you need to navigate today's complex customer, organizational and technical landscapes.

For the first time, we introduced a comprehensive methodology that started with a formal submission process and included peer recognition, client surveys, employee surveys and media surveys. Survey participation was optional. Some firms felt uncomfortable asking clients for help or didn't want to burden staff. We respect that. Survey data was additive, not punitive-used when evaluating firms with comparable impact. We noted when response rates were particularly high or low, recognizing that high scores with robust participation are especially impressive.

There's something about watching Siff Haider's social media clips - where she breaks down retail strategy, trend forecasting and founder mindset - that feels like a Masterclass in building a modern wellness brand. On Instagram Reels, she shares her POV on topics like "How To Find Initial Customers As A New Brand" and "How To Build A Viral Brand With No Marketing Budget." On her Dream Bigger podcast, Haider covers everything from goal setting and brand storytelling to high-performance habits.

They're written by real people, sharing real experiences, and this authenticity resonates more than marketing copy ever could. Positive reviews build trust, encouraging potential customers to make a purchase or book a service. Even mixed reviews have value, as they show transparency and help businesses address areas of improvement. A strong collection of reviews demonstrates reliability, accountability, and a commitment to quality.

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. Google says that enabling a way to opt out of just AI Overviews is a "huge engineering project." Google has this about the results tab in Google Ads recommendations. Google AI Mode ask about feature shows up more often. Google is testing links in recipe AI Overviews. Google AI Overviews are blue and then turn gray on click.

Running a social account is a delicate balance between risk and trust. "I think it's almost like a double-edged sword ... don't overthink it, but also learn the muscle of putting out risky content and knowing the limitations of how risky you can go," said Jori Evans, director of social at Manscaped. Evans gained experience from working with boutique brands before moving onto Microsoft, Groupon and with agencies for brands like Slim Jim. She will speak on a panel at Ragan's Social Media Conference next month to discuss what it really takes to manage a brand's social account behind the scenes.

I think the critical unlock here is having multi-year partnerships, having relationships that endure as opposed to just kind of the one-off partnership,

In the new position, Isaacs will be leading Quince's global brand strategy, positioning and storytelling, and is tasked with deepening the San Francisco-based startup's emotional relationship with consumers. Quince has scaled rapidly since its founding in 2018, with sales having doubled to over $700 million last year. But the $4.5 billion company has struggled to shrug off its reputation as a dupe maker.

Danessa Myricks Beauty is the big story here," said Assayag, adding that the brand has nearly doubled its year-over-year VIT and maintains a notably high creator retention rate, with creators posting about the brands nearly six times a year on average. One of the most impactful posts in recent months was an August TikTok video by @april.byjoiles showcasing a seamless client shade match using the deepest shade of Danessa Myricks' Blurring Balm powder. The post garnered nearly 12 million views and 600,000 likes.

In a past work life, I stole search rank positions #1 and zero and even featured snippets from much larger companies, including HubSpot. That's why I firmly believe bootstrapped small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMB) can compete with big-budget corporations. Strategies like SEO, social media, and generative engine optimization for small business make it possible. I know what you're thinking, "GEO for small business? Not another thing to add to my plate."

Short posts get you noticed. Long-form content is where trust is built. People need to spend real time with you before they feel like they know you. Your social media hits might impress your ego, but they rarely impress your bank account. What if you could create content that does the heavy lifting so you don't have to sell? Build familiarity and leverage brand psychology to convert strangers into buyers with ChatGPT.

Chanel, Christian Louboutin and Hermès are names that are synonymous with luxury, signifying elegance, craftmanship and prestige. These brands often use subtle, mysterious signals to communicate their status - things like minimalist designs or the red sole on a Louboutin shoe. Often termed "quiet luxury", this trend is also seen in the world of high-end dining. This approach to luxury branding is aimed at creating a desire in consumers to learn these signals.

Over the years, a loud, well-funded movement has been built up trying to persuade the public that regulation is always a bad thing. A quick look at how much safer cars have become makes it clear that this is nonsense. The purpose of civilization isn't to support capitalism, the purpose of capitalism is to support civilization. And when it doesn't, it's our job to regulate it so it does.

Pinterest's UK marketing manager Lizzie Sibley, Airbnb's EMEA marketing manager Holly Clarke and Thane Ryland, global lead social analytics and insights at Microsoft have been added to the speaker line-up for Online Influence West, taking place in Bristol this Friday, 16th October. They will join Paul McCrudden, head of content Europe for Twitter, Guy parker, chief executive of the Advertising Standards Association, Jeremy Waite, head of digital strategy at Salesforce and Keith Lewis, Zurich UK social media lead.

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The joint venture is now operational and in talks with major advertisers. Together, Hasbro and Animaj say their digital networks generate more than 50 billion views per year on YouTube alone. "Kids attention and curiosity continue to evolve faster than ever," said Sixte de Vauplane, co-Founder and CEO of Animaj. "With Lumee, we are building a bridge between advertisers and anew generation of digital-native kids."

Does a gorilla playing the drums along to Phil Collins mean anything to you? What about surfers that turn into horses as they're riding the waves? Or a fisherman boxing with a bear over some salmon? Those are just a few of the most iconic adverts to have graced our TV screens over the last five decades. And soon, you'll be able to see them on a humungous scale.