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Highlights from today’s newsletter:
🎯 Exclusive insights from SXSW London and Shoptalk Europe 2025
🔍 Have Google’s AI Overview ranking factors been revealed?
📱 Unilever’s data-driven, social-first future With Ryu Yokoi

EDITOR’S PICK

The ClickZ team touched down in two cities this week — and we came back with fresh takes worth your scroll.

From the boldest brand moments at Shoptalk Europe to the emotion-led creativity on display at SXSW London, our editors were on the ground to spot the ideas shaping marketing’s next chapter.

Catch the highlights in our two dedicated event publications:

👉 Unofficially SXSW
👉 Unofficially Shoptalk

Here are two of many exclusive insights from the week 👇

#EXCLUSIVE EVENT INSIGHTS

How HOKA Took Flight: Nicolas Mermoud on Building a Brand That Moves Differently

What happens when a mountain guide reinvents the running shoe from the ground up — and then refuses to follow the industry playbook?

At Shoptalk Europe, HOKA co-founder Nicolas Mermoud shared how a downhill disaster sparked a billion-dollar brand built on feel, not flash. From maximal foam to zero ad spend, HOKA’s breakout was about propulsion, emotion, and trusting what runners feel before they explain it.

This was a case study in how breaking category logic can build not just fans, but brand believers.

READ THE FULL INSIGHTS HERE

#EXCLUSIVE EVENT INSIGHTS

Canva’s Experiential Edge: How Jimmy Knowles Is Rewriting the Brand Playbook with Emotion, Local Culture, and AI

At SXSW London, Canva’s Global Head of Experiential Jimmy Knowles made it clear: events aren’t campaigns — they’re catalysts.

Instead of sticking to expo norms, Canva staged a local takeover that felt more like a block party than a product demo. From print-your-own kits to creator collabs in Shoreditch, this was brand presence redefined.

The secret? Global brand structure, local soul — with AI powering the engine quietly in the background. The result: a model for B2B brands chasing lasting memory.

READ THE FULL INSIGHTS HERE

WHAT WE ARE READING

How AI Is Upending Marketing

AI is transforming marketing by enabling small and midsize businesses to create ads with minimal budgets, thanks to tools from companies like Meta and Google that automate ad creation, targeting, and personalization. 

This shift could impact the balance of control within the advertising industry, as brands weigh the benefits of AI-generated content against potential loss of creative oversight.

Unilever’s Data-Driven, Social-First Future With Ryu Yokoi

Unilever is transitioning to a data-driven, socially-focused marketing model, leveraging consumer insights, creators, and eCommerce for a competitive edge.

This shift emphasizes the importance of agility, omnichannel integration, and trust-building with consumers.

By integrating media signals with marketing strategies, Unilever adapts to rapid market changes and retail media platforms like Walmart and Amazon, aligning digital practices with consumer expectations.

AEO—Everything Marketers Need to Know About AI Search

Ad agencies are adapting their websites for AI search visibility through Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), crucial for maintaining online relevance in the AI era.

AEO is essential as AI search reshapes how consumers find information, requiring marketers to prepare for changes.

EXCLUSIVE INSIGHTS FROM CLICKZ

💭Insights from Kate Hurrell (Victoria Beckham)