1. With legacy PR platforms often catering to large enterprises, how are emerging solutions addressing the needs of startups and small businesses?

Legacy PR platforms have traditionally catered to and been priced for PR agencies and in-house communications teams. The result of this is that it’s been almost impossible for companies to tell their own story to the press without using a firm or having an in-house team. This has consolidated distribution power in the hands of PR agencies and the software companies as opposed to founders and executive teams. This ‘pay to play’ mentality has soured a lot of people to the PR industry.

Press Ranger is changing all of this by removing the cost and knowledge barriers to running your own PR campaigns. By making PR tools accessible to everyone, Press Ranger levels the playing field and makes it easier for everyone to tell their own story.

Legacy PR software tools have also been slow to adapt to the changing AI landscape and integrate newer technologies. By operating a smaller team and focusing on innovation and solving our customer’s problems, Press Ranger has been able to give the megaphone back to more than 10,000 businesses with a set of new, cutting edge tools in the PR landscape.

2. What benefits do the Integration of CRM systems with PR platforms bring to managing media relationships and tracking engagement?

If it can’t be measured, it’s not worth doing. Tracking outreach, distribution, mentions, and attribution are all critical parts of any digital marketing strategy. PR campaigns are no different but the PR industry is extremely relationship driven. Every founder should be reaching out to the top journalists in their niche, building rapport, and pitching stories at all times. Those relationships are the difference between success and failure when it comes to launching new products and driving news cycles.

CRMs are the glue that holds campaigns and relationships together. Using a CRM for your outreach campaigns is integral to measuring and achieving success.

3. What role do podcasts and audio media play in PR strategies in modern media outreach?

Podcasts and audio media have become essential components of modern PR strategies for several reasons:

They offer exceptional audience engagement. Podcast listeners typically consume content for extended periods (often 30+ minutes) and with high attention levels, creating deeper connection opportunities than many text or video formats. This builds trust and credibility that can transfer to featured brands and spokespersons.

From a practical standpoint, podcasts often present lower barriers to entry than traditional media. Many podcast hosts welcome guest experts and are more accessible than journalists at established publications, making them ideal targets for startups and smaller businesses with limited PR resources.

Podcast appearances generate versatile content that can be repurposed across multiple channels. A single interview can be clipped for social media, transcribed for blog content, quoted in newsletters, and featured in email marketing, extending the impact of a single media placement.

Podcasts can also be extremely helpful for SEO. In the age of AI, the more surface areas your company shows up the better. Press Ranger is one of the only press release distribution services that automatically transcribes your press releases to audio and distributes them to YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. 

4. With the rise of affordable, user-friendly PR tools, what implications does this have for the future role of traditional PR agencies?

While new tools like Press Ranger are changing the PR landscape, PR agencies still play an extremely important role and will continue to for quite some time. Just because a tool is available or more accessible does not mean that everyone has the time, skillset, and desire to dive in. Businesses without PR as a core competency will still benefit from using PR agencies especially in specialized niches, geographies, and contexts where an expert is needed.

No software is “set it and forget it” and while tools like Press Ranger make the campaign process easy, PR agents still can add value via creative ideation, strategic counsel, crisis management, etc.

5. How can companies effectively tailor their messaging for diverse global audiences with access to international journalist databases?

Cultural contextualization is everything. Running PR campaigns in geographies where you’re not familiar with the customs can have disastrous consequences. Companies should research how their industry, products, and messaging concepts are perceived in target markets. This includes understanding local business practices, cultural values, and communication norms that influence how news is covered and consumed.

Localization goes beyond translation. Effective international PR adapts stories to highlight aspects most relevant to each market, references regional trends or challenges, and connects to local events or priorities rather than simply translating standard global messaging.

Relationship building remains essential despite technological access. Companies should invest time in understanding the media landscape in each target market—identifying influential publications, respected journalists, and preferred communication styles before reaching out through databases.

6. How should PR professionals adapt to changes in media consumption and journalist engagement?

First, content formats are evolving beyond traditional press releases. Campaigns should now have content strategies that include visual assets, video, infographics, audio, and social media-ready content that journalists can easily repurpose for digital audiences.

Second, relationship building requires more personalization and value exchange. With journalists receiving hundreds of pitches daily, PR professionals must develop genuine relationships by demonstrating deep understanding of a journalist's beat, providing exclusive insights or data, and helping them create compelling content—not just promoting company news.

Third, storytelling approaches need adaptation for fragmented attention spans. PR professionals should lead with clear, concise impact statements rather than corporate messaging, focusing on authentic human interest angles and unexpected perspectives that capture attention in crowded information environments.

Fourth, measurement focus should shift from quantity to quality and engagement. Rather than counting clips or calculating advertising equivalency, PR effectiveness should be measured through metrics like audience engagement, message pull-through, referral traffic, and contribution to business objectives.

Finally, PR professionals must develop cross-platform competency. Understanding how stories flow across traditional media, social platforms, podcasts, newsletters, and other channels and how to optimize content for each is essential for maximizing reach and impact in today's fragmented media landscape.

1. In what ways can aspirational survey insights complement behavioral data to improve the effectiveness of AI-powered marketing campaigns?

Intention + action = marketing gold. What people say they want to do and what people actually do doesn’t always match up, and that’s where the opportunity lies. Our survey data asks a very hopeful question – where would you spend your free time or extra money. That gets people in their most optimistic state. Our behavioral data reports on what people actually do with their free time or extra money. That provides a look at people in their most realistic state. Analyzing the gaps and overlaps between the two data sources with ML and AI leads us to sharper insights and better creative ideas. 

2. What challenges might arise when combining AI-generated content with behavioral intelligence, and how can they be mitigated?

We believe that RYA makes our creative humans better, rather than serving as a substitute for them. With so much data at hand we sometimes over-rely on the numbers and forget about innate human qualities that make something better  – taste, nuance, and understanding of the variety of organizational, political, and cultural landscapes. It’s essential to not let AI take complete control. At this point in the evolution of AI content, humans still own the overall craft of what makes them professionals: produce the narrative, act on the insights, and explain the "why" behind their work.

3. What measures are essential to ensure consumer data privacy and compliance when utilizing behavioral data in AI-driven marketing? 

For advertisers and marketers, the combination of AI and BI comes with new opportunities and responsibilities. On one hand, we can craft more meaningful, timely experiences that drive deeper engagement and loyalty. On the other hand, we need to think critically about data ethics, consent, and transparency. Just because we can personalize down to the individual level doesn’t always mean we should – at least not without a clear value exchange and trust built with the audience. We continually align with privacy regulations and design strategies that put the consumer first – because the future of personalized marketing will belong to brands that are not only smart, but also respectful and human in their approach. This means, collect only what’s necessary and be clear about how the data will be used, ensure consumers have a clear, easy way to opt in and out while controlling their data preferences, and build internal guidelines to prevent bias and ensure AI decisions align with brand values.

4. How can small to mid-sized enterprises leverage such advanced AI-driven marketing tools to compete with larger organizations? 

The advance of AI-driven tools means a greater parity across marketing organizations, regardless of headcount, budgets, or industry. Previously, only Fortune 500 brands, and usually those in the consumer space, were known for highly creative and bold campaigns. Those companies were able to take risks and reap the rewards because of their large budgets and ability to test-and-learn into success. We have created RYA to allow any company to think boldly without the need to find their way over time. Using our proprietary audience data, RYA can generate insights on any audience (down to 0.25% of the US population) and then develop ideas that will resonate with that audience. We’ve seen RYA generate compelling ideas for new startups and for established Fortune 50 companies.

5. What metrics should be used to evaluate the success of marketing campaigns developed through the integration of AI and consumer behavioral data? 

The first way to know if a marketing campaign is successful is if it drives business results – awareness, consideration, purchase, loyalty, and so on. That is true for a campaign generated completely by humans or completely through AI. If it doesn’t change consumer behavior then it isn’t successful. Where AI tools like RYA help is through efficiency and effectiveness. RYA helps marketers go faster, cutting time spent on developing strategies and ideas by about 97%. RYA helps marketers think more broadly by generating ideas spanning 180 genres and finding new ways to engage a customer.  

6. How do you foresee the evolution of AI and behavioral data integration shaping the future of personalized marketing?

Just because we can do something doesn’t mean that we should. This is true for using AI to get to precise personalized marketing. Blending AI and behavioral data means we can get to near-infinite levels of personalization in the near future. But that could easily violate the trust brands have with their customers. Instead, we should use data to make people feel a part of something – attract them to content and experiences that we know they’ll love, interact digitally or in real life with people like them, make sure brands are additive and not interruptive. 

1.In what ways is your organization enhancing the perceived value of your health and wellness offerings to meet evolving consumer expectations?

At 5WPR, we’ve always understood that value isn’t just transactional, it’s experiential. Today’s health-conscious consumers expect more than products; they’re looking for purpose, transparency, and authenticity. Our expanded digital services are designed to meet those expectations by amplifying brand narratives through performance-based strategies. Whether it's personalized content, community-building on social platforms, or seamless e-commerce experiences, we help brands show up in ways that are not only valuable but also deeply resonant.

2. What measures are being taken to ensure that your marketing messages resonate with health-conscious consumers?

We’re taking a precision-driven approach to message development. Through a blend of data analytics, social listening, and audience segmentation, we’re able to understand not just what consumers want but why they want it. This insight allows us to craft messaging that speaks to individual values and lifestyles. Pair that with influencer partnerships and real-time engagement strategies, and we’re able to build credibility and trust in a way that feels personal and timely.

3. What innovative approaches are being implemented to differentiate your agency in the crowded health and wellness marketplace?

Differentiation in this space is rooted in relevance. We’ve integrated advanced SEO, paid media, and e-commerce optimization into our digital marketing and PR offering to ensure our clients are not only found but chosen. We’re also exploring immersive content experiences, like AR product trials and interactive education platforms, to break through the noise. What truly sets us apart is our ability to unite content and performance marketing in a way that builds both brand equity and measurable results.

4. What operational changes are being considered to accommodate the growing demand for health and wellness products without compromising quality and efficiency?

On our side, it’s about operational agility and cross-functional collaboration. We’ve scaled our digital teams to move faster but also smarter, with specialized roles in data science, creative production, and media buying. For our clients, we’re advising on integrated tech stacks that support growth, such as CRM optimization and automated consumer journey mapping, so their operations scale in step with demand without sacrificing the human touch.

5. What long-term strategies are in place to ensure sustained growth in a market where health and wellness are becoming central to consumer lifestyles?

Longevity in this space hinges on adaptability and consumer intimacy. Our long-term strategies focus on building Experience Brands, brands that adapt continuously to the evolving needs of their communities. This includes long-tail content strategies, ongoing performance optimization, and layered storytelling across channels. We’re not just thinking in campaigns, we’re building ecosystems that drive loyalty, advocacy, and cultural relevance.

6. How is your organization preparing for potential shifts in consumer behavior that may further influence the health and wellness industry?

We’re preparing by staying future-focused and insight-led. Our teams actively track behavioral signals, emerging platforms, and cultural movements to stay ahead of the curve. Whether it’s the rise of digital wellness, bio-individuality in nutrition, or increased demand for ethical sourcing, we’re building agile digital marketing health & wellness frameworks that allow our clients to pivot quickly and lead confidently into the next wave of wellness innovation.

1. How do you ensure seamless integration of CRM and marketing automation systems to support clients’ revenue operations?

We start by aligning systems with business outcomes. Integration isn’t just about syncing data—it’s about ensuring marketing, sales, and customer success have a single source of truth and shared processes. We take a diagnostic approach upfront to map out gaps, then implement scalable architectures that support revenue growth. Our team ensures that workflows, data hygiene, and reporting infrastructure work in concert so clients can act in real time, not react after the fact.

2. What challenges are commonly encountered during large-scale enterprise migrations and how are they addressed?

Legacy data, fragmented tech stacks, and change resistance are the usual suspects. Many organizations underestimate the complexity of migrating years of data and business logic. We mitigate risk by breaking down migrations into phased roadmaps with clear accountability. Governance, QA, and stakeholder buy-in are baked into the process. We’ve done enough of these to know that success hinges more on communication and planning than on code.

3. How do you measure the success of implemented automation solutions in terms of client ROI?

We tie automation to outcomes, not activity. That means tracking improvements in pipeline velocity, lead quality, customer retention, and cost per acquisition. We set up performance dashboards so clients can see real-time metrics tied to business KPIs. Success is when marketing stops being a cost center and starts being a revenue driver. And when that happens, it’s not about just ROI—it’s about long-term value creation.

4. What are the key performance benchmarks required to attain and maintain Platinum-tier status?

It comes down to delivering consistent results at scale. Platinum status isn’t just about volume—it reflects our ability to drive enterprise-level impact through technical implementation, strategic consulting, and measurable outcomes. We’ve built long-term client relationships by not chasing quick wins, but by solving complex problems that matter to the business. That’s what gets recognized.

5. What plans are in place to further expand expertise in enterprise CRM and marketing automation migrations?

We’re doubling down on cross-platform fluency and building out more repeatable frameworks. While HubSpot is a core partner, many of our enterprise clients operate hybrid environments. We’re investing in our nearshore delivery model and training programs so we can scale efficiently and continue to deliver speed, quality, and cost-effectiveness. The market’s evolving fast—our team is built to evolve faster.

6. How does the recognition from HubSpot influence your company’s market positioning and client acquisition?

It reinforces what we’ve been doing for years—solving hard problems and delivering outcomes. Being recognized by HubSpot sends a strong signal to the market that we’re not just a vendor—we’re a strategic partner who can scale with you. It strengthens our credibility, expands our visibility, and gives clients added confidence that they’re working with a team that knows how to deliver, especially when it counts.

1. How do behavior-driven incentives improve customer loyalty compared to traditional points-based systems? 

Traditional points programs often ask customers to wait and build up points, track balances, and figure out when and how to redeem. It’s not always intuitive, and it doesn’t always feel rewarding in the moment. Behavior-driven incentives flip that model by responding to what customers are doing right now. If someone makes a repeat purchase, refers a friend or downloads an app, they can receive a reward almost instantly. This immediate reinforcement for desired behaviors is incredibly effective in driving engagement, brand loyalty and repeat behaviors in addition to streamlining operating and marketing costs. 

Today’s technology makes this approach painless and more relevant than ever. APIs and embedded reward solutions allow brands to deliver rewards frequently and at just the right moment, across any channel. Whether it’s a digital gift card delivered immediately after a purchase or a reward for completing a survey, these interactions feel seamless. Behavior-based incentives are not only more engaging than traditional points-based systems, they also give businesses valuable data to better understand what drives customers. This data provides unique insights into each customer as it analyzes which incentives are most used, how they are redeemed and so forth—leading to more personalized and powerful future marketing efforts. Add in robust data analytics and AI that BHN and Exchange Solutions bring to the table together, and you have a robust engine to drive behavior and sales. The end result is a more dynamic, personalized, loyalty strategy that keeps people coming back.

2. How does this collaboration help brands deliver omnichannel loyalty experiences across digital touchpoints?

At its core, this partnership between Blackhawk Network (BHN) and Exchange Solutions equips businesses to deliver connected, omnichannel loyalty experiences that keep customers coming back.

Our collaboration helps businesses enhance customer engagement strategies and relationships via tech-integrated loyalty programs and rewards—featuring smart solutions that help make loyalty more valuable for businesses and consumers alike. Pairing our collective expansive rewards network and powerful digital loyalty technology, we’re helping businesses custom-tailor their marketing efforts by leveraging available data to deliver consistent, personalized experiences across every channel. In addition, we make storing and accessing store rewards in the moment seamless to customers with our omni-wallet solution.

Whether a customer shops in-store, online or through an app, their omnichannel activities and brand engagements should feel worthwhile and meaningful. That’s where our partnership comes in. With real-time data and our digital solutions, brands can offer tailored incentives (e.g., physical or digital gift cards) and customized marketing promotions based on how, when and where consumers are engaging. These data-backed solutions can be applied for a variety of activities like taking advantage of promotions, providing an online review, referring a friend, or hitting a spending milestone. Timely, personalized incentives and rewards go a long way in turning everyday interactions into lasting loyalty. And on the backend, it’s just as seamless. The solution is scalable, fast to implement and doesn’t demand major, often expensive, IT resources. That means brands can focus more on engaging customers and less on backend logistics—providing a true win-win for brands and their customers.

3. What are the key factors in creating a frictionless and rewarding loyalty experience for consumers? 

A few factors matter most: Personalization, ease of use and speed.

Rewards must be relevant and personalized to be optimally effective. Consumers expect loyalty experiences to reflect their behavior and preferences, and the technology exists today to ensure each customer has their own personal brand connections. When brands use real-time data to hyper-personalize their marketing efforts and predict future customer behavior, loyalty programs are more tailored and rewarding for everyone involved. Brands that make people feel seen and appreciated as individuals are much more likely to drive loyalty over time. 

Loyalty programs also need to be simple. If earning or redeeming rewards is complicated or slow, consumers lose interest. Friction in the process—like clunky sign-ups, limited reward options or confusing redemption steps—drives people away and onto the doorsteps of your competitors. Conversely, smooth omnichannel experiences that meet people where they are can drive repeated, ongoing interactions and lasting brand loyalty.

Lastly, rewards should be delivered quickly. Consumers want to see value soon after they take action as well as before they make a purchase. A rapid reward loop—where customers can earn and redeem rewards in a short time frame (also known as “earn and burn”)—is a successful strategy to keep them interested and coming back while also positioning your brand top of mind. Our collective data analytics, promotional engine and AI speaks to customers wherever they are in their journey. Thanks to modern marketing technologies, offering frictionless omnichannel experiences is painless and cost-effective. 

4. How can businesses use loyalty programs as a tool for long-term customer retention rather than short-term rewards? 

Loyalty programs work best when they’re built to drive customer connection, not conversion—experiences vs. transactions. Instead of offering shortsighted rewards and incentives like a one-time discount, businesses can leverage rewards to create intentional, ongoing touchpoints. Our research  has consistently found that reward-based promotions that are custom-designed and personalized significantly outperform discounts and other short-term rewards. 

Here's why: One-time (often discount-based) promotions don’t encourage future or follow-up behaviors from your customers. Yet it’s these long-term behaviors that build long-term brand loyalty, affinity and engagement. Reward-based promotions—especially those that are custom-tailored—optimize your marketing spend through repeat sales and customer engagements. 

This kind of approach simply makes better business sense—especially since modern marketing technologies offer data on customer behavior over time that informs which rewards will resonate most. Rather than giving away margin through blanket promotions, brands can use personalized rewards to drive better loyalty that actually grows the bottom line. Our research1 uncovered that businesses that offer reward-based promotions have reported experiencing massive cross- and up-sell revenue, increases in annual revenue, year-over-year improvements in customer lifetime value (CLV) and higher average profit margins per customer. Smarter, long-term marketing strategies that encourage repeat touchpoints are demonstrably better at driving customer loyalty.

5. How do gift cards and alternative payment solutions integrate into next-gen loyalty strategies?

Prepaid and gift cards are consistently among consumers’ most desired rewards across a spectrum of use cases and applications—and it makes perfect sense. They’re accessible no matter where customers are (in-store, online, in-app), easy to disburse in a variety of forms (e.g., physical or digital cards), offer expansive choice via the brands and networks featured on the cards, can be delivered almost instantly digitally and are widely accepted as payment tools. For loyalty programs looking for flexibility and scale, prepaid and gift card rewards are a perfect fit, as fulfillment isn’t one-size-fits-all and brands only need to pay for what they need (eliminating excess inventory from sitting around idle). 

In a world where cash is still king, stored value and gift cards provide a unique alternative to cashback or credit to account where there is no cost reduction and often no overspend.

Further, many prepaid and gift cards can be customized to include branding features like branding and personalization for individual customers as well as pre-scheduled delivery. This added touch helps drive loyalty not only by creating a halo effect where consumers are reminded and feel positively toward the brand that issued the reward, but because recipients also feel seen and appreciated as individuals as opposed to faceless shoppers. 

6. What industries stand to benefit the most from this new approach to loyalty program innovation?

Tech-informed marketing and customer loyalty strategies are relevant across countless industries—and through this partnership, industries like retail, travel, grocery, healthcare, fuel and C-store and automotive are particularly poised for success. These modernized, data-informed and flexible loyalty strategies offer no shortage of applications as delivering positive brand experiences becomes increasingly important in nurturing loyalty.

With BHN’s loyalty solutions, businesses can get deeper insights into how their customers spend and what drives them to come back. That data allows them to create more relevant rewards, increase repeat visits and boost average order value. For industries where loyalty can shift quickly, a smarter and more modern rewards and incentives approach like the ones we power can make all the difference. 

1. How do leadership transitions impact corporate culture and long-term business vision?

Leadership transitions are pivotal moments that can either reinforce or redefine a company’s culture and strategic direction. The right leadership shift aligns teams with a clear vision, accelerates decision-making, and fosters innovation. When handled effectively, transitions drive renewed energy, stronger execution, and deeper market alignment, helping businesses remain agile and competitive in the long term. Good leaders prepare their company for what is hidden around the next corner and embrace it with enthusiasm that is contagious, setting the tone for everyone to follow. 

2. How can leadership changes create new opportunities for partnership ecosystems and customer engagement?

New leadership brings fresh perspectives, refined strategies, and expanded networks—all of which can open up new pathways to create GTM strategy and deepen relationships. Often it also means a willingness to challenge the status quo and innovate in a new/different fashion. A willingness to question everything brings opportunity to realign priorities, introduce new business models, and leverage emerging market trends. And when you pair this with truly listening to customers, it helps build stronger collaborations and more impactful results and outcomes for customers. 

3. How can organizations future-proof their partner ecosystems through innovative technology solutions?

This is such an interesting question, especially with how quickly things have been changing in the market. Whatever assumptions people thought partner models would be, I hope has shifted in the last 12 months. The resilient partner model is built around aligned partner and GTM strategy. Companies need to look beyond a “portal” —way beyond, really. Driving multi-party collaboration in real-time is an example. Sure, you can wait for a partner to request a quote, respond, go back and forth, and then create an offer. The future-proof solution for business allows for a secure model of collaboration in real-time. It is also driven by SecureAI that ensures boundaries of data in partner ecosystems while orchestrating the business enablement. Working seamlessly with distribution and transitioning to hyperscalers with offers that are agile and ready in minutes, not days. Real solutions integrate, automate processes, enhance visibility, and drive partner performance. Investing in integrated PRM platforms, predictive analytics, and seamless automation allows partners to stay competitive while continuously adapting to market shifts. The key is guaranteeing partners have the tools, insights, and support at their desktop to drive sustained revenue growth. 

For example, a partnership between Impartner, Microsoft, Partner1, and Vodafone used AI to improve autonomy, cutting time to market by 87% and boosting throughput by 30%. This collaboration exemplifies how AI and ecosystem-based platforms can enhance operational agility and quicken the innovation cycle, facilitating faster time-to-market for businesses.

4. What challenges do businesses face when integrating new technologies into existing partner networks?

The biggest challenges lie in enablement, alignment, adoption, and scalability. Training internal resources is hard enough, let alone external resources that represent various solutions. No matter the approach it has to provide value to them. Many partner networks operate with legacy systems and fragmented data, making seamless integration a complex process. Asking partners to jump between various systems and repeat work is archaic and frustrating. Resistance to change, lack of training, and inconsistent partner engagement can further slow adoption. Bringing to light things the partner did not know or see adds value. Demonstrating additional revenue opportunities and showing what they’re missing in the sales process bolsters trust, increases revenue and drives growth for everyone. Many companies never achieve this level of relationship due to lack of commitment, integration or willingness to invest properly in partnership models. A bit surprising given the leading, most successful companies across the globe thrive on partnership models.  

5. How do you differentiate yourself in the evolving partner relationship management (PRM) space?

True differentiation comes from getting into the details and depth of process integration. We often hear about where other systems and platforms that claim to be a “PRM” fall short. Partnerships are not just a few metrics and KPI’s. They are a series of events that are tightly coordinated to deliver measurable value. It’s not just about managing partners—it’s about optimizing their success. The PRM space is evolving, and leaders stand out by offering AI-powered opportunity, automation, and a seamless partner experience that directly drives revenue. Success in PRM means removing friction, driving engagement, and continuously innovating to stay ahead of customer expectations. 

6. How will the leadership shifts enhance the company’s technology roadmap?

Through active listening and being in front of leading companies, we are reshaping the technology vision of the industry. The public will be astounded to see what we enable in a new era of partner collaboration. We have a very clear understanding of what we are and are not, and our focus is sharper than ever. We’re focusing on working with those ready to lead and grow in complex, hyperscaler, and multi-partner environments. Companies in fintech, manufacturing, and technology are investing in leadership—or struggling to keep up. You can tell the difference by considering the distribution strategy and number of partners collaborating on opportunities. We aim to work with those who understand the value of experience-driven sales, not those who just throw portals on the web and expect businesses to come to them. Some CRM platforms try to be everything to everyone, but the reality is that the world doesn't work that way. It's important to have the right tools for the job and leverage analytics to understand what changes are needed. With revenue coming from various transaction models, it's essential to have a system in place that allows for effective evaluation and collaboration. At Impartner, we’re redefining partner ecosystems by driving innovation, automation, and seamless collaboration to help companies lead, not just adapt.

1. What are the key features of RCS that enable more interactive and personalized customer engagements in mobile commerce?

RCS enables more interactive and dynamic experiences in many ways including:

1) A branded thread: all messages are sent from a verified thread with the  brand’s name and logo. RCS effectively pre-loads a brand’s contact card or profile into the messaging app; building immediate visual trust with the recipient. The days of needing to download a contact card are over. 

2) Interactive features like suggested replies and actions can enable conversations between brands and consumers as they shop at scale.

3) Rich media (carousels, videos, pdfs, files etc) give marketers exciting new options to engage with customers.

Today all marketing messages include a link sending users to the website to shop. The most critical part of the online shopping experience happens on the website, but websites are very hard to personalize. RCS's rich capabilities enable bringing shopping into messaging, extending the personalized experience through the entire journey. But RCS alone will not drive performance. Combined with AI, RCS Business Messaging creates a new interface of mobile commerce and communication where messages can now be personalized to every individual consumer's needs.

2.  In what ways can brands utilize RCS to create richer, app-like experiences within messaging platforms? ​

RCS can help create personalized shopping experiences along every path of the journey: from discovery, preference collection, understanding customers are shopping for, browsing, cart management and checkout in the messaging app directly.

Using a product drop campaign as an example, brands can now leverage carousels to highlight new products and identify customer preferences using suggested replies / actions.

Brands can also leverage functionality like RCS videos to highlight educational content, brand partnerships / collaborations and more!

3. What role does RCS play in the broader context of omnichannel marketing and customer communication?

RCS levels the playing field between text and other marketing channels, that are all media rich and more interactive.

Text has historically been the channel to unlock 1:1 personalization at scale, but SMS / MMS capabilities have always been limited to text and small images (<500KB). RCS enables sending media up to 100MB in size enhancing the text exchange from a stale, black & white experience, to multi-color full HD interactions aligning with other channels (i.e. email, social).

RCS also has the potential to unlock two-way messaging at scale, with suggested replies substituting typing for tapping. Given the real time nature of text, this would be much more difficult to enable on other marketing channels.

4. What metrics should brands focus on to measure the success of their RCS-based campaigns?

In our latest consumer survey, 90% of consumers said that they are more likely to make a purchase when interacting with a brand using at least one RCS feature. This can lead to higher response and conversion rates, reduced cart abandonment, and improved post-purchase experiences that build loyalty and ultimately higher revenue.

Attentive customers generated $29 billion in revenue last year alone, and on average they experience more than 2x return on investment with our AI-driven platform. We strongly believe, and early testing results confirm, that RCS Business Messaging will supercharge those results.

5. How does the integration of multimedia elements in RCS messages impact customer engagement and conversion rates?

We strongly believe that performance gains will be driven by unlocking more personalization using RCS rich media capabilities, and we are still in very early days of testing to determine the impact.

Many consumers have a higher affinity for rich media and consume content through videos, carousels etc already. Some people are heavy instagram users, others are heavy X users. RCS will finally enable catering to the former audience using the text channel.

6. How the evolution of RCS impacts the future development of mobile messaging standards and consumer expectations?

Currently, mobile messaging capabilities in the U.S. are trailing the experiences available in Asian markets facilitating shopping in messaging. RCS is a major step forward that will enable us to get closer to that experience. RCS is the next global standard for SMS and MMS, and as the only marketing company on the CTIA board, Attentive is playing a key role shaping the future of RCS alongside Google and major carriers. We’re thrilled to be in this unique leadership position to help our customers operate at the forefront of this exciting new technology. As our CEO Amit Jhawar said at our launch, "Attentive isn’t waiting for the future—we’re building it."

1. What are the key challenges in scaling a digital marketing agency across multiple markets, and how does this collaboration address them? 

Scaling across geographies is never just a plug-and-play. You’re dealing with different consumer behaviors, varied platform preferences, and, of course, cultural nuances that can make or break a campaign. One of the biggest challenges is building localized expertise while maintaining a unified brand promise. This collaboration helps bridge that exact gap—by pooling together regional strengths, talent, and tech stacks, we’re able to offer clients global consistency with local relevance. It’s scale with soul.

2. How will this merger help both companies strengthen their regional and global footprint in digital advertising? 

This merger is about synergy. We’re combining complementary strengths AdLift’s performance marketing and SEO DNA with Liqvd Asia’s creative and digital storytelling muscle. Regionally, it gives us deeper roots in India and Southeast Asia. Globally, it positions us as a stronger player with full-funnel capabilities. We’re now equipped to serve global brands looking for both depth and breadth across markets.

3. How do AI and automation factor into the next wave of digital marketing innovation? 

AI and automation are no longer buzzwords they’re the backbone of what’s next. From predictive analytics to hyper-personalized content delivery, AI is reshaping how we target, optimize, and even create content. Automation frees up human creativity by taking over repetitive tasks think real-time bidding, A/B testing, even basic copywriting. The agencies that harness AI not just for efficiency but for insight that’s where the real innovation lies.

4. What are the biggest challenges brands face in maintaining a consistent omnichannel marketing strategy?

Consistency across channels is easy to say, hard to do. Brands often work in silos - search here, social there, CRM somewhere else. The biggest hurdle is integration of data, of messaging, and of teams. Without a unified strategy and tech stack, brands end up with fragmented journeys that confuse more than convert. That’s where agencies like ours step in—to help orchestrate a seamless, cross-channel narrative that actually performs. 

5. What role does data-driven marketing play in optimizing campaigns for performance and engagement? 

Data is your marketing GPS. Without it, you’re just guessing. But raw data isn’t enough - it’s about actionable insights. What content is driving conversions? Which channels are bleeding budget? How are micro-behaviors influencing macro trends? Data-driven marketing lets us test, learn, and adapt in real time - maximizing ROI while staying agile. In short, performance marketing without data is like cricket without stats pointless.

6. How do you see MarTech and AI-driven personalization shaping the future of digital advertising?

MarTech and AI are turning mass marketing into me marketing. The future is all about personalization at scale delivering the right message to the right person at the right time, without sounding robotic. AI can now predict intent, personalize journeys, and even adapt creatives in real time. Combined with a smart MarTech stack, this creates marketing that’s not just seen but felt. And that’s what builds lasting brand love.