Marketing Procurement

Why Marketing Operating Models in Financial Services Are Under Pressure

Marketing in financial services is under increasing pressure to deliver growth, efficiency, and accountability at the same time. Most organizations have invested heavily in digital channels, data platforms, and new capabilities over the past decade. Yet many senior leaders still feel that marketing is not delivering against its full potential.

What Pharma and Healthcare CMOs Need to Know About the Next Marketing Operating Model

Pharma and healthcare marketing used to be built around a relatively stable rhythm: launch planning, salesforce alignment, medical congresses, HCP education, patient support, access materials, field-force enablement, and, in the US, direct-to-consumer advertising.

That rhythm has broken. Totally.

GEO in Practice: 5 Takeaways for CMOs and Digital Leaders

GEO is starting to show up in real ways. Not as a future trend or something to keep an eye on, but as a shift that is already changing how decisions get made.
We recently hosted a webinar with leaders from search, media, and digital to talk about what this actually means in practice.

Sustainability and AI – What CMOs should know to stay ahead of the game.

AI is becoming default, its footprint is non-trivial and CEOs and CMOs need governance. According to PWC only one in eight (12%) of CEOs say AI has delivered on cost and revenue benefits. In today’s tech landscape, it is almost impossible to not interact with some form of AI model online or in our day to day lives, it has become the ultimate disruptor, much like the internet once was.

We reviewed a $7m scope – here’s how we unlocked $1m of additional value…

We recently reviewed a $7m scope using our fee and scoping module within our platform Optima. Our analysis was able to deliver $1m in additional value that could be saved, or reinvested elsewhere.

Influencer Marketing Is Maturing. It’s Time Agency Fees and Contracts Did Too.

For many marketers the use of influencers and creators has become a key part of their marketing mix, with some sources suggesting that the influencer economy may reach $43.9 billion in 2026.

Media Rebates and Inventory Media: The Stinking Corpse and the Triple Dip

It’s not news that many agencies make a lot of money from media planning and buying to most marketers. It’s been in the open for decades. It’s widely reported they make more money from non-client income derived from client media spend than from the fees they charge. But how can clients avoid the dreaded ‘triple dip’?

Flock Launches Optima: The Secure SaaS Platform Transforming Agency Management

A smarter way to optimize fees, maximize performance, and drive measurable value from agency partnerships.

These are the Biggest Automotive Marketing Operating Model Accelerations

Automotive marketing used to be built in a predictable way: model launches, minor changes and sales events, broad reach, dealer co‑op, a lot of linear TV, lower funnel PPC, paid social and CRM. That rhythm has broken…

No time to panic – the skills and capabilities most needed for 2026 and beyond.

As we kick off 2026, we see lots of writing about what’s changing in the year ahead, and what we all might need to do to update ourselves to stay fit and relevant. But from a marketing industry POV, what are the capabilities that are most in demand, that we need to revise, update and learn?

Connected Commerce on the main stage

The silos between retailer, sales, and marketing are rapidly dissolving and retail media is the force driving that convergence. Global retail media spend is expected to exceed US$200 billion by 2027 (WARC).

Social Media, Content Creators, Public Relations become a new content engine

Content has always been king and queen. But who creates it, and how, is now fully up for disruption. The creator economy is projected to reach US$191.6 billion in 2025 (Quick Market Pitch) and grow at 23% CAGR (Future Market Insights). There are already 404 million creator-partner opportunities available to marketers (Contentful), and the major platforms are vast conduits for reach