Latest Marketing & Advertising News
McDonald's AI Holiday Ad Faces Backlash as 'Most Terrible'
McDonald's Netherlands released an AI-generated holiday ad that received strong negative feedback, leading to its quick withdrawal. The company acknowledged viewer concerns and recommitted to positive experiences. This incident highlights ongoing AI risks in advertising.
Coca-Cola's AI Holiday Trucks Spark Controversy Again
Coca-Cola launched three AI-generated 'Holidays are Coming' ads in 2025, following last year's criticism as 'dystopian.' Despite backlash, testing showed high scores in attention and brand recall from System1 and DAIVID. AI model usage in ads continues to divide opinions.
AI Brand Partnerships with Social Accounts Drop 30% in 2025
Transaction data from Collabstr shows a 30% decline in brand partnerships with AI social accounts in early 2025 compared to 2024. This reflects growing backlash against AI in influencer marketing. Brands are shifting away from AI-generated influencers.
Pulse Candy Partners with K-pop Star Aoora for Christmas Campaign
DS Group’s Pulse Candy launched a digital campaign featuring K-pop star Aoora from Dec 24 to Jan 3, including a reel challenge with Rs 2,000 Amazon vouchers. The push targets festive engagement through social media.
Titan Enters Lab-Grown Diamonds with beYon Store in Mumbai
Titan Company announced its lab-grown diamond brand beYon, opening its first store in Mumbai after partnering with De Beers Group earlier in 2025. This marks a strategic expansion in sustainable jewelry marketing.
Infosys Appoints Kisha Gupta as Global Head of Brand
Kisha Gupta, formerly Associate Vice-President, was promoted to lead Infosys' global brand, having driven academic relations and corporate marketing. The move strengthens the company's marketing leadership.
Saurabh Saksena Launches GenAI-Led Agency SAULV
Former VML India president Saurabh Saksena started SAULV, an integrated communications agency focusing on GenAI for strategy, creative, and full-funnel communication. It aims to guide organizations in AI adoption.
WPP's Premjeet Sodhi Stresses Measurement for Brand Effectiveness
WPP Media’s Global Analytics Lead Premjeet Sodhi identifies measurement frameworks as key to linking media outputs to brand outcomes, emphasizing right KPIs and methods. Reporting alone is insufficient for effectiveness.
Global DOOH Ad Spending to Surpass $33 Billion in 2026
Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) spending is forecasted to exceed $33B by 2026, driven by programmatic buying and AI agents planning 25% of campaigns. Trends include liquid audiences and retail media integration.
AI-Enhanced Personalization Scales in 2025 Digital Marketing
AI enables dynamic personalization using first-party data amid cookie phase-out, including tailored content, emails, and ads based on user behavior. This trend shifts from basic to intent-driven customization.
Predictive Analytics Transforms Marketing ROI Forecasting
AI predictive tools forecast churn, leads, and campaign ROI, optimizing investments and identifying bottlenecks for better decisions. Marketers gain real-time insights beyond traditional analysis.
Video Commerce Emerges as Core Revenue Channel for 2026
Shoppable short-form videos reduce purchase friction, with content focused on demos and comparisons driving add-to-cart and revenue. Brands must integrate video with landing pages for compounded performance.