The Modern Marketer: Your Weekly Dose of Industry Intelligence.

This week, leaders are doubling down on relevance, AI continues reshaping the marketing landscape, and global retail faces both opportunity and uncertainty. Here's what you need to know:

Leadership, Brand, and Retail Strategy

Levi’s CEO: “If the wallet’s tighter, we have to work harder” Michelle Gass on executing at a higher level for today’s choosier consumer — and how Beyoncé helps. Read more

Gap’s Cultural Reboot: Revenue Through Relevance CEO Richard Dickson discusses the power of looking back to move forward, and how culture drives brand value. Read more

Gymshark on Global Growth and Brand Identity Gymshark’s GM Hannah Mercer explains how the brand’s unique positioning keeps competitors irrelevant. Read more

Marketing & Media: What’s Changing Now

2025 Influencer Forecast: Bigger Than TikTok Despite platform instability, creators are now integral to brand, media and commerce strategies. Read more

Why SharkNinja Is Betting $700M on Creators and Product Placement From AppleTV+ integrations to Walmart shelves — SharkNinja’s ad strategy is entertainment-led and everywhere. Read more

Creative Fatigue in Marketing Teams New research shows agencies and marketers are losing confidence in the quality of their creative work. Read more

Meta’s AI Targeting System Gets Smarter Meta reveals how its AI ad tools, Lattice and Andromeda, are reshaping campaign performance. Read more

AI, Tech & The Attention Economy

41% of Brands Now Use AI for Video A dramatic rise in AI-generated video content is changing how brands scale production. Read more

OpenAI’s New Image Generator Is Wildly Advanced The new 4o IG system produces more accurate, editable, prompt-responsive visuals. Read more

Bill Gates: AI Could Lead to a Two-Day Work Week Automation may upend employment — and restructure how we think about time. Read more

Retail & E-Commerce Shifts

Next Hits £1B Profit, Ups Marketing Spend Abroad Next leans into international expansion — and makes marketing measurement a priority. Read more

Otto’s Marketplace Strategy Pays Off A 24% increase in marketplace sales helps Otto outpace Germany’s broader ecomm market. Read more

Selfridges to Reward Customers for Time, Not Just Spend Membership perks are now tied to in-store presence — not just purchases. Read more

Import Levels Rise Amid Tariff Uncertainty Retailers are still importing aggressively despite looming trade concerns. Read more

Geopolitics, Platforms, and Policy

TikTok’s EU Expansion Begins TikTok Shop launches in France, Germany, and Italy, extending its ecomm push in Europe. Read more

TikTok Sale Deadline Extended? Trump Weighs Tariff Reductions The TikTok-US deal is in flux. Trade-offs may include lowering tariffs on China. Read more

Senators Urge Trump to Extend TikTok Deadline Political pressure mounts as the April 5 deadline looms. Read more

Consumer Trends & Generational Behaviour

Gen Z Drives Spending Optimism in the UK Despite macro pressures, Gen Z is showing strong signs of renewed consumer confidence. Read more

Half of Parents Financially Support Adult Children, But Plan to Stop Boomers and Gen X are spending nearly $1,500/month supporting Millennials and Gen Z. Read more

Why Everything in Fashion Is Suddenly a Recession Signal Peplum tops, indie sleaze, skinny jeans — are they fashion fads or economic indicators? Read more

Platform & Channel Strategy

Sofitel Makes TikTok Debut With Cinematic Campaign Luxury meets short-form with a new, stylish entry into TikTok storytelling. Read more

Reddit’s Growing Influence on Purchase Decisions Marketers are waking up to Reddit’s power as a real-time research and influence platform. Read more

36 Key Instagram Stats Every Marketer Should Know From usage patterns to ad performance, here’s your 2025 cheat sheet. Read more

Economic & Market Outlooks

UK Mid-Market Growth at Risk Due to Costs and Complexity A new BDO report outlines the pressures holding back UK brands from global expansion. Read more

UK Retail Responds to Spring Statement Industry voices say vital support is still missing in the Chancellor’s plan. Read more

Australian Retail Reacts to 2025 Budget Cost-of-living measures welcomed, but concerns remain about business growth support. Read more

Chinese Fashion Brands Go Global From Soho to Seoul, homegrown Chinese labels are scaling their physical retail footprint. Read more

Lululemon Breaks $10B Revenue — Powered by China and Menswear Strategic localisation and a premium global brand experience fuel international growth. Read more

Final Thoughts. The 5 Big Takeaways This Week

• Cultural relevance is driving revenue — from Gap to Levi’s, brands are winning by tapping into identity, nostalgia, and emotional connection.
• AI is reshaping creative and content production — but it’s also blurring lines between efficiency, emotional impact, and human wellbeing.
• Influencer marketing remains resilient — creators are becoming core to brand, media, and commerce strategies, regardless of platform instability.
• Consumer loyalty is evolving — time, attention, and experience are now as valuable as transactions, especially in luxury and retail.
• Micro-strategy is the new scale — success depends on knowing exactly who you’re speaking to, where they live online, and what they care about.

Which trend will reshape your strategy this quarter? Share this newsletter with your team or clients — and let them know where to get the insights first. modernitymarketing.co.uk