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- The End of the Hyperlink Economy — What Future Awaits Online Advertising?
The End of the Hyperlink Economy — What Future Awaits Online Advertising?
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⚔️ Arsenal in Talks to Extend Visit Rwanda Deal
Arsenal FC is in discussions to renew its sponsorship with Visit Rwanda, which appears on the team’s shirt sleeves. The deal started in 2018 and was extended in 2021. The current contract reportedly brings around £10 million+ annually to the club. Some fans and organizations have criticized the sponsorship, raising ethical questions about Rwanda’s political record.
Why it matters: Sponsorships of this kind mix sport, branding, and geopolitics. Brands need to consider public perceptions and risk. For marketers, this signals that large clubs remain important platforms for destination, tourism, and national branding. The potential pushback highlights that brands must align commercial goals with values and stakeholder expectation. Read more.
🤖 The End of the Hyperlink Economy — What Future Awaits Online Advertising?
In a Hospitality Net opinion piece, Simone Puorto argues that the “hyperlink economy” — the web built on links, SEO, and content discovery — is eroding. With AI models, ads might be embedded directly into answers (zero-click), collapsing the funnel. For hospitality (hotels, travel) that have historically relied on search visibility, the shift is both risky and full of opportunity.
Why It Matters
Traditional SEO and link-based discovery may lose dominance. Brands must adapt to how AI surfaces content and commerce. Advertising might become more embedded, contextual, and invisible (not distinct from content). For travel and hospitality, the ability to be part of AI responses (conversational, recommendation-driven) will become a new battleground. Read more.
🎯 AsiaPac Unveils Four AI SaaS Platforms to Transform Omnichannel Marketing in Asia
AsiaPac (a marketing technology company) announced four AI-powered SaaS platforms aimed at enhancing omnichannel marketing across Asia. These platforms include:
OptAdEasy — unified ad management (real-time optimization)
KOOLER AI — KOL/influencer insights and matching
Kolsify — virtual persona creation / content generation
APHub — integration across online/offline ad placements and ad exchanges
AsiaPac claims these tools help brands manage cross-border campaigns, link digital and physical channels, and deliver precision marketing.
Why It Matters
The convergence of AI + SaaS + omnichannel means brands can operate with smarter automation across markets without building everything in-house. For marketers in Asia / Asia-Pacific, these local platforms help overcome fragmentation (different markets, regulations, languages). Competitors will increasingly use AI-powered stacks — so being slow to adopt could widen gaps. Read more.
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💡 Today’s Insight
The Retail Media Boom Forces Grocers to Reorganize
Retail media is no longer a side project for grocers — it’s becoming a core part of their business. According to Modern Retail, big chains like Kroger and Albertsons are restructuring so that ad operations, loyalty/consumer insights, and merchandising align more closely under unified leadership. Kroger merged its retail media, loyalty marketing and insights under “84.51°.” Albertsons reorganized senior roles so that advertising, digital experience, and marketing report into a single commercial officer.
Key Takeaways
Retailers must break silos: marketing, merchandising, and media can no longer operate in isolation.
Data & analytics become the glue: insights from purchase, loyalty, and campaign data must feed media decisions.
Organizational change is essential: new leadership roles and reporting lines will become standard.
For brands/marketers: relations will shift from agencies to retailers, so your ability to partner with retailer media groups will matter more.
Execution capabilities (activation, measurement, tooling) will decide winners — not just good ideas.
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