News in Brief

 

(pixelfit/Getty Images)

CEOs want CMOs to focus more on business results

CEOs view chief marketing officers more as execution leaders than strategic advisors, per Boathouse's annual CEO survey. The survey shows that while alignment and trust between CEOs and CMOs are good, CEOs want more measurable business results, especially in sales growth and AI integration. Boathouse's Sonia Chung says that CMOs need to connect their work more directly to revenue and long-term growth to meet CEOs' rising expectations.

What this means:  CMOs must demonstrate how marketing initiatives directly drive revenue by leveraging advanced analytics and data integration. They also face challenges from rapid technological change, especially in AI, to maintain innovative strategies. Striking a balance between creative projects and measurable results can be complex, requiring alignment with both immediate sales objectives and long-term brand development

Chefs embrace hojicha as versatile, affordable ingredient   (Popovaphoto/Getty Images) Chefs across the US are increasingly using hojicha, a roasted green tea, in desserts and drinks. Hojicha, which is less expensive and contains less caffeine than matcha, offers a unique smoky and nutty flavor. Restaurants such as Tsubaki in Los Angeles, Tomat and Mizumi in Las Vegas have incorporated hojicha into various dishes, including parfaits, ice cream and cheesecake. Full Story: Food & Wine (4/28)

Hershey uses agentic AI to revamp marketing mix modeling Hershey is modernizing its marketing mix modeling by partnering with analytics platforms Mutinex and Tracer to automate and speed up the process. The integration of agentic AI is expected to allow Hershey to evaluate and adjust marketing spend in near real time, as opposed to the previous lag of several months, and the company expects to boost revenue attributable to media by 4% to 5%. "This is a complete game-changing moment for our organization," says Vinny Rinaldi, vice president of media and marketing technology at Hershey. Full Story: Adweek (4/27)

Albertsons taps Google AI tools to boost retail media reach Albertsons Media Collective has launched a new integration with Google's Display & Video 360, enabling advertisers to leverage Albertsons' first-party data for targeting across YouTube and premium publisher inventory. The integration utilizes Google's AI-driven optimization tools and supports a full-funnel approach, allowing brands to connect with Albertsons' large grocery audience earlier in the shopping journey and link media exposure directly to sales. Full Story: Progressive Grocer (4/27)

Little Caesars, others use ChatGPT for customer convenience Little Caesars, Starbucks and Burger King have integrated ChatGPT into their ordering systems, enabling users to build meal orders directly within the platform. "We see large language models [LLMs] like ChatGPT becoming a new storefront," Little Caesars Chief Marketing Officer Greg Hamilton said. This move is designed to leverage AI technology to streamline the customer experience and capture new orders from ChatGPT users. Full Story: Ad Age (link gifted) (4/28)

Ace Hardware enhances customer service with AI tool   (SOPA Images/Getty Images) Ace Hardware has introduced Hey ARMA, an AI-powered feature added to the ACE Retailer Mobile Assistant, to enhance customer service across its 5,200 stores. Since its February launch, Hey ARMA has handled over 55,000 associate queries, providing instant access to product recommendations, project guidance and inventory data. CEO John Venhuizen emphasizes that the AI tool is designed to support, not replace, employees, making them more confident and effective in assisting customers.  Full Story: Forbes (4/28)