Resilient retailers in the U.K. have been striving to offset economic uncertainty, rising costs, and online competition. How have they succeeded, and what lessons are there for retailers around the world?

The Differentiation Dividend, a new white paper from Google and Kantar, set out to ask those questions and comes to a crucial conclusion: brand differentiation is the most important driver of long-term sales success, accounting for 57% of future growth. “Brand differentiation” is defined as a brand’s ability to set trends. According to Kantar’s research, this factor is the leading driver of pricing power, the ability to command higher prices based on consumer perceptions.         

This playbook reveals how brands can break down data silos, personalize marketing, and optimize loyalty programs to increase customer retention and revenue. Retailers are collecting more customer data than ever — but many fail to use it effectively. Without a clear data strategy, brands risk wasted marketing spend, missed opportunities, and customer churn.

Smart brands have employed a strategic roadmap for transforming raw data into powerful customer engagement strategies. With a blend of integrated campaigns, cross-channel personalization, and loyalty programs, brands can build stronger connections and drive measurable business impact.

54% of marketers consider personalization crucial to their website’s success, but only 5% feel their current CMS supports it effectively. This report explores the evolution of websites, revealing how global organizations are leveraging AI, personalization, and scalable CMS platforms to deliver unmatched user experiences and meet rising customer expectations.

Learn more about:

The strategic importance of websites and their direct impact on organizational revenue goals, such as traffic volume and conversion rates.

The Writer 2025 generative AI survey draws on the insights and experiences of 1,600 knowledge workers — 800 C-suite executives and 800 employees. In partnership with independent research group Workplace Intelligence, we uncovered:

What leaders are struggling with

Where they see opportunities

How employees feel about AI adoption

Take a sneak peek at some of the most eye-opening data points — and see how your company’s AI initiatives stack up.

Savvy retailers are mastering strategies for turning an ordinary in-store shopping trip into a treasure hunt. In special store sections, shoppers encounter a changing selection of unique, hard-to-find or discounted items. Now, technology is offering retailers a chance to move the treasure hunt into the digital era, creating new levels of discovery and excitement with the help of in-store retail media networks through engaging displays in the aisles of supermarkets and other retail environments. For inspiration, read “5 ways to redefine the ‘treasure hunt’ with in-store retail media,” a new guide from Quad Insights.

The popularity of learning content has risen over the last two years across social platforms. People aren’t just scrolling on social—they’re searching. From “apple puff pastry hacks” to “how to edit a video,” audiences are turning to social platforms rather than traditional search engines for answers.

In 2024, learning content outperformed platform-wide content across social video:

+47% YoY engagement growth on Instagram

The way people search has changed. More and more, audiences are turning to social platforms — not just to browse, but to learn. From beauty hacks and home improvement tips to parenting advice, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook have become go-to destinations for educational content.

In 2024, learning content outperformed platform-wide content across social video:

+47% YoY engagement growth on Instagram

Personalization isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but thanks to AI, it’s now the secret sauce for brands looking to turn customer interactions into meaningful (and profitable) connections. AI is being used for everything from code generation and big data analytics to cybersecurity threat detection. Can it also help an organization’s diverse customer-facing initiatives deliver greater business value?