Snappy Kraken, the martech platform simplifying advisor marketing, has announced a powerful new integration with Catchlight, an AI-driven growth platform that surfaces in-depth prospect intelligence. This partnership brings together two innovative tools designed to fuel personalized, scalable marketing for financial advisors and enterprise firms.

Beyond the integration, both companies also confirmed completion of SOC 2 Type 2 certification, underscoring their shared commitment to data security, compliance, and operational excellence.

Catchlight Integration: Scaling Smart, Personalized Prospecting

Catchlight uses AI to analyze up to 2,000 data points per prospect—giving advisors a detailed financial snapshot of potential clients, including their estimated investible assets, income, age range, home value, and a Catchlight Score, which predicts conversion potential.

Through the new integration:

• Snappy Kraken users with Catchlight accounts can view Catchlight data—like estimated income and projected client revenue—directly within Snappy Kraken’s interface.

• Additional, deeper insights are accessible within the Catchlight app, giving advisors a 360-degree view of each lead.

• Advisors can now focus on high-intent prospects, deploying more personalized, timely, and relevant campaigns.

• The result: higher marketing efficiency, reduced acquisition costs, and improved lead-to-client conversion rates.

“By combining Catchlight’s intent insights with Snappy Kraken’s automation and content tools, we’re helping advisors do more with less—driving growth at scale,” said Wilbur Swan, CEO of Catchlight.

AI-Driven Marketing with Precision Targeting

The integration enables advisors to deploy marketing that’s as intelligent as the data behind it. Key capabilities include:

• Enriched Prospect Profiles – Catchlight’s AI-generated data enriches each lead with contextual financial intelligence.

• Campaign Segmentation – Advisors can tailor campaigns for individuals, groups, or full audiences based on shared characteristics or financial readiness.

• Personalized Content Deployment – Campaigns can be automatically customized and launched within Snappy Kraken’s interface, allowing for real-time personalization at scale.

This synergy is especially valuable in today’s competitive wealth management space, where prospects expect hyper-relevant content and seamless engagement from day one.

SOC 2 Type 2 Certification: Strengthening Enterprise Security

Snappy Kraken and Catchlight have both achieved SOC 2 Type 2 certification, a major milestone for fintech companies serving regulated industries. Issued by the AICPA, this certification affirms that their systems meet stringent standards for data privacy, availability, processing integrity, and security.

What This Means for Advisors and Firms:

• Stronger compliance posture for advisors working with regulated data.

• Reduced vendor due diligence burden for enterprise clients.

• Ongoing monitoring and security auditing to protect sensitive client information.

“The SOC 2 Type 2 certification is not just a box to check—it’s proof of our ongoing investment in protecting advisor data and client trust,” said Robert Sofia, CEO of Snappy Kraken.

Enterprise Readiness and Future Expansion

These announcements follow the recent release of Snappy Kraken’s Enterprise Hub, a centralized marketing control center for large financial services organizations. The platform offers:

• Custom campaign management across distributed advisor teams

• AI-powered analytics and performance tracking

• Enhanced oversight and brand compliance tools

As Snappy Kraken continues to expand its integration ecosystem—including CRM platforms, lead gen services, and data enrichment tools—the SOC 2 Type 2 certification reinforces the company's commitment to enterprise-grade reliability and security.

The Snappy Kraken–Catchlight integration, combined with SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, represents a significant step forward in data-driven, compliant, and scalable advisor marketing. With enriched insights and secure workflows now at their fingertips, advisors can engage more effectively, prioritize high-value leads, and streamline their path to growth.

For mid-market and enterprise firms, this evolution means a faster, more secure route to measurable marketing ROI—and a competitive edge in a complex digital landscape.

Emplifi, a leading unified customer engagement platform, has released its 2025 edition of “The Social Pulse: State of Consumer-Brand Engagement on Social Media”, revealing sharp insights into consumer expectations and behaviors in today’s dynamic digital landscape. The findings are clear: consumers demand authentic, responsive, and value-driven interactions, and they’re quick to walk away when expectations are not met.

The report—based on a survey of nearly 1,000 U.S. consumers across generations, conducted in partnership with Alchemer—shows that 70% of consumers will abandon a brand after two negative experiences, with nearly a quarter departing after just one. In an increasingly competitive landscape, B2C brands must rethink how they approach customer experience and engagement on social platforms.

Why Consumers Follow Brands on Social Media

According to Emplifi, value is the primary driver behind consumers following brands. Today’s audiences are discerning and expect more than just promotional content.

Motivators for Following Brands:

• Deals and Discounts (64%) – Consumers seek financial value.

• Entertainment (58%) – Light, engaging content matters.

• Product Updates (57%) – Users want to stay informed.

• Customer Stories (42%) – Authentic experiences build trust.

• Usage Tips (40%) – Practical content that adds value.

• Lifestyle and Identity Content (37%) – Cultural alignment with the brand.

• Brand Communities (34%) – A sense of belonging with like-minded people.

“Consumers want to feel like part of something larger,” said Susan Ganeshan, CMO at Emplifi. “They’re not just passive followers—they’re looking to connect with brands that reflect their values, interests, and everyday needs.”

Purchasing Habits on Social Media

The report highlights a growing trend: social media is not just for brand awareness—it’s a transaction channel. About half of frequent users made a purchase via social media in the past three months.

Top Reasons for Social Commerce Purchases:

• Discounts and Promotions (60%) – Cost-saving incentives drive action.

• Shopping Intent (51%) – Purchases driven by pre-existing interest.

• Visual Appeal (35%), Relatability (28%), and Humor (25%) – These emotional triggers still play a role, but rank lower in decision-making.

“The data underscores that practical incentives convert followers into buyers, especially when delivered through seamless social commerce experiences,” Ganeshan added.

Customer Care Expectations on Social Media

Social platforms have become default customer service touchpoints, and responsiveness is critical.

Findings:

• 60% of consumers expect brands to respond to issues via social media.

• Top platforms for support: Facebook (55%) and Instagram (47%).

• Expected response time via DM:

  • 32% expect a reply within 1 hour

  • 23% within 6 hours

  • 17% within 12 hours

  • 17% within 24 hours

“Social media operates in real time. Brands must adapt their service models accordingly,” Ganeshan emphasized. “AI-driven support tools are vital, but must be balanced with the human touch to ensure meaningful connections.”

Customer Experience and Retention Risks

The stakes for delivering a great customer experience are incredibly high. The report reveals how a single poor interaction can unravel hard-earned brand loyalty.

Loyalty at Risk:

• 70% of consumers will leave a brand after two bad experiences.

• 24% won’t return after just one bad interaction.

• 40% of customers will resort to direct phone calls when other support channels fail—driving up operational costs for brands.

“Every interaction matters,” Ganeshan said. “Brands must be fast, responsive, and personalized. That’s where AI-enhanced CX platforms shine—by offering immediacy without losing the human connection.”

The Opportunity for Brands in 2025

Emplifi’s 2025 findings make one thing clear: consumer expectations have evolved, and brands that don’t evolve with them risk being left behind. Social media is no longer just a place for storytelling—it’s where brand relationships are built, tested, and often broken.

What Winning Brands Should Prioritize:

• Deliver Value: Use promotions, education, and authenticity to keep followers engaged.

• Be Present: Respond promptly across channels and provide accessible customer care.

• Use Data Intelligently: Leverage insights to tailor content, timing, and tone.

• Scale with AI: Implement intelligent automation without losing empathy.

In an environment where consumers demand speed and sincerity, and where a single misstep can lead to long-term losses, investing in real-time, value-driven engagement strategies is not optional—it’s essential.

Global contextual advertising leader Seedtag has announced the launch of its AI Intention Models, a major innovation in privacy-compliant, performance-driven advertising. By analyzing real-time intent signals and behavioral patterns through its proprietary Contextual AI, Liz, Seedtag enables brands to distinguish between casual browsing and high-purchase intent—without relying on personal data.

This advancement represents a significant leap forward in contextual targeting, shifting the focus from broad content categories and static keywords to dynamic, real-time user intent, ultimately bridging the gap between attention and action on the open web.

Innovations of Seedtag's AI Intention Models

1. From Context to Intention: Smarter Ad Placement

• Moves beyond traditional keyword or category-based targeting.

• Analyzes content sentiment, depth, and nuance to assess transactional readiness.

• Identifies whether a user is gathering general information or is ready to make a decision.

2. Real-Time Intent Scoring with Liz, Seedtag’s Contextual AI

• Proprietary AI engine continuously refines intent signals during content analysis.

• Recognizes content distinction—e.g., between an article comparing leasing vs. buying a car (low intent) and an in-depth review targeting buyers (high intent).

• Ensures advertising efforts are targeted toward action-ready audiences.

3. Campaign-Specific AI Training

• Models are trained on intent-labeled datasets tailored to each brand's funnel objectives.

• Dynamic scoring adapts to the specific conversion goals of each campaign.

• Enables flexibility and customization at scale without sacrificing performance.

Strategic Benefits for Brands and Advertisers

1. Efficiency Across the Funnel

• Reduces waste in the mid-funnel by aligning ad placements with users showing strong decision-making signals.

• Optimizes for both reach and profitability, enhancing return on ad spend (ROAS).

2. Dynamic Optimization in Real Time

• AI Intention Models adjust placements on the fly, targeting peak engagement moments.

• Continually improves campaign performance using live contextual feedback.

3. Privacy-Compliant Innovation

• Operates independently of third-party cookies or personal identifiers.

• Aligns with global data privacy standards while maximizing effectiveness through context alone.

Real-World Impact: Nissan’s Success Story

Campaign Overview

• Objective: Boost awareness and consideration for the Nissan Qashqai in the C-SUV segment in Spain.

• Strategy: Engage users during the active evaluation phase using intent-based segmentation.

Results Achieved

• Cost per Quality Visit (CPQV): Reduced by 68% below the target.

• Cost per Lead (CPL): Decreased by 35%, enhancing profitability.

• Qualified Visits: Tripled versus original KPIs, reflecting high-quality engagement.

Brand Perspective

“With Seedtag’s intent-based segmentation, we improved performance across all stages of the funnel while reducing costs significantly. Contextual AI has become essential to our brand performance strategy.”
-  José Manuel Muries, Cluster Director, Nissan United

The Future of Contextual Advertising

The release of Seedtag's AI Intention Models signals a new era in contextual intelligence—one where the line between awareness and conversion is not only measurable but actionable. By integrating advanced intent analysis with dynamic campaign optimization, Seedtag helps brands go beyond visibility and drive real business outcomes.

For marketers navigating a privacy-first world, this innovation delivers a high-performance, data-agnostic alternative to traditional audience targeting—proving that context alone can power precision and profitability at every stage of the funnel.

GrowthLoop has launched its transformative Compound Marketing Engine, a next-generation enterprise platform powered by agentic AI, designed to radically accelerate the marketing lifecycle. Built natively on customers’ data clouds, such as BigQuery and Snowflake, the platform empowers marketers to launch, iterate, and scale personalized campaigns faster than ever before.

By automating traditionally manual and slow marketing processes, the Compound Marketing Engine shifts organizations from incremental growth to compound growth—unlocking exponential results across revenue, ROI, and customer lifetime value (LTV). The launch marks a pivotal milestone in the evolution of data-driven marketing and signals a new category in AI-powered martech innovation.

Core Features and Capabilities of the Compound Marketing Engine

1. Agentic AI for Rapid Campaign Iteration

• AI agents dynamically recommend audience segments and campaign journeys.

• Real-time feedback loops enable marketers to optimize campaigns in days instead of months.

• Performance data is continuously analyzed to enhance future results.

2. Universal Journeys: One Canvas for All Campaigns

• A centralized canvas to orchestrate omnichannel campaigns.

• Infuses intelligence into every connected martech tool.

• Marketers can build and launch campaigns without leaving the platform.

3. AI Studio: The Command Center for Marketers

• Hosts all AI agents and enables full control over campaign planning.

• Allows for data organization, journey construction, performance analysis, and ideation.

• Supports collaboration between AI agents and marketers for smarter execution.

4. Growth Agents: AI Collaborators with Defined Roles

• Data Agent: Interprets and contextualizes company data to power segmentation.

• Audience Agent: Builds audience groups based on behavioral traits and campaign history.

• Journey Agent: Crafts personalized journeys, selecting optimal channels and timing.

• Insights Agent: Uses live and historical data to provide actionable recommendations.

• Research Agent: Provides campaign decision insights by sourcing external information.

• Supervisor Agent: Manages and activates other agents to maintain strategic cohesion.

What Makes Compound Marketing Different

1. From Manual to Automated Intelligence

• Replaces outdated, siloed workflows with fully integrated, AI-assisted processes.

• Empowers marketers to continuously experiment and improve campaign outcomes.

• Reduces time to launch and iterate on campaigns, maximizing performance and efficiency.

2. Enterprise-Ready and Cloud-Native

• Natively integrates with major data cloud platforms like Snowflake and BigQuery.

• Delivers a complete view of first-party data, enhancing personalization and targeting.

• Ensures scalability and security without compromising speed or insights.

3. Real-World Use Cases and Success Stories

• Retail marketers can trigger smart campaigns based on repeat purchase patterns in days instead of months.

• Albertsons has significantly improved its ability to drive LTV through faster, smarter iteration.

• Allegro saw:

  • 2x ROAS increase in ad campaigns

  • 60%+ rise in GMV across platforms like DV360, TikTok, and YouTube

  • Nearly 4x improvement in CTR on Meta with 70% drop in CPC

Market Momentum and Industry Validation

1. Strong Adoption and Enterprise Growth

• 4x increase in enterprise clients in the past year.

• Trusted by brands like Google, Express, Priceline, and Allegro.

2. Strategic Leadership and Industry Recognition

• CEO Chris O’Neill, formerly of Google and Gap, spearheads the platform’s strategic direction.

• LA Dodgers star Mookie Betts joins the board, reflecting the brand’s growing visibility and influence.

• Recognized by industry leaders like Scott Brinker for its category-defining impact.

3. Cloud Partnerships Driving Innovation

• Deep integration with Google Cloud and Snowflake Cortex AI.

• Supports seamless, real-time campaign iteration and data activation across marketing stacks.

• Endorsed by Google Cloud and Snowflake for its role in reshaping enterprise marketing through AI.

The launch of GrowthLoop’s Compound Marketing Engine represents a paradigm shift in how enterprise marketing is conducted. Moving beyond fragmented tools and sluggish workflows, the platform enables compound growth by combining agentic AI, data cloud integration, and real-time decisioning.

With capabilities that allow for continuous optimization, intelligent automation, and unprecedented speed, GrowthLoop empowers marketers to move from strategy to execution—and iteration—in a matter of days. This evolution isn't just about making marketing faster; it's about making it smarter, scalable, and more impactful at every touchpoint.

For enterprises looking to outpace competitors and fully harness their first-party data, GrowthLoop provides the AI-fueled engine to lead in the new era of marketing.

Skyword, a long-standing leader in content marketing innovation, has unveiled Accelerator360™ Individual subscriptions, a strategic move aimed at empowering solo marketers, founders, and small businesses. Designed to offer instant, affordable access to the same AI-powered capabilities enjoyed by enterprise clients, these new subscription plans eliminate the traditional barriers of cost, complexity, and sales involvement.

In a content-saturated digital landscape marked by budget constraints and rising content demands, Skyword delivers a robust platform that enables users to create content that not only scales—but performs. By fusing automation, live data, human storytelling, and generative AI, Accelerator360™ redefines how modern marketers create, plan, and optimize content at scale.

Features and Functional Capabilities of Accelerator360™

1. Purpose-Built for High-Performance Content Marketing

• Originally developed for large and mid-market teams facing tight deadlines and limited resources.

• Now accessible to individual users via flexible monthly, semi-annual, or annual plans.

• Enables marketers to plan and execute with strategic precision—without the traditional setup process.

2. AI-Powered, Brand-Specific Content Creation

• On-Brand Intelligence: AI tools trained on brand-specific variables to ensure content aligns with tone, messaging, and business goals.

• Avoids generic outputs by integrating your brand’s identity into every asset.

3. Insights-Driven Campaign Planning

• Leverages real-time audience data, business objectives, and trending themes to generate campaign plans.

• Automatically suggests story ideas based on competitive intelligence and user intent.

4. Data-Backed Assignment Generation

• Analyzes live search trends and top-ranking competitor content to produce AI-enhanced briefs.

• Enhances likelihood of outperforming existing content by aligning briefs with high-performance indicators.

5. Cross-Channel Content Atomization

• Allows users to adapt a single content piece into blogs, emails, social media posts, sales collateral, and more.

• Saves time and improves content ROI by streamlining multi-channel delivery.

6. On-Demand Creative Talent Network

• Combines the power of AI with access to Skyword’s global network of freelance writers, designers, and subject matter experts.

• Supports hybrid workflows for greater creative flexibility and scale.

7. Built-In Content Optimization

• Includes real-time content audits and performance-enhancing recommendations.

• Helps users refine and improve content without rebuilding from scratch.

Intelligent Marketing, Not Just AI

Unlike basic AI content generators, Accelerator360™ delivers an intelligent, end-to-end marketing engine. It uses over nine integrated language models, working in tandem with a brand-specific prompt engine, to ensure that every task produces customized, high-quality outputs. Here’s what sets it apart:

• Smart Content Recommendations: Based on real-time performance benchmarks and audience analytics.

• Competitive Brief Analysis: Assignments tailored to beat top-performing content in your niche.

• Performance Optimization: Ensures continuous improvement of both new and existing content.

• Content Atomization: Extracts more value from each asset across platforms and formats.

Skyword also commits to biweekly feature updates, ensuring users have ongoing access to the latest advancements. Upcoming enhancements include:

• Automated opportunity discovery

• Advanced analytics dashboards

• Support for video and interactive content formats

Skyword’s launch of Accelerator360™ Individual Plans marks a transformative moment for small teams and solo professionals in the content marketing space. By removing the friction traditionally associated with enterprise-level platforms—sales calls, steep learning curves, and high costs—Skyword makes strategic, data-driven content marketing accessible to all.

Whether you're a freelancer, startup founder, or a small business marketer, Accelerator360™ offers a unified, AI-infused solution that goes beyond basic content creation. It’s a platform designed not just to generate content—but to elevate performance, optimize strategy, and maximize impact at scale.

Haivision, a global leader in real-time video networking and visual collaboration, participated in Everest NL 2025, a key defense experiment hosted by L3Harris Technologies. Held at Experience Island, Loon op Zand, Netherlands, the event simulated a modern NATO maneuver-force communication environment. From March 24-27, the live setting tested technologies vital for today’s mission-critical operations—especially those enhancing tactical communications, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), and electronic warfare capabilities.

Haivision’s involvement in Everest NL highlights its ongoing commitment to providing secure, interoperable video solutions tailored for dynamic and demanding military applications.

Highlights from Haivision’s Participation

1. Everest NL 2025: A Defense Tech Proving Ground

• Simulated real-world NATO operations with a live communication and tactical scenario.

• Focused on technologies supporting C5ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat Systems, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance).

• Enabled demonstration of operational effectiveness in a joint-force setting.

• Encouraged interoperability and integration between defense solution providers.

2. Haivision’s Strategic Objectives at the Event

• Demonstrated its mission-critical video ecosystem in a field setting.

• Reinforced the company’s commitment to secure, real-time video sharing in defense operations.

• Highlighted the importance of interoperability and open architecture in mission-critical environments.

• Showcased collaborative innovation by working alongside key defense technology partners.

3. Technologies Showcased by Haivision

• Makito video encoders: Delivered high-performance, low-latency ISR video feeds from the tactical edge.

• Kraken video processing platform: Enabled efficient video encoding, transcoding, and streaming.

• Command 360-powered expeditionary video wall: Provided a dynamic common operating picture for command centers.

• Enabled real-time situational awareness to operational commanders via secure video streams.

4. Interoperability & Real-World Challenges

• Solutions were deployed to support a seamless operating environment with other vendor technologies.

• Emphasized adaptability and resilience in complex battlefield scenarios.

• Designed to meet NATO and partner nation cybersecurity and interoperability standards.

5. Quotes & Leadership Perspective

• Tyler Stephens, VP of International Mission Systems at Haivision, stated:
  “By working alongside industry leaders, we can showcase how open architecture and interoperability drive operational effectiveness.”

• Reiterated Haivision’s focus on addressing real-world field challenges through innovative engineering.

Haivision’s active presence at Everest NL 2025 underscores its growing influence in the defense sector. Through the integration of field-proven technologies such as Makito encoders, Kraken, and Command 360, Haivision reinforces its capability to support defense forces with interoperable, secure, and real-time video solutions.

With deployments across military, aerospace, government, and public safety sectors, Haivision continues to enable faster, smarter decision-making through advanced video workflows. As defense operations grow more complex, Haivision’s robust technology stack is engineered to help organizations navigate these challenges with confidence and clarity.

Stagwell, the marketing challenger network built for digital transformation, has appointed John Kahan as its first-ever Chief AI Officer. Reporting directly to Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell, Kahan will lead the network’s AI-driven initiatives, accelerating innovation across its global marketing and advertising ecosystem.

A Seasoned AI and Data Leader

With nearly 40 years of expertise in AI, data analytics, and digital transformation, Kahan has an extensive track record in product development, marketing, and strategic consulting. His previous leadership roles at Microsoft and IBM solidified his reputation as a pioneer in AI-powered business transformation.

Most recently, Kahan served as Vice President and Chief Data Analytics Officer at Microsoft, where he was instrumental in developing key data-driven platforms and insights that contributed to Microsoft's growth into a $3 trillion company.

Stagwell’s Commitment to AI Innovation

Under Kahan’s leadership, Stagwell aims to:
Embed AI and automation across its marketing services
Enhance data-driven decision-making for clients
Drive industry-leading advancements in AI-powered marketing technology

"Kahan's leadership will be key in driving our AI initiatives forward, ensuring we continue to provide unparalleled value to our clients," said Mark Penn, CEO of Stagwell. "His extensive background from Microsoft and IBM aligns perfectly with our vision to lead the industry in technological innovation."

Kahan’s Vision for AI at Stagwell

Recognizing the rapid evolution of AI and MarTech, Kahan is eager to push the boundaries of how AI enhances marketing strategies and business performance.

"I'm especially excited to be joining at such a pivotal time for the challenger network," said Kahan. "The pace of innovation in AI and marketing technology is accelerating like never before, and Stagwell is committed to pushing boundaries that will drive meaningful transformation for the industry at large."

Stagwell’s appointment of John Kahan as Chief AI Officer underscores its dedication to AI-driven marketing innovation. As AI reshapes the industry, Kahan’s expertise will help position Stagwell as a leader in the next generation of marketing transformation.

Tiger Pistol, the most advanced local advertising platform, has launched a new strategic resource: From Roadblocks to Revenue: Solving the Top 3 Digital Advertising Challenges for Marketing Resellers. As small and midsize businesses (SMBs) increase digital ad investments, this playbook provides resellers with the tools to streamline operations, enhance automation, and scale local advertising efficiently.

The Challenges Resellers Face

Despite the rising demand for digital advertising solutions, marketing resellers often struggle with:
Clunky onboarding processes that slow down SMB activation
Manual campaign execution that reduces scalability
Siloed platforms that create inefficiencies and limit growth

"Marketing resellers play a critical role in helping SMBs succeed, but too many are bogged down by inefficient processes," said Sarah Cucchiara, VP of Business Development at Tiger Pistol. "This playbook is a call to action. It’s about moving past friction points and embracing a model built for speed, scale, and service."

Takeaways from the Playbook

This practical guide provides actionable solutions to common digital advertising roadblocks, including:

• Fixing the Onboarding Bottleneck

  • Strategies to simplify page and account connections

  • Faster SMB activation leading to improved retention

• Scaling with Automation

  • Implementing subscription-based models

  • Managing thousands of localized campaigns with minimal manual input

• Seamless Integration

  • Embedding digital advertising into existing platforms

  • White-label and API solutions for brand control and enhanced user experience

"Solving these challenges improves operations and strengthens client relationships," added Cucchiara. "When you remove friction, you unlock adoption, retention, and revenue. This playbook helps resellers deliver the kind of experience that keeps SMB clients coming back."

Tiger Pistol’s From Roadblocks to Revenue playbook is now available for free download. Marketing resellers and digital advertising service providers supporting SMBs are encouraged to access the guide to optimize their advertising strategies, streamline operations, and accelerate long-term growth.