SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " Marketing " 665 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
How Larroudé’s CEO built an AI system to improve and expedite business operations
Larroudé CEO Ricardo Larroudé is building an internal AI system to connect sales, inventory, manufacturing and marketing across the footwear company.
Las Vegas tourism agency approves spending up to $464M on marketing city
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board of directors approved extensions and updates to five contracts, emphasizing the need for speed, flexibility and scale in promoting the destinat...
From sidelines to strategy: UT adds new sports marketing program
Yabili Nyandwe has always wanted to work in sports marketing. An unplanned change in universities and a new program being offered at the University of ...
From marketing to wealth management, financial services leader draws on family business background
This week's Up-and-Comer is Jordin Edwards, wealth management services relationship manager at First Bank & Trust.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Q3 Earnings Call Highlights
Madison Square Garden Entertainment (NYSE:MSGE) reported higher fiscal third-quarter revenue, supported by concert activity at Madison Square Garden, growth in suites and marketing partnerships, and the final performances of the latest Christmas Spectacular season, while adjusted operating income de
How sports marketing is shifting from media buys to moment-based activation
Discover how sports marketing activation uses live data and fan behavior to drive engagement across digital channels.
Solopreneurs use AI to enhance marketing and customer outreach
AI enhances marketing for solopreneurs in jewelry and web design by acting as a creative partner and optimizing client follow-ups.
‘Stellar Blade 2’ Will Leave Sony Behind To ‘Fully Reflect Its Identity’ In Marketing
Shift Up, developer of Stellar Blade, has just made a big announcement that it will also be the publisher for its sequel, Stellar Blade 2.
Marketers say NAD+ pills and infusions can boost longevity. What's the evidence?
Wellness and longevity influencers are pushing a compound called NAD+. There's scientific interest in its potential, but researchers say the marketing claims have gotten ahead of the science.
Avalere Health expands to Japan with a full-service Advisory, Medical, and Marketing offering, led by industry veteran Junji Yokokawa
/PRNewswire/ -- Avalere Health, a global strategic partner for the healthcare industry, today announces the launch of its Japan office. The move marks a...
Avalere Health expands to Japan with a full-service Advisory, Medical, and Marketing offering, led by industry veteran Junji Yokokawa
/PRNewswire/ -- Avalere Health, a global strategic partner for the healthcare industry, today announces the launch of its Japan office. The move marks a...
Avalere Health expands to Japan with a full-service Advisory, Medical, and Marketing offering, led by industry veteran Junji Yokokawa
Avalere Health, a global strategic partner for the healthcare industry, today announces the launch of its Japan office. The move marks a significant expansion of Avalere Health's global footprint, and the launch of a new strategic offering is designed to support Japanese biopharmaceutical companies end-to-end across the product lifecycle.
Fans Think New GTA 6 Emails From Sony Signal Something Big
It sure does seem like Take-Two and Sony are ramping up for some sort of big Grand Theft Auto 6 marketing push
Official-looking Xperia 1 VIII images show new design, colors; launch date, price increase tipped
After leaked Amazon listing, fresh marketing images have revealed the redesigned Sony Xperia 1 VIII in all colors. Set for a potential May 20th launch, the 2026 model faces controversy over a rumored price hike and the removal of the continuous optical zoom.
Bryce Jordan Center marketing director earns highest honor in live event industry
Kate Bean, director of marketing and public relations for the Bryce Jordan Center, has received the Event and Venue Marketing Conference’s highest honor, highlighting her leadership in live event marketing and her commitment to mentoring Penn State students.
Before Opening for Zara Larsson: Enrico Rao on Music, Business, and His Big Moment
For Enrico Rao (Questrom’28), business and music go hand in hand. The marketing and business analytics student has been making waves at Questrom and in the Boston music scene, from […]
Old Navy turns to retail, entertainment vet to invigorate turnaround
Michael Francis has led marketing at Walmart, Target and Dreamworks and is now taking newly created roles at Gap Inc. and its value brand.
Balance of power in influencer marketing shifts toward platforms
EMARKETER forecasts that brand spending to boost creator posts is on track to overtake the amount spent on the sponsored content itself.
GTA 6 Fan Spends 3 Months Charting the Planetary Positions for Every Rockstar Trailer Drop Since 2007 to Predict Trailer 3 Release Date
The hype for GTA 6 has led fans down some excessively deep rabbit holes in an effort to predict the game's marketing cycle, most recently when Trailer 3 will be released. This latest fan theory, though, comes direct from the stars.
San Antonio veterans getting direct pipeline to small business ownership through new city program
The City of San Antonio's Small Business Accelerator program involves partnering veterans with mentors and companies that can help with business models, financial management, marketing and securing capital.
Roku and TCL Accused of Bricking Smart TVs Through Software Updates
A class action lawsuit argues that marketing materials promise reliable performance and ongoing improvements through updates that actually ruined consumers' TVs.
U.S. Embassy Supports Tunisian Business Delegation at 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit - U.S. Embassy in Tunisia
U.S. EMBASSY SUPPORTS TUNISIAN BUSINESS DELEGATION AT 2026 SELECTUSA INVESTMENT SUMMIT The SelectUSA Investment Summit is the premier U.S. investment event, connecting thousands of investors, companies, economic development organizations, and industry experts to make deals happen. Media Note TUNIS, May 5, 2026 – U.S. Embassy Tunis is pleased to support a delegation of 11 Tunisian companies traveling to the United States to participate in the 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit at National Harbor, Maryland, May 3-6, 2026. The Summit is an opportunity for these dynamic entrepreneurs to establish new connections and explore business and investment opportunities in the United States. This year, three Tunisian women entrepreneurs and members of the delegation representing Spiraw and Sotetel were accepted into the Select Global Women in Tech year-long mentoring program which will kick off at the summit. Since 2022, more than 50 Tunisian entrepreneurs in fields ranging from e-gaming, robotics, software engineering, coding, online fashion, and green tech have participated in SelectUSA Investment Summits, where they have taken their businesses to the next level. Hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the SelectUSA Investment Summit is a one-stop shop for companies considering expanding to the United States and provides economic development organizations (EDOs) with the opportunity to meet directly with international companies to facilitate investment deals. Since inception, the SelectUSA Investment Summit has attracted tens of thousands of companies and economic development representatives, generating over $250 billion in new investment projects that support more than 125,000 jobs across the United States and its territories. The previous SelectUSA Investment Summit saw record-breaking numbers with more than 5,500 participants, including EDOs from 54 U.S. states and territories and over 2,700 business investors from 100+ countries, including Tunisia. The following Tunisian businesses will take part in this year’s SelectUSA delegation: AquaDeep – Revolutionizes aquaculture with AI-powered monitoring solutions, including a real-time larva counting system and a SaaS platform for environmental monitoring. The company is expanding operations across Tunisia, Europe, Africa, and the United States. Bouraoui Group – Specializes in event venues, hospitality experiences, innovative real estate development, and technology driven customer solutions. The business develops experience- focused and tech enabled lifestyle destinations that combine entertainment, culture, retail, and smart services, and is seeking international partners to co-develop hospitality, PropTech, smart retail, and experiential digital projects. Digital Cook – Builds HR and recruitment software solutions, including HRMS, ATS, and custom tools that streamline hiring, employee management, and talent development. It provides custom software, system integration, and scalable HR platforms for SMEs, large enterprises, and recruitment agencies seeking efficient, user-friendly ways to manage their workforce and improve recruitment. El Kanaouet – Provides high-quality and low-cost hydraulic infrastructure for the supply and distribution of drinking water. The company manufactures prestressed concrete structures based on current technological developments in the field and trends in integrated and digitalized management. El Kanaouet aims to enter the U.S. market with its production of centrifugal prestressed concrete pipes and other technical products and services. Fluoink Nanotechnologies – A deep‑tech startup developing next‑generation antimicrobial additives for paints, coatings, and industrial materials, enabling everyday surfaces to act as long‑lasting barriers against harmful bacteria and pathogens without changing their appearance or performance. Mare Custos – A subsea robotics company specializing in ROV-based underwater inspection services for offshore energy, ports, and marine infrastructure, using high-precision imaging, PAUT, and NDT to inspect structures in challenging conditions. SmartMed SA – A fast-growing digital health company operating in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, offering an integrated ecosystem that helps patients book appointments (MedPro), enables clinics to digitize workflows and EMRs (MedLink), and supports targeted digital marketing for healthcare and pharma (MedAds). With millions of appointments and users, SmartMed has become a leading e-health platform in North Africa. Sototel – Builds telecommunications networks and services, including fixed, radio, and mobile networks. Sototel focuses on technological innovation and continuous improvement, providing high-value-added digital solutions. SOTUPRIN HGE – Specializes in manufacturing household electrical appliances under the brand HGE and OEM. Expanded from the local market to North Africa, Central Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Spiraw by Food4Future – Designs and manufactures smart, AI-powered cultivation systems allowing individuals and businesses to grow fresh, highly nutritious food – starting with spirulina – directly at the point of consumption. Combining patented hardware, controlled-environment agriculture, and a connected app with an AI assistant, Spiraw aims to decentralize food production and create a new category at the intersection of agri-tech, consumer health, and smart home ecosystems. WaterSec (Istidama) – A climate-tech startup that uses IoT, AI, and smart sensors to help high consumption facilities (such as industries, hotels, and commercial buildings) monitor water use in real time, detect leaks, and optimize consumption. The company’s digital platform turns raw water data into alerts and actionable insights, making water management more transparent, proactive, and sustainable. Learn more about the SelectUSA Investment Summit at https://www.selectusasummit.us/. Follow live developments from the summit on X at https://x.com/SelectUSA.
Ex-marketing employee of Hollywood business arrested in $63K fraud scheme, cops say
A former marketing employee of a Hollywood business was arrested in a brazen fraud scheme that bilked the company out of more than $63,000, authorities said.
AI Could Wipe Out Entry-Level Jobs, And That Should Terrify Business Leaders
AI is already reshaping entry-level jobs, in marketing, finance, law, software development and customer service, where junior workers often handle repetitive tasks.
Opinion | Target’s problem isn’t politics. It’s credibility.
Target didn’t lose customers because it took a stand. It lost them because it didn’t, marketing professor Akshay R. Rao writes.
Changing This One Marketing Question Helped Her Build a Business That's Thrived for Over Three Decades
Julia Huang is the founder and CEO Intertrend Communications, which prides itself on being "the Most Award-Winning Result Driven Asian American
Quad/Graphics: More Than A Print Business, And I'm Bullish
Quad/Graphics has transformed from a print-centric business to an omnichannel marketing and logistics provider. Check out why QUAD stock is a buy.
Spire completes sale of gas marketing business to Boardwalk Pipelines for $215 million
/PRNewswire/ -- Spire Inc. (NYSE: SR) today announced it has completed the sale of its gas marketing business, Spire Marketing Inc. (Spire Marketing), to...
Nova Classical STEM Academy taps athletic director to build sports program from the ground up
As it prepares to open its doors in August 2026, Nova Classical STEM Academy has named Tyler Turner as its physical education teacher and athletic director, bringing on an experienced educator and youth athletics leader to develop the school’s inaugural sports programs.
Graduate school is possible with JUMP - Gary W. Rollins College of Business
Students can take up to nine credit hours of graduate courses charged at undergraduate rates, driving faster completion for master's degrees.
He’s washing windows for free. Now it’s bringing new life to KC restaurants
Davis Roethler has been using his window cleaning business, Window Wolf, to promote local businesses that need a boost in its marketing.
Paloma cuts strategy, marketing execs and more after company revamp
Nearly a dozen staff are being cut. Paloma recently executed an overhaul of its operations amid investor redemptions.
Kaitlyn Frasor
The Partner Companies (TPC) announces Kaitlyn Frasor as Strategic Marketing Director amid growing demand for domestic manufacturing solutions.
Samba TV Appoints Entertainment, Technology, and Consumer Growth Executive Katie Soo to its Board of Directors
Brand-building trailblazer will contribute to Samba TV’s mission to help connect advertisers with consumers, wherever they view mediaSAN FRANCISCO, April 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Samba TV, the global leader in AI-driven media intelligence, today announced that media, technology, and cultural strategist Katie Soo has joined its board of directors. Having served in a variety of recent executive roles, including as COO of Dice, CMO of KiwiCo, and SVP Marketing at HBO Max, Soo has turned her foc
Penn State Health appoints Dara Royer as senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer
Penn State Health has appointed Dara Royer as its new senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer. Royer will oversee systemwide strategy to strengthen alignment…
Northwood University Celebrates 2026 Class of Outstanding Business Leaders
Gala honors achievement, raises scholarship funds, and inspires students to pursue lives of meaning, leadership, and earned success Northwood University celebrated five honorees whose vision and leadership have transformed industries and communities on Saturday, April 18, during the 46th Outstanding Business Leader Awards Gala at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. The gala brought together honorees, alumni, students, donors, and university leaders for a signature event rooted in Northwood’s mission to develop free-enterprise leaders who drive global economic and social progress. This year’s honorees represented an array of industries, including entertainment, entrepreneurship, construction, manufacturing, motorsports, and automotive retail. “Outstanding Business Leader Awards is one of the most meaningful traditions at Northwood University,” said Dr. Kent MacDonald. “It gives our students the opportunity to learn directly from leaders who have built exceptional careers through vision, perseverance, personal responsibility, and service to others. What makes these honorees special is that their impact reaches far beyond business success. They create jobs, strengthen communities, open doors for others, and lead with purpose. They remind our students that free enterprise, when guided by character and integrity, can be a powerful force for good.” Since 1981, the Outstanding Business Leader Awards have recognized exceptional business leadership while supporting student opportunity through the Outstanding Business Leader Endowed Scholarship Fund. Prior to the gala, honorees met with Northwood students during a roundtable conversation designed to give students direct access to first-hand mentorship and career insight. The student-centered experience continued that evening, as each honoree was formally introduced by a Northwood student selected through a competitive process that drew more than 50 applicants this year. The experience reflects Northwood’s emphasis on learning through experience and providing students with meaningful opportunities to build confidence, connections, and professional momentum before graduation. The following honorees and presenters were featured at this year’s Outstanding Business Leader Awards Gala: Paul A. Glantz, chairman and CEO, EH Real Estate LLC; chairman emeritus, Emagine Entertainment Inc., was introduced by Kennedy Williams, a marketing communications and automotive aftermarket management student from Farmington Hills, Michigan. They are pictured with Gala Emcee Steve Madincea (far left) and Northwood University President Kent MacDonald. Jennifer Tenaglia Panning ’92, president, Artisan Tile Inc., was introduced by Karley Baker, a finance and marketing student from Washington Township who is enrolled in Northwood’s four-year bachelor/MBA track. Danny Sullivan, 1985 Indianapolis 500 champion, 1988 IndyCar World champion, and 1994 Rolex 24 at Daytona champion, was introduced by Max Hart, an automotive marketing and management student from Cheboygan, Michigan. Reagan Cordes, a sales management student from Davison, Michigan, is pictured introducing Linzie Venegas, chief operating officer of Ideal Group, who was unable to attend the gala. Larry Zinn, executive general manager of Warren Henry Auto Group and a 2008 Northwood alumnus, was honored to accept the Outstanding Business Leader Award on behalf of his father, Warren Henry Zinn ‘77, who was unable to attend Saturday’s gala. Larry Zinn was introduced by Bella Smylie, a data analytics student from Clare, Michigan. “This gala is about more than recognizing business excellence; it’s also about investing in students and reinforcing the relationships that make Northwood special,” said Advancement Vice President Murray Kyte. “We celebrate leaders whose lives reflect The Northwood Idea while raising scholarship funds to invest in students whose ambition, character, and entrepreneurial spirit reflect the values Northwood seeks to advance.” “During my time at Northwood, I’ve been fortunate to experience things I never could have imagined,” said Baker, who added she was honored to form a meaningful connection with her Outstanding Business Leader honoree. “…Northwood builds a network that stretches far beyond these walls, one shaped by shared values, a belief in free enterprise, and a conviction that business, done right, can change lives.” To learn more about this year’s honorees and gala sponsors, visit the Outstanding Business Leaders Awards webpage at www.northwood.edu/advancement/signature-events/outstanding-business-leader-awards/. Share this page
A.I. Helps Online Ad Businesses Boom
Google and Meta are enjoying a digital ad boom, as artificial intelligence automates marketing and drives record sales.
The Ankler moves to new publishing platform created by Ben Thompson
As The Ankler's subscription business matures, it wants to find more ways to customize its subscription offerings and marketing efforts.
MLB® The Show™ - Golden Ticket Returns in 2026
If you’re looking for even more ways to get rewarded while playing MLB® The Show™ 26, the Scouting Report is the perfect place to start. Just by signing up, you’ll receive a monthly Scouting Report Pack to help boost your squad—and that’s only the beginning. Every month you’re subscribed, you’ll also earn a Golden Ticket, […]
Research Notes: How Sports-Related Gambling Advertisements Impact Gambling Behavior
The online gambling industry is rapidly expanding, including in Arkansas, and spurring a flood of marketing. This post looks at the findings of a study on the impacts of sports-related gambling ads on gambling behaviors and considers policy insights for Arkansas.
Samsung's First Smart Glasses Reportedly Just Leaked, Including Images & Specs
Images and specs for Samsung’s upcoming smart glasses have reportedly leaked, showing off what could be the South Korean tech giant’s answer to Ray-Ban Meta. The images, which were obtained by Android Headlines, don’t appear to be leaked marketing images as such, but rather “based on real-life pictures of a testing unit of these smart […]
Big business shows up in final days of arguments at Supreme Court
Big businesses are lining up at the Supreme Court as the justices hear the final arguments of the term, pressing the conservative majority to shield industries from multimillion-dollar jury verdicts, limit the marketing of generic drugs and neuter the government’s ability to issue fines.
Big business shows up in final days of arguments at Supreme Court
Big businesses are lining up at the Supreme Court as the justices hear the final arguments of the term, pressing the conservative majority to shield industries from multimillion-dollar jury verdicts, limit the marketing of generic drugs and neuter the government’s ability to issue fines.
Variety’s Entertainment Marketing Summit Takeaways
Variety’s Entertainment Marketing Summit in Los Angeles, presented by Deloitte, brought together influential marketers, creatives and brand leaders.
@Me with Victoria B: Isabella Atkinson from Bally’s talks entertainment, marketing, Real Housewives
Victoria brings in Isabella Atkinson, Regional Marketing Coordinator for Bally’s Corporation, for a behind-the-scenes look at the world of entertainment marketing.
Ashley Graham Teases Cameo in ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ at Entertainment Marketing Summit
Supermodel Ashley Graham is adding actress to her resume with a cameo credit in “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” set to hit theaters on May 1.
The Comeback of the Physical Store—and What It Means for Your Business
Brick-and-mortar retail is not declining but evolving, as stores take on new roles as logistics hubs, experiential destinations, and powerful drivers of demand and brand equity. Rising digital acquisition costs and operational challenges are pushing companies to integrate physical and online channels, using stores to improve fulfillment, customer engagement, and marketing effectiveness. The broader lesson for leaders: assets once viewed as liabilities can become competitive advantages when their role is reimagined and aligned with changing economics and customer behavior.
Apple's incoming CEO faces a fresh set of marketing challenges
Apple's John Ternus will inherit a brand in fine shape from Tim Cook. The dilemma: Is Apple at a peak?
How a babywearing business hit seven figures with community marketing
One babywearing brand grew by focusing on plus-size baby carriers and real-life marketing. Now, it's moving to a 19,000-square-foot warehouse.
Adobe Enterprise CMO explains how AI helps scale personalization
AI enhances marketing efforts, says Adobe Enterprise's Rachel Thornton, citing Ulta's approach to personalizing customer journeys with AI insights.
Unilever expands into entertainment with Vaseline reality series ‘The Afterglow’
Unilever enters entertainment marketing with Vaseline’s reality series The Afterglow, leveraging TikTok and social platforms to boost engagement and brand visibility.
Problem Solver's Consultants named West Virginia Rural Small Business of the Year
Problem Solver’s Consultants, a Buckhannon-based marketing agency, has been named the 2026 West Virginia Rural Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The honor will be presented May 6 in Fairmont during National Small Business Week.
Apple Marketing Chief for Watch, AirPods, Home and Health Retires
Apple Inc.’s marketing executive in charge of the Apple Watch, AirPods, health and smart home initiatives said he’s retiring, marking a changing of the guard for a series of key product lines.
How AI Video Marketing Can Help Generate Visibility for Small Businesses in 2026
Uncover how AI video marketing acts as a visibility generator for small businesses in 2026. Explore AI video generator tools for effective marketing videos.
Read what Disney's brand chief said about marketing layoffs
Disney laid off employees this week across the company, including its marketing group. Read the memo from Disney brand chief Asad Ayaz.
College of Business team places third nationally in AMA Collegiate Case Competition
University of Nevada, Reno College of Business students placed third nationally in the AMA Collegiate Case Competition after presenting a Major League Baseball marketing strategy.
Marketing Daily - Top of the News: Brands Blur Lines Between Ads, Entertainment
Peloton has tapped "Heated Rivalry" actor Hudson Williams for a campaign that "Glamour " says borders on NSFW, thanks to the actor's "very short shorts."
Nas.com secures $27M to aid solo entrepreneurs with AI tools
Nuseir Yassin's startup, Nas.com, uses AI tools to help entrepreneurs with a range of business functions like marketing and storefront design.
Valvoline reveals its FIFA World Cup marketing playbook
Valvoline, an official FIFA World Cup 26 "supporter," is preparing to launch its largest-ever marketing push.
Later More Than Doubles Enterprise Business as Influencer Marketing Becomes a Performance Channel
/PRNewswire/ -- Later, the enterprise standard for influencer marketing and social commerce, today announces record performance milestones for Q1 2026. Fueled...
iPhone Fold’s Crease-Less Display Longevity Claims Will Be Scrutinized As OPPO Find N6’s Real-World Use Exposes Its Exaggerated Marketing
An OPPO Find N6 owner exposes the device’s false crease-less claims after a month of use, bringing pressure on Apple and its iPhone Fold
Seniors: Carol Watson, 72
Owner of Carol Watson Greenhouse and Landscaping in LaFayette enjoys her growing business — still puts in six-, seven-day weeks By Mary Beth Roach Carol Watson, the owner of Carol Watson Greenhouse and Landscaping, has been in gardens since she could walk. Literally. She said she learned to walk in her grandfather’s garden, which was next door to her current home and business in LaFayette. Today, at 72, she is running the business that her mother, Claire, opened in 1981 as Watson Greenhouse. Watson worked part-time for her mom until 1990, when she joined her full time. While she may not have had any formal horticultural experience, she said she learned so much about growing and raising plants from her mom, who had an abundance of energy and talent. Now, after 35 years in the business full time, Watson has no plans to retire, although she joked that she’d like a couple of days off a week. On her seven-acre site, complete with four greenhouses, Watson said her favorite parts of the job are working with and educating her customers; helping some of her young customers build terrariums; conducting occasional class field trips; and supporting local art by decorating the shop with an eclectic mix of pottery from at least four area craftspeople. A one-time employee of the former Dey Bros. department store in Syracuse, Watson said she loves merchandising and enjoys displaying unique pieces of art on shelves and even suspending from ceilings. “We’re creative. We also had top quality plants. We got a reputation of quality plants and unusual products,” she said. It’s tending to her customers and her plants, showcasing the unusual products, and hosting special events to benefit the community that keep her motivated to work six to seven days a week. “I just love it. I love taking care of the plants. I’m one of the few people that really enjoys watering,” she said. And while she has cultivated a solid customer base over the years, she remains savvy in her marketing efforts to draw in new customers. For example, she does a gardening segment on CNY Central television; her active Facebook page has thousands of followers; and she hosts a number of unique events and classes that not only introduce her shop to potential new clients, but some benefit nonprofits as well. About 13 years ago, when the local symphony orchestra was struggling, she said she wanted to help. So, partnering with the group, she began offering concerts, called Soirees, featuring the Syracuse Orchestra’s string quartet. Following up on a suggestion from a customer whose brother is a deejay in retirement, specializing in sock hops, she hosted the greenhouse’s first sock hop. Plants got moved back toward the walls to make room for dancing; a caterer was brought in, offering diner-like food; guests came in period outfits; and proceeds went to the Food Bank of CNY. She is excited about doing it again in October. Via her website, she promotes the greenhouse as an “oasis in the snow,” offering visitors the opportunity to pick up some decorating and gift ideas while taking in the floral and citrus scents. And she also caters to her four-legged friends. Over this past winter, she said, she came up with a “brilliant idea,” although at the time she didn’t appreciate just how brilliant it would become. Feeling it too cold outside to take her dog for a walk, she opted to bring it into the greenhouse. And before long, she was inviting people to bring their dogs into the big greenhouse as well. She looks forward to extending that invitation again this upcoming winter season. For Watson and her customers, the greenhouse is always in season.
“AI polls” are fake polls
A few weeks after Donald Trump’s second presidential win, I took the train up from London (where I was living at the time) to Oxford to attend a conference on polls and forecasts of the 2024 election. Most of the attendees were pollsters or academics, but I also watched presentations from Aaru and Electric Twin, two companies that do what is interchangeably called synthetic sampling, silicon sampling, or synthetic audiences. Stripped of startup jargon, that means they use large language models (LLMs) to simulate responses to public opinion polls by having AI agents take on the role of survey respondents. I had already heard of Aaru thanks to some articles with eye-catching headlines like “No people, no problem: AI chatbots predict elections better than humans” in the months leading up to Election Day. The founders were making some big, some might even say far-fetched claims, such as: “within two years, we will simulate the entire globe — from the way crops are grown in Ukraine to how that impacts production of oil in Iraq, trade through the strait of Malacca, and elections for the mayor of Baltimore.” When Semafor asked Aaru’s cofounders — Cameron Fink and Ned Koh — about my boss, they said “we respect all those who came before us.” Nate (as he so often does) shared his thoughts on Twitter: Fink and Koh were relatively good-natured about this back-and-forth when we spoke at Oxford. They even offered to mail me one of the t-shirts featuring Nate’s quote they apparently had made. I never took them up on the offer, which I now somewhat regret. These synthetic sampling companies fell off my radar for a while, but they do still exist. In fact, Aaru recently received a $1 billion valuation. Is what they’re doing anywhere close to the most important frontier in AI development? Not by a longshot, especially when Anthropic just developed a model so adept at exploiting software vulnerabilities that it’s only being released to 40 companies. Still, silicon sampling is increasingly finding its way into public polling. Axios reported in March that “a majority of people trust their own doctors and nurses” based on findings from Aaru — without mentioning that the “people” in that sentence were actually LLMs. Around the same time, the Public Sentiment Institute “boosted” their online sample of 373 real survey respondents with 114 AI agents.1 (Spoiler alert: even the co-founder of Electric Twin doesn’t think that’s a particularly defensible approach.) Polling companies like Qualtrics and Ipsos are also developing synthetic data panels. So, what should we make of these … “polls”? Let’s get one thing out of the way: whatever they are, they’re not polls in the way that term is usually defined. Subscribe You can’t replace polls with AI On one hand, using LLMs to essentially make up fake survey respondents sort of sounds like the dumbest idea ever, one that will at best imperfectly replicate real polls while introducing all sorts of biases. On the other hand, with LLMs improving at a remarkable, perhaps even alarming rate, maybe that means I’m a dinosaur at the ripe old age of 24 because I still want to rely on polls that talk to actual people. I’m not going to argue that synthetic samples are completely useless. In fact, as I’ll return to later, there is evidence that some techniques can replicate topline survey results quickly and cheaply. But the marketing from certain companies can be slightly optimistic. “No traditional poll will exist by the time the next general election occurs,” said Fink in 2024. We’re just 206 days away from the midterms, and based on the fact that I still have to collect a bunch of polls every day, I’d say he should have run that prediction by a sample of AI agents before the interview.2 To see why synthetic samples can’t replace polls, here’s a quick primer on how they work. The simplest version of these models involves taking a LLM (like ChatGPT or Claude), giving it a demographic profile (e.g., a white, college-educated woman who lives in Utah and makes $70k a year), and then asking it to respond to a survey question. You repeat that process a few thousand times using different demographic profiles and end up with a sample of synthetic survey responses. The actual models used by private companies are more sophisticated than this, usually because they incorporate more hypothesized demographic characteristics for each agent and provide them with extra information. Aaru, for example, feeds agents a diet of news and information they’d be likely to consume, while Electric Twin incorporates their customers’ proprietary data about the audience they’re trying to replicate. The way Ben Warner, the co-founder of Electric Twin, explained it to me was “we have a large amount of data on […] for instance, 5,000 people. Can we make an accurate prediction of how they would respond to another question?” Still, it should be obvious why synthetic samples can’t replace polls. Polling is fundamentally a data collection process. We might use surveys to make predictions by feeding them into election forecasts, but the main purpose of a poll isn’t prediction, it’s gathering new data about what people think and how they feel. Silicon sampling, on the other hand, produces no new data. It’s simply a model: you input LLM training data, demographic prompts, and a bunch of other information, and it spits out a prediction for what a poll would say. We love models here, but models aren’t polls. That difference is an important philosophical sticking point for most pollsters I talk to. “I think politics should stay away from [synthetic sampling], because we’re trying to […] represent the voice of the people,” said Natalie Jackson, a vice president at GQR Insights. Democratic pollster John Hagner told me: “I think I’m just incredibly skeptical of this idea. I don’t think it’s research. At that point, you’re asking the machine to tell you what you already believe.” Hagner has seen some presentations of early synthetic sampling experiments, but so far, “if it’s being used in a campaign, people are keeping it incredibly quiet.”3 But Eli, I hear you saying, aren’t polls themselves increasingly governed by modeling decisions? Indeed they are: pollsters’ choices on which sampling method to use, how to define their likely voter models, and how to weight their samples can and do lead to dramatic differences in the results they publish. Aaru even referenced these limitations in the methodology statement included with that maternal mortality “poll” — although I’m using the term “methodology statement” loosely here, because it doesn’t really explain how the model works at all. We can ignore the (frankly preposterous) implication that synthetic sampling isn’t subject to a separate set of biases. The important point is that there’s still a meaningful difference between using weighting and other statistical techniques on actual polling data and using a model to predict what a poll would say. The latter is far closer to election forecasts or techniques like MRP — potentially useful models, but not a replacement for polls.4 To be fair, other synthetic sampling companies are perfectly happy with the distinction between polls and models. Warner compared polling and synthetic sampling to different tools in a toolbox. “The mistake I think we make is we think that these new tools should either work in exactly the same way or somehow replace these old tools,” he said. “Rather than thinking of it as, okay, so we’ve always had the hammer, we’ve always had the screwdriver, now we’ve got a saw. But don’t use a saw to try [to] do the job of a hammer.” A quick comment from Nate Eli didn’t ask me for a comment — rather rude of him, don’t you think? But since I’m editing this story, I figured I’d add a few quick thoughts rather than putting words in his mouth. Beyond the frequently misleading marketing, what bothers me about the AI “poll” hype is that as AI tools make statistical inference cheaper and/or better (note that these are not synonyms) that actually increases the comparative value of collecting original data. You might be able to train a model to make a reasonable estimate of what some hard-to-reach poll respondent would say — say, a young Black man who voted for Trump. (Such a person checks a number of boxes for a voter who is usually hard to reach in surveys.) Indeed, this is closely related to what models like the Silver Bulletin forecast already do. They essentially smooth out the kinks in noisy survey data by making inferences based on past voting patterns or national polls or surveys of other states. But you don’t actually know what these voters think unless you’re reaching them directly. If there’s a shift in opinion among this subgroup, you’re not going to detect it. So if I were running a campaign, I’d invest more in going the extra mile to find a representative sample of those voters. And then I’d hire some smart quants — or Claude? — to figure out the implications for campaign strategy based on proprietary data that my competitors didn’t have access to. -Nate Silver Are these models any good? If synthetic surveys are just a new type of model, the next obvious question is whether the models are at least accurate. The answer very much depends on who you ask. On one end of the spectrum, you have the maximalist argument that synthetic sampling is more accurate than actual polls. “It’s an incredibly challenging problem to go to someone and say ‘hey, we’re going to be more accurate at predicting human behavior than you, even when you talk to your customers directly’,” Koh recently told CNBC. In his view, synthetic sampling isn’t a saw to polling’s hammer, it’s “magic.” There’s certainly evidence that synthetic samples can replicate certain survey toplines. But if Aaru does have any examples of their approach outperforming the polls, they’re keeping those to themselves.5 Aaru’s 2024 election model, for example, had Kamala Harris leading in Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin on November 4th. And although they’ve since taken down their forecast page, they gave Harris a 50.5 percent chance of winning the race on November 2nd.6 After the election, Fink told Semafor he was happy enough with those results because they were “within margin of error,” a term that is completely meaningless when applied to a “sample” of AI agents. And of course, Aaru says their models have improved since 2024, so supposedly now they’d be more accurate than the polls? Still, their stronger argument is on cost: “We are significantly faster and cheaper than traditional polling, and still more accurate,” said Fink. The first two claims are undeniably true, but the third brings us to the opposite end of the spectrum. Both Jackson and Hagner are skeptical that these models are reliable for anything beyond replicating common survey toplines. “I just […] don’t think the machines are what we want when we’re looking for nuanced views. My example on this is people in Arizona and Nevada in 2024 who voted for Trump and voted for expanding abortion in their states on ballot initiatives,” said Jackson. Hagner identified another issue. Maybe the synthetic respondents, like sycophantic LLMs, are inhuman in one important way: they’re too nice. “The reports that have come through at the meetings that I’ve been at are that the early experiments on this, they cannot get respondents to be as racist or sexist or, frankly, as negative as human respondents,” he said. Academic research mostly agrees on this point. While there are some papers that show promising results when using LLMs to replicate polling data, most show that LLMs suffer from various quirks like producing too few “don’t know” responses and can seriously overpredict the favorability of politicians like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. They also seem to struggle with too little variation between demographic subgroups, so the difference in predicted opinion between Democrats and Republicans, for example, is too small. When I asked Warner about these studies, his response to these papers was that just because academics can’t get synthetic sampling to work doesn’t mean that the technique doesn’t work in general. “Actually, the argument is, okay, yours does not [work]. That does not mean […] for this complex set of machinery, which uses a lot of investment, a lot of time, a lot of money, you can’t get it to work.” Cards on the table, I’m somewhat sympathetic to this argument because academics aren’t exactly great at making election forecasts. Usually, the people with skin in the game are the most accurate. Warner’s argument is that the approach Electric Twin takes — which includes, for example, making multiple predictions for each synthetic respondent using different models and prompts and subsequently averaging those to get a final prediction in a sort of ensemble forecast — produces better results than the simpler academic models. Warner shared a comparison between his method and the method from a recent academic paper with me, and Electric Twin was indeed able to get more accurate replication. But even still, he acknowledged that synthetic sampling “is not a crystal ball.” “If you asked me, do I think using other data sources will be more accurate than asking somebody who they will vote for, I would probably say no. But if you asked me ‘would your system be useful for our turnout modeling today?’ I would say yes.” For better or worse, it looks like the method is already getting more popular in the market research world. Most of the clients Aaru touts these days are businesses like EY and McDonald’s. And AI will probably begin to pop up in other parts of the political polling process. Pollsters are already using it to code open-ended survey responses, and some firms, like YouGov, are testing using LLMs to ask survey respondents questions. More worryingly, one danger to actual polls is that AI agents can be used to infiltrate online surveys. Most online polls use various checks to prevent that from happening, but there’s conflicting evidence on how effective those filters are and how prevalent AI agents currently are in online panels. If those agents ever become impossible to detect, it might spell the end of online polling, but the solution isn’t to replace all of your respondents with ChatGPT. Silver Bulletin is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a subscriber. Subscribe 1 That particular poll obviously doesn’t meet Silver Bulletin standards for aggregation. But we exclude all Public Sentiment Institute polls from our averages because we classify them as an amateur polling firm. 2 You could argue that Fink meant the next presidential election, but (a) I’m also confident we’ll still have real polls in 2028 and (b) in that case he should have asked an LLM to define “general election.” 3 Quick caveat: that’s reporting from a Democratic pollster. It’s possible that Republicans are more willing to use AI in political campaigns. 4 Indeed, Silver Bulletin does not include “polls” produced by MRP in our forecasts or averages, and we think it’s extremely misleading when their practitioners describe them in a way that suggests original data had been collected among a large number of states or Congressional districts. 5 A recent report from Aaru and EY did show two examples of a synthetic estimate being closer than a survey to a real-world benchmark — but I’d take those findings with a grain of salt because the report reads more like an ad and didn’t involve any sort of prediction being made ahead of time. 6 For comparison, our odds for Harris on the same day were 48.2 percent.
Apple Highlights Photos Shot on iPhone During NASA's Mission to Moon
As we previously reported, astronauts aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft used the iPhone 17 Pro Max to take selfies of themselves with the Earth in the background during the Artemis II mission around the far side of the Moon last week. Now that the crew members have safely returned to Earth, Apple's CEO Tim Cook and marketing chief Greg Joswiak have both turned to social media to congratulate them on their successful mission and highlight the iPhone's involvement.
Menopause products are having a hot minute. But doctors urge women to be wary of the marketing surge
Women suffering through the hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes and sleep problems that can come with menopause — all while looking in the mirror and noticing signs of aging — are being bombarded with products.
Covista taps Walden University leader to integrate marketing, digital innovation
Health care education company Covista is expanding the role of Walden University President Michael Betz to include chief growth and innovation officer duties.
New sports business major taps into Portland sports culture
For those dreaming of careers in fields like sports marketing or working with the Portland Trail Blazers, Adidas or Nike, declaring the new sports business major can unlock opportunity, according to Michael DeVaughn, dean of the School of Business. Beginning in spring 2026, the Bachelor of Business Administration in Sports Business will be available for underclassmen to declare at UP.
New sports business major taps into Portland sports culture
For those dreaming of careers in fields like sports marketing or working with the Portland Trail Blazers, Adidas or Nike, declaring the new sports business major can unlock opportunity, according to Michael DeVaughn, dean of the School of Business. Beginning in spring 2026, the Bachelor of Business Administration in Sports Business will be available for underclassmen to declare at UP.
Expert Analysis | Discounting cannabis products at your business? Make sure to calculate tax correctly
New York’s adult-use cannabis marketing and advertising rules allow retailers to offer discounts, loyalty programs and other promotions — but only if the
Disney plans to cut 1,000 jobs, WSJ reports
Disney is planning to cut as many as 1,000 positions in the coming weeks, many of which will be made in the company's marketing department, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing sources.
BladderShield Claims Evaluated: Potent Bladder Leak Trick Supports Men's Health
A 2026 consumer awareness overview of BladderShield's bladder leak trick marketing claims, urobiome rebalancing positioning, ingredient research for overactive bladder and urinary urgency, men's bladder health context, pricing structure, and what men should verify before purchasingTallmadge, OH, April 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This article contains affiliate links. If a purchase is made through these links, a commission may be earned at no additional cost to the buyer. This is an informationa
Direct Marketing Solutions to lay off Portland workers
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Another employer is permanently shuttering its Portland location and laying off employees. Direct Marketing Solutions will close its Portland production facility and lay off 106 employees, according to a worker adjustment notice filed Monday. The company’s headquarters, which are also in Portland, will remain open and continue to employ 50 marketing […]
Portland business shutting down, 106 employees laid off
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Another employer is permanently shuttering its Portland location and laying off employees. Direct Marketing Solutions will close its Portland production facility and lay off 10...
Shawnee, KCK chambers host World Cup marketing workshop for local businesses
Business owners are learning strategies to reach diverse audiences ahead of a major sporting event.
As Job Stability Shifts, AI Platforms Aim to Remove the Barriers to Business Ownership
Skills that have made someone successful in a corporate career can certainly translate to work as an entrepreneur, but owning a business is a separate challenge entirely. Costly start-up fees, overhead, marketing, managing multiple software systems and expensive staff are some of the many reasons st
Direct mail company to eliminate 106 Portland jobs
Direct Marketing Solutions said it’s expanding elsewhere. It also has operations in Illinois and Pennsylvania.
3 Things to Know: Brands and Social Issues, Adult Recreational Sports League Participation Rebounds, and Sports Betting Partnerships
CivicScience has the world’s largest proprietary database of real-time declared intent, allowing brands to activate high-performing advertising that drives up to 80% better performance. See how our partners achieve superior marketing outcomes here. 1. Consumers hold mixed expectations on brand activism, with Democrats more likely to switch or boycott based on personal values, while Republicans [...]Read More... from 3 Things to Know: Brands and Social Issues, Adult Recreational Sports League Participation Rebounds, and Sports Betting Partnerships
Lehigh Business in Top 100 for Research
Faculty members in the College of Business have had 32 papers in top-tier journals over the past two years.
Foley Entertainment Group, hotels appoint sales, marketing leaders
A number of hotels—as well as Foley Entertainment Group—have appointed sales and marketing leaders in recent weeks. | Hotels and resorts across the country have new sales and marketing leaders.
14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" Will Continue to be "Abundantly Available," Says Intel
Intel will continue to ensure production of its 14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake Refresh" desktop processors, 700-series motherboard chipset, and ensure continued availability of the Socket LGA1700 platform. In an interview with Club386, Intel's VP and GM of client segment technical marketing, Robert Hall...
I'm still betting on AI after it shrank my business and staff
A marketing CEO of 17 years says AI boosted productivity but cut demand, forced layoffs, and changed pricing.
A global consensus establishes a basis for measuring and improving gut health
While “gut health” is becoming a popular term, mainly in media and marketing claims but also in the clinical context, researchers have not yet nailed down a definition. Now, a global group of 13 scientists and clinicians updates a consensus definition of gut health and implications from bench to bedside.
A Conversation With Capital Group’s Head Of Experiential Marketing Ajith Krishnankutty On The Need To Evolve Events Into Marketing Channels That Build Brand + Drive Business Growth
Ajith Krishnankutty On The Need To Evolve Events Into Marketing Channels That Build Brand + Drive Business Growth
Small Business Workshop on Social Media Marketing
If you’ve boosted posts and gotten little to no results, you’re not alone.
Microsoft says Copilot is for entertainment purposes only, not serious use — firm pushing AI hard to consumers tells users not to rely on it for important advice
These might be boilerplate disclaimers, but they kind of contradict the company's ads and marketing.
High stakes, big budgets: How brands are navigating a massive sports year
Brands are ditching one-off bets for long-term partnerships. As sports marketing budgets hit record highs, CMOs are choosing their battles.
WME Sells 160over90 Sports Advertising Agency to Publicis
The French advertising giant will acquire the marketing agency to expand its sports business.
Publicis is buying 160over90 in its biggest sports marketing bet yet
Publicis is acquiring160over90, a sports marketing agency with blue-chip clients such as Coke and Marriott.
Publicis sharpens sports marketing focus with 160over90 acquisition
Publicis CEO Arthur Sadoun described sports as the firm’s “next big bet” as it tries to bring cohesion to an increasingly valuable but fragmented market.
FishBait Solutions rebrands as Pivotal Sports & Entertainment
Some 18 years after is after its founding by Rick Jones as FishBait Marketing, the boutique agency known as fishboat Solutions since 2021, is rebranding to Pivotal Sports & Entertainment.
Is e.l.f. Beauty (ELF) Turning Entertainment Marketing Into a Durable Brand Moat?
e.l.f. Beauty recently premiered “Vanity Vandals,” a true crime-inspired mockumentary from its e.l.f. Cosmetics brand at TCL Chinese Theatre, supported by limited-time product bundles and a community contest to deepen consumer engagement. The campaign underscores how e.l.f. is using entertainment-style content to reinforce its cultural relevance and strengthen its connection with highly engaged beauty fans. We’ll now examine how this entertainment-led community campaign could influence...
Pearlena Igbokwe, Oliver Schusser Join Entertainment Marketing Summit
Variety has announced additional speakers for the 2026 Entertainment Marketing Summit, presented by Deloitte, on April 22 in Los Angeles.
Keith White on Reframing Medical Device Marketing for the Modern Healthcare Economy
“Medical device marketing can be regulated and still be exciting,” he explains. “People think the goal here is to sell products, but instead, it’s about proving system-level value.”
Foley Entertainment Group Names Jay Heidenreich Vice President of Sales and Giovanni Salvino-Prada Vice President of Marketing
Foley Entertainment Group has announced new appointments, with Jay Heidenreich taking on the role of Vice President of Sales and Giovanni Salvino-Prada stepping into the Vice President of Marketing position.
Jaggi School of Business expands at Missouri S&T
The Jaggi School of Business at Missouri S&T was established in 2025 through a $12.5 million gift from alumnus Dennis Jaggi and his wife, Janet. Building on this foundation, the Jaggi School of Business is launching new scholarships, expanding library and database resources, hiring endowed f
NHL, ESPN, TNT Sports and Sportsnet debut joint marketing creative ahead of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The NHL and its broadcast partners are bringing fans closer to the intensity of playoff hockey with a new marketing campaign.
SME Sioux Falls names Women in Business winners
Seven women have earned Women of Excellence awards from Sales and Marketing Executives Inc. of Sioux Falls.
Spire announces sale of gas marketing business to Boardwalk Pipelines for $215 million
/PRNewswire/ -- Spire Inc. (NYSE: SR) today announced it has entered into an agreement to sell its gas marketing business, Spire Marketing Inc. (Spire...
Rutgers Health study spotlights marketing of ultra-processed food in Newark
Rutgers study finds ultra-processed foods dominate Newark stores and kids’ menus, prompting parents to question marketing and nutrition.