Recraft Inc., the AI-powered design platform trusted by millions, has announced a $30 million Series B funding round led by Accel, with participation from Madrona Ventures and existing investors including Khosla Ventures, Nat Friedman, Elad Gil, and RTP Global. The funding coincides with the rollout of Advanced Style Creation and Controls, marking a pivotal moment in generative design where brand consistency meets creative freedom.

Highlights from Recraft’s Series B and Product Expansion

• $30 Million Series B Funding

  • Led by Accel with support from leading investors like Madrona Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and more.

  • Fuels continued R&D on the proprietary Recraft V3 model and expansion of enterprise services.

• Launch of Advanced Style Creation and Controls

  • Enables users to customize, remix, and manage brand visuals at scale.

  • Offers limitless style combinations, ranging from photorealistic to illustrative.

  • Facilitates precision image customization and control for consistent brand delivery.

• Rapid Growth and Adoption

  • Over 4 million users globally, including professionals at Amazon, NVIDIA, Salesforce, and Uber.

  • Achieved 10x growth in two years with a 700% increase in adoption year-over-year.

• The Recraft V3 Advantage

  • First-of-its-kind generative AI model offering:

    • Control over image size and text length.

    • Exact positioning of logos, elements, or products without manual editing.

  • Recognized for outperforming competitors in image quality and control.

  • Powers the Recraft API for high-volume visual generation needs.

• Real-World Use Cases for Creative Professionals

  • Develop campaign visuals for ads, websites, social media, and print.

  • Generate logos, icons, and full brand identity systems.

  • Create illustrative storyboards and product mockups.

  • Replace stock images with customized, on-brand visuals.

• Vision for the Future

  • Focused on empowering creative teams with tools that ensure speed, consistency, and control.

  • Funding will accelerate go-to-market strategy and the evolution of Recraft’s AI model.

  • Continued commitment to solving the balance between creativity and brand fidelity.

Recraft is redefining the role of generative AI in design by offering unmatched control and brand consistency. With its proprietary Recraft V3 model, newly launched Advanced Style tools, and fresh $30M funding, the platform is cementing its place as a leader in AI design technology—empowering creative professionals to build faster, design smarter, and stay perfectly on-brand at scale.

Semrush Holdings, Inc., a leading online visibility management SaaS platform, has announced the appointment of Caroline Tsay as an independent director to its Board, effective May 1, 2025. This strategic move brings seasoned technology, product, and marketing expertise to Semrush’s leadership team as it accelerates innovation in AI-powered marketing solutions.

Highlights of the Appointment

• Experienced Technology Leader Joins Semrush Board

  • Caroline Tsay becomes the ninth member of Semrush’s Board of Directors.

  • Brings decades of experience in product management, digital marketing, and public company governance.

• Expertise That Aligns with Semrush’s Growth Trajectory

  • Tsay’s background includes leadership roles in major tech companies and advisory experience for high-growth SaaS platforms.

  • Recognized for her ability to drive digital transformation and scale product organizations globally.

• Support for AI and Innovation Strategy

  • Appointment comes at a pivotal time as Semrush intensifies its focus on AI and marketing automation.

  • Tsay is expected to provide valuable input into product innovation and strategic decision-making.

• Statements from Leadership

  • CEO Bill Wagner emphasized her “growth mindset” and deep experience in public company boards.

  • Tsay expressed excitement about joining at a time when AI and marketing are converging to reshape digital visibility.

Caroline Tsay’s appointment to the Semrush Board of Directors signals a strategic investment in leadership as the company strengthens its AI-driven marketing capabilities. Her broad expertise in technology, product, and governance will play a key role in guiding Semrush through its next phase of growth and innovation.

StructuredWeb, the AI-first partner marketing automation platform for global enterprises, has been recognized as a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Partner Marketing Automation Platforms, Q2 2025. This prestigious recognition not only highlights StructuredWeb’s dominance in the space but also validates its commitment to AI innovation and delivering transformative value to B2B channel marketers.

Highlights from the Forrester Report

• Top Scores in Core Evaluation Criteria

  • StructuredWeb achieved a perfect score (5 out of 5) across several key categories:

    • Artificial Intelligence

    • Awareness/Syndication Management

    • Concierge Services/Services Marketplace

    • Customization

    • Localization & Personalization

    • Intuitive Guided Experiences & Workflow Automation

    • Partner and Customer Insights/Data Management

    • Through-Partner and To-Partner Marketing Management

    • Innovation and Roadmap

    • Pricing Flexibility & Transparency

• Exclusive Focus on B2B Partner Marketing

  • Recognized as the only vendor solely focused on B2B partner marketing automation, underscoring StructuredWeb’s commitment to purpose-built, AI-powered solutions for channel-focused enterprises.

• Purpose-Built for Enterprise Ecosystems

  • Forrester identifies StructuredWeb as a "best fit for well-resourced B2B enterprises and distributors" seeking proven, robust, and feature-rich solutions to manage and scale their partner ecosystems.

Customer-Centric Innovation and ROI

• Voice of the Customer

  • StructuredWeb users emphasized strong ROI, intuitive UX, and partner-centric tools that support both ease of use and strategic growth.

  • Meaghan Moore, VP of Global Partner Marketing at ServiceNow, praised the platform’s innovation:

    “StructuredWeb is pushing boundaries with ServiceNow... enabling us to break glass and redefine what’s possible in partner marketing.”

• Built for Scale and Impact

  • Over 100,000 global channel partners use StructuredWeb.

  • The platform supports more than $100 billion in annual channel sales across major Fortune 100 and 500 companies.

  • 50%+ compound annual growth over the past three years further reinforces StructuredWeb’s market leadership.

Strategic Investment and Future Outlook

• Backed by Growth Capital

  • Recently secured a $30 million majority investment from Invictus Growth Partners, accelerating StructuredWeb’s mission to scale AI-driven partner marketing globally.

• Visionary Leadership

  • Daniel Nissan, Founder and CEO of StructuredWeb, emphasized:

“We’re redefining the future of intelligent channel sales and marketing enablement. AI is transforming how vendors and partners collaborate to build demand pipelines effectively.”

• AI-First Platform Revolution

  • Launched in 2023, the AI-first platform automates:

    • Content creation

    • Campaign execution

    • Personalization at scale

    • Demand generation

    • Partner engagement lifecycles

StructuredWeb’s recognition in The Forrester Wave™: Partner Marketing Automation Platforms, Q2 2025 is a testament to its strategic foresight, technological leadership, and relentless customer focus. As AI reshapes how enterprises drive partner-led growth, StructuredWeb remains at the forefront—delivering the scalability, personalization, and automation capabilities that modern B2B ecosystems demand.

Cold email is still a powerful tool for outbound sales and growth, but its effectiveness hinges on one critical factor: deliverability. Poor inbox placement is silently killing reply rates, and that’s where Mailivery.io steps in. As a trusted email warm-up and deliverability platform, Mailivery is helping SaaS tools and outbound agencies hit the inbox consistently, ensuring that cold emails actually get seen.

Why Deliverability is the Bottleneck in Cold Email Success

• Deliverability Determines Performance
  No matter how good your cold email copy is, if it lands in spam, it fails. Mailivery directly addresses this issue by warming up email accounts with real human interactions, avoiding low-quality tactics like bots or click farms.

• An Infrastructure Layer for Outreach Tools
  Mailivery isn’t just a standalone tool—it’s becoming the infrastructure layer for leading cold outreach platforms, such as:

  • Woodpecker

  • Automailer

  • VisualVisitor

  • MailClickConvert

• Built for Scale and Seamless Integration
  The platform offers a robust API for direct integration, enabling SaaS companies and agencies to:

  • White-label Mailivery’s email warm-up engine

  • Embed deliverability features into their own platforms

  • Protect sender reputation and enhance client outcomes

Real Engagement, Not Gimmicks

• Authentic Warm-Up Signals
  Unlike competitors using bots or automated clicks, Mailivery relies on actual human interaction to simulate real inbox behavior—boosting sender credibility and domain reputation across major ESPs.

• Trusted by Growth Teams and Agencies
  Mailivery is now a go-to solution for:

  • Sales development teams looking to scale outbound

  • Agencies managing multiple client inboxes

  • SaaS platforms offering integrated outbound workflows

Driving Results through Embedded Deliverability

• Plug-and-Play for Cold Email Tools
  Tools like Woodpecker now leverage Mailivery to ensure that their users not only send messages but also land in the inbox, enabling better engagement and higher response rates.

• Founder Insight

“Email warm up is no longer optional. It’s the infrastructure layer of modern cold outreach,” says Malik Shamsuddin, founder of Mailivery. “We built Mailivery so marketing agencies and SaaS platforms could plug in directly and offer trusted warm-up to their users to boost sender reputation.”

As spam filters get stricter and inbox competition rises, deliverability is now the make-or-break factor in cold email success. Mailivery.io is positioning itself as the silent engine behind the most effective outbound campaigns—powering better results for agencies, SaaS platforms, and sales teams alike. For anyone serious about email outreach, Mailivery delivers the essential infrastructure that turns cold emails into conversations.

In an era where digital communication is paramount, email marketing has emerged as the backbone of client engagement for law firms. According to a new guide by DiscoverMyBusiness, law firms in 2025 must adapt to evolving client expectations, regulatory frameworks, and automation capabilities to remain competitive. This comprehensive evaluation helps legal professionals identify the best email marketing platforms tailored to their operational needs and ethical standards.

Why Email Marketing Is Critical for Law Firms in 2025

• A Secure, Direct Channel: Unlike social media or display ads, email offers a permission-based, secure environment ideal for maintaining long-term relationships.

• Supports Legal Workflows: Used for client updates, appointment reminders, and follow-ups, email is now a vital part of the legal customer journey.

• Drives Engagement and Retention: Drip campaigns and educational guides help firms stay top-of-mind and showcase thought leadership.

Top Features Law Firms Should Prioritize in Email Tools

1. Automation Capabilities
   Automate recurring tasks like retainer renewals, consultation follow-ups, and client satisfaction surveys.

2. Personalization & Segmentation
   Segment lists by case type, client status, or location to deliver hyper-relevant messages that resonate.

3. Built-in Analytics
   Track open rates, click-throughs, and conversions to measure effectiveness and make informed adjustments.

4. Responsive, Branded Templates
   Ensure every email is mobile-optimized and visually aligned with the firm’s identity.

5. CRM & Legal Software Integrations
   Sync with platforms like Clio, PracticePanther, or Lawcus to centralize communications and improve efficiency.

6. Compliance & Data Security
   Adhere to GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and industry confidentiality standards—essential for protecting sensitive information.

Top Email Marketing Tools for Law Firms in 2025

• HubSpot
  Best for mid-to-large law firms. Offers seamless CRM integration, advanced automation, and analytics.

• Mailchimp
  Ideal for solo attorneys or small firms. User-friendly and backed by strong analytics and pre-built templates.

• WildGrowth Control
  A niche tool tailored specifically to law firms. Provides legal-specific templates, compliance settings, and pre-set automation based on case type.

• Moosend
  Great for cost-conscious firms. Offers strong segmentation and automation features with GDPR compliance baked in.

Metrics Every Legal Marketer Should Track

• Open Rate – Reflects subject line strength.

• Click-Through Rate (CTR) – Shows message and CTA relevance.

• Bounce Rate – Indicates list health and deliverability.

• Conversion Rate – Measures lead generation success.

• Unsubscribe Rate – Warns of content misalignment or frequency issues.

Compliance: The Non-Negotiable Foundation

• Implement secure opt-in/opt-out mechanisms.

• Avoid disclosing sensitive or personal case details.

• Use encrypted, enterprise-grade email platforms—not Gmail or Excel lists.

• Follow GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and HIPAA regulations when applicable.

What’s Next: The Future of Legal Email Marketing

• AI-Powered Subject Lines – Personalized and behavior-driven to maximize open rates.

• Predictive Retargeting – AI identifies and re-engages inactive leads.

• Tighter Software Integration – Sync marketing with billing and case management tools.

• Voice-Activated Email Commands – Emerging use cases for voice tech in content triggers.

The first AdForum Summit of 2025 will take place in New York City on Monday, May 12th, bringing together top search consultants and agencies from around the globe. This highly anticipated event serves as a unique platform for these industry leaders to connect, share insights, and foster relationships that drive growth for brands. With twice-yearly summits, AdForum continues its mission of bridging the gap between creative marketing agencies and consultants, creating opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

What to Expect from the Summit

AdForum’s Summit Week will feature an immersive series of private meetings where agency leaders will present their insights on driving growth through creativity, strategy, and technology. Consultants will gain an exclusive look at the newest marketing strategies and the results that come from the powerful intersection of creativity, strategy, and tech.

For agencies, the Summit represents a unique opportunity to showcase their skills to over 26 consultancies in a single meeting. The event is structured to foster meaningful interactions, enabling agencies to demonstrate their capabilities and gain valuable feedback from key decision-makers.

Industry Insights from Marketing Leaders

Ahead of the Summit, Vlad Komanicky, Co-founder of marketing advisory Alchemists, shared his thoughts on the current marketing landscape:

“Marketers today are facing a perfect storm: economic uncertainty, political volatility, shifting consumer expectations, and the relentless acceleration of technology. It’s not just about responding faster; it’s about fundamentally rethinking how brands operate, create, and connect. GenAI is one of the most powerful enablers in this shift, but it’s not a silver bullet—it’s part of a broader reengineering of marketing itself.”

Komanicky's advice to agency new business teams:

“Bring solutions that fit the world your clients are stepping into—not the one they are leaving behind.”

Tina Fegent, a procurement specialist and search consultant, also weighed in on the challenges marketers face today:

“From my conversations with brand-side clients, the most prevalent challenge marketers face today is delivering impact in an increasingly fragmented and fast-moving landscape. In such a busy agency marketplace, my role as a procurement and search consultant is to help clients cut through the complexity of the marketplace. That means being really clear about what kind of agency partner they need—strategically, culturally, and operationally—before we even begin shortlisting.”

Fegent’s advice to agency new business teams:

“Think beyond the case study reel. Show how your team thinks—how you solve problems, how you work together, and how you’ll make the client’s life easier. That’s what makes the difference in a pitch room.”

The Consultancy Delegation

The Summit will feature a delegation of leading consultants, including names like AAR Partners, Alchemists, Roth Ryan Hayes, CultureKey, PitchResult, and more. These firms are known for their expertise in helping brands navigate the complex marketing landscape and identify the best agency partners.

AdForum CEO’s Remarks

AdForum’s Global CEO, Philippe Paget, expressed excitement about the upcoming Summit:

“We are very excited to meet with top agencies in NYC at this Summit session, and uncover how they are delivering results for brands in a complex ecosystem. AdForum created the Summit more than 20 years ago as a bridge between top agencies and the search consultants who guide brand partnership decisions. We are enormously proud to help cultivate agency-to-consultant relationships and spark meaningful connections.”

TapClicks, the leader in Smart Marketing Solutions, has published a groundbreaking article in the May 2025 issue of MarTech Outlook magazine. The article, titled “Beyond the Buzz: Using AI to Unlock the True Potential of Marketing Analytics,” sheds light on how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping marketing strategies, offering insights into predictive analytics, real-time optimization, and how marketers can leverage AI to drive impactful business decisions. Chel Heler, Chief Growth Officer at TapClicks, delves into how AI is not just a buzzword, but a strategic tool for optimizing marketing efforts and increasing ROI.

The Power of AI in Marketing Analytics

As digital marketing evolves, one of the biggest challenges marketers face is managing the overwhelming volume and complexity of analytics data. Traditional methods struggle to keep up with the sheer amount of data generated across channels, making it difficult for marketers to derive actionable insights. This is where AI comes in, offering the predictive power to anticipate audience behavior and optimize campaigns in real-time.

Heler’s article explores how AI-driven marketing analytics can transform raw data into clear, actionable insights, allowing marketers to make smarter decisions faster. By tapping into AI’s capabilities, marketers can:

• Predict shifts in audience behavior: Understanding future trends helps marketers adjust their strategies proactively.

• Optimize content delivery: AI refines content strategies, ensuring the right message reaches the right audience at the right time.

• Allocate resources more effectively: AI helps in streamlining operations by directing resources where they are most needed.

AI as a Strategic Tool for Business Growth

AI is no longer just about automation and predictions—it’s about creating opportunities for business innovation. As Heler explains, AI helps marketers create deeper connections with their audiences, leading to higher engagement and improved ROI. Some of the key areas where AI is driving change include:

• Generative AI for Content Personalization: AI enables personalized content at scale, enhancing customer experience by delivering messages tailored to individual preferences and needs.

• Real-time Optimization for Adaptive Campaigns: AI helps marketers adjust their campaigns on the fly, ensuring continuous improvement and relevance.

In addition, AI allows businesses to stay agile, respond to market dynamics in real-time, and optimize their strategies to stay ahead of competitors.

Aligning AI Adoption with Business Objectives

For businesses looking to harness AI’s full potential, Heler emphasizes the importance of aligning AI adoption with business objectives. Instead of treating AI as a standalone tool, it should be integrated with broader marketing strategies, supporting the brand’s goals and driving results.

Takeaways from the Article

• AI Amplifies Marketers’ Expertise: AI does not replace marketers; rather, it augments their capabilities by uncovering insights, predicting outcomes, and helping optimize strategies.

• Better Decision Making: AI gives marketers the power to make smarter, faster, and more confident decisions, transforming data chaos into strategic advantage.

• The Future of Marketing Analytics: As AI continues to evolve, it will redefine how brands engage with audiences, shifting from automation to adaptive, real-time campaigns.

Heler concludes, “AI doesn’t replace marketers—it amplifies their expertise, helping them make smarter, faster, and more confident decisions.”

In a world increasingly driven by artificial intelligence (AI), branding and design are at a crossroads. AI tools are making it easier than ever to generate polished logos, layouts, and marketing visuals in seconds, but at what cost? Michael Maloney, founder of Brand Force 5, believes the heart of design emotion, meaning, and connection is at risk of being lost. As the creative industry adapts to technological advancements, the agency is pushing back against the trend of AI-dominated, emotionless design. According to Maloney, design should not only be functional but should evoke meaning and connect with people on a deeper level.

The Rise of AI in Design: Convenience vs. Connection

AI-powered design tools have undoubtedly opened new doors for efficiency, enabling anyone to generate logos, websites, and marketing visuals almost instantly. However, the speed and simplicity of these tools come at a potential cost: a lack of emotional depth. While the technology is advancing rapidly, some worry it may lead to a loss of the personal touch that has long been the hallmark of good design.

Maloney, whose Brand Force 5 is known for its branding, advertising, and handcrafted graphic design work, acknowledges the value of digital tools. “We’re not against AI,” he says. “We use digital tools all the time. But we draw the line at outsourcing meaning.” According to Maloney, insight, instinct, and love—core components of great design—cannot be derived from a machine-generated prompt.

The Irreplaceable Value of Human Designers

While AI can replicate patterns, the best human designers offer something that machines still cannot: empathy, curiosity, and context. A great designer doesn’t just execute an idea; they interpret the request, anticipate client needs, and uncover opportunities that a client may not even have considered. The decisions a designer makes go beyond the visual; they ask questions like “Who is this really for?” and “How will it make someone feel?”

Human designers bring a cultural awareness and an understanding of emotional nuance to every project. Their decisions—from color palettes to typography—are deliberate and thoughtful. Design is more than aesthetics; it's about creating an experience and fostering a connection. These are elements that AI tools, despite their power, still cannot replicate.

Brand Force 5: Designing with Purpose and Heart

At Brand Force 5, the belief that great design is part strategy, part story, and part soul is at the core of every project. The agency is guided by a framework they call the FORCE philosophy:

• Focused

• Ownable

• Relevant

• Continuous

• Evocative

This guiding principle shapes every aspect of their design process, from initial discovery sessions with clients to the final execution of branding materials. According to Maloney, design is about communication, connection, and clarity—values that are often lost when we rely solely on automation.

The agency’s award-winning logo for Warm Heart Pediatrics is a prime example of this approach. As Maloney explains, the logo was more than just a visual design—it was about care, meaning, and emotional connection. It was about understanding the essence of the practice and visually expressing that through design. This thoughtful, intentional process is what helped the logo resonate with people, making it stand out in a crowded marketplace.

AI and the Future of Design: A Balance Between Innovation and Emotion

The debate surrounding AI and design is only going to grow as the technology continues to evolve. While AI tools can assist with efficiency and repetitive tasks, true creativity and emotional connection come from human input. At Brand Force 5, Maloney believes that the answer isn’t to abandon AI altogether, but rather to find a balance—integrating AI as a tool to support human creativity, not replace it.

As the conversation around AI in design continues, Brand Force 5 hopes to serve as a reminder that the soul of design—empathy, context, and connection—cannot be outsourced to algorithms. It’s these qualities that will continue to move people and drive meaningful, impactful brands.