Headliners

GALE’s Lindsay Bennett attended the Forbes CMO Summit, where leading marketers explored “What Matters Most.” Her key takeaway? Traditional models are out, and a new playbook is in. From the rise of subcultures and balancing brand with performance to the growing impact of creators, Lindsay distills the trends shaping the future of marketing in her report.

SmartAssets CEO Lindsay Hong penned an op-ed for The Drum on gen-AI and the undiscovered opportunities to online advertisers.  

Description goes hereMark Penn sat down with Damian Fowler and Ilyse Liffreing on The Current podcast by The Trade Desk to discuss the unprecedented level of ad spend during this presidential race, advancements in AI, the relationship between performance marketing and creative, and the importance of correcting the brand safety narrative. 

GALE CEO Brad Simms shared why prioritizing connection and community with consumers is vital for brand success.

The Harris Poll partnered with Sesame Workshop — the global impact nonprofit behind Sesame Street — to launch a first-of-its-kind index on the state of well-being in America, shedding light on the country’s mental health crisis.

National Research Group shared their insights on the resurgence of “old” TV shows and movies on streaming platforms as part of their Future of Series research. Nostaglia, the study found, is a powerful driver of content consumption: 60% of total TV watching time is spent rewatching old favorites or old content for the first time.

The 2024 Axios-Harris Poll 100, an annual ranking of the reputations of the most visible companies in the U.S., has been published. The annual study, The Harris Poll’s trademark Reputation Quotient score, takes into account seven dimensions of corporate reputation, from trust to performance, and is one of our key global research platforms. This year, Nvidia, 3M, Fidelity, Sony, and Adidas topped the list, but corporate reputations are down across the board. Axios coverage further delved into the impact of inflation, AI, political views, and weight-loss drugs on the rankings.

In partnership with Libran Research & Consulting, HUNTER released the “Influence in America” study, which explores key influences for each product sector and how shifts in the media landscape are playing a factor.

Allison and The Harris Poll announced the Sports Momentum Index, a monthly poll on fan momentum in sports with an emphasis on tracking fandom and popularity of emerging and women’s sports.

Recognizing that news is the foundation of a thriving democracy and a critical marketing vehicle, Stagwell has launched a series of ‘Future of News’ studies and events to fuel discussions on the importance of advertising in news. The inaugural research for the series examines the concept of brand safety—the measures taken to ensure a brand’s advertisements don’t appear alongside content that could potentially harm that brand’s reputation.

Forsman and Bodenfors spoke with Little Black Book about its interactive film for SK-II, “My Destiny, My Choice,” a campaign challenging Chinese women to confront societal pressures and choose destiny.

The Harris Poll released a special report in Variety with Amazon Ads on the power of fandom as the NCAA Women’s basketball championship game broke TV records.

Ad Age wrote a deep dive into Code and Theory’s recent work leading the rebrand of the storied news brand, Thomson Reuters.

HarrisX conducted a study released in Variety that found consumers in the U.S. struggle to distinguish videos recorded by humans from those generated by OpenAI’s text-to-video tool SORA. In the study, most U.S. adults incorrectly guessed whether AI or a person had created five out of the eight videos they were shown.

National Research Group released a report with TikTok for Business on building brand loyalty in the new era of mobile gaming. The mobile gaming market has boomed in recent years, with 1 in 4 humans on the planet now being mobile gamers. With mobile tracking policies being tightened, the fight to acquire new users for mobile games has never been more fraught.

Code and Theory’s Kirtysn Nimmo wrote on the impact artificial intelligence will have on Black consumers – and how to remove bias from AI for Campaign.

The Harris Poll released a new study on the state of AI in partnership with Grammarly. Harris found that using genAI for communications could save up to 1.6 trillion annually in U.S. productivity.

HarrisX launched its Faith & Entertainment index, a massive survey of nearly 10,000 consumers across 11 countries done in partnership with the Faith and Media Initiative. Sixty-three percent of global audiences say entertainment frequently perpetuates stereotypes about religion, and 80 percent say it is important for the industry to improve their portrayals of faith and make them more accurate.

The Harris Poll in partnership with Ad Age released the “Boomer brand tracker,” which ranks brands that gained attention from boomers in Q4 2023.

Code and Theory cofounder and chairman Dan Gardner wonders if marketers’ hard-earned budgets would have been better spent laying the groundwork for AI than on a Super Bowl ad campaign.

Movers+Shakers CEO and co-founder Evan Horowitz appeared on the Marketing Matters podcast to share his insights on their digital-first approach to marketing. In other news, the agency was named a 2023 Glossy Beauty Awards finalist in the Best Influencer Partnership category for their work with Neutrogena.

With services like TurboTax and H&R Block moving quickly to employ artificial intelligence, a new Fast Company-Harris Poll finds taxpayers have mixed feelings.

Assembly’s latest report from Assembly MENA Strategy Lead, Mamun Muhammad, delves into the intricacies of Ramadan marketing, offering insights and strategies tailored to capitalize on this significant cultural event.

Ink has launched a whitepaper discussing the pros and cons of AI-enabled travel content, arguing for continued investment in original content and exploring use-cases where AI can indeed be helpful.

The Harris Poll partnered with the Female Quotient at Davos and unveiled “The State of AI + Women.” The report shared the findings that women are embracing both the power and potential of AI while expressing guarded optimism about the outcomes.

There’s innovation. And then there’s innovation with intention. Read Instrument’s takeaways from CES 2024 for the agency, the industry, and beyond.

The Harris Poll, in partnership with Grayscale Investments, released survey results exploring Americans’ view on crypto, investing, perceptions of the financial system and how these may influence voting decisions in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Brand New Galaxy released a report examining the popularization of AI across e-commerce and retail and top trends to track in 2024.

Stagwell believes AI is a quantum leap for creativity and productivity, and we are organizing our offerings around the “Three E’s of AI”: enablement across operations, efficiency in marketing and engagement with customers. We have taken a number of steps in the past quarter as we look to lead the AI-based transformation of marketing services, and we are heading into 2024 with one mission: to help clients embrace this new chapter of value creation. Click to read on about our latest innovation updates.

Code and Theory CEO Dan Gardner’s Web Summit Lisbon presentation with Qualcomm CMO, Don McGuire garnered strong coverage in Adweek, which focused on Dan’s theory that AI will bring the “age of anticipation” to businesses and how Qualcomm’s technology enables AI use for brands and agencies. 

GALE’s Chief Brand + Experience Officer Winston Binch published a blog post arguing TikTok is MTV for Gen Z and exploring winning strategies for those looking to maximize TikTok’s musical power.

National Research Group released a new report on the growth of Formula 1 in the U.S., in time for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

CNBC International's "The Leadership League" dedicated an entire episode to the big splash Stagwell made with Sport Beach this summer at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Watch Mark Penn’s segment on the growth areas in marketing from sports to technology:

Mark Penn shared his perspective on the importance of self-regulation from big tech on AI in The Hill.

This week, National Research Group has released a comprehensive guide for developing your organization’s strategy on AI that covers consumers' fears and anxieties about the tech, a roadmap for developing an accountable AI strategy, and insights into how organizations should communicate their AI positions.

Code and Theory launched “Beyond Words: A Guide to Inclusive Language.” The 94-page guide equips marketers with the practical tools to choose inclusive language that will invite communities in, grow audiences and create brand love with consumers they may have failed to recognize in the past.

Stagwell Marketing Cloud’s CTO, Mansoor Basha shared his insights on which kinds of AI marketers should know about, how to manage data and security when using AI tools, the difference between consumer and enterprise AI products, and more.

The Harris Poll released a new whitepaper, "AI Nation: Exploring Comfort with AI Applications," that traces Americans’ comfort with various AI technologies across travel, financial services and health care.

Building on the launch of their proprietary brand ranking “Fandom 50” at Cannes this summer, National Research Group is out with a new report, "The Fandom Formula," which sheds new light on the concept of fandom itself – and explains why, now more than ever, brands should be investing time and effort into understanding the needs and values of their fans.

72andSunny’s director of strategy, Shadi Sarreshtehdarzadeh expresses her curiosity about whether the abundance of exciting new work celebrating the FIFA Women's World Cup masks a significant underlying issue.

Code and Theory’s Dan Gardner spoke with Digiday’s Antoinette Siu about beating bad AI. Gardner shared his insights on using AI to create dynamic ads and how this tactic can help marketers anticipate what consumers want and provide them with what they need.

Stagwell Chairman Mark Penn shares his thoughts on 10 AI-based mini-revolutions that will transform marketing with Forbes. Spoiler Alert: Humans will continue to reign supreme though -- because while Tier II content will be taken over, Tier I content will require even greater minds to get a competitive edge.

After hosting more than 5,000 people at SPORT BEACH, our adrenaline is running high and we're still thinking about the hottest topics at Cannes LIONS 2023. What were some of the other key emerging themes? How brands can attract devoted fans and how marketing can make the world a better place. Let’s dive into all three…

Stagwell was born digital - and we're doing everything we can to prepare our clients and global partners for the next decade of innovation in AI, AR, and other marketing frontiers. Read Mark Penn’s quarterly update on digital innovation across Stagwell to learn about the moves we're taking to build for the future.

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The Harris Poll co-CEO Will Johnson partnered with Rachel Bronson, CEO of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, to pen an op-ed on AI's potential threat to society. They parallel the launch of AI with the advent of the atomic bomb. In both cases, scientists warned that society as we know it is at risk of destruction.

The Axios Harris Poll 100 is a trusted ranking of the reputations of the companies most on the minds of Americans using a framework Harris has used since 1999. Download the 25th Annual Reputation Quotient Study report to view the full rankings and gain additional insights about performance year over year.

FintechTV’s Vince Molinari talks with Mark Penn, CEO of Stagwell about the shift in digital marketing, the rise of AI and what digital marketing strategies are working in the crowded media space.

GALE's Benjamin James and Reddit's Global Brand Ambassador Will Cady on the latest episode of “Is This Thing On?” where the two discuss the brand’s history, the platform’s influential communities, and how marketers engage these communities to understand how culture is evolving.

Targeted Victory EVP David Lasch published a Medium essay advising corporations how to weather the chilly new era of antitrust, when politicians on both sides are going after Big Business with increasing success.

Stagwell Marketing Cloud’s 2023 State of Comms Tech Report outlines the comms tech landscape as it stands today, introducing the idea that to survive as professionals in the communications industry, comms pros will need to become “communications engineers.” And while this might sound intimidating, this is an exciting thing. With over 700 tools on the market in the PR, social media, and communications categories, it’s more important than ever that comms pros are educated about the tools they are using and the potential that lies in their tech stack. Along with an analysis of the current tech landscape, the report proposes six predictions for the comms tech industry in 2023.

The Milken Institute-Harris Poll Listening Project surveys socioeconomic, institutional, and political barriers across the world through the eyes of ordinary people by starting with a simple premise: What issues, if solved, would build more meaningful lives for people, their families, and communities? Now in its fourth year, the 2023 report examines gender inequity in corporate America.

Instrument's Executive Director of Experience Innovation, Mike Creighton, shared his views on the subject of Generative AI, "Generative AI has arrived. We don’t have to squint to see its potential for disruption across industries. The disruption is happening in real time. With each day, companies and individuals are discovering new applications, uncovering new efficiencies, and reexamining old problems. We’re doing the same." Read more via the link.

National Research Group released "Exploring Indonesia," the second in their capstone series that examines culture, content, and technology attitudes and behaviors in leading-edge global growth markets. From the country's sports fandom to a love for K-Dramas, YouTube, super-apps, and short-form social content, the research provides an in-depth look at what's driving this emerging market, poised to be a top 5 global economy by 2050.

We are on the cusp of another technological revolution, and the normalization of AI into our daily lives will no doubt change everything. But, do we need to fix the internet before we welcome AI? In order to understand the technology’s full potential, reflection, curiosity, and experimentation are essential. In this feature, Justin Lewis enters in a conversation with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to look back on the boom of the internet and consider learnings from building web2 that will help shape our future with web3. It’s a conversation about our past to shape our future.

This Black History Month, Stagwell is challenging our teams to build Black Futures. With the worlds of media, branding, and entertainment blurring, how can brands tap into the growth opportunity of driving more complex representation for Black consumers? Explore our thinking here.

GALE’s Winston Binch sat down with Liquid Death’s Andy Pearson on a recent episode of “Is This Thing On?” for a behind-the-scenes look at how Liquid Death's unconventional and comic noir branding approach is fueling record business growth while simultaneously tackling one of the most pressing sustainability issues of our time: plastic waste.

It’s unmistakable that artificial intelligence will be one of the most talked about trends in marketing in 2023. There’s a lot of buzz, hype, and predictions afoot about what it can and can’t do for advertising. Will we see AI replace artists? Is automation all it’s good for? And what debates do marketing leaders need to track as the technology evolves?

Advertisers are reacting to the news that the U.S. is suing to break up Google's ad business, but what does the macro landscape of tech regulation look like for the year ahead? Stagwell Chairman Mark Penn kicked off a new monthly column in Barron's with a preview of the most significant regulatory battles to track as the "wild west" of Big Tech and FAANG dominance ends.

Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn is the featured cover story in Ad Age as "The Outsider," an in-depth profile on the man behind the challenger network. Take a look at how he's built Stagwell, his political and polling background, and how he's doing what it takes to make his gamble a success. Story by Brian Bonilla.

Stagwell is back from CES 2023 and abuzz with the latest tech powering the next chapter of modern marketing, this article details the show floor innovations into three quick things you need to know about how technology will impact brand marketing this year.

Code and Theory’s Dan Gardner and Stagwell’s Brandon Dixon prompt marketers to take a more innovative approach.

for The Drum’s Data & Privacy Deep Dive. In fact, sometimes it is engineered for the benefit of the consumer, who could be financially sabotaging themselves by opting out.

Stagwell Chief Media Officer Deirdre McGlashan and Sabio’s Joe Camacho discuss the state of performance media, data, political advertising, and more.

The Harris Poll Co-CEO Will Johnson shares a recent survey in Ad Age that found consumers believe streaming-service ads are boring, repetitive and unpersuasive.

‘Just be patient’ Everyone needs to take a breath and give Elon Musk a chance to fulfill his vision for Twitter, writes Stagwell CEO Mark Penn. Read on for what he suggests the polarizing leader should do next

Lindsay Bennett, Global Head of Marketing & Communications at GALE summarises some of the topics covered on stage as well as bite-sized insights from inspiring marketers during the ANA’s Masters of Marketing. From preserving marketing budgets in the face of a recession to the rebrand of multicultural marketing to mainstream marketing, the ANA set the scene for what's shaping the industry's outlook for 2023.

Stagwell and National Research Group published a new report that proves why brands matter - no matter the economic environment. “The Power of Brand Fandom: 5 Things to Know Right Now,”, points to brand influence as being more significant than other commonly associated areas of interest: consumers are bigger fans of brands or products (57%) than of celebrities (54%), movies (52%), sports (48%) or online influencers/personalities (37%).

On Oct. 28, Elon Musk officially bought Twitter. Stories spiraled around the world on what this means for the social platform. While there are many unknown factors on the future of Twitter, Allison+Partners’ Managing Director Performance + Intelligence Brent Diggins weighs in on how this will impact digital analytics.

To recognize International Podcast Day we’re sharing some of our favorite podcast series from across the Stagwell network.

From Netflix and Spotify to HelloFresh and Bumble, subscription services have become an indispensable part of many consumers’ lives.

In fact, 51% of consumers say that subscriptions now make up a "significant" portion of their monthly spending, according to NRG's new report, The Subscription Economy Grows Up as Consumers Cut Back. As inflation soars to levels not seen in decades, however, people have been forced to make hard choices about their spending. That includes cutting back on subscriptions.

Read the full report.

Political fundraisers are ‘the best marketers in the world,’ in this feature for The Drum, Stagwell chief executive officer Mark Penn shares what brands can learn from their efforts.

What is your brandgeist IQ? Allison+Partners’ Consumer Brands team has launched Brandgeist IQ, a first-of-its-kind, proprietary methodology designed to measure the real-time cultural relevance of brands. Built using numerous data indicators, Brandgeist IQ reveals a single, tangible score to demonstrate a brand’s cultural relevance.

More holiday shoppers stream TV in a typical week than watch traditional TV and ninety-eight percent of Gen Z and Millennial holiday shoppers have streamed in the past three months.

HarrisX released the first annual Faith and Media Index, looking at how media shapes consumer sentiment of religion, faith fluency and more. Read the study here and check out the write-up in Mike Allen’s Axios AM.

Stagwell’s Reputation Quotient – a collaboration between Stagwell, Axios, and The Harris Poll which annually ranks the most visible companies in America. Dive into the insights and learn more about why corporate brand reputation matters.

Now in its third year, the Milken Institute-Harris Poll Listening Project has been tracking the most urgent challenges people are facing globally. This year, we delve deeper into the role of business in accelerating social progress, access the report below.

NRG has released “Beyond Reality,” a comprehensive new study on how consumers feel about extended reality tech + experiences with big implications for how brands experiment in the bourgeoning Web3.

Thinking about entering the #Metaverse, but unsure where to start? A+P's technology team is here to help. In part one of a brand's guide to joining the Metaverse, Tech Practice Head of Content Jeremy Horwitz answers common questions and explains why now is the right time for brands to enter. Read part one and stay tuned for part two!

Jim Moriarty, co-managing director at Brand Citizens, says its time to grab the brand lever and pull it towards the Earth.

Allison+Partners EVP David Baum, who leads the firm’s office in Miami, attended Miami’s Blockchain 2022 conference catch up with his takeaways on the regulatory landscape around cryptocurrency, how leaders are navigating crypto’s environmental impact and Miami’s journey to becoming the next tech hub.

Nick Fuller, Managing Partner Digital Transformation

Marketers are asking: who will be your customer in the metaverse? What will bring them there, what wil make them stay? How can your brand be part of the best the metaverse has to officer? Download the report from The Harris Poll.

We’re proud to share several ways agencies across Stagwell have celebrated and used Black History Month this year as a platform to impact communities locally, nationally, and across the digital ecosystem.

NFTs – fad or the future of marketing? At the intersection of art, luxury, crypto and culture, they are providing unique value for brands seeking new digital strategies for brand building and incentivizing consumer behavior.

Stagwell’s experts explore the strategies and themes emerging in the NFT space.

What brands saw the biggest gains in brand equity after advertising in the Super Bowl this year? The Harris Poll's 2022 Brand Bowl Index reveals just that. Harris Brand Platform measured the change in brand equity—the perceived value of a company based on its reputation with its audience—from pre- to post-Super Bowl for companies who confirmed their intent to advertise during the Super Bowl by February 11th, 2022. 

The latest report from The Harris Poll and Instacart shares Big Game snack time must-haves:  chips (Tostitos Scoops), dips (salsa please) and wings (especially in Maryland). And one tip from the pros? Don't run out of beer. Cheers to that!

Everyone is talking about the Metaverse, but what does it actually mean to the consumers that brands are trying to reach there? A new study from National Research Group captures the public perceptions of the metaverse--what consumers want, don't want, and may not yet fully grasp.

The metaverse is the new tech darling as companies look to harness the next-generation of the internet to connect with their customers and grow their bottom line. Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell, discusses his company's new AR platform and how technology like augmented reality is reshaping the retail space.

Allison+Partners distills the latest updates and announcements on social media for this week.

“Generational based marketing strategies are lazy and outdated. We should consider behaviors over age when targeting consumers, says VP of Strategy Marc Parillo.

The Key to Smart Digital Transformation in 2022? Mastering Your Digital Layer.

Assembly’s Lesley Duncan digs into the consumer trends, challenges & opportunities for the 2021 holiday season in Advertising Week. Brands: don’t let supply chain woes get you down, there are plenty of ways to surprise and delight your customers.

CPB London published a report on Gender Diversity exploring the notion of rebranding the term “Gender Diversity” as progress on getting more women into leadership roles appears to be lagging.

This COP26 reflections piece was written by Lucas Ruzowitzky, an Account Manager out of Assembly’s European office.

The path to building a company is arduous, Sasha unpacks how he’s built his company, Thrive Market, the online grocer dedicated to organic and natural foods, from an idea with friends to a national grocery with more than 1M subscribers across the US.

Stagwell Chief Media Officer Deirdre McGlashan and Forsman & Bodenfors Global CEO Toby Southgate discuss the cyclical tactics and tech paving the way for new retail innovations as brands kick off this holiday season.

In the latest episode of Y In the Valley, Ashish Toshniwal, CEO of YML interviewed Gregor Hembrough, President of North America Polestar who shared great insights into the future of the automobile and electric cars.

With the explosion of e-commerce over the past 12 months, Assembly China examines 6 key trends fueling the enormous growth of the world’s largest sales event of the year, China’s Double 11.

With current supply chain issues resulting in empty store shelves and longer delivery times, Allison+Partners’ President of Consumer Brands Lisa Rosenberg taps into what marketers and consumers can expect this holiday shopping season.

Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn examines the competing value of blockbuster campaigns vs. hyper-targeted relevancy, and how that shapes the culture-making moments of today and tomorrow.

The second annual Milken Institute/The Harris Poll Listening Project found that global citizens feel left out of the pandemic economic recovery: 77% of people in 27 countries say their own finances are the same or getting worse, even as 70% of them say their country’s economy is weak but better now than in 2020.

Stagwell Global Chief Marketing Officer Ryan Linder shares his observations and takeaways from the Association of National Advertisers’ Masters of Marketing Conference.

ICYMI: Stagwell joined forces with our partners at Roku Advertising for a conversation about the key trends heading into Holiday 2021, their impact on marketing strategy, and what they indicate about the year to come.

The New Digital Marketing Playbook; Four trends in marketing every CEO needs to grapple with.

This fall, Apple is rolling out the new iOS 15 along with an updated option for “Mail Privacy Protection” features. This change presents adjustments for email marketers, but GALE’s team has some recommendations to help set you up for success.

The experience of brands in the real world (and beyond).

Beto Fernandez and Paco Conde, founders of Activista, speak to LBB’s Addison Capper about operating as a “purpose-driven creative company” and offer up sustainability advice to advertising agencies and brands.

Chairman & CEO Mark Penn discusses how the newly combined companies will operate moving forward.

It's no secret the COVID-19 pandemic caused drastic changes in the public health system, many of which will have a positive impact for years to come. Allison+Partners Health Practice Managing Director Michelle Webb provides insights on how outcomes, such as the telehealth boom, give her optimism about the future of the health industry.

In episode four of “Is This Thing On?,” GALE President of Content & Managing Director Shannon Pruitt calls on old friend Patrizio “Pato” Spagnoletto, global chief marketing officer at Discovery Inc., to dish on lessons learned throughout their careers when change has been the only constant.

Stagwell combines 8 agencies into a new ad-buying network — its first big bet to take on ad giants like WPP.

Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn chats with Fortune's Susie Gharib about post-COVID consumer trends, digital transformation, and MDC and our partners at The Stagwell Group's investment into next-gen digital marketing products.

What does the world look like as the pandemic subsides across much of the globe? This Forbes article, featuring insights from The Harris Poll, highlights 50 statistics about how consumers have changed and the lasting impact of Covid.

Anne Colaiacovo, North American President at Allison+Partners, details the agency's investments in supporting working mothers and their career development.

Is TV at its “Blockbuster moment”? What does it mean for marketing to be truly integrated? How do you be audience-centric and not channel-centric? What should the outcomes of DEI be? CEO Brad Simms joins MilkPEP CEO Yin Woon Rani on these topics and more in the debut episode of “Is This Thing On?”, GALE’s new audio series featuring dynamic leaders in marketing and business.

For Ad Age’s AAPI Creative Excellence Series, Anomaly L.A.’s partner and chief strategy officer Aisea Laungaue recounts his agency's major push for the former First Lady’s ‘When We All Vote’ initiative; also, he reflects on the influence of his Tongan name.

$3 million, 3 years: an incredible investment from our colleagues at Instrument in pursuing equity for Black and underrepresented communities.

Anomaly LA CEO Jiah Choi in Ad Age, reflecting on the initiative and how her experience growing up as a "sitcom kid" has come full circle with this latest campaign for Netflix.

TEAM Enterprises CEO Dan Gregory weighed in on the experiential rebound to come as consumers emerge from pandemic restrictions aching for social experiences.

Going deeper on the struggles moms are facing - 6 Degrees' Adrianne Gaffney Wotherspoon looks at impacts that will stretch far beyond Mother's Day, for both brands and employers.

Global Brand Opportunities: Stagwell’s affiliates in Latin America, India, and Taiwan shared their perspectives on the importance of attentiveness to regional nuances and how local platform habits can make or break a brand's marketing efforts.

Emily Wilson Sawyer, an executive vice president for Allison+Partners consumer hospitality specialty group, provides recommendations on meaningful ways travel brands can win customers back just in time for summer.

Online gaming has skyrocketed during the pandemic. Andrew Rogers shares his tips on how brands can use platforms like Twitch, Reddit and Discord to connect with online gaming communities and create impactful campaigns.

With the rollout of 5G across the world, Brad Simms, CEO of GALE believes it will bring a level of business transformation not seen before. In this post, Brad shares five ways for businesses to prepare.

5 Ways Marketers Should Prepare for the Roaring 2020s: What do brands need to do to prepare? Here are five steps marketers should take to prepare for this boom.

The Future of Live: This report from National Research Group explores how synchronous, shared social experiences will change consumers’ expectations for live events, how consumers’ relationship with creators has changed, and how technology is upgrading the fan experience.

How old-school agency models are hamstringing marketers coming out of coronavirus | Compensation models have put agencies and their clients between a rock and a hard place. MDC Global president Julia Hammond explains what must change and why.

Why There's Never Been a Better Time for Creativity, Johan Eghammer, CEO of Forsman & Bodenfors Sweden, sees the possibilities in a shifting world.

The 2021 edition of ForwardPMX’s annual report covers a range of important emerging trends that are impacting businesses globally. It is an extensive piece of work with contributions from their global offices, with additional context and clarity from The Harris Poll to enrich the report.

The Harris Poll published fresh research tracking American consumer behaviors that have taken shape in the past year, and which will remain post-pandemic.

In recognition of World Health Day 2021, The Harris Poll's special report reflects on a year’s worth of public opinion polling data to understand what we’ve learned about our own health and signals of change for the future.

Greg Jones of Colle McVoy shared his POV on how marketers can prepare for the future cookieless world.

72andSunny Sydney’s CEO and Partner, APAC Chris Kay, wrote an op-ed on how the advertising industry could bring some optimism and positivity at this moment.

Thoughtful post from Brand Citizens’ Jim Moriarty breaking down best ways brands can prepare for the Employee Activism wave now.

7 tech trends that will change the next 5 years of marketing

Just launched: Koalifyed. The latest piece of modern marketing technology from the team at Stagwell Group, designed to streamline and transform the way brands approach influencer marketing and campaign management, offering brands a complete view of their influencer ecosystem.

The past year has unearthed new revelations about what consumers do and do not enjoy, For example, 75% of Americans said they learned during the pandemic that they prefer socializing in small groups at home over going out to bars. Axios covered key takeaways from The Harris Poll report.

Listen to the newest episode of Y in the Valley hosted by CEO Ashish Toshniwal as he interviews René Lacerte, the CEO and Founder of Bill.com, the fintech platform currently valued at $10 billion.

Profiles in Creativity Black Creativity: Jason Pierce of CPB, breaks the mold of beer advertising

Jessica Hartley, Instrument’s VP of strategy leads a podcast discussion on how industries can mitigate racism and bias in research, how we can better approach research and what that research ultimately impacts.

As marketers work to develop a slew of third-party cookie alternatives, Media Kitchen’s Frances Giordano offers five tips for evaluating potential solutions.

Paul Sears, EVP Brand and Engagement Strategy at Allison+Partners reflects on the recipe for brand relevance in an age of “radical fragmentation.”

Bust & Boom: 5 Crucial lessons from the Failure of Haven and Success of Pfizer/BioNTech from Ned Russell, Managing Partner of Healthcare.

What is clubhouse and how can brands take advantage?

Allison+Partners’ Marketing Innovation Team shed some light on the newest social media phenomenon and provide tips on how brands can benefit from having a presence on it.

Polestar is taking on a fast-growing and highly competitive Electric Vehicle category, and selects YML to address their need for best-in-class digital products and experiences which capture, educate and convert customers.

Nine months into the Covid-19 Pandemic, many of America’s new cooking and eating habsit swing into to 2021 while others moderate back to pre-pandemic levels – find out more in wave 2 of Hunter PR’s Food Study Report.

Mark Penn joined the PR Week podcast to chat about the MDC + the Stagwell Group combination, comms lessons for the Biden administration, and how technology like PRophet can transform the PR industry.

Hear from Mark Penn in an interview with Maria Bartiromo about the exciting combination of MDC Partners and Stagwell: “This merger brings together incredible talent along with digital and technology talent that works for the modern consumer and modern marketer… This is the first scaled creative performance marketing firm, designed with the right technology and talent designed to hit that consumer.”

YML launched a new podcast hosted by Ashish Toshniwal, CEO and co-founder. The podcast kicked off with Tim Chen, founder of Nerdwallet and Pete Flint founder of Trulia.

Why honing your company’s culture should be a top priority in 2021: your brand purpose should be well-defined, understood, and infused across your organization via all touch points—in everything you make, say, and do. Christine Freuchte, CEO of Colle McVoy, lays out the path for 2021 noting key steps for success.

KWT Global resident tech titan Dara Cothran took a beat to answer 3 questions on what lies of ahead for how enterprise tech may have been the only winner of 2020.

Jim Selman shared his thoughts on how Allison+Partners will keep focus on increasing diversity and inclusion in 2021 and shares actionable strategies around inclusion and diversity that are absolutely critical for business recovery, resilience, and re-imagination and should be part of every organization’s plan for success in 2021.

Uncomfortable Conversations: YML’s founder sat down with Ad Age to discuss DE&I and on making Silicon Valley more inclusive.

In this Ad Age feature, Analisa Goodin of Catch & Release talks about the acceleration of user-generated content as a permanent part of the creative mix and the platform they’ve pioneered as a powerful new alternative to traditional shoots that has become an invaluable resource for agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To answer the industry call for diversity, equity and inclusion Forsman & Bodenfors developed Grow Your Circle, an online tool to provide access to underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Can artificial intelligence make pitching the media an easier process? KWT Global CEO Aaron Kwittken, discusses that question with Doug Simon in the latest “PR’s Top Pros Talk” video interview.

Stagwell Chairman & CEO Mark Penn joined Kenna’s Chief Strategy Officer Stephen Shaw for a wide-ranging discussion about agency transformation, the future of the marketing services model, pandemic-era trends, the evolving role of the CMO, and more.

This week Stagwell launched a solution to help brands and organizations refine earned media strategies before going to market with a pitch, PRophet is the first-ever AI-driven platform that predicts media interest, sentiment and spread.

The world’s largest tradeshow, which brings 175,000 people to Las Vegas every year, will be fully virtual for the first time. For brands “exhibiting,” the implications of CES’ move run far and wide. In this webinar, Allison+Partners’ seasoned CES pros shared insights and best practices to maximize your investments in 2021.

10 years of progress in healthcare and technology equaled in just a few months. Discover what's next in this feature from Jason Rzutkiewicz, SVP of Client Strategy.

As we approach the holiday shopping season, the game plan remains unclear for retailers and consumers alike. In a year that’s seen most shopping done online, how can stores attract customers and maximize revenue during the busiest shopping season? Allison+Partners’ Alison Fichter outlines a path forward for Q4.

Stagwell Chairman and CEO, Mark Penn, spoke at The Milken Institute’s Global Conference on the ‘Election 2020 and the Political Aftermath’ panel with Terry McAuliffe, Frank Luntz, Katie Walsh Shields, and moderated by POLITICO’s Anna Palmer.

Navigating fast-changing regulations and breaking news to managing the shift to remote work and shrinking editorial teams, COVID-19 has not only disrupted the media landscape, but also the traditional flow of communication between reporters and brands. KWT shared insights and learnings following an internal survey on the impact of media relationships.

GALE weighs in on the best media moves brands can make while navigating the weeks and months ahead. 

Brands Can’t Afford to Overlook These 8 Cultural Shifts – The team at Forsman & Bodenfors conducted a survey of the cultural landscape that has formed during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified the top 8 cultural shifts brands should be watching. 

In this op-ed, Barry Lowenthal, CEO of the Media Kitchen suggests the divisive election is an open invitation for brands to take the lead in unifying America.

In 2020, brand citizenship has deeper meaning and demands more meaningful action. Brands can no longer be bystanders. Colle McVoy’s Katie Anderson and Tom Lindell share their framework and initial questions to help marketers build better brand citizens.

Paul Sears shares his thoughts on using a fast insights framework to remain essential in a time of transformation.

Today, when shoppers are likely to be skittish about being in stores—if they visit at all—those retailers who adapt using technology strategically and design intuitively will be better positioned to survive. Joe Johnson of YML breaks down current trends driving the future of grocery.

This week on Brand on Purpose, KWT Global’s Aaron Kwittken interviews Practice Makes Perfect CEO and founder Karim Abouelnaga about how the B Corp works with low-income schools to help narrow the achievement gap and reframe summer school as a way to get ahead.

Forget the “New Normal” - we live in the “Now Normal,” a state of constant unpredictability with no playbook to draw from. This report from Allison+Partners provides guidance for leaders in this disorienting time.

Jessica Hartley, VP of strategy explains how she had to fight every day to be seen, heard, taken seriously, and viewed as competent and capable and outlines three things companies can do to change that for others

The Harris Poll, together with Axios, released its annual ranking of corporate reputations. The survey, polled more than 34,000 American adults, and was conducted twice this year – before and after the onset of the COVID pandemic. The 2020 rankings are based on the latest fielding in late June and early July 2020.

This year has been all about pivoting, and the start of the school year is no exception. President of Consumer Brands Lisa Rosenberg sat down with The Street to discuss how brands are approaching this historic back-to-school season.

Mark Penn discussed a number of trending topics at NEXTECH, including Facebook’s advertising boycott, addressable TV, censorship and the first amendment, and the role of marketing in C-19 recovery. Read more and watch a recording of the fireside chat.

Committed to dismantling systems of oppression, KWT launched a new microsite with educational resources from articles to podcasts by Black creators.

Allison+Partners’ B2B Tech team latest trends report reflects the broad range of topics on the minds of tech leaders around the world, including a first-mover strategy for capturing market share during an economic downturn, conflicting views about the challenges of AI, how Google is upping its banking game, and the possible impact of Big Tech regulation on IPOs. 

“Marketing is the Answer Whether a Company Is Thriving or Struggling During the Pandemic”

Mark Penn spoke to Adweek on surviving the pandemic, the Facebook boycott, and hiring diversity.

A new report by Allison+Partners reveals that whilst B2B marketers wish to evolve their brand strategy in favor of more human connection and conversations to engage with their audiences, they struggle to put this into practice. The full report explores the challenges to talking more ‘human’ and offers our insights and advice on how to move forward. 

Are you ready for a cookieless future? This presentation from Media Kitchen explores why cookies are crumbling, the resulting impact across the ecosystem, and early steps advertisers can take to prepare.

Brands around the world are racing to understand what the new normal means for their consumers. KWT Global has created six-part blog series, identifying and analyzing how consumer groups are navigating life under lockdown.

Forsman & Bodenfors surveyed 100 marketing decision-makers and found nearly half are dissatisfied with the COVID-19 response.

Colle McVoy developed a model for growth that is simple to use and orient toward action. The Next Model to help brands get to work now in service of building a brighter future for all by elevating purpose, innovation, and experience as the three key pillars of brand value beyond communications.

Gale released its latest study in the wake of economies reopening across the United States. Key findings around COVID-19, marketing, second wave, re-opening.

David DeMuth, CEO of Doner chatted with Ad Age on the future of agency business practices as he considers re-opening its doors to employees.

How to Make an Impact as a Thought Leader Without In-Person Events

Chris Kay, President, 72andSunny APAC, wrote a book about the future of work and the Fifth Industrial revolution caused by the acceleration of Covid-19. He was inspired by thinkers including Mary Parker-Follett, Irvine Welsh, Jacinda Ardern, Kobe Bryant, and Primal Scream. 

Redscout examines the changes that are reshaping work, deep-diving into behavioral shifts across work life, and imagining what results may come when (and if) we get back to the office. 

This year’s back-to-school campaigns are going to look a lot different, this article looks at how Allison+Partners helped client JanSport develop the Lighten the Load campaign, aimed at addressing mental health for Gen Z.

The Doner COVID-19 PSA, “When the motor stops,” was featured on the weekly news magazine, CBS Sunday Morning, director Zeke Anders and Brand Strategist Alex DeMuth talk through the inspiration and process.

Viewed together, the MINI, Budweiser, and MasterClass campaigns illustrate a global mindset in the making.

Who will be the first to travel?

Frequent travelers will travel soonest and they’re not afraid to cross international borders.

Right now, brands are facing a tough question: how do they launch new products during an ongoing pandemic? Join Andrew Rogers as he sits down with Jim Selman in the latest episode from The Stream UK podcast, “Product Launches: Go-To-Market During COVID-19.

"For leaders accustomed to having all the answers, this is going to be new territory and an ever-evolving process as we reimagine what working in the office looks like."

Colle McVoy's CEO Christine Fruechte offers 6 key steps you should take if your teams are beginning to plan a return to the office.

Webinar Weary: Elevating Digital Events

As businesses deal with the effects of Covid-19, it’s clear that short-term pivots made at the outset will need to become deeper and more prolonged. Cathy Planchard examines ways organizations can reimagine digital events + key moments for greater impact.

Perksy collaborated with the Ad Club of New York to examine Millennial & Gen Z behaviors and attitudes around COVID-19. Primarily, the research looked into what consumers are looking forward to, what they are worried about, what new activities and brands have been picked up, and indicators around what they plan to continue purchasing post-COVID.

How a hybrid in-house/agency model works for 3M - The conversation about in-house media teams has become even more important in current times.

“Marketers are prepared to deliver one of the most sophisticated turnaround efforts we’ve ever seen."

Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn on the critical role marketing will play in restarting the economy after coronavirus.

7 Tips for Building a Business in a Recession From Someone Who Did Exactly That in 2008

YML’s Ashish Toshniwal: “Even amid chaos, there's a chance for opportunity.”

In this article, Instrument's VP of People Operations, Tessa Baston shares her approach to reach the agency goal to enrich human lives through design and technology, starting with their employees.

What Can We Tell You About Our Agency Situation in Sweden?

Silla Levin, art director and CEO at Forsman & Bodenfors Sweden shares her perspective from the Nordics.

How do we build the muscles of adaptability that help us solve big, hairy problems in new ways? Hear from Instrument’s VP of Creative, Tsilli Pines, about how we can apply our collective intelligence and turn this moment into an opportunity for making a better world.

“Five ways forward for travel brands post-coronavirus”

David Proudlock, Head of Strategy at the London office of Crispin Porter Bogusky, says that travel isn't going anywhere in a hurry - and once lockdown is lifted, travel brands need to take a few steps to regain traction and keep people exploring.

Virtual Is Reality: Experiential Marketing in a Post-Pandemic World

“What we need to do is look after each other”

As UK lockdown continues, Helen James, Managing Director of Crispin Porter Bogusky demonstrates the importance of empathetic and authentic leadership.

Marcus Gamo highlights how the automotive industry has implemented innovative and creative solutions to help drive new revenue streams to face the impact of COVID-19.

Insights from Doner’s multicultural team examining the impact of the pandemic on the Hispanic community in America.

Time reports on changing diets during the coronavirus pandemic, citing findings from HUNTER’s Food Study 2020 Special Report.

Pranav Kumar examines marketing and communications undercurrents shaping the new reality in India.

New Poll Suggests Consumers Wary About Planning Vacations

Panic buying is on the wane, while trip planning is on the rise: 6 Degrees consumer survey

Aaron Kwittken shared his POV on things to consider as we plan for a return to work – from hope to C.O.P.E.

How has advertising has changed during the pandemic? Featuring CPB’s own Quinn Katherman and work for Hotels.com and Domino’s.

Colle McVoy’s CEO and CCO shared how marketers have had to change tone during the crisis, but also weigh in with what comes next.

Report on how consumer needs during COVID-19 impact the CPG category.

72andSunny Sydney's Head of Strategy, Ross Berthinussen, shares his thoughts on what the next normal might bring when we come out the other side of Covid-19.

Tom Smith and David Wolf on Taking Leadership in a Global Crisis: The Six Phases of the Disruption Life Cycle.

Aaron Kwittken gives a shout out to purpose-driven brands who have stepped up in a big way amidst the Coronavirus pandemic

A C-19 impact conversation with Anomaly Co-Founder Jason DeLand

The Harris Poll’s research indicates Americans favor aggressive measures against coronavirus

MDC Chairman & CEO Mark Penn's early perspective on C-19 

The Harris Poll finds Gen Z will be hit hardest by layoffs

Harris Poll finds shoppers will spend once the crisis passes

Brands pivoting messages in the face of a pandemic

How brands are staying agile and relevant

“America needs a 60-day plan”

72andSunny Founder and Creative Chair Glenn Cole weighed in on how creativity has been pivoting during the COVID-19 crisis

Blog – Navigating tomorrow, today

Food Study 2020 – America gets cooking: the impact of COVID-19 on Americans’ food habits

Opinion: What U.S. Agencies can learn from their Chinese counterparts as they recover from COVID-19

New Harris Poll reveals financial strain on Main Street

Veritas launched Rally for Restaurants, an initiative led by Stella Artois Canada to unite Canadian consumers in support of the food & beverage industry. 

6 Degrees published new insights on Canadian shoppers as they adjust to the impact of the COVID-19

Doner ECD Michael Stelmaszek was featured on MSNBC’s The Last Word, discussing the making of “When the motor stops”

Jerry Zhu, partner and GM of Allison+Partners' China operation, shares some of his insights from this experience.