The marketing philosophy behind McDonald’s new strategic plan has a B2B lesson inside it
McDonald’s just unveiled a new strategic plan called McDonald’s NEXT, built around four pillars: menu innovation, restaurant reimagination, hospitality, and marketing that makes customers feel part of the brand rather than just targeted by it. While most of the plan covers operational fundamentals, the marketing philosophy behind it is worth pulling out separately because McDonald’s has…
Read MoreNew Gartner data show that marketers are spending more on acquisition and less on loyalty than ever before
Marketing budgets are increasingly tilting toward customer acquisition and away from retention and AI optimization is accelerating the trend. New data from Gartner’s annual CMO Spend Survey show that nearly two-thirds of media spend in 2026 is being directed toward conversion and awareness, a 10% jump from 2024. Meanwhile, loyalty and retention now accounts for less than 15% of overall media spend, a…
Read MoreCold email still works in 2026 and the B2B community broke down exactly why
Every few weeks, someone declares cold email officially dead. Every few weeks, a founder somewhere books a meeting through cold email and wonders what everyone is talking about. The disconnect has become one of B2B marketing’s most persistent debates and a recent Reddit thread in the B2B marketing community tried to get to the bottom of it. The way the original poster framed…
Read MoreThe Ordinary priced a banana at $385 to prove a point about marketing language.
A banana priced at $385. A roll of toilet paper for $136. The Ordinary’s latest campaign is equal parts absurd and brilliant, and the lesson for B2B marketers is uncomfortably direct. The Ordinary launched one of the most talked-about brand activations of the year. The skincare company known for radical pricing transparency created a pop-up grocery store across six global cities where…
Read MoreThe $2.2 billion acquisition that could change how AI agents are built for marketers
Publicis Groupe has announced it will acquire LiveRamp, one of the most widely connected data collaboration platforms in advertising, in an all-cash transaction valued at $2.2 billion. The deal is expected to close by end of year, pending regulatory approval and LiveRamp shareholder sign-off. LiveRamp CEO Scott Howe will continue to lead the business, reporting directly to Publicis CEO Arthur Sadoun. On…
Read MoreAI Video Cut launches three new features to help marketing teams do more with the video they already have
A new product update from AI Video Cut takes aim at one of the most persistent pain points in B2B content: the gap between long-form video assets and the short-form clips those assets should be producing. AI Video Cut, an AI-powered video repurposing platform, has launched three new features designed to reduce the time and cost of…
Read MoreWhat B2B marketers need to know about OpenAI’s new ChatGPT ads manager
ChatGPT advertising just got a lot more accessible. OpenAI has launched a beta self-serve Ads Manager with CPC bidding and conversion tracking, moving the platform from experimental pilot to something that looks and feels like a real media buy. The move gives advertisers the ability to create and manage campaigns directly through OpenAI’s own platform. The beta rollout includes CPC bidding, conversion…
Read MoreUtilize the science of certainty to build a high-quality lead pipeline.
If you’re sick of feeling like B2B marketing is throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks – pay attention. A new concept, the science of certainty, is emerging as a data-driven principle all about integrating predictability and precision into your marketing efforts to make lead gen more effective. Put simply: using data to meticulously…
Read MoreWhy sustainable ROI thrives on consistency, not speed
When it comes to building a business, everyone dreams of rapid success. After all, who doesn’t want to achieve high returns in the shortest amount of time possible? But while chasing quick wins might seem enticing, true and lasting success lies in consistency. Sustainable return on investment (ROI) isn’t just about how fast you can…
Read MoreWhat is the “Day One List” in B2B marketing?
In marketing, it’s every brand’s goal to be noticed—but few actually make it to the top of a buyer’s mind. That’s where the concept of the “Day One List” comes into play. While many marketers are familiar with terms like ICP (Ideal Customer Profile), ABM (Account-Based Marketing), and target accounts, the Day One List is…
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