Brands Struggle to Stay Discoverable Amid AI-Powered Retail

At the 𝗕𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗮𝗻, Christa Klausner of Digitas North America and Quentin George of McKinsey & Company confronted the vanishing click, debating how brands can stay discoverable, differentiated and profitable when AI agents and retail media platforms close the sale before a website ever gets a chance to load. #BRSJ2026 #BeetSJ

“The future of measurement is set it and forget it.” On this week’s AdExchanger Talks🎙️, Ty A., Chief Product Officer at Kantar, sits down with AdExchanger Managing Editor, Allison Schiff to explore what happens when marketers set goals and budgets — then step back while platforms and AI handle planning, optimization and measurement. 🤖📊 As automation grows, so do the big questions: How hands-off should marketers be? Can platforms be trusted to grade their own performance? And is objective truth in measurement even possible? It’s a candid conversation about automation, trust, and what measurement looks like at the speed of culture. 🎬 Catch the full episode here: https://utm.guru/ulihG #AdExchangerTalks #Measurement #AdTech #MarketingScience #AIinAdvertising #MediaMeasurement #DigitalAdvertising

Winning strategies in consumer M&A in 2026. Operational discipline, tighter portfolios and—above all—putting the consumer at the centre of every deal and value-creation decision. https://pwc.to/48M2qvJ #PwCDeals #IndustryTrends #Consumer #PwCConsumer PwC Italy

Putting consumer understanding at the center of revenue decisions will be the #1 strategy for consumer brands in 2026. Kellanova’s RGM Navigator is a strong example of this shift. By combining advanced analytics and AI, it helps teams get real-time answers to crucial questions in pricing and promotions, like what to promote, when to act, and how to balance growth with discipline. Through their RGM Navigator, they are moving beyond standard reporting to creating a virtual analyst capable of identifying trends and explaining growth drivers automatically. Partnering with Kellanova on this journey reflects our shared goal of building systems that truly connect with the consumer experience. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eYFumMe6 #RevenueGrowthManagement #AgenticAI #CPGAnalytics #ConsumerInsights

🎆 Big one! I've been in digital long enough to know that industry recognition only means something when it reflects what clients actually experience. So seeing DEPT® named a Strong Performer in The Forrester Wave™: Commerce Services, Q1 2026 is earned. An independent agency holding its own against massive legacy networks — that doesn't happen by accident. What this really validates is the model: when you bring AI, data, and creativity together in one team, you stop optimizing storefronts and start inventing growth. That's the difference our clients feel in their results. If you're rethinking your commerce strategy in 2026, that's exactly the conversation worth having. dept.ly/ForresterReport-LI Huge credit to the DEPT® teams and the ambitious clients who push us to invent what’s next. #ForresterWave #FutureOfCommerce #GrowthInvention

Retail isn’t short on data - it’s short on intelligent action. After more than a decade of digital acceleration, competitive advantage in 2026 is no longer defined by who has the most technology, but by who knows how to use it the best; applying intelligence with purpose, precision, and human judgment. The 2026 Retail Trends Report: The Age of Intelligence explores how leading retailers are moving beyond experimentation and into execution by embedding intelligence across operations, stores, supply networks, and customer experiences in ways that feel seamless, trusted, and human. From the ROI analysis surrounding generative AI to the growing roles of trust, regionalization, and real-time decisioning, this report breaks down where intelligence is actually creating value; and where gaps between insight and impact still exist. Download the full report to understand how retailers are turning data into distinction, and what it takes to compete in the next era of retail: https://lnkd.in/eCJ3pG2s #RetailOperations #DigitalTwin #AIinAction #RetailInnovation #FutureOfRetail

Great morning at The Drum Predictions 2026 with lots of sharp thinking on what’s coming our way as marketers. The standout message? Clarity matters more than ever. From General Mills, Eileen Hanna Yague's “flight turbulence” analogy to HSBC's, Nicole German's focus on customer obsession, the reminder was clear: know what marketing can deliver (and what it can’t), stay rooted in brand health, and do fewer things brilliantly. Mark Ritson was typically direct: 2026 won’t look wildly different to 2025, the economy sits in a strange middle-ground, and AI will reshape marketing roles. Synthetic data and speed-to-insight will be the big unlocks. Great to see Nectar360’s very own, Alice Anson on stage with Empathy Lab by EPAM, cutting through the noise on AI in retail media. Her message landed hard: "Start with the real client friction points, not the tech. When AI builds trust, unifies teams and reduces fragmentation, it becomes a genuine accelerator. And the examples speak for themselves - turning two‑week processes into 90 seconds is game‑changing." Worth a read if you missed it 👉 https://lnkd.in/eJGgDst5 And a big thanks to The Digital Voice™, Julia Linehan, Camealia Xavier-Chihota and Jen Allsopp for inviting me to come along! A brilliant day meeting lots of great people and hearing brilliant content - lots to take into 2026.

Leading retailers are moving beyond experimentation into long-term execution; turning massive volumes of data into decisive strategy, and blending human judgment with intelligent systems to create experiences that actually scale. In RETHINK Retail’s 2026 Retail Trends Report: The Age of Intelligence, PwC Consumer Markets AI Leader Remzi Ural shares his perspective on this shift and what it means for the future of intelligent growth. Discover how retailers are redefining growth in the years ahead: 👉https://pwc.to/45IVJsz #PwCMicrosoft #AIinRetail #RetailTransformation #IntelligentGrowth #RetailTrends2026

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern marketing, clarity, precision, and a winning mindset are essential. Marketers like us must adapt. An insightful session by Stephanie at the GKO 2026. Clarity matters. Understanding customer needs with laser-sharp focus. Demands Precision. Crafting propositions that hit the bull's eye every time. And Winning Mindset is the key. It's about more than just closing deals. Ultimately, successful marketing is about connecting with people. #gko26 #cflt #data #ai Confluent

I’ll be at #CAGNY next week, listening for how global #CPGs have taken the macro themes from #Davos and other recent events to adjust their individual company responses. Three themes I expect to hear: 1. #Trade friction and localized manufacturing 2. #Portfolio focus and #divestitures to enable faster #innovation 3. Progress on #AgenticCommerce - not just #AI for efficiency but #growth These trends and more are covered in our annual #outlook, which will serve as my guide to evaluate how each company is adapting to these shifts and more. More come after the presentations next week! CONSUMER ANALYST GROUP OF NEW YORK Deloitte #futureofconsumer Tara Vandeweghe Craig Turnbull Drew Gaputis Michael Jeschke Evan Sheehan Justin Cook Kasey Lobaugh Jean-Emmanuel Biondi https://lnkd.in/eaPzxdi4