Merlot Marketing, Inc. (Merlot) is set to make a dynamic return to Design and Construction Week 2024 (DCW) in Las Vegas, from February 25-27, representing Empava, Cultured Stone, Dutch Quality Stone, Eldorado Stone, and Kindred Outdoors & Surrounds.

For 24 years, Merlot has been a driving force behind brand strategy, PR, social media, and creative design at DCW—the largest annual gathering of residential and commercial construction and design professionals.

Debi Hammond, Founder & CEO of Merlot Marketing:
"Every year, DCW unveils groundbreaking innovations, and 2024 will be no exception. We can’t wait to see what surprises Las Vegas has in store!"

Merlot Marketing’s Featured Brands at DCW 2024

EMPAVA (Booth W2335) – Best of KBIS & DesignBites Finalist
Hot/Cold Plunge Indoor Tub – The industry’s first to reach 113°F for hot soaks and 37.4°F for cold plunges.
Hard Hat Media Tour Feature – Exclusive product showcase & live mermaid experience.

Cultured Stone (Booth C3819) – Showcasing Award-Winning Profiles
Tenley Brick – Premium stone & brick veneers in four nature-inspired colorways.

Dutch Quality Stone (Booth C3819) – Debut of Handformed Brick™
Handformed Brick™ – A tumbled profile with robust textures & modern craftsmanship.

Eldorado Stone (Booth C3819) – New Colorways Unveiled
Ranchers Ridge – A blend of cream, sand, rust, and gray hues.
Nordic Peak – Inspired by Scandinavian landscapes with soft chalky whites & grays.

Kindred Outdoors + Surrounds (Booth C3819) – Outdoor Luxury Redefined
Premium Fire Bowls – Crafted from glass-fiber reinforced concrete for a hand-finished limestone aesthetic.
Outdoor Kitchens – Stylish, functional custom cabinetry for any outdoor space.

Why DCW 2024 Matters

DCW 2024 Highlights:
1M+ square feet of exhibitor space
117,000+ attendees expected
2,400+ exhibitors featuring the latest trends

Exclusive Events Featuring Merlot’s Brands:
Hard Hat Media Tour – Behind-the-scenes look at the top construction innovations.
Best of KBIS – Celebrating cutting-edge kitchen & bath designs.
DesignBites – Fast-paced product showcases & live demonstrations.

Merlot Marketing’s Trendspotting: “Haute at Home” Video Series

Merlot continues its signature “Haute at Home” series, capturing must-see innovations at DCW 2024.

Get ready for an insider’s look at the latest in home, design, and construction trends!

Merlot Marketing’s expertise in brand strategy & design is shaping the future of home innovation. As DCW 2024 unfolds, their showcase of premium brands will set new industry standards.

Kepler has announced the launch of Kip Personas™, an advanced persona-driven audience planning tool built on the Kepler Intelligence Platform™ (Kip). This cutting-edge solution enables brands to move beyond generic media plans by seamlessly integrating data-driven audience insights with Kepler Creative—accelerating custom audience development by up to 95% faster than traditional methods.

A New Era of Precision in Audience Planning

Kip Personas is designed to replace guesswork with AI-powered, data-driven audience insights. The tool begins by identifying a brand’s key marketing objectives—whether it's awareness, engagement, or conversions—and then builds highly detailed audience personas based on behavioral and psychographic data rather than just demographics.

These personas integrate directly into Kepler Creative workflows, helping brands craft messaging, visuals, and multi-channel content strategies tailored to each audience segment.

Real-Time Optimization for Maximum Impact

What sets Kip Personas apart is its ability to continuously optimize creative execution. As audience behaviors evolve, the tool refines its insights in real-time, ensuring brands consistently deliver the right message at the right moment. Furthermore, seamless integration with Kip Audiences™ allows businesses to instantly activate these personas across major media platforms—eliminating inefficiencies and enhancing precision in audience targeting.

"Kip Personas flips the script on the creative process because we’re doing more than targeting audiences—we're building campaigns around real people," said Noah Kershaw, Head of Product for Kip at Kepler. "Our AI-powered platform cuts audience development time by 95% while delivering creative that actually resonates. It's proof you don't have to choose between speed and scale in personalization."

Data-Driven Creative That Drives Business Growth

Unlike traditional audience planning methods based on assumptions, Kip Personas leverages:

• First-party data
• TransUnion/Neustar datasets
• Third-party intelligence from sources like YouGov and GWI

This robust data foundation enables brands to create highly accurate and actionable personas, shaping creative storytelling, design, and content strategies that deliver real business results.

With Kip Personas, Kepler is redefining audience planning and creative execution, empowering brands to engage consumers with personalized, data-driven experiences at an unprecedented speed and scale.

Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, has launched Content Store for ArcGIS, a revolutionary web app designed to streamline the purchase and integration of commercial satellite imagery. Developed in collaboration with SkyWatch, this solution enables organizations to access high-resolution imagery from Maxar and other providers—all within the ArcGIS platform.

Benefits of Content Store for ArcGIS:
Seamless Imagery Procurement – Buy and integrate commercial imagery directly within ArcGIS.
Expanded Access to Providers – Access premium imagery from Maxar and other partners.
Enhanced Workflow Efficiency – Eliminate manual data imports and provider management.

Richard Cooke, Corporate Director, Esri:
"Our users needed an easier way to integrate commercial imagery into their workflows. Content Store for ArcGIS delivers a seamless, on-demand experience that enhances decision-making across industries."

How Content Store for ArcGIS Works

Unified Access – No more juggling multiple provider portals; users purchase imagery directly within ArcGIS.
Existing Credentials – Enterprise users log in with their ArcGIS accounts for a frictionless experience.
Ongoing Expansion – Esri & SkyWatch will continually add providers, ensuring users get the best available data.

James Slifierz, Co-Founder & CEO, SkyWatch:
"This partnership makes high-resolution geospatial data more accessible than ever. We’re excited to support Esri users in enhancing their spatial analyses with diverse imagery options."

Why This Matters: The Growing Demand for Commercial Imagery

Public satellite data sources like Landsat and Sentinel are essential, but industries increasingly require:
Higher Resolution – To analyze land, urban growth, and risk factors with precision.
More Frequent Updates – To track environmental changes, asset conditions, and infrastructure projects.
Simplified Procurement – To avoid contracting delays & manual data integration.

Paul Granito, General Manager & SVP, Maxar:
"We’re proud to enhance ArcGIS with Maxar’s latest high-resolution imagery, empowering users with seamless access to critical data."

Industries That Benefit from Content Store for ArcGIS

Urban Planning & Infrastructure – Optimize land use, zoning, and construction monitoring.
Sustainable Development & Land Management – Track environmental changes and conservation efforts.
Asset Risk & Disaster Management – Enhance decision-making for insurance, logistics, and emergency response.

Content Store for ArcGIS eliminates the friction of acquiring and integrating commercial satellite imagery. By combining Esri’s GIS expertise, SkyWatch’s data access technology, and Maxar’s high-resolution imagery, this innovation empowers enterprises to make better, data-driven decisions faster.

Nielsen, the global leader in audience measurement, data, and analytics, has appointed Jessica Holscott as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective immediately. Reporting to CEO Karthik Rao, she will oversee Nielsen's global finance organization, driving the company’s financial strategy during a pivotal time of innovation and growth.

Karthik Rao, CEO, Nielsen:
"Jessica is a world-class financial leader with the strategic vision and expertise to support Nielsen’s continued innovation in TV measurement, streaming data, and ad tech solutions."

Jessica Holscott’s Role & Responsibilities

As CFO, Jessica Holscott will lead:
Financial Planning & Analysis – Optimizing Nielsen’s financial strategy.
Tax & Controllership – Ensuring regulatory and compliance excellence.
Treasury & Internal Audit – Strengthening financial governance.

With over 20 years of financial leadership, Jessica brings deep expertise in media, entertainment, and technology finance, positioning Nielsen for its next growth phase.

Jessica Holscott’s Career Highlights

Spotter (Most Recent Role) – CFO, leading financial strategy for a creator-focused company.
WarnerMedia & HBO – CFO & EVP, driving financial decisions across Warner Bros., HBO, and Turner Networks.
Investor Relations Roles – Led investor relations at Time Warner & Aptiv (Delphi).
General Electric – Advanced through finance leadership, including Chief of Staff to the Vice Chairman & CFO.

Jessica Holscott, CFO, Nielsen:
"I'm honored to join Nielsen at such a transformational time. As the leader in audience measurement, Nielsen continues to raise the bar in innovation, and I look forward to driving its financial strategy forward."

Nielsen’s Continued Innovation in 2024

Big Data + Panel Accreditation – Recognized for groundbreaking measurement solutions.
OOH Expansion – Enhancing out-of-home audience measurement.
Streaming Innovations – First-party live streaming solution accredited in November 2024.
Industry-Trusted Metrics – Powering TV ratings, Nielsen Streaming Top 10, and The Gauge.

With Jessica Holscott at the financial helm, Nielsen is poised to scale its innovation and ad tech expansion, further solidifying its industry leadership in audience measurement.

SalesboxAI, a leader in AI-driven B2B marketing and sales solutions, has introduced SalesboxAI Agents, an advanced AI-powered solution designed to de-anonymize website traffic, identify entire buying groups, and engage them with personalized outreach.

Alex Roy, Founder & CEO, SalesboxAI:
"B2B buying is complex—engaging a single web visitor isn’t enough. SalesboxAI Agents ensure companies can reach and nurture the entire buying group, accelerating pipeline growth."

Capabilities of SalesboxAI Agents

Identify Web Visitors – AI-powered de-anonymization reveals high-intent prospects.
Discover Buying Groups – Identifies key stakeholders within target accounts.
Activate & Engage – Personalized AI-driven conversations via email and chat.
Score & Prioritize – AI-driven opportunity scoring for smarter sales decisions.

Paul Simko, SVP of Sales, SalesboxAI:
"Our AI Agents handle the heavy lifting—prospect discovery, engagement, and nurturing—so marketing and sales teams can focus on high-value interactions."

The Impact on B2B Sales & Marketing

Higher Conversions – Engaging the full buying group increases deal success.
Shorter Sales Cycles – AI-driven automation speeds up engagement.
Maximized Revenue Growth – More qualified prospects, faster.

SalesboxAI Agents bridge the gap between anonymous web visitors and fully engaged buying groups, transforming B2B lead generation into revenue-driving opportunities.

The global mobile advertising market is projected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 15.3% from 2023 to 2030. Several factors are driving this rapid growth:

• Technological Advancements: The widespread adoption of 5G networks is improving ad delivery and performance, enhancing engagement for advertisers and consumers.
• Rising Smartphone Usage: The increasing penetration of mobile devices and apps worldwide is expanding the audience base for mobile ads.
• AI and Machine Learning (ML) Integration: Advanced targeting and personalization powered by AI and ML are making mobile advertising more effective.
• Shift to Video and Interactive Ads: The rising demand for video-based and interactive content is boosting engagement and conversion rates.
• Evolving Data Privacy Regulations: Policies such as GDPR and CCPA are shaping the industry by encouraging transparent, user-consent-driven data practices.

Market Insights

• Display Advertising: Expected to reach $999.9 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 17.9%.
• Search Advertising: Forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 8.6% over the same period.
• Regional Growth:
  • U.S. Market: Valued at $121.9 billion in 2023.
  • China: Expected to grow at a CAGR of 20.5%, reaching $332.6 billion by 2030.
  • Additional growth across Japan, Canada, Germany, and the Asia-Pacific region.

Questions Answered in the Report

• How will the global mobile advertising market evolve by 2030?
• What are the main drivers and challenges in this sector?
• Which market segments will see the highest growth?
• How will market shares shift across different regions?
• Who are the leading industry players?

The report includes:

• Comprehensive market forecasts (2024-2030).
• In-depth regional analysis across major markets.
• Profiles of key industry players, including Alibaba Group, Amazon.com, Inc., and 4INFO.
• Complimentary updates for one year to track ongoing market developments.

For businesses and advertisers, the insights in this report highlight the opportunities within the fast-evolving mobile advertising ecosystem.

OneMagnify, a global leader in advanced analytics, customer insights, and AI-powered marketing solutions, has announced the acquisition of Guidance, a premier enterprise-level eCommerce agency. The acquisition, backed by Crestview Partners, aims to enhance OneMagnify’s digital commerce capabilities. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Expanding Digital Commerce Expertise

With over 30 years of experience, Guidance has built a strong reputation in eCommerce strategy, design, and technology, working with global brands, innovative retailers, and B2B manufacturers. The integration of Guidance into OneMagnify’s portfolio will enhance its ability to deliver data-driven digital solutions, combining expertise in:

• Shopify Plus
• Optimizely
• Adobe Commerce
• BigCommerce
• Salesforce Commerce

Leadership Insights

Mark Petroff, CEO of OneMagnify, emphasized the strategic importance of the acquisition:

"This acquisition is a game-changer for OneMagnify as we expand our capabilities to better serve our clients in an increasingly eCommerce-driven world. Integrating Guidance's expertise in building high-performance digital commerce solutions with our expertise in delivering data-driven and AI-powered digital transformation solutions will create a powerful, end-to-end offering for businesses looking to thrive in the digital economy."

Jason Meugniot, CEO of Guidance, added:

"OneMagnify optimizes data to create high-impact, memorable experiences and technology solutions – and delivers them to the right audience at the right time. We're excited to become part of the integrated team that will deliver next-generation digital solutions that empower businesses to maximize their online potential."

Industry Recognition

Guidance has received numerous industry awards from:

• Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts
• Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals
• International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (Webby Awards)

Financial Advisory

Canaccord Genuity served as the exclusive financial advisor to Guidance Solutions for this transaction.

This acquisition marks a significant step in OneMagnify’s expansion strategy, reinforcing its position as a leading provider of AI-driven digital commerce solutions.

New research from Fospha, a full-funnel marketing measurement platform, unveils the "halo effect"—the hidden impact of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) advertising on third-party marketplaces like Amazon. The Halo Report highlights how platforms such as TikTok, Meta, and YouTube significantly influence Amazon sales, providing marketers with a more comprehensive way to measure return on ad spend (ROAS).

Insights from the Halo Report

• 42% of a brand's Amazon sales are driven by non-Amazon media, underscoring the cross-platform impact of advertising.
• Unified ROAS, which measures ad-driven revenue across multiple sales channels, is 45% higher than DTC-only ROAS for upper-funnel campaigns.
• TikTok exhibits the strongest halo effect, with Unified ROAS being 80% higher than single-channel DTC ROAS when Amazon revenue is factored in.

Real-World Impact: Nécessaire’s Success with Halo

Premium skincare brand Nécessaire joined Fospha’s Halo beta program to better understand the influence of their DTC advertising on Amazon conversions.

• TikTok ads generated twice the Unified ROAS compared to DTC-only ROAS.
• Meta ads showed an 87% higher Unified ROAS than their DTC-only measurement.
• With these insights, Nécessaire optimized their marketing strategy before Amazon Prime Day, outperforming industry revenue benchmarks by 47%.

Industry Implications

"For too long, marketers have been in the dark about the true impact of their DTC ad spend on Amazon sales," said Sam Carter, CEO of Fospha. "The Halo Report sheds light on this blind spot, which is more critical than ever with Amazon now capturing a third of all US eCommerce sales."

Why This Matters for Marketers in 2025

• Existing measurement tools fail to capture the true cross-platform impact of ads.
• Marketers using DTC-only ROAS are underestimating the real value of their advertising.
• A Unified ROAS approach will be essential to maximize returns and outperform competitors in 2025.