Latest news with #MarketCast
Business Wire
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Research Company MarketCast Appoints Industry Veteran Amy Fenton As New CEO
CULVER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MarketCast, a leading technology and data-enabled market research and analytics firm, announced today current Co-President Amy Fenton has been elevated to the position of CEO, effective immediately. The decision comes at a pivotal moment for the industry, as media fragmentation accelerates and brands face growing pressure to use real-time, predictive data to optimize campaigns and drive measurable sales outcomes. Fenton is a seasoned advertising and brand executive who's played a huge role in shaping MarketCast's research and operations. As an accomplished strategist with over 30 years of experience, her leadership qualities and unmatched industry knowledge will continue to position MarketCast as an essential strategic partner for brand and campaign intelligence solutions — crucial for any company operating in today's modern fast-moving, media marketplace. Prior to joining MarketCast nearly three years ago, Fenton held senior leadership roles at top firms, such as Nielsen, Ipsos and Kantar. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the ARF and had previously been a Member of the Board for the National Brain Tumor Society. "We are confident that Amy will be a tremendous leader for our clients and employees alike," said Ahmed Wahla, Partner with Kohlberg, MarketCast's lead financial investor. "With a focus on product modernization through AI and data science, client-centric commercial focus, and talent development, Amy's leadership best positions MarketCast for the future to arm our clients with real time predictive data driving marketing ROI for their enterprise." Fenton will place an emphasis on innovation, infusing AI across the business to enhance speed and efficiency for MarketCast's clients, and building out best-in-class ad/brand products to deliver real-time, predictive data that drives sales outcomes. 'MarketCast has an impressive track record delivering world-class insights and data that brands have come to rely on to deliver measurable impact,' said Fenton. 'I'm excited to lead the transformation and modernization of our solutions so, ultimately, our clients can successfully compete and win in today's dynamic media marketplace.' Paul Forgue, who has been instrumental in advancing analytics on the financial performance of the company and deploying mission-critical technology, will remain as President and CFO at MarketCast, maintaining his leadership role as he oversees the Finance, Legal, and Corporate IT organizations. MarketCast has evolved from a boutique custom research firm into a leading technology and data-enabled insights and analytics company. Today, MarketCast provides AI-powered advertising research to more than 80 percent of the top U.S. advertisers. MarketCast's Brand Effect platform is the gold standard for measuring ad breakthrough, while its brand research and data science capabilities are trusted by the world's most influential marketers to guide creative, media, and brand strategy. About MarketCast MarketCast is a leading technology and data-enabled market research firm dedicated to helping brands maximize their advertising impact and amplify brand fandom. With a powerful portfolio of advertising and brand research solutions, MarketCast helps clients find the right audiences to target, craft ad creative that resonates, and build long-term brand Fandom and customer loyalty. Headquartered in LA, MarketCast's team of researchers, product experts, and data scientists deliver game-changing insights for brands around the world. For more information visit About Kohlberg Founded in 1987, Kohlberg is a leading U.S. middle market private equity firm based in Mount Kisco, New York. The firm invests in companies characterized by strong brands, recurring revenue streams and leading market positions, which it identifies through rigorous thematic research grounded in its White Paper Program. Leveraging its team of investment and operating partners, Kohlberg works with management teams to accelerate growth, enhance operational excellence and create value. Kohlberg manages approximately $17 billion on behalf of institutional investors globally. For more information, please visit
Forbes
02-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How AI Is Changing E-Commerce
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Getty Images, in partnership with global research firm MarketCast, analyzed the way that pictures communicate with people worldwide about concepts in sustainability—both for brands in marketing, as well as for people reading news and information. Getty's VisualGPS report, which combines data and insights from both images and consumer surveys, shows that these pictures and the topic of sustainability are important. Worldwide, nearly 7 in 10 people believe that climate change affects their lives. Brands should take the importance of sustainability measures to heart and weave their commitment to the environment into their messaging—but with care. Close to 90% of consumers feel that businesses should use their resources to improve society and the environment, but two out of three doubt that companies' sustainability commitments are genuine. About three-quarters think that products and services labeled 'green' are just a marketing ploy. Consumers want authenticity, with clear sustainability guidelines, actions and displays to show that companies' interest in the environment goes beyond just profit. And more than half want to see images that show the consequences of inaction on environmental priorities—though 78% also want to see images showing how the environment is improving because of corporate, policy-driven and personal actions. Getty recommends that companies use imagery to authentically show what they're doing for the planet: real people, real initiatives, real consequences, and the actual communities that are impacted. While lower income and traditionally minority communities tend to be more directly impacted by climate change and pollution, many of the sustainability images seen by the general public often depict well-off white people. Brand messaging should indicate both an urgency to act on sustainability and actions people can take themselves. Sustainability also needs to be deeply integrated as a core corporate value, with products and services that highlight the environment—making it easy both for customers to make more sustainable choices, as well as clearly showing the consumer how that choice helps the planet. While customers pay attention to what companies and brands do with their communication strategies, the rise of AI can pull their attention away from traditional browsing during e-commerce shopping. AI agents, which can take actions based on preferences 'learned' from users, could make online shopping even more targeted. I talked to Adrien Menard, CEO and cofounder of SEO and GEO platform Botify, about how AI is changing e-commerce. An excerpt from our conversation is later in this newsletter. We're taking a summer break and will not be publishing Forbes CMO next week. We'll be back on Wednesday, July 16. This is the published version of Forbes' CMO newsletter, which offers the latest news for chief marketing officers and other messaging-focused leaders. Click here to get it delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. RIGHTS + SPONSORSHIP The racing gear Brad Pitt and Damson Idris wear in 'F1' features real companies that paid to sponsor the fictional Formula 1 team. PA Wire/PA Images F1 , Apple's new movie about Formula 1 racing starring Brad Pitt, is more than just a summer action movie about the fast-paced sport. It's a huge sponsorship vehicle with ads that Forbes estimates potentially brought in $40 million alone. Forbes' Matt Craig zooms into the work that David Leener, the producer in charge of product placement for the film, did to bring brands into F1. For decades, brands have paid movie producers to feature their products on screen, ensuring that characters were sipping on a specific soda brand, or that a main character wore sneakers from a certain company. Ordinary product placement can cost between $250,000 to $1 million, Craig writes, but F1 is a special case. Race cars are always plastered with sponsorship ads, so there were significant opportunities for companies to get their logo in a prominent spot throughout the movie. The movie's fictional APXGP racing team has sponsorships from more than a dozen companies, including Mercedes, IWC, Geico, EA Sports and Expensify. And while it's far too early to determine how successful the movie will be for the brands, Expensify is already seeing it pay off. The company-branded car has been in a number of music videos and appears in the EA Sports F1 video game. F1 star Damson Idris came to the Met Gala in May in the Expensify-branded car, wearing the Expensify-branded fire suit on the red carpet—causing a 400% increase in website traffic and product signups, according to CEO David Barrett. And when the F1 trailer was first released last July, CNBC's Jim Cramer touted the stock potential of Expensify, causing a record 17.7 million trades of the stock in a single day. IN THE NEWS A Prime delivery truck. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images It's that time of year again: Amazon Prime Day is next week. The online mega-retailer extended its annual sale from two days to four this year—July 8 to July 11, writes Forbes senior contributor Pamela Danziger. The sale has also been moved a week earlier than last year to coincide with the day President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs take full effect: July 9. Amazon isn't the only retailer with big sales next week. Walmart will have competing Walmart Deals events starting July 7 for Walmart+ members and July 8 for everyone else. Target is also holding a Circle Week sale from July 6 through July 12, though Target Circle 360 members will get access a day early on July 5. The sales at Walmart and Target will be available both in-store and online. Prime Day is often a large driver of spending. Last year, all retailers saw a $14.2 billion increase in spending during the shopping event, with 60% of that being spent at Amazon. But considering customers' current cautious spending, low consumer confidence and looming tariffs, there's no guarantee that this year will be as successful, Danziger writes. Prime Day isn't the only way Amazon is trying to beat Walmart this summer. Last week, the online retail giant announced the expansion of same-day and next-day delivery to more than 4,000 small cities, towns and rural communities. But Danziger writes the new effort still won't be able to beat Walmart. While Amazon is the leader in e-commerce, Walmart is the world's biggest physical retailer, with more than 90% of Americans living within 10 miles of a Walmart store. Walmart is easily able to deliver groceries, prescriptions and an array of merchandise from its stores to 93% of the U.S. population in three hours or less. And while Walmart's e-commerce business has grown more than 20% annually for the last two years, it still makes the majority of its revenue in physical stores—an area where Amazon cannot even come close. BRANDS + MESSAGING Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Fever celebrates with the Commissioner Cup trophy after beating the Minnesota Lynx on important to find marketing strategies that are a good fit for the product, the message and the target audience. Tampon startup Sequel found all three, being named the official tampon sponsor for the WNBA's Indiana Fever, writes Forbes' Alexandra York. The spiral-shaped tampons, designed by Amanda Calabrese and Greta Meyer to provide better absorption and less leakage for athletes, will not only be provided to all the Fever's players, but will also be available for free in all women's restrooms at Indianapolis' Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the team plays. The partnership is a smart one for a variety of reasons. Women's sports are getting more popular, especially the WNBA, which saw 54 million unique viewers tuning into games last year. Forbes estimates the Indiana Fever led the WNBA in revenue and attendance in 2024—even topping attendance for the NBA's Indiana Pacers. This week, the Fever won the Commissioner's Cup at the WNBA's in-season tournament. Sequel provides a product that all women need, and showcasing its performance for elite athletes helps build brand recognition and credibility. ON MESSAGE How AI Is Shaping E-Commerce Botify cofounder and CEO Adrien Menard. Botify As AI search engines and agents begin to help consumers shop online, there are many unknowns about how they will shape consumer habits. Will AI remember consumers' preferences and not show them a diverse array of items—and is that really a bad thing? I talked to Adrien Menard, CEO and cofounder of retail SEO and GEO platform Botify, about what he's seeing on the front lines and what brands can do to continue to be seen by consumers. This conversation has been edited for length, clarity and continuity. What are you seeing in terms of AI shopping assistants now? Menard: We are seeing an increase in the traffic on websites by bots and by AI agents. We live in a world of search that [is] fragmented or decentralized, meaning that it's no longer only about Google. You have to understand what's happening on the web to capture the content, to capture the stocks, the availability, the prices, the offering of the retailer. We have the consumers, we have the bots, and we have the AI agents. The AI agents are going to browse the web, search for information, visit websites and potentially make a decision on the behalf of the consumer or everyone. This is [in the] early stage of what it can be in a few years from now, but is a reality. And the reality is that when you're a brand, you need to take that into consideration, because those AI agents deserve the best user experience. I think it's fascinating because it means that the value chain of the traffic acquisition of a retail company and the loyalty program that you can put in place, everything is going to be redefined because you're not going to market your solution the same way to a consumer or to an AI agent. I love running, so let's take an example of me, the consumer, trying to find running shoes for my next marathon in Paris. Nike, Adidas, Puma, they all offer running shoes, but I don't like Adidas at all. It means that I can set up information in the AI search system, and I can tell this system to never mention anything about Adidas. What does it mean if you are in the marketing team at Adidas? Does it mean that I should find a way to actually advertise my product to someone who does not like the brand? Or should I focus my investment on the Adidas fan? Of course, it means that I need to know who's there, how they're searching. Do you think that personalizing shopping results to be seen by the consumer could be a bad thing? Yes and no. It is concerning to have a system that knows everything about you. If we keep the idea of me being a runner, I'm extremely happy to know that ChatGPT may have all the information about my runner profile, my past performance, my training program, my weight, my size—everything that is going to help them to make better recommendations to what I'm going to look for. From this perspective, I'm probably going to be ready to share some information. There is also another question behind this question. With advertising or with paid search, Google already knows a lot about you. It is the same for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, et cetera. We are ready to accept this advertising and their knowledge of who we are because in some ways, we are the product. Those social networks, the traditional search engines, they're free to use because I am the product: I'm going to be advertised to. That's slightly different with this new experience because for most ChatGPT users, at least now, we are paying for it—meaning that I'm already giving something. By definition, in my mind, the question of not only paying but also giving away my profile makes me think that maybe the reaction is going to be different. We could even think that ChatGPT would pay me for giving away this information. Why not? What should brands be doing now to make sure that, as people are use AI to shop, they continue to show up? First, understand what is happening. It means that brands need to refine their measurement framework. They need to have KPIs in every step of the AI search process. It's about the quality of the website, the indexation of the website in Google, ChatGPT, etc. It's about understanding how people search on Google and on ChatGPT, and see if there are differences. It's about measuring your share of voice when someone is searching with keywords, or with prompts related to what you can have available on the website. And, of course, it's about understanding the contribution to the revenue of those channels. This is the AI search panel, and brands need to be equipped with the right analytics for each stage. The second step is once you know what is happening, you want to influence the AI search process, particularly the indexation and the interactions made by the AI search with your website. Before AI search systems can generate an answer, they first need to know everything about your brand. They need to know who you are, your turnover, your product, your product availability, the reviews, the prices, the marketing strategy, et cetera. To do so, they need to capture your website and put it back into their indexation or learning database. This is a process that should be optimized. This is the very first action that needs to be taken because if the system doesn't understand who you are and what you have available on the website, they will never reuse it to generate the answer. This is even more critical when you consider that the internet is changing all the time. Prices are updated every day. Stock availability is, by definition, updated the minute something is purchased. The reviews, same thing. There are processes that can be done automatically that guarantee that your content is understood by the AI search system. From my perspective, this is critical. This is the reality of what we have been doing with the customers, and what has impacted tremendously their visibility, traffic, and revenue impact generated by these emerging AI search systems. COMINGS + GOINGS Marketing and procurement firm HH Global appointed Matt Strawn as chief growth officer. Strawn most recently worked for Accenture as a managing director, and was key in its Accenture Song expansion. appointed as chief growth officer. Strawn most recently worked for Accenture as a managing director, and was key in its Accenture Song expansion. Eco-friendly household products brand Seventh Generation hired Shalini Stansberry as chief marketing officer. Stansberry joins the company from Ferrero, where she worked as a VP of marketing for Kinder Snacking. hired as chief marketing officer. Stansberry joins the company from Ferrero, where she worked as a VP of marketing for Kinder Snacking. Consumer website builder Webflow tapped Dave Steer as chief marketing officer. Steer previously worked as vice president of brand and product marketing at GitLab, and has also worked in marketing at Cloudflare, Facebook, Twitter, PayPal and eBay. STRATEGIES + ADVICE Being a leader is more than having an executive title—it's important to also have an executive presence that is recognized by peers and subordinates. While self-confidence is an important part of this, you should think about how others see you. Here are seven questions to assess where you may need to work on strengthening your executive presence. Customer experience is key to making sales, but seeing your interface from the outside can be a challenge. Here are some ChatGPT prompts to help you get a new perspective and optimize the customer journey. QUIZ NASA announced it will livestream its rocket launches this summer. Which streaming provider will carry them? A. Disney+ B. Netflix C. HBO Max D. Amazon Prime Video See if you got the answer right here.
Forbes
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Which Brands Are Most Popular With Consumers And Why
Amazon was the top brand in MarketCast's laest Brand Fandom report. The tech/retail giant was cited ... More by consumers for their nnovation and seamless integration into everyday life. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) MarketCast, a global marketing research and data analyst company, recently released their third annual Brand Fandom report. The report synthesizes the input of 10,000 U.S. consumers gauging the reaction to over 162 different brands (76 have been continuously measured) across 21 product categories. Over the past three years, 22,000+ interviews have been conducted measuring about 300 brands. The study reveals the criteria that stimulate consumers to discover, love and stick with a brand. MarketCast notes revenue and brand strength have had a strong positive connection. Brands that have scored well with Brand Fandom earn more revenue. Also, products with a strong Brand Fandom will result with greater engagement, higher revenue, more product advocacy and, when needed, strong consumer support. Ed Trujillo, Senior Vice President, Brand Solutions, MarketCast says, 'Fandom for consumer brands isn't so different from music, sports, or movie fandom—it's rooted in emotion and identity. When people feel that connection, they don't just buy the brand, they advocate for it and make it part of their daily lives. And brands that build this kind of fandom aren't just loved, they're resilient. They can better withstand economic shifts, price pressure, and rising competition because their fans stick with them through it all.' This year the study found that tech companies followed by retail and entertainment had resonated the most with consumers. The top ten brands were; Amazon, Google, YouTube, Apple, Walmart. Netflix, Coca-Cola, Visa, Levi's and Samsung. Below is a sampling of consumer reaction to the leading companies. Ranking first in Brand Fandom, Amazon was known for their innovation and seamless integration into everyday life. Also, the retail/tech behemoth scored with consumers with an ever-growing list of products and quick service. Ranking third overall, YouTube was another brand that scored with consumers. The study found the tech/video company was cited for engaging audiences with both short and long-form content from creators and premium studios along with the ease of finding and sharing content. (The first YouTube video was downloaded 20 years ago this month.) Ranking fourth was Apple, the brand was cited for their device upgrades, popular series, live sports as well as the seamless shopping experience of Apple Pay. Walmart, the largest non-tech company, ranked fifth. Consumers praised the retail giant for balancing value and premium offerings. In addition, Walmart was praised for delivering a strong digital and in-store experience with exclusive benefits. Netflix ranked sixth, the streaming giant was noted for their retention capabilities using a diverse mix of content—from live sports and video games to hit movies and series. Looking at a few non-tech brands that ranked high include; Levi's which was cited for its power of longevity, American style, trucker jackets, and Beyoncé . The Home Depot was noted for their knowledgeable staff and product-focused marketing. Also, restaurant chain Chick-fil-A was singled out for food quality and authentic customer engagement. MarketCast pointed out two brands that had increased their Brand Fandom score. Carmaker Subaru scored with a double digit increase in ad spending, a refreshed product line, and the popular 'Share the Love' ad campaign. U.S. vehicle sales grew more than +13%. Another was the QSR Taco Bell which grew in their ranking with new product launches and an enhanced digital experience. Sales grew by +5%. On the other hand, Tesla's Brand Fandom score and sales declined from 2023 to 2024. Reasons included sagging consumer interest in EV, growing EV competition from China and CEO Elon Musk's heightened presence on social media and the political landscape. The survey also highlighted the challenges brands face when building fandom among younger (Millennials and Gen Z) consumers. The survey found that among younger consumers emotional and functional features are significantly more important to them than it is to the older Gen X and Boomers. The study also found younger consumers are more influenced by celebrity product endorsements than older age groups. 41% of Gen Z surveyed recalled the celebrity influencer, which steadily drops with older age groups. For boomers only 16% recalled the celebrity endorser. 71% of people who are aware of a specific brand and regularly interact with it don't recall the brand with a celebrity or influencer spokesperson. When a person did recall the celebrity/influencer (just 10% overall), only half of them — about 5% total — said it made them want to use the brand or buy something. Among age groups, Gen Z are more likely to notice a celeb partnership, feel better about the brand because of it, and be motivated to try the product. While Gen X and Boomers are less influenced overall, those adults with kids under 18, are the most likely to be swayed by celebrity tie-ins, to try a brand's products. The reason cited is parents (especially with younger children) are oftentimes faced with time constraints, decision fatigue, and information overload. Influencers can serve as trusted shortcuts for busy parents. The product categories that celebrity endorsements are most impactful are apparel and gaming. consumer electronic and tech ads with celebrity endorsements had the lower recall but were impactful. MarketCast's Trujillo notes, 'When every marketing dollar is being scrutinized, understanding what influences brand fandom—and what doesn't—is more critical than ever. This study makes it clear: celebrity and influencer endorsements aren't one-size-fits-all. For brands looking to drive real impact in 2025, it's not just about finding the right celebrity influencer endorsement, but also how relevant and authentic that influencer is to your brand. These insights help marketers focus their efforts where they'll actually matter.' With concerns about the economy and the impact it may have on marketing budgets and strategy, emotionally connecting with consumers and building and maintaining brand loyalty will be imperative this year.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MarketCast Brand Effect Research Reveals the Most Effective Insurance Mascots in Advertising
Familiar characters from Liberty Mutual, Allstate and Progressive were standouts for their consistent brand cues, humor and likability according to MarketCast's data CULVER CITY, Calif., March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MarketCast, a global marketing research firm, has released its latest insights into the performance of U.S. insurance brand mascots in advertising. The findings, derived from MarketCast Brand Effect platform that surveys 20,000 real audiences daily, showcase which iconic characters are breaking through and driving brand and message recall among viewers from January 2024 to February 2025. Liberty Mutual's LiMu Emu and Doug Take the Top Spot: Liberty Mutual's dynamic duo, LiMu Emu and Doug, emerged as the leading insurance mascots in Ad Breakthrough, Messaging, and Branding categories. Their consistent use of recognizable brand cues—including the bold yellow visuals, the Statue of Liberty imagery, and the catchy "Liberty, Liberty, Liberty" jingle—ensures that Liberty Mutual remains top of mind for audiences. Allstate's Mayhem Reigns in Likeability and Memorability: Allstate's Mayhem continues to captivate audiences with its signature mix of chaos and humor, ranking first in both Ad Likeability and Most Memorable Ads. The character's unpredictable storylines and rebellious personality set it apart, proving that a touch of destruction can make an ad unforgettable. Progressive's Character Lineup Delivers Strong Brand Recall: Progressive's long-standing mascot, Flo, secured a high rank in Message Recall, second only to Mayhem. Meanwhile, Jamie solidified his rising star status, tying with Flo in Ad Breakthrough but outperforming her in Branding. Dr. Rick, known for his humorous "parent-life" lessons, landed third in Likeability, though brand attribution remains a challenge for his ads. "Being fun or likable isn't enough when it comes to having truly effective advertising for these brands," said Amy Fenton, Chief Operations and Creative Officer, MarketCast. "Our research shows that the most successful insurance campaigns have strong brand identity queues with clear, memorable messaging. They strike a delicate balance—making us laugh while ensuring we remember who the ad is for and what the main message is." Top Insurance Mascot Winners by Category: Ad Breakthrough (Remember both Ad and Brand correctly): Ad Recall (Remember the Ad correctly): Branding (Attribute the Ad to the Correct Brand): Messaging (Recall the Main Message of the Ad): Likeability (Like the Ad): MarketCast's latest findings highlight the power of well-crafted branding and storytelling in insurance advertising. By leveraging familiar mascots and reinforcing brand identity through strategic cues, brands can ensure lasting audience impact. To learn more about MarketCast and its Brand Effect measurement, visit About MarketCastMarketCast is a leading marketing research firm dedicated to helping brands maximize their advertising impact and amplify brand fandom. With a powerful portfolio of advertising and brand research solutions, MarketCast helps clients find the right audiences to target, craft ad creative that resonates, and build long-term brand Fandom and customer loyalty. Headquartered in LA, MarketCast's team of researchers, product experts, and data scientists deliver game-changing insights for brands around the world. For more information visit Media ContactsGraham View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE MarketCast Sign in to access your portfolio
