Franchise marketing agency Thunderly Marketing has appointed advertising and creative strategy veteran Carlos Cortinas as its chief strategy officer, adding a dedicated strategic leadership role as brands adapt to changes in search, media and consumer discovery.

The newly created position is intended to strengthen the strategic foundation behind client marketing programs, with particular attention to brand visibility in an increasingly zero-click search environment.

Cortinas joins Thunderly after approximately 15 years leading creative strategy at advertising agencies, where he worked on campaigns for global brands. His appointment adds experience across creative strategy and marketing communications to Thunderly's franchise-focused operations.

The move reflects a broader challenge for franchise marketers. Consumers increasingly encounter brands through search results, social platforms, AI-generated answers and other digital touchpoints before visiting a company's website. As a result, maintaining a consistent brand position across these environments is becoming more important.

Market Landscape

Franchise brands operate across multiple locations while needing to maintain consistency in messaging, positioning and customer experience. Traditional marketing channels remain relevant, but search behavior is changing as consumers increasingly use AI-powered search experiences and large language models to discover and evaluate businesses.

The shift toward zero-click search also changes how visibility is measured. A consumer may encounter a brand, answer or recommendation without clicking through to the company's website. This makes brand authority, structured information, topical relevance and consistent messaging increasingly important components of digital marketing strategy.

For franchise organizations, the challenge can be more complex because national brand positioning must coexist with local marketing needs. A clear strategic foundation can help align those layers rather than treating every channel or location as a separate marketing activity.

Strategic Outlook

Thunderly recently introduced its proprietary Thunderly AIM Model (Amplified Integrated Marketing) in response to the growth of AI-generated search and LLM-based discovery.

According to the company, the model is designed to provide a flexible approach for maintaining control over brand messaging as the marketing environment evolves. Cortinas' appointment adds a senior strategy role to that broader effort.

His focus is centered on establishing a stronger point of view across marketing communications rather than simply expanding the number of channels a brand uses.

That approach reflects a wider change in modern marketing strategy. As brands distribute content across search, social, advertising and AI-powered discovery platforms, channel expansion alone does not necessarily create stronger visibility. Consistent positioning and differentiated messaging can become important inputs across those environments.

For franchise marketers, the strategic question is increasingly how to make a brand recognizable and relevant wherever consumers encounter it, while preserving enough flexibility for local markets.

Top Insights

• Carlos Cortinas has joined Thunderly Marketing as chief strategy officer.
• The newly created role focuses on strengthening strategic marketing foundations.
• Cortinas brings around 15 years of creative strategy experience.
• Thunderly is responding to changes in AI-powered search and zero-click discovery.
• Its AIM Model is designed around integrated marketing and adaptable brand messaging.
• Franchise brands face the additional challenge of balancing national positioning with local marketing needs.

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