Caddy Marketing and Communications, Inc. (CMAC)
@caddymarketing.bsky.social
Marketing consulting firm specializing in advertising, branding, PR and social media campaigns for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Posts by CMAC Founder and Chief Caddy @keithrpillow.
Good for them!
Retail Dive: L.L. Bean keeps opening more stores
With this year's seven new locations exceeding expectations, the outdoor retailer will add eight more in 2026 and plans at least that many in 2027.
www.retaildive.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Good for them!
Totally valid questions.
MediaPost: What Drives Brand Repositioning, And Why Do These Efforts Fail?
How can Lifesavers reinvent itself to fit changing consumer preferences? Trying to copy bestseller Nerds Gummy Clusters won't help.
www.mediapost.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Totally valid questions.
I know I am!
Marketing Brew: Amid marketing’s AI obsession, some consumers are ‘excited for reality’
To reach them, brands like Apple and Heineken are highlighting practical effects and emphasizing real connection.
www.marketingbrew.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:15 AM
I know I am!
Gee, I'm completely surprised by this! NOT...
Social Media Today: YouTube, TikTok and Instagram Remain the Top Apps for Teens
The report also looks at AI usage and how teens are using the latest chatbots.
www.socialmediatoday.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Gee, I'm completely surprised by this! NOT...
How awesome is this? 😄
Marketing Dive: Dollar Shave Club’s first AI-generated ad makes tech the punchline
As AI creative continues to draw intense consumer responses, the grooming brand is trying to thread the needle with over-the-top humor.
www.marketingdive.com
December 11, 2025 at 11:45 PM
How awesome is this? 😄
No surprise here...
Food Dive: Jack Daniel’s parent company Brown-Forman sees Canada sales plunge 62% amid boycott of US booze
Brown-Forman said fallout from the Trump Administration’s trade policies has had a “significant impact” on earnings, with the majority of retailers in the country still refusing to stock alcohol from…
www.fooddive.com
December 11, 2025 at 11:30 PM
No surprise here...
I love this.
Adweek: How Netflix Gave Brands a Pivotal Role in Stranger Things' Final Season
Netflix partnerships VP explains how the Duffer Brothers used brands to help recreate the 1980s.
www.adweek.com
December 11, 2025 at 11:15 PM
I love this.
This is one way to do it.
Retail Brew: Running out of packing space? Away has an 8-foot replica of its iconic suitcase to address the problem
As part of its “Get Away With More” holiday campaign, the retailer showed up in SoHo with a “larger-than-life” iteration of its classic suitcases.
www.retailbrew.com
December 11, 2025 at 11:00 PM
This is one way to do it.
Well, that's a great question.
Institute For PR: How Does Purpose Transform the Way People Work?
Gallup explored whether working adults feel their jobs contribute to a sense of purpose and positive impact on the world.
instituteforpr.org
December 11, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Well, that's a great question.
Short Answers: Attract/retain new audiences AND generate more revenue.
Digiday: Why publishers are flocking to Substack
The Economist, The FT, The New Yorker and others have recently launched Substack newsletters, with varying strategies to find new audiences.
digiday.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Short Answers: Attract/retain new audiences AND generate more revenue.
I've never seen this comparison before.
Spin Sucks: What Yoga Taught Me About Intentional Communications
Yoga teaches that every movement connects to the next. Travis Claytor shows how the same principle applies to communications.
spinsucks.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:15 PM
I've never seen this comparison before.
These are interesting. I wasn't aware of Ikea’s shop-in-shops at Best Buy.
Retail Dive: 5 specific retailing and shop-in-shop concepts that debuted in 2025
From shop-in-shops to formats targeting Gen Z, retailers leaned into physical retail to win over consumers this year.
www.retaildive.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:00 PM
These are interesting. I wasn't aware of Ikea’s shop-in-shops at Best Buy.
These results seem about right.
And no surprise here, but communicating with deskless employees tops the list of concerns (33%).
And no surprise here, but communicating with deskless employees tops the list of concerns (33%).
Ragan Communications: Inside the numbers of the challenges internal comms pros face
The data shows comms pros are dealing with an increasingly complex environment.
www.ragan.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:45 PM
These results seem about right.
And no surprise here, but communicating with deskless employees tops the list of concerns (33%).
And no surprise here, but communicating with deskless employees tops the list of concerns (33%).
Take advantage of the freebie!
Digiday: AdsCopilot offers agencies an AI overlay at no cost
It functions as a real-time, AI-powered assistant directly within the user's web browser, overlaying and interacting with existing ad platforms that media agencies use.
digiday.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Take advantage of the freebie!
This is interesting, as outlined by @axios.com Communicators newsletter Eleanor Hawkins.
Axios: How top companies are unifying brand and reputation
In the mind of the audience, reputation and brand are the same — with one building credibility and the other building loyalty.
www.axios.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:15 PM
This is interesting, as outlined by @axios.com Communicators newsletter Eleanor Hawkins.
Oh boy. Can't wait to see 'em. 😬
Marketing Brew: Ready or not, AI-generated ads have come to CTV
Comcast, Mntn, and other companies are building out tools that aim to make CTV advertising easier and faster.
www.marketingbrew.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Oh boy. Can't wait to see 'em. 😬
I've been beating this drum for 25+ years, and PR Daily #EIC @allisonlcarter.bsky.social nails it here. #PR pros aren't ready because they're not learning about the business world in college #PR | #journalism programs.
Ragan Communications: Communicators know business acumen matters. Most don’t feel ready
There's a sizable gap between what communicators think they should know and what they feel comfortable with.
www.ragan.com
December 11, 2025 at 8:45 PM
I've been beating this drum for 25+ years, and PR Daily #EIC @allisonlcarter.bsky.social nails it here. #PR pros aren't ready because they're not learning about the business world in college #PR | #journalism programs.
I feel this is a wonderful counter.
Digiday: Brands look to experiential marketing as antidote to AI slop, digital fatigue
In a crowded digital landscape, some brands are prioritizing experiential and IRL marketing as an antidote to 'AI slop' and digital fatigue.
digiday.com
December 11, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I feel this is a wonderful counter.
Wow. This is the first time I'm hearing about this.
MediaPost: Giant Inflatable Santa Shortage Frustrates Holiday Home Decorators
A Home Depot Facebook Group has been abuzz with discussions about where the items are and why they can't be found in stores.
www.mediapost.com
December 11, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Wow. This is the first time I'm hearing about this.
How cool is this? 😀
Digital Trends: Google’s AI mood board can now turn your idea dump into a slick presentation
Google has released a massive update for its AI-powered mood board app, Mixboard, which includes a new feature that can turn your idea dump into a crisp presentation.
www.digitaltrends.com
December 11, 2025 at 8:00 PM
How cool is this? 😀
This is great advice, especially with speaking the CFO’s language and focusing on the metrics matter to a CFO.
Content Marketing Institute: A CFO Reveals What Finance Really Wants From Marketing
Marketers who speak CFO get bigger budgets. Hint: Think revenue-generating metrics. Learn how a CFO and a CMO work together to deliver better results.
contentmarketinginstitute.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:45 PM
This is great advice, especially with speaking the CFO’s language and focusing on the metrics matter to a CFO.
I love this use of #AI.
Digiday: The Washington Post debuts AI-personalized podcasts to hook younger listeners
The Washington Post used AI to build a pick-your-own-format news podcast, letting listeners choose the topics, hosts and duration.
digiday.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:30 PM
I love this use of #AI.
She's totally right.
PRSA's PRSay Blog: Why GEO Is Just PR by Another Name
Search engine marketers are responding with a new practice called Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO. GEO refers to optimizing online content to help it appear or be cited by AI outputs like ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity.ai.
prsay.prsa.org
December 11, 2025 at 7:15 PM
She's totally right.
Hooray! Great move!
ZDNet: LinkedIn's 'verified' badge is now free for all platforms
The 'Verified on LinkedIn' program is now available to all websites and apps. Can you trust the internet again?
www.zdnet.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Hooray! Great move!
What is happening here...and at #Gannett in general?
MediaPost: USA Today EIC Caren Bohan Leaves, Second In Two Years
Just in time for the holidays, Caren Bohan has stepped down as editor in chief of USA Today after roughly 14 months in the job.
www.mediapost.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:45 PM
What is happening here...and at #Gannett in general?