Marketing stories

Brands swapping ‘Valentine’s Day’ for personal ‘Valentine’ subject lines see big email gains, as generic “love” talk and “shop” prompts drag.

European marketers aim to simplify bloated martech stacks, trimming tools to cut costs, speed execution and gain better control of CX.

Most Britons have never heard of new AI and marketing roles, with many dismissing titles like Belonging Manager and Empathy Engineer as fake.

AI-referred traffic has surged 632% despite overall web visits slipping and rising acquisition costs squeezing digital marketing returns.

Wesfarmers is deepening its AI and cloud pact with Microsoft to roll out Copilot tools, agents and data platforms across its retail brands.

Cloaking dominates PropellerAds’ 2025 safety report as stricter checks drive a 35% rise in blocked campaigns and more account suspensions.

Shirofune has integrated Reddit Ads into its automation platform, letting marketers manage and optimize Reddit alongside other digital channels.

Clarity launches Surfacd, a tool tracking how B2B brands are portrayed across AI search and assistants such as ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Infobip upgrades its WhatsApp Marketing Messages API with optimisation tools that lift delivery rates and boost ROI by over 60%.

Creative agency 30Acres will rebuild Zulu & Zephyr’s global eCommerce platform on Shopify 2.0, with a new site launching in Q2 2026.

Nium strengthens global payments push with new chiefs for risk, technology and marketing as AI, stablecoins and regulation reshape the sector.

Meadow Fresh launches a fantasy league where real New Zealand cows earn points via smart-collar data, with NZD $20,000 up for grabs.

Amazon, Temu and Shein tighten their grip on Australian eCommerce as local marketplaces retreat and shoppers chase speed and social.

Stress is surging for New Zealand’s small business owners, with nearly half considering closing as rising costs and tax shocks take their toll.

Shirofune has integrated Reddit Ads into its automation platform, letting US marketers manage Reddit alongside major digital channels.

Percona sets out its 2026 growth plan with fresh leadership, new PostgreSQL security tech and expanded support for Valkey users.

UK startup Sendr launches AI-personalised videos for eCommerce, claiming a 33% uplift in abandoned-cart revenue and 10x more clicks.

Square rolls out free AI assistant in the UK, helping SME owners query their own sales data in plain English to speed up decisions.

UK consumers are embracing AI tools but trust is splintering, with most cross-checking search, social and brand sites before deciding.

UK health and wellbeing spend is smoothing into year-round habits, with fewer shoppers spending more and January gym spikes fading.