ECOMMERCE ANALYSIS

Black Friday review: Meta advertising comes up trumps

With 2023’s Black Friday bonanza now in the rear view, it’s time for marketers to take stock of what strategies worked and what didn’t. As the data pours in, early returns saw Meta ads win the day while marketers that emphasised full-funnel performance set themselves up for future success.

It’s time to turn Black Friday green

The objective of Black Friday is to boost sales, but could it also be used to drive positive change and offset some of the environmental impact of the day.

Last minute Black Friday tips: 14 marketing experts on how tech is turbocharging Christmas shopping strategies

Don’t panic! That’s the key message from PMW’s panel of experts as the pre-festive shopping frenzy gets underway. From ‘brandformance’ campaigns to AI-driven bid optimisation – here’s 14 tips and tweaks to help hit sales targets over the next few days.

Synergising Black Friday: navigating the Amazon-Google advertising landscape

AI is changing the game this Black Friday, helping marketers bridge the data and bidding gaps across major shopping platforms for the first time. Here’s how AI-driven bid optimisation can help drive sales during the crucial festive shopping frenzy.

Is your Black Friday experience leaving your customers feeling gloomy?

With Black Friday upon us, the battle for consumers’ attention is on, but it’s what happens once you’ve got it that matters.

Attention, Interest, Desire and Action: what marketers need to know about full-funnel digital advertising

Tech can enable marketers to take an innovative, holistic approach to reaching and engaging customers effectively throughout their buying journey and, beyond that, build long-term relationships.

“This could be a genuine game changer”: what the Meta and Amazon collaboration means for marketers

With Meta introducing a new feature in the US allowing users to shop on Amazon via their Facebook and Instagram accounts, PMW spoke to a panel of industry insiders and got the experts’ takes on what this means for brands, advertisers, agencies and consumers alike.

4 marketing tips for tackling 2023’s busiest shopping season

Developing a sense of brand value in consumers’ minds is part of the essential marketing work of building engagement, trust and relationships with customers to make the connection that becomes sales at this time of year.

How to avoid ‘love-bombing’ your customers: the next era of marketing etiquette

Pressure from brands can drive marketers to go in so hard with campaigns that the target audience is deterred by the over-targeting and frequency of communications, among other factors. But there are ways to have more authentic, meaningful and successful personalised interactions with customers.

‘OK’ to ‘Amazed’: tapping into the psychology of personalisation to make brand related experiences unforgettable

How can marketers help brands to cut through the noise in a saturated market with increased gate-keeping? Fortunately, there is a solution: emotion-driven design is the key to creating brand experiences that resonate with customers.

How AI is changing Heinz’ marketing

Heinz produced 20,000 ad assets in a year with AI, unlocking the power of ‘creative performance’ and breaking the rules of the game.

What is BMPL and how can it overcome media buying challenges?

Businesses face extra pressure on marketing budgets, leading them to explore new adspend management practices and ways to reduce cash flow risks.

80% will shop on October Prime Day, but Amazon shares the spotlight this time

More than half of shoppers feel Amazon can be beaten on discounts, with others highlighting quality and delivery advantages to looking elsewhere. PMW speaks to 10 marketers on why Prime Day will be different this year in the lead up to Christmas.

Has Amazon become too dominant in online retail?

Is this month’s decision by the US competition regulator to sue Amazon for illegally stifling competition a watershed moment? PMW spoke to experts from Accuracast, Automated Creative and Threepipe Reply for their candid opinions.

Six things performance marketers need to know about South Korea

South Korea offers one of the biggest and most digitally engaged audiences in the world, with a huge gaming, influencer marketing and e-commerce audience keen to swap engaging experiences for their data… provided brands are transparent about its use. Read PMW’s bluffer’s guide to the region from our experts inside the country.

Should marketers be excited about Amazon Prime Video ads?

With Prime Video subscribers soon to pay an extra fee to go ad free, is this the tipping point for CTV ads or just more fragmentation in a market lacking transparency? PMW spoke to experts from Vodafone, Croud, Showheroes and Teads for their candid opinions.

How can e-commerce marketing teams deliver great omnichannel shopping experiences while cutting costs?

Regardless of whether a customer interacts with their Instagram page or website, how can companies be sure of consistent branding? The answer is by using a digital experience platform.

Preparing for the future of partnership marketing

Buyers, partners, and technologies are all evolving at a breakneck pace. Marketers need to keep up.

To strike performance marketing gold, start with the people, not the tech

Martech maps can lead you on a wild goose chase. But listening to the tales of fellow travellers in adland can help marketers make sense of an increasingly fragmented landscape.

Ad relevance is good for the advertiser, the consumer and the environment

One practical step digital advertisers can take to reduce their carbon footprint is to produce campaigns that are better targeted, more relevant and more attention-grabbing – increasing their impact and reducing the energy waste associated with ineffective online impressions.

Are retailers leaving money on the table with limited channel strategies?

Brands want the ability to engage with customers in all the ways retailers can – but that means every channel available should be an option to them.

Unilever: how to sponsor the World Cup without looking like you’re cashing in on the hype

Huge cultural moments see many brands jump on the bandwagon. So how can advertisers get involved in the craze authentically that makes them stand out and earn engagement? Unilever tells PMW.

“Let your teams do the why and AI do the what”: Mailchimp’s Global CMO on AI, C-suite influence and customer value

Global CMO of Intuit Mailchimp, Michelle Taite, lifts the veil on what should make a CMO tick - from incorporating AI and personalising at scale, to democratising data for better defined performance metrics.

Simple marketing strategies can deliver in times of economic uncertainty

One way to rekindle customer loyalty in tough times is by showing more loyalty to them too.

AI, AI, AI… is there any other future for marketing?

Last week, WARC forecasted global ad spend to hit $1trn in 2024, whilst the UK’s is still in decline. PMW spoke to seven marketing experts to offer advice on how brands can emerge on top in this new era of “digital efficiency”.

Final day to enter the PMW 100 Powerlist for free: the search for the most influential people in performance marketing

With a day left to submit a free entry, senior leaders from WARC, Kantar, The Influencer Marketing Trade Body and the CEO of IAB Europe assemble to determine the 100 people making the biggest waves in the industry this year.

Retail media: why you actually don’t want to be Amazon

Could retail media answer the marketing measurement dilemma? It’s a performance-based channel that delivers for branding, but retailers must avoid some temptations from traditional ad networks. Criteo’s MD Northern Europe reveals more.

How can e-commerce marketing teams deliver great omnichannel shopping experiences while cutting costs?

Regardless of whether a customer interacts with their Instagram page or website, how can companies be sure of consistent branding? The answer is by using a digital experience platform.

TikTok update: “less engagement equals less revenue”, how will the EU’s DSA regulations really impact the platform’s advertising effectiveness?

With TikTok announcing incoming updates that will see EEA users have the option to opt-out of personalised feeds, PMW spoke to the experts and got insight into what the consequences of adhering to the DSA might be.

PMW begins the search for the 100 most influential people in performance marketing

Brands, agencies, platforms and tech providers have just one month to nominate their champions to be included amongst performance marketing’s top pioneers and experts.

Marketing in a material world: how would you spend Barbie’s $100m budget?

Not every brand is granted the wish of a $100m marketing budget, but what can brands learn from big campaigns and apply with smaller budgets?

The original Prime Day returns: 12 e-commerce experts on how to “hijack the hype”

Twelve performance marketers highlight how the industry can optimise their marketing strategies ahead of today’s sales extravaganza.

PMW UK Awards 2023: Vodafone, Ipsos and IAB Europe judges discuss what makes a winning performance marketing entry

With less than a week until the standard entry deadline for the PMW UK Awards 2023, judges from Vodafone, Ipsos, IAB Europe, Kugaii and Zenus Bank reveal what they will be looking for in a winning entry.

Retailers, drive new revenue through one-to-one personalisation

Seamless personalisation across all channels is what it takes to raise the customer experience to a level where they feel valued and understood, which will encourage them to return and purchase more – and improve affinity and loyalty more than brand and price combined.

Unilever’s big performance rethink: 6 marketing experts on why ‘sales’ channels can be untapped brand builders too

With FMCG giant Unilever reframing performance media as helping both “first to mind and first to cart”, PMW spoke to our panel of marketing experts for their reaction on why retail media, CTV and influencer marketing are untapped channels for brand building beyond their ‘sales’ labels.

10 things I got horribly wrong about Cannes Lions 2023

Do creatives really resent the adtechs? Is Gen AI going to take everyone's jobs? Can I run the length of the Croisette in five minutes? Robin Langford, Editor at Performance Marketing World, confesses his top misconceptions, biggest mistakes and flat out wrongness upon returning from a week at Cannes Lions 2023.

TikTok made me search it: how creators are shaping content discovery

Google has had to concede that it is coming second to social media as a way to discover content, and thus adjust to evolving consumer behaviours or risk further loss of market share. This signals that brand marketers need to adapt beyond traditional SEO strategies and strengthen their online presence and social connections to deliver greater personalisation and authentic experiences.

Ben & Jerry’s axe Twitter budget – how many brands will follow?

Twitter’s “content moderation has become all but non-existent” stated Ben & Jerry’s. Improper regulation puts the platform at risk of becoming a “toxic cesspit” of hate speech, sinking Twitter further into dangerous waters if more brands leave the platform.

Progressive profiling: the key to unlocking the future of digital marketing

In a post-cookies environment, marketers will need to find a way to gather more accurate and up-to-date information directly from their target audience – and use it more effectively, to refocus and rebuild the brand/consumer relationship.

Brands and media owners: the blurring of the lines

In the first-party data era, brands are becoming audience owners in their own right. Nowhere is this clearer than in retail, where retail organisations are monetisng their valuable shopper audiences with advertisers via retail media networks. But brands are discovering that customer data is both a reward and a responsibility...

Why Amazon Ads is outgrowing its own shopping sales

As Google and Meta lose their grip of online ad dominance, Amazon is emerging as the biggest beneficiary – even as its own e-commerce business reports no growth.

Reply hazy, try again: driving efficiency in marketing to win when uncertainty looms

In unstable times marketers can take action to combat tightening budgets and intense competition to create more impactful campaigns.

Amazoogle: the pairing you didn’t know you needed

Amazon and Google are rivals in many respects, but marketers can strategically combine their benefits to support a customer-focused marketing plan

Pitching SEO investment to the C-suite when times are tough

Search has evolved to become an important tool for overall business growth, adding value by enabling brands to spot future trends early and anticipate consumer behaviour.

China’s answer to ChatGPT? Alibaba refuses to be left behind in the global AI development race

Tech giant produces a generative AI chatbot of its own - will China have the edge on more regulated Western markets? We spoke to AI experts for the implications…

More measurement, fewer cowboys: CTV must learn from past ad tech eras

Consumer privacy, transparency and accurate measurement must be at the heart of any personalised, programmatic CTV activity as the technology advances further.

Why product information is the key to better customer experience

Amid the ongoing economic uncertainty, marketers need to make optimal use of marketing tech and timely personalisation to help their business thrive.

Are you a performance marketer… or a ‘Chief Dot Connector’?

Last week, an 800-strong audience at PM Unlocked welcomed a new type of event for London – with a rallying cry that performance marketing is breaking out from the bottom of the funnel.

Female leaders on how diversity closes the skills gap

Only one in four C-Suite leaders are women. How can the growing tech and performance marketing industries pave the way for change?

Trusting consumers over influencers: what trends will shape brand marketing in 2023?

With the economy's tight grip on marketing budgets, what can marketers do to reach new and loyal customers?

Super Bowl LVII review: Disney dominates, co-branding needs tinkering and M&M’s recovers a near disastrous fumble

One for the animal lovers and the nostalgia-seekers, Super Bowl LVII saw a seemingly endless stream of adverts and PMW has put together a recap of everything you need to know.

The AI balancing act: 3 tips for a successful D2C strategy

Getting the right mix of automation versus the human experience can help you prevent fulfilment problems damaging customer experience and loyalty. But when do you need the human touch, and when is it best to deploy AI?

Automation: the saviour to busy shopping periods

At the start of what will be a challenging year, retailers would be wise to develop an automation-first strategy to enable peak performance not only now, but all year round.

“Everything has become performance”: Skai’s Michelle Urwin on the retail media revolution

As branding and performance roles become ever more entwined, a new approach to marketing is starting to emerge. Enter the ‘Head of Connected Performance’...

Building a travel marketing strategy for a turbulent 2023

Despite rising living costs and a looming recession, UK consumers are still showing an appetite for travel. But travel brands must now appeal to a new type of consumer: one who’s more conscious about their holiday spend.

Marketing for an economically uncertain Christmas

Customers still want Christmas, so how can marketers “keep festive and carry on” and capitalise as we come close to closing out the season?

Four marketing trends for the holiday season

A look at what retail brands can expect from their shoppers over the festive season, and how they can get ahead of their competitors with smart shopping offers.

Money can’t buy you love – but can it buy you loyalty?

Waitrose reintroducing its free coffee offer as part of its loyalty scheme shows a smart move to help incentivise non-card holders to sign up. What are the vital ingredients for a subscription service to be successful – and how can brands use them to up aa valuable consumer currency: their retention?

Netflix versus… Peloton? Why ad-funded tiers disrupt the whole subscription industry

From gym memberships to recipe boxes, they may not realise it, but subscription services are competing with each other for survival as consumer spending gets tighter. But a strong customer engagement might just help them navigate a brutal winter of cuts ahead ...

What really happened on Black Friday? The insights (and numbers)

The lead-up to the cyber weekend was more cautious than in previous years, but according to our experts – and the results they’ve seen – sales in big ticket electronics made up for more muted interest in other sectors, while the USA soared ahead of the UK and Europe.

7 ways e-commerce businesses use alternative data

Staying competitive in the ecommerce landscape requires agility and flexibility to pivot business strategies and adjust to changing consumer preferences and economic conditions.

Six things performance marketers need to know about Japan

A bigger economy than Germany, but a shrinking population makes Japan a unique market - but one full of opportunities. Read the PMW bluffer’s guide to the country from our marketing experts working in the region.

How brands can strike the right tone during this festive season

New data from Kantar reveals that only 18% of consumers strongly agree they’re looking forward to Christmas ads, down 5% from last year. How can brands engage with their audience amid the current economic turmoil?

“Agencies aren’t asking the right questions”: living in an expectation economy

The mobile phone has an expiry date and customers are expecting more than ever. How can marketers keep up with consumer demands and the tech to solve it?

How brands should tailor their marketing approach this Christmas

To truly engage consumers, it doesn't just come down to price points - it's vital that each individual consumer is served the ad iteration that will be the most relevant and meaningful to them, especially in the current climate.

Some brands are spending less on performance… isn’t that the whole point?

From eBay to Airbnb, a clutch of household names are heralding a branding renaissance as they cut back on performance channels. Should other brands follow suit?

“Q3 was always going to be tricky for advertising giants”: Meta, Google and Amazon results with expert predictions

What next for performance marketers amidst the daily-changing landscape – it seems – in the world of adtech? The scale and reach of Meta et al are never in question, but will marketers see better returns in their adspend?

Why it’s time to enhance dynamic ads on social networks with product data

Social commerce is on the up and marketers are allocating budget to respond. It’s likely dynamic ads will be the ones leveraged, but these can often lack visibility and control – so how do marketers ensure that their investment reaches its true potential?

Beautiful, functional or hands-on? CMO James Gordon on why Karcher is powering up performance marketing

As house-trapped nesters turn into cash-strapped consumers, Karcher is combining modern first-party targeting with smart brand storytelling to clean up any wasted ad spend.

The devil’s in the data: 5 best Halloween marketing campaigns of all time

Roll over big data, it's time to do the monster maths. PMW creaks open the vaults to resurrect some of the best data-driven marketing campaigns from spooky seasons past…

“Brands can’t afford the risk of a spray and pray approach to campaigns”: 25 marketers on the outlook for adspend

After the news that adspend forecasts are downgraded for this year and next, marketers reflect on the need to embrace emerging technologies and measure and account for every penny of spend, while making sure they don’t blink in the face of uncertainty.

The end of the line for returns?

Is the cost of living crisis the final straw for free returns? Here’s how retailers can balance customer satisfaction with their bottom line...

Six things performance marketers need to know about China

China will generate over one quarter of all global consumption growth during the next decade. But access to this lucrative audience doesn’t come cheap. Read PMW’s bluffer’s guide to the region from our experts inside the country.

Prime Day 2.0: “the pressure to make a splash will be great”

Eight marketers highlight how the industry can get their best foot forward ahead of next week’s new prime-time Christmas shopping event.

Eat, drink and give subscriptions: why retailers are shifting their payment models

The majority of us love the festive holidays – so why don’t we subscribe to it?

Sustainability, cookies and recession: a time of challenge and change reflected at DMEXCO

There were noticeable differences at the two day expo conference this year. With some big names missing and less exhibitors, what were people really talking about?

The cookiepocalypse is nigh (again)!

The era of third-party online data is coming to an end… So what’s next for digital advertising – and how can you future-proof your business?

Ditch the pitch: 7 tips for marketing to Generation Z

They want businesses to help solve their problems, not try to sell them stuff. So how can marketers ensure this huge segment of the population is included in their sales strategies?

Winter is coming… Now is the time to rekindle loyalties so supply chain battles won't take you by surprise

Retailers are entering a time of uncertainty, but solid consumer relationships make excellent allies. What can brands do to ensure their customers can access what they need?

The metaverse: 6 reasons for marketers to jump in now

The metaverse may seem small. It may be overhyped. It may seem alien or dangerous. But it — or some version of it— is likely to be a fundamental part of the future landscape. Here’s how brands are getting involved from the ground-up.

Finding insights in the ‘Feedback Fire Hose’

Relying on manual analysis and human tagging, can’t keep pace with the current customer feedback surge. Here’s how machine learning can help identify human subtle nuances such as sarcasm at scale…

The prescription for subscription growth

With subscription models talk of the town, brands need to be thinking about creating a positive user experience, where short term priorities focus on reducing involuntary churn.

Standing out from the crowd: what makes a winning performance marketing awards entry?

With just two weeks until the entry deadline for the PMW Awards UK 2022, judges from Samsung, Tails.com, RNLI and Reddit reveal what they’ll be looking for in a winning entry, and how the industry’s needs are evolving.

Why supply chain issues are fostering a retail marketing evolution

Many brands are becoming more of a subscription service than anything else as their relationship to retailers fragments. To make sales at scale now requires a more retail-agnostic approach…

Where is performance marketing falling through the skills – and experience – gap?

The skills shortage in the industry – exacerbated by the level of digital and data expertise the world needs now – has been long recognised. But which disciplines are proving the most difficult to source talent for?

Authenticity and UGC – it’s a crowd mentality

Building and protecting consumer trust is essential in today’s marketplace. It’s time for brands to embrace the crowd in the age of authenticity… and user reviews offer a fast-track way to achieve this.

The rise of Retail Media in the performance marketing playbook

With the cost per conversion within walled gardens increasing 27% in just one year, agencies and marketers are progressively seeing retail media as an alternative, transparent and safe way to reach audiences.

Data privacy: staying legal ahead of Google Analytics 4

Unless or until Google Analytics ensures compliance with regulations such as GDPR, here are some key considerations you need to factor in yourself.

5 things you need to hear right now about conversational commerce

With the market set to grow rapidly as more businesses register the benefits, here’s how to get ahead of the game to help your business grow.

Retail media meets CTV: we’ve come a long way from infomercials!

Long gone are the days when you phoned in your order after seeing something you fancy – with retailers joining forces with streamers, what does that mean for brands?

Performance marketing people: eBay Ads gets new GM and Innocent’s social media manager moves on

Promotions at Interbrand and independent podcast agency Acast and a new office for Tug leads to new hires feature in our latest round of performance marketing movers.

Why understanding customers’ delivery personas is key to e-commerce excellence

Consumer online shopping behaviour has changed for good – and retailers need to take note.

Start-up blues: 3 mistakes to avoid with your marketing budget

Find out how to ensure there’s enough left in the pot to actually get your new venture off the ground

'Not the silver bullet': industry leaders on the implications of cuts to marketing spend

Performance marketing experts react to implications of marketing budget cuts in light of Government asks to cut prices to help consumers – and give advice to brands on how spend can be refocused.

Affiliate marketing and its retail revolution – with Rakuten Advertising's Rakhee Jogia

In conversation with Rakuten Advertising’s International MD, Rakhee Jogia, we talk about the revolutionary shifts in marketing, from ‘The Great Resignation’ and sustainability to what Amazon got right.

Measuring ROI: how real-time analytics solves marketing’s greatest problem

When a campaign's success hangs on ROI measurement, marketers cannot afford a data delay. Enter real-time analytics.

Marketers are trying to run before they can walk… and stumbling

The need for speed is tempting some to skip critical infrastructure, introducing inefficiencies and errors that actually only scupper the ability to move effectively, and quickly.

Improve your e-commerce: are you ready to take it in-house?

Moving your operation closer to home needn’t be a headache if you do it with clarity – here are the three stages your journey should take.

How loyalty schemes can help during the cost of living crisis

Consumers want to feel good when they make purchases, but rarely more so than in the challenging times ahead.

The hybrid customer experience: 3 key challenges for companies

With uncertainty around prices, supply chain and shopping habits, investing in a hybrid customer experience model that reaches different consumers in unique ways has never been more important. However, challenges to implementing this strategy are persistent across industries and businesses.

Why performance marketing without a performance mindset isn’t enough in 2022

Different departments taking different actions, each driving towards its own goal, can bring success; but isn’t it better if everyone thinks the same way and heads there together?

Winning the last mile of performance marketing: can you improve your delivery and customer experience?

Along with an increase in sales comes a surge in savvy, as customers start to expect and demand more from their e-commerce.

Lost in translation: is poor localisation costing you customers?

A quarter of consumers are less likely to purchase from brands with poor localisation practices, says a new report.

Coping with the uncertain future of ad automation

A potted history of Google Ads features, plus 5 tips to help you survive and thrive.

Automated vehicle ads are set to put UK dealerships and buyers in the driver's seat

Shopping for a car? Soon you might not even have to leave Google’s search bar to find what you’re looking for.

Shopping scared: fear has a marked impact on how we buy

With one global threat seemingly following hard on the heels of another these days, what does that mean about the way we make purchases?

Why the media industry must take stock of Amazon’s store closures

Its flagship bricks and mortar shops may be slated to bite the dust, but the 260 new till-free grocery outlets set to launch across the UK could change not just how we shop but how we advertise.

Shoppers aren’t convinced by retargeting – here’s how to change their minds

For consumers to be happy to hand over their data they need to be convinced they are getting a fair exchange… and quality over quantity is the key

Use what you know: don’t overlook regionality when planning for context

As the reality of a cookie-less future draws closer, the race is on for brands to learn (and use) as much information as they can about their existing customers.

Beyond the platform: 3 great ways to boost your Amazon sales

It’s not enough just to be in the marketplace… to attract more customers and make them more likely to buy, you need to go further.

How retail media can help advertisers bridge the data gap

With online shopping still booming, can collaboration between advertisers and retailers overcome the new restrictions on data gathering?

Less is more: how does Artfinder maintain its success after 110 percent growth during lockdown?

The online art marketplace saw colourful success during the pandemic as everyone moved their transacting online. As the boom subsided, E-commerce Director Joshna Rughani tells us how they adapted once the high street reopened.

The future of experience: blurring the boundaries between human and tech

With the digital genie stoutly refusing to go back into the bottle, some brands have thrived by humanising their customers’ online experience.

Shared values: the glue that keeps consumers coming back

Why continuing to build emotional loyalty is the key to a good long-term relationship (with your customers)

QR codes and cryptocurrency: is this the future of customer loyalty?

With the use of digital currencies on the rise, they provide a cost-effective, flexible and controllable way to retain customers, via loyalty programmes and add-ons.

The keys to success in today's world: Joanna Lyall, Brainlabs

PMW meets with Jo Lyall, UK CEO at Brainlabs to talk about why connection, experimentation and adaptability are integral skills for performance marketers today.

Supply chain trends: 5 key predictions for the year ahead

The past two years have been turbulent for online retailers: from surging demand to supply chain disruption and now soaring prices, fulfilment models remain under unprecedented pressure. So what’s in store for 2022?

Trouble ahead: cookie phase-out set to catch UK brands on the hop

Less than a third of companies have plans in place, as data management tops list of concerns for marketers.

Turning ‘bye’ into ‘buy’: a marketer’s toolkit for delivering ROI

How to deploy your data in a way that benefits both you and your customers.

Online retail’s worst ever year for growth was actually rather good

Making sense of a very unusual period, via the IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index for 2021.

Retail and data: their three key trends for 2022

This year will bring continued volatility and uncertainty, meaning global businesses need a robust data strategy to adapt and thrive.

5 ways to maximise ROI from your marketing automation platform

Successful campaigns rely on highly targeted marketing, delivering the right message, to the right person or business, at the right time. Here’s how to hone yours and stay ahead.

Supply chain woes: brands have an important role to play

Rather than simply viewing stock issues as a problem beyond their control, brands need to understand what actions they can (and should) take.

The future of retail in an increasingly competitive market

As conditions become still more challenging, retailers can improve the shopping experience by merging physical and digital.

The omnichannel approach: the key to campaign success

The new landscape and circumstances entailed by the pandemic have dramatically reshaped marketing, meaning brands may need to take a broader approach than ever.

Beauty is in the eye of the in-person sales

Despite the growth of influencers and AR, in-store is beating social for beauty and personal care. Here’s what performance marketers need to know about shifting consumer habits in a post-lockdown world.

Retail in 2022: 3 key predictions for the year ahead

2021 was marked by economic recovery, tech adoption and rapidly changing consumer demands; but what new trends, challenges and opportunities will this year bring for businesses?

The price of success: it’s time to stop normalising ad fraud

It cost us $35billion last year – isn’t it time we purged bad actors from the dark corners of the internet?

AR you paying attention? Good, then you’re ready to engage with marketing messages

Augmented Reality offers significantly more immersion and engagement than traditional advertising, finds Snapchat-commissioned neuroscience study.

Seven out of 10 marketers more likely to use influencers in campaigns since pandemic

TikTok beat Google as the most popular web domain in 2021 as influencer marketing proved its worth to brands. What can performance marketers learn from next-gen content creation?

The three e-commerce drivers for 2022: platforms, data and creative

A look ahead to how change seems likely to continue apace, as the focus narrows to the endpoint sale.

The Ghost of Christmas future: 15 performance marketers' predictions for 2022

2022 will be a year of crumbling cookies, metaverse melees and Omicron uncertainty. The PMW team has assembled 15 leaders in the UK performance marketing industry to get their predictions and tips for the coming 12 months.

Boris’s Plan B means online retailers need to have a Plan A

Now that Plan B is in motion, retailers need to make sure they are optimising their ad spend to get their products in front of those that are most likely to buy them.

Boxing Day blues: unlocking customer satisfaction (and retention) this holiday season

From faulty gifts to hasty returns, the holiday period is the most important time of year for customer support. Here’s why smart search can be Santa’s best friend post-Christmas.

Strictly come shopping: finale fever boosts online spending

From the glitz and glam of celebrity outfits to dance gear of their own – new insights reveal an opportunity for brands to engage with a nation inspired by Strictly Come Dancing this December.

Online sales: has the peak peaked?

Even if you’re feeling fatigued after Black Friday, here’s how you can make sure your ad strategy remains healthy.

How the death of ‘easy e-commerce’ can empower marketers

The cookie jar is empty, the time of lazy e-commerce is over. Now it’s up to marketers to develop a new strategy to build customer relationships with first-party data.

Breaking into APAC: how performance marketing can unlock local regions... fast

Brand giants from the West are changing their approach to the APAC market: to grow in the region they must focus on local nuance in the data.

Hold the phone: making the most of m-commerce

With mobile now a vital part of any omnichannel experience, is it time to invest in digital tools that can make asset management seamless?

A new world record: global ad spend bounces back, with digital leading the charge

Aided by the e-commerce boom, advertising outstripped a strong economic recovery in 2021 and show no signs of slowing in the year ahead.

Avoiding a nightmare before Christmas: how search data is guiding retail marketing strategies

With search trackers highlighting yet another unusual Christmas sales pattern, how can you make sure you’re ready for Santa?

Dissecting the data reveals big tech’s wasteful secret

AI advertising systems are masking some startling inefficiencies, says AccuraCast’s Farhad Divecha. It’s time to weed them out with a closer look at the data.

Why performance marketing needs to focus on people, not data

As one door starts to close in the world of third-party data, another is opening – a clearer view of what actually makes consumers tick.

What can B2B marketers learn from B2C performance marketing?

Despite key differences including generally shorter sales cycles times and higher volumes, B2C businesses are more used to converting sales in the digital space, and many of their skills are transferable.

Don’t miss out: tips and tricks for optimising Black Friday campaigns

While shop windows and the Argos catalogue used to rule the roost, now Google and Amazon are the kings of retail. People search for products on both platforms, and retailers that appear high up on the search rankings are more likely to drive awareness and sales.

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