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KFC announced the appointment of Amy Ellis Durini as Global Chief Brand Officer (a newly created position), effective November 1. She will report directly to KFC Global CEO Scott Mezvinsky, overseeing brand strategy, loyalty, retail, new concept development, and innovation, while collaborating with CMOs across markets to drive brand modernization. This move follows the new global brand identity released by parent company Yum! Brands in June, involving store renovations and menu adjustments.

The 2026 back-to-school marketing season faces the dual challenges of inflation and AI proliferation. Epsilon data shows that 46% of parents plan to use loyalty programs to cut spending, up 7% year-over-year. A Deloitte survey found that parents using digital technologies like AI plan to spend ($737/child) significantly more than those who do not ($381/child). NRF data indicates expected growth in college spending, with brands like Urban Outfitters already using CTV advertising to reach this segment.

In September, Hoka launched the "Run Your City" challenge, partnering with Strava to track mileage of runners across New York City's five boroughs and updating data in real time on digital screens such as Times Square. Centered on community motivation, the campaign also incorporates paid social, creator programs, and a partnership with Highsnobiety to reinforce the brand's image of supporting runners.

PepsiCo has confirmed the transfer of its global media duties to Publicis Groupe, replacing Omnicom. Publicis will withdraw from Coca-Cola's global media review, a process it had been pursuing. The decision comes as PepsiCo revamps its portfolio with acquisitions like Poppi and Siete and emphasizes AI and data-driven marketing.

Olive oil brand Graza recently announced a partnership with NASCAR, becoming its official olive oil and mayonnaise brand, and launched the "The Hot Lap Test" advertising campaign. The brand is also deepening the track experience through food trucks, broadcast integration, and collaboration with the RFK Racing team. This initiative aims to support its "Seriously Serious" quality platform and expand into new categories such as mayonnaise and potato chips. Marketing Vice President Alex Edelstein emphasized that the brand, with a challenger mindset, builds deep connections with consumers through cultural relevance and data-driven storytelling.

Gartner research shows that by 2028, over 70% of global and over 80% of US advertising spending will flow through autonomous platforms deeply influenced by AI. Analyst Eric Schmitt warns that marketers should be cautious in delegating authority to AI, avoid platform algorithms favoring their own interests, and simultaneously limit variables and introduce multi-party evaluations to balance risks and rewards.

Rival Technologies surveyed 878 Gen Z travelers aged 18 to 29 in the U.S. and Canada in July 2026. Results show that 61% of respondents consider online reviews the biggest factor influencing their hotel bookings, while only 14% rank hotel brand name as the top consideration. The study also found that free breakfast (56%), free Wi-Fi (50%), and loyalty rewards (48%) all have significant influence, while social media affects only 12% of booking decisions.

On August 4, 2026, Tellagence announced the general availability of its contextual intelligence platform, Tellagence Discover. The platform aims to help agencies and brands understand why audience conversations change, not just the content itself. Based on Tellagence's research-validated AI framework, wSSAS, it converts fragmented conversations across social platforms, creator communities, reviews, forums, and surveys into decision-ready insights. Early customer benchmarks show an average savings of $9 in internal labor costs for every $1 invested.

ViralGains announced that it has received the 'AdTech Privacy Solution of the Year' award in the 2026 MarTech Breakthrough Awards, recognizing the achievements of its VG Health platform in helping healthcare and pharmaceutical marketers enhance advertising effectiveness while meeting privacy-first requirements.