Global News Roundup from The Wise Marketer
From the Editor
Individuals can be gurus, someone who is regarded as an expert or leader, but can a nation of people be regarded the same? I’m not 100% sure but as I find myself in the Netherlands this week, it certainly comes to mind that the Dutch should be considered as tulip gurus. Right or wrong on naming convention … highly recommend everyone sees them bloom at some point if you can.
Now swinging to an actual, popular marketing guru, Scott Galloway, who shares that the youth labor market is quietly unraveling — and AI is accelerating the decline. The unemployment rate for 20- to 24-year-olds hit 8.3% in February, more than double the jobless rate for workers between the ages of 25 and 54.
Entry-level jobs that once served as stepping stones are vanishing. In fields like law, finance, and tech, tasks traditionally assigned to junior staff are either being fully automated or completed more quickly by fewer workers using AI. One study found that developers using AI saw a 26% boost in productivity, and, in the months after ChatGPT’s release, freelance job postings for software and web development roles fell 21%.
Is AI quietly shutting Gen Z out of the labor market? These stats certainly suggest perhaps? But we’ve a view on AI that its people using AI that replace people not using AI – young or tenured. Now check out we’ve got in on AI in agencies that follows.
Stay. Loyal. Always.
Chief Marketing Officer, Wise Marketer Group
Global News Roundup
- [Global] New Arrivia survey: Travel Rewards in Retail: An Overlooked Strategy for Building Stronger Loyalty.
Report highlights how integrating travel perks into loyalty programs can be a game-changer for retailers and reveals how consumers in certain retail categories respond to travel rewards. - [US] How Ed Bastian turned Delta into America’s most profitable airline, while giving employees billions along the way
- [US] Inside the restless mind of a serial founder. The Marc Lore Story
- [US] Weigel’s Grocery Rolls Out Gamification, Coupons With Rovertown’s New Game Room
- [US] Find Out How Giant Food Keeps Shoppers Coming Back
- [US] In-Store Experience: The ‘Clublix’ Publix
How Convenience Retailers Can Break Through the Clutter in 2025
According to McKinsey & Co., consumer confidence remains below pre-pandemic levels as 53% of consumers report mixed feelings or pessimism about the state of the economy. However, even in a challenging business climate, c-stores have the opportunity to win unparalleled loyalty, serving as the steady ship they need to ride the waves.
In this article, Michael Jaszczyk is CEO of GK Software USA, outlines how a great POS system, dynamic pricing, and personalized offers can make the difference for Convenience Retailers to regain customer confidence and build loyalty.
New Report from Coresight: The Pathway to Profitability for US Brands and Retailers
In this new report from Coresight Research Unlocking Success: The Pathway to Profitability for US Brands and Retailers, retailers and brands cite issues with maximizing profitability that reflect significant misalignments between what companies are investing in versus the biggest issues they are facing.
The report highlights the urgent need for AI-driven technology to help brands and retailers optimize operations and align investments with profitability goals. 87% of retailers and 95% of brands reportedly agree that technology is critical, and this study explores strategies to maintain efficient operations in a rapidly evolving market.
Accor Drives Unprecedented Growth and Record Performance in New Signings
On new signings, Accor achieved record performance last year, setting the stage for further expansion in 2025. In 2024, Accor expanded its portfolio with the opening of 293 hotels and resorts, adding 50,000 rooms.
Growing trends such as conscious travel, leisure, and gig tripping present significant growth opportunities. 58% of Accor’s new hotel projects in 2024 were conversions with brands like Emblems, MGallery, Mondrian, Handwritten Collection, Mercure, and TRIBE leading the way.
Careit Surpasses 130 Million Pounds of Surplus Food Rescued Distributed to Nonprofits Across the United States
In the United States, 31% of all food goes unsold or uneaten — and most of that goes to waste. According to ReFed, only 12% of the 14.5 million tons that could be donated actually does get donated. New food tech startup Careit is helping to close the gap in the fight against food waste by surpassing 130 million pounds of surplus food rescued and donated to nonprofits across the U.S. since it’s national launch in 2023.
Careit has worked diligently over the past few years to reduce food waste, and its food donation app has provided 108 million meals worth $260 million to feed those in need. Read the full press release here to learn why this matters for the restaurant business, the milestone just achieved in food donation, and the potential impact Careit is having on customer loyalty.
Coors Light Turns Obstructed Views into Chill Brews for Baseball Home Openers
Coors is making the fan experience better for Major League Baseball fans as they attend opening day games around the US. Through its Obstructed Brews campaign, Coors is transforming a subpar seating view into free beer in just a few easy steps.
Fans with an obstructed view can visit ObstructedBrews.com and take a picture of whatever’s blocking their prime baseball-watching experience. After uploading the photo, Coors Light’s AI-powered system goes to work and If the seat is deemed “less-than-chill,” they make it up to you with a Coors Light. Talk about improving CX!
UK consultancy market needs empathy injection to combat shrinking revenues
Recent analysis from Source Global Research suggests that the UK consulting market saw a 3.4% contraction over the last year, the first fall since the pandemic. This threatens many large firms, who have committed to huge hiring campaigns in the past in anticipation of further growth in demand, only to undergo regularly reported layoff campaigns in a bid to maintain partner profits.
The report advocates for “Quality over quality” is key, especially when it comes to businesses looking for an effective consultancy to boost their business. “A change in approach to how consultancies operate is needed to ensure growth back to the sector. Many smaller firms are already ahead of the curve; their size and agility mean they are less burdened with bureaucracy and can adapt quickly to both changing markets and fitting solutions directly to their client. Leading with cost-effective, best-for-business solutions is the key to bringing back revenue, not just for 2025 but in years to come.”
AI challenges 61% of agency professionals, global survey reveals
With 61% of agency graphic professionals feeling that AI poses a significant or moderate threat to their teams’ roles, there is a real need to address the rapidly changing landscape to secure the future of human-centric design.
In its newly published Agency Guide, CHILI Publish looks at some of the key challenges agencies are facing in an ever-changing environment where automation and AI are driving significant changes. It provides information on how agencies can take the first steps to adapt to this new normal and offers actionable insights into design and technology, highlighting how their symbiotic relationship can have transformative effects. Read the report here.
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