Remember when "Google it" was the automatic response to any purchasing decision? Those days might be numbered. We're witnessing a fundamental shift in consumer behavior that could reshape digital marketing forever.

I recently bought a washing machine without using Google once—not for research, price comparison, or even finding the store. Instead, I turned to ChatGPT, which recommended models, found the best prices in Australia, and even searched for coupon codes. I completed the entire purchase journey without encountering a single Google ad or search result. This wasn't a conscious choice to avoid Google; it simply felt like the most efficient path.

This pattern extends beyond personal purchases into business decisions too. When evaluating technologies like digital asset management platforms, AI provides comprehensive comparisons without the need to visit multiple websites or wade through marketing fluff and questionable reviews. The implications for advertisers are enormous—where will they place ads if consumers bypass traditional search engines? Will "Large Language Model Optimization" replace SEO as companies adapt to having their products recommended by AI systems? Could ChatGPT introduce its own advertising platform?

As our behaviors continue evolving across platforms like Meta and TikTok (which some of us still regularly delete to reclaim our attention spans), the digital marketing landscape faces unprecedented disruption. The question isn't just how consumers will adapt to AI tools, but how advertising platforms will transform to reach us in this new paradigm. What do your AI-assisted purchasing journeys look like? We'd love to hear how your habits are changing too.

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

The fashion advertising landscape has been dramatically shaken by two competing denim campaigns that have captivated audiences worldwide. Our latest episode dives deep into this unexpected cultural moment, examining how American Eagle and Gap have approached selling essentially the same product with wildly different strategies—both achieving remarkable success.

American Eagle's controversial campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney centered around a clever "good genes" wordplay that sparked heated debates across social platforms. Despite (or perhaps because of) the controversy surrounding a blue-eyed blonde spokesperson making this particular joke, American Eagle saw sales surge by an impressive 10% immediately following the campaign launch. This raises fascinating questions about whether controversy might sometimes be a strategic advantage rather than a liability.

Meanwhile, Gap countered with their signature high-production music video approach featuring Cat's Eye performing to Kelis's "Milkshake" with mesmerizing choreography. The ad has proven so captivating that shoppers are literally stopping in their tracks at mall entrances to watch—a remarkable achievement in our attention-scarce world. What makes this particularly noteworthy is how it challenges current marketing wisdom. While platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have pushed brands toward raw, authentic-feeling content, Gap's polished production demonstrates that exceptionally executed creative can still outperform the homemade aesthetic when it delivers something influencers simply cannot replicate from their bedrooms.

Have you noticed these campaigns while scrolling? We'd love to hear which approach resonated more with you and why. Subscribe to Digital Horizons for more analysis of the trends reshaping marketing in real-time, and share your thoughts with us on social media!

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

Meta's Andromeda update has quietly transformed digital advertising, and marketers who haven't adapted are already falling behind. This groundbreaking AI enhancement to Meta's advantage plus ads automation function represents the culmination of Meta's staggering $65 billion investment in artificial intelligence technology.

At its core, Andromeda fundamentally changes how ads find their audience. Rather than advertisers defining demographic parameters, Meta's neural networks determine which creative assets will resonate with specific users based on their behavior, preferences, and position in the buying journey. As we discuss in this episode, this creates a dramatic shift in campaign structure - moving away from multiple segmented ad sets toward a single ad account with diverse creative that addresses different aspects of the customer journey.

The implications for brands are profound. Creative diversity becomes the central pillar of campaign success, requiring marketers to develop content addressing various information needs rather than organizing by funnel stages. Performance measurement also transforms, as users often need multiple ad exposures before converting. Early adopters report 25-30% reductions in acquisition costs, demonstrating Andromeda's powerful optimization capabilities.

This evolution aligns perfectly with changing user behavior, as people increasingly prefer consuming information within trusted platforms rather than visiting external websites. For advertisers, success now depends on in-platform storytelling and creative excellence rather than targeting expertise. Subscribe to Digital Horizons for more insights on navigating these transformative shifts in digital marketing and leveraging AI advancements for business growth.

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

Want to save hours every week on content creation, client reporting and marketing strategy? In this episode of Digital Horizons, James Walker shares how he’s using AI to automate key areas of the business, from generating social media posts to building campaign insights at scale.

Joined by Brian Hastings, they walk through three real-world AI automation projects that are already up and running inside his business.

You’ll discover:

• How to automate content creation across YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram
• A smarter way to deliver reports using Loom videos and AI-written summaries
• How AI can analyse your past campaigns, competitor data and brand content to recommend what to do next

These are not just ideas. They are working systems built using tools like n8n, ClickUp and custom AI agents. If you’re a business owner or marketer looking to implement AI into your workflow, this is a real-world look at what’s possible right now.

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

Jaguar has officially dropped its agency, Accenture Song, following a disastrous rebrand that saw global vehicle sales nearly halved. In this Brand News episode, James Walker and Brian Hastings revisit Jaguar’s bold brand pivot and break down exactly what went wrong.

We discuss:

• Why Jaguar’s rebrand campaign failed to connect
• The downfall of data-driven strategy without creative clarity
• What brands should consider before pivoting away from heritage
• How HBO Max reversed a similar misstep
• Predictions for Jaguar’s next move

This is a cautionary tale for any marketing team or agency chasing reinvention without respect for brand legacy. If you’re in branding, advertising, or creative strategy, this one is for you.

Hosted by:

James Walker – Managing Director at WHD

Brian Hastings – Managing Director at Nous

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

In this episode of Digital Horizons, James Walker (Managing Director at WHD) and Brian Hastings (Managing Director at Nous) break down how AI-generated summaries in search results are changing SEO, what it means for your business, and how you can still win in the new landscape.

We cover:

- What AI Overviews are and how they appear in search results

- Why click-through rates are plummeting

- What types of keywords are affected (and which aren’t)

- How to optimise your content for answer-driven queries

- Whether SEO is still worth the investment

- The role of local SEO and authority signals

- Real examples from clients seeing both drops and recoveries

60% of searches now result in zero clicks
47% of all Google searches are showing AI overviews

If SEO is part of your marketing strategy, this episode is essential.

Subscribe for weekly episodes on digital marketing trends, tools, and tactics for business owners, marketers, and eCommerce leaders.

Hosted by:
James Walker – Managing Director at WHD
Brian Hastings – Managing Director at Nous

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

Unilever is making a strategic shift toward influencer marketing instead of traditional advertising. This massive consumer goods company is responding to increasing consumer skepticism by collaborating with authentic voices to promote their vast range of products.

• Unilever owns countless FMCG products from personal care items to foods
• Traditional brand advertising is becoming less effective at building consumer trust
• The company is now working with influencers like Sophie Hinchcliffe to reach consumers
• This signals a major industry trend toward personalized, relatable content
• A blended approach of traditional and digital channels with user-generated content is showing good results
• Even the biggest spenders on traditional advertising are finding they need to invest more in social channels
• Brand studies are showing insufficient lift from traditional advertising alone

Thanks for tuning in to Brand News Today!

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

Think your ad campaigns are performing well? Think again. In this week’s episode of Digital Horizons, we’re uncovering 5 costly mistakes most businesses make with their Google Ads, Meta Ads, and overall digital marketing strategy—and how to fix them.

✅ Why Meta’s ASC campaigns might be inflating your results

✅ How brand search is sabotaging your ROI

✅ Why you should ignore Google reps (yes, really)

✅ The truth about ROAS and why it’s misleading

✅ Why spending too little could be your biggest problem

Whether you’re a business owner, eCommerce brand, or marketing manager, this episode will help you cut the waste and scale your ad performance profitably.

💡 We’re pulling back the curtain on agency tricks, platform manipulation, and budget traps—so you can take control of your marketing spend.

📈 Get smarter with your ads. Stop wasting money. Start seeing real results.

🎧 Subscribe to Digital Horizons for weekly insights into modern marketing and AI tools.

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous