Core Insights - Kettle, a digital-first creative agency, is experiencing significant growth and momentum as it concludes 2025, highlighted by new projects and strengthened client partnerships [1][2] - CEO Lauren Kushner has received notable industry recognition, being named The Drum's Agency Leader of the Year, which underscores her leadership and vision [1][2] Company Developments - Kettle has enhanced its leadership team in 2025 with the appointments of Camille Imbert as Chief Creative Officer and Jess Mireau as Chief Product Officer, forming an all-women C-suite [3] - The agency's success is attributed to its cross-disciplinary capabilities, combining expertise from various fields to deliver impactful digital work across multiple sectors [3] Future Outlook - Looking ahead to 2026, Kettle plans to scale its product and creative capabilities, strengthen brand partnerships, and explore emerging technologies, including AI-enabled creative systems [4] - The agency aims to create the most human and high-impact digital experiences in the industry [4] Achievements - Kettle has been recognized as one of Adweek's Fastest Growing Agencies and Ad Age's Best Places to Work in 2025 [7] - The agency has received eight Webby and Shorty Awards for its work with clients like e.l.f. Beauty and The Legal Aid Society [7] - Kettle has doubled its team headcount over two years while maintaining employee turnover under 3% [7]

Core Insights - Stagwell has launched NewVoices.ai, an AI platform aimed at transforming sales, customer engagement, and retention processes for organizations globally [1][3] - NewVoices.ai is designed to function as an independent sales agent, capable of booking appointments, driving conversions, and addressing customer inquiries in multiple languages, available 24/7 [1][2] Sales and Revenue - NewVoices.ai is positioned to replace fragmented sales workflows with a unified, intelligent engine, potentially disrupting the revenue ecosystem [4] - The platform is expected to open new market opportunities for Stagwell, enhancing their strategy of AI transformation and revenue generation [3] Customer Support - The AI platform is designed to deliver human-level conversations, providing personalized interactions that adapt to individual customer preferences and histories [2][5] - NewVoices.ai combines AI agents, automation, and analytics to enhance customer support and retention efforts [5] Retention and Renewals - The platform aims to improve customer retention by offering tailored experiences that traditional systems cannot provide, thus fostering long-term customer relationships [3][5] Payments and Operations - NewVoices.ai integrates with existing enterprise operations, allowing companies to customize solutions for their specific workflows, thereby streamlining payment and operational processes [4][5] Surveys and Feedback - The platform includes capabilities for gathering feedback and conducting surveys, enhancing the overall customer experience and providing valuable insights for businesses [8]

Core Insights - HUNTER has launched HUNTER: Hi⁵, a new agency capability designed to enhance brand visibility through a five-step generative engine optimization (GEO) framework [1][5] - The Hi⁵ framework addresses the challenge of AI systems controlling brand discovery, emphasizing the importance of being cited and trusted by these systems [2][3] Company Overview - HUNTER is a leading integrated marketing and PR firm with a focus on building consumer attention and corporate reputation, founded in 1989 [9] - The agency has a workforce of 325 and operates across multiple locations including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and London [9][15] - HUNTER has been recognized for its workplace culture and has received multiple awards, including Large Agency of the Year and Consumer Agency of the Year [8] Hi⁵ Framework Components - The Hi⁵ framework consists of five core components: Hunt, Highlight, Hook, Halo, and Hold, aimed at optimizing brand visibility and credibility [5][6] - Each component serves a specific purpose, from identifying brand visibility gaps to ensuring the brand is a preferred source for AI systems [6] Strategic Partnerships - HUNTER: Hi⁵ is supported by partnerships with five leading technology and data providers, including Scrunch, Muck Rack, The Marketing Cloud, LLMtel, and Mira Studio from Meltwater [5][10] - These partnerships enhance the framework's capabilities in brand monitoring, query intelligence, and impact tracking [7][12] Industry Impact - The Hi⁵ framework is particularly beneficial for industries where AI agents influence consumer discovery and purchase decisions, such as CPG, beauty, retail, food and beverage, health, tech, travel, and finance [11][12] - The framework aims to future-proof brands against shifts in consumer behavior driven by AI [4][12] Expected Outcomes - Brands can expect early signals of improvement within days, with more significant results in terms of visibility and citation frequency emerging over 60-90 days [13] - Key metrics tracked include Answer Visibility, Citation Share, Recommendation Rate, and Competitive Displacement, providing a comprehensive view of brand performance in AI-driven environments [13][14]

Core Insights - Stagwell conducted a survey of 100 American CEOs to assess their sentiments regarding business priorities, economic outlook, and views on AI advancements as they approach 2026 [1][2][4] Group 1: CEO Sentiment on AI - 85% of CEOs view AI as entering a healthy growth phase rather than a bubble, with generative AI identified as the most transformative technology for 2026 [7] - 78% of CEOs are optimistic about AI's potential to enhance workplace efficiency and innovation [7] Group 2: Economic Outlook - 62% of CEOs believe the U.S. is on the wrong track, yet 74% express confidence in the resilience of the U.S. economy as they head into 2026 [7] Group 3: Policy Priorities - Financial stability is the primary policy focus for 2026, with managing inflation (61%), reducing debt (47%), and job creation (33%) identified as top priorities [7] - Regulatory and policy shifts (66%) and trade restrictions (60%) are anticipated to significantly impact business operations [7] - Nearly half (46%) of CEOs express pessimism regarding the stability and predictability of political leaders [7]

Core Insights - Code and Theory has been recognized as Adweek's first-ever Innovation Agency of the Year, highlighting its role in redefining customer experiences through creativity, technology, and AI-driven innovation [1][6] - The recognition reflects a significant transformation in the business landscape, where marketing is evolving into a crucial element that connects customer experience, operational systems, and AI-driven decision-making [2] Company Achievements - Code and Theory has achieved a 17% year-over-year revenue growth and a 33% team growth, along with 35 new client wins, including notable brands like TIME and Stanley Black & Decker [5] - The company boasts an impressive 88% talent retention rate, outperforming industry averages [5] - The launch of innovative capabilities such as "The Machine," an AI-driven orchestration platform, and the Experience Transformation Practice (EXT) has positioned Code and Theory as a leader in the industry [6] Client Impact - A study revealed that 93% of executives believe their customer experiences are "broken," indicating a demand for agencies that can build integrated systems rather than just create ads [4] - Code and Theory's work has led to significant improvements for clients, such as a 540% increase in developer website engagement for Qualcomm and a 33% improvement in unaided awareness for Amazon Ads [5] Company Philosophy - The company operates on a unique 50/50 balance of engineers and creatives, which is fundamental to its approach to transformation and innovation [5][9] - Leadership emphasizes that true innovation occurs at the intersection of technology and creativity, shaping the company's processes and culture [8]

Core Insights - Jeremy Lucas has been appointed as CEO of Europe for Allison Worldwide, part of Stagwell, to enhance the agency's capabilities across the region [1][2] - Lucas brings over 20 years of experience, having previously served as UK CEO at Hotwire and held senior roles at Edelman, Ogilvy, and Teneo [3][4] - The agency aims to expand its offerings in reputation management, stakeholder engagement, crisis communication, influencer relations, analytics, and marketing under Lucas's leadership [2][5] Company Overview - Allison Worldwide is a digital-first, data-led communications agency that provides global communications, PR, influencer, analytics, and marketing support to a diverse range of clients, from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups [6] - The agency is positioned within the Stagwell portfolio, which is recognized as one of the fastest-growing and most influential marketing and communications networks globally [6]

Core Insights - Stagwell is unifying its global communications and advocacy leadership under Zac Moffatt, who will serve as the first Global Chair, Communications and Advocacy [1][2] Group 1: Leadership and Structure - Zac Moffatt will oversee communications and advocacy agencies including Allison, HarrisX, HUNTER, Consulum, SKDK, Sloane, and Targeted Victory, representing expected net revenues of nearly $400 million in 2025 and employing over 1500 people globally [3] - Moffatt will report to Stagwell CEO Mark Penn, while Targeted Victory will continue to be co-led by its founders Abe Adams and Ryan Meerstein [5] Group 2: Market Needs and Strategy - The current marketplace requires firms that can navigate political polarization, fragmented media, and diverse content distribution channels, which Stagwell aims to address through unified leadership [4] - Stagwell's strategy focuses on providing clients with access to advanced technology and AI tools, building specialized client teams, and delivering a coordinated client experience with faster turnarounds and consistent excellence [6]

Core Insights - Stagwell has appointed Jonathan Gardner as CEO of Harris Quest, an AI-powered market research and brand management tool, to enhance its growth strategy [1] - Gardner brings over 30 years of experience in market research, including nearly a decade as COO at The Harris Poll, and has held leadership roles in various firms [1] - Harris Quest aims to combine AI technology with human-led analysis to provide clients with reliable and accessible data [1] Company Overview - The Marketing Cloud, part of Stagwell, offers a suite of AI-powered SaaS and service solutions designed for modern marketers, enabling smarter and faster decision-making [1] - Stagwell is a challenger holding company focused on transforming marketing through a blend of creativity and technology, operating in over 45 countries [1] Leadership Insights - Elspeth Rollert, CEO of The Marketing Cloud, emphasizes Gardner's strategic insight as crucial for evolving their tools and maintaining quality [1] - John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll, highlights Gardner's commitment to quality and innovation in empowering organizations to make informed decisions [1] - Gardner expresses excitement about leveraging both AI tools and market research capabilities to enhance product development [1]

Core Viewpoint - Boston Partners increased its stake in Stagwell Inc. by 40.9% in Q2, indicating growing institutional interest in the company [2] Institutional Investment - Boston Partners now owns 3,273,852 shares of Stagwell, valued at approximately $15.5 million, after acquiring an additional 950,913 shares [2] - Other institutional investors, such as ABLE Financial Group LLC and Geode Capital Management LLC, also increased their positions in Stagwell, with Geode raising its stake by 23.6% [2] - Currently, 35.61% of Stagwell's stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds [2] Price Performance - Stagwell's shares opened at $5.37, with a 50-day moving average of $5.17 and a 200-day moving average of $5.09 [3] - The stock has a market capitalization of $1.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 89.50, and a beta of 1.51 [3] Earnings Report - Stagwell reported $0.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the latest quarter, beating analysts' expectations of $0.23 [4] - The company's revenue for the quarter was $743 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 4.5% [4] - Stagwell has set its FY 2025 EPS guidance at 0.750-0.880 [4] Analyst Ratings - Morgan Stanley lowered its price target for Stagwell from $8.00 to $7.00, while Needham & Company raised it from $6.36 to $7.25 [5] - The average target price for Stagwell is currently $8.15, with an average rating of "Moderate Buy" [5] Company Overview - Stagwell Inc. specializes in digital transformation, performance media, consumer insights, and communications services [6] - The company operates through three segments: Integrated Agencies Network, Brand Performance Network, and Communications Network [6]

Core Insights - Gradial and Stagwell have formed a strategic partnership to enhance marketing execution for enterprise brands through agentic AI technology [1][3] - The collaboration aims to address the challenges faced by modern marketing teams, including operational bottlenecks and the need for faster, more personalized marketing solutions [2][5] Partnership Overview - The partnership will enable the launch of a joint go-to-market program, co-development of solution playbooks for priority industries, and targeted client pilots to scale across complex marketing organizations [4] - Gradial's agentic AI platform automates the execution layer of the content supply chain, allowing for seamless integration with existing marketing tools [7] Benefits for Brands - The joint offering will help marketing teams reduce operational drag by minimizing handoffs, rework, and manual production tasks [8] - Brands will benefit from improved governance through built-in quality assurance, accessibility checks, and compliance across markets and brands [8] - The partnership emphasizes a shift from slow, manual workflows to agentic automation, enabling teams to focus on strategy and high-impact experimentation [8] Future Outlook - The partnership is already in progress with select global brands, with additional deployments planned for 2026 [6] - Both companies share a vision that marketing should be faster and easier, designed around human workflows, with AI handling repetitive tasks [6]