Startup Manychat provides a tool for managing and automating conversations and engagement across multiple messaging channels. Manychat’s CEO and co-founder, Mike Yan, said the company sends “billions” of messages annually on behalf of these users across TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and other chat platforms. Manychat’s trajectory mirrors both the rise of smartphone-based messaging apps over the last decade and the growing opportunity around tools that help businesses leverage that medium in a better way. Things started to take off when Facebook opened up its APIs for Messenger. Additional APIs opening up across other Meta-owned platforms as well as TikTok have boosted that growth. Users can still market on Telegram, too, Yan said, although these days that is just a small percentage of its traffic. Instagram is by far the most engaged and active platform for the company, Yan said. Manychat’s approach of building an engagement layer makes it a solid bet for the next wave of activity on messaging platforms. If you want a help desk chatbot, there are myriad tools out there, but very few that are engaging to sell or elicit other responses from users in the way that Manychat has done.
Etsy’s new tool for sellers lets them determine which listings would benefit most from a refresh with help from a seller visibility dashboard
Etsy Inc. is rolling out multiple new technology-based enhancements to the back-end experience it offers sellers. New photo tools enable Etsy sellers to upload and edit photos directly on the e-commerce retailer’s site or seller app using editing tools that process in the background so sellers can work on other tasks without interruption. Sellers can also create and save custom photo filters, see all listing categories and subcategories directly in the seller app, and determine which listings would benefit most from a refresh with help from a seller visibility dashboard. In addition, Etsy is beta testing real-time listing quality feedback alerts on issues that could impact a seller’s search ranking before they publish with select sellers. Etsy has also enhanced key features of its Shop Manager platform. Now it’s easier for sellers to find information like stats and orders, and recent activity has moved to its own dedicated tab. Sellers with an active shop in the U.S., Canada, U.K and Australia, along with some high-volume sellers in other regions and sellers with an all-star rating can now reach Etsy support directly from Shop Manager. The orders page now loads faster and the sales & discounts page now loads 40% faster. Messages now load faster in the Etsy seller app. Updates in the seller app allow Etsy to better see which pages are slow or crashing, enabling it to test and make improvements faster. Improved ad placement within buyer search. Shop home page layout updates are being tested to make seller inventory easier to browse and shop for buyers.
Sesh’s fan engagement platform lets artists send direct push notifications to their fans’ phone wallets and direct them to a new music release, exclusive merch drop, VIP event invite or presale tickets
Sesh, a fan engagement ecosystem that connects people with their favorite music artists, announced it has raised $7 million. Sesh foster connection by connecting fans with interactive experiences, exclusive content and live events. Additionally, the company is launching its Member Card, allowing fans to register and seamlessly download a digital pass to their phone’s wallet—no app required—becoming an official part of their favorite artist’s community. For the first time, artists can send direct push notifications to their fans’ phone wallets, going beyond the access streaming platforms and social media channels provide. Artists can direct audiences to a new music release, exclusive merch drop, VIP event invite or presale tickets directly within the ecosystem. With Sesh, artists get access and a direct line to their fans, including full ownership of essential data such as email, location, name, date of birth and engagement insights, empowering creators to own and cultivate their audience relationships without relying on third-party platforms. By providing tools for direct engagement, including integrations with Spotify and TikTok, Sesh helps artists grow and strengthen their fan communities.
Cadent’s advertising platform enables advertisers to engage audiences in cookieless environments through a consumer data platform (CDP) that onboards and builds targetable audiences using ID-based, ID-less, and predictive models
Cadent, the predictive advertising company, launched The Cadent Platform — a unified, enterprise-class advertising system that uses predictive modeling and real-time performance optimizations to transform the omnichannel workflow. The new Cadent Platform brings AI-powered predictive intelligence to all stages of advertising — from audience planning to media activation to outcome measurement — helping brands “know before they go” by bringing together forecasting before a campaign begins with optimization as it runs. Built from the ground up with privacy, transparency, and performance at its core, the platform breaks down the growing silos across digital and video to deliver business outcomes at scale. The Cadent Platform empowers advertisers, agencies, and media owners to: Predict outcomes before campaigns launch by scoring all impressions, then optimize in real time; Maximize reach by assembling all available audiences through ID-independent and predictive targeting; and Orchestrate messaging and outcomes across all video and digital media. The Cadent Platform is built with modularly to easily integrate its leading features into existing technology stacks: 1) Audience Manager. A consumer data platform (CDP) that onboards and builds targetable audiences using ID-based, ID-less, and predictive models. With one of the highest match rates in the industry, it enables advertisers to engage audiences in cookieless environments that others can’t reach. 2) Ad Manager. An omnichannel DSP built for real-time activation and optimization across digital and video. Powered by 15+ years of predictive modeling and AI-driven creative optimization, it ensures KPI-aligned performance with full transparency and fraud protection. 3) Inventory Manager. A premium SSP that connects buyers directly to 150+ brand-safe publishers, delivering transparent auctions, nearly 100% MFA-free inventory, and curated audience deals across CTV and digital.
VantageScore expands new open-banking credit score 4plus for lending to underserved borrowers enabling improved predictive lift, clearer risk segmentation and expanded decisioning opportunities
VantageScore announced the expansion of their groundbreaking VantageScore 4plus pilot program for lenders launched in partnership with Credit Builders Alliance. The pilot leverages the industry leading VantageScore 4.0 credit score with open banking data to deliver the new VantageScore4Plus credit score model. Initial data from the pilot show meaningful improvements in the ways nonprofit lenders can assess and serve potential borrowers. Key insights include: 1) Improved Predictive Lift: Applicants with new to credit, thin or inactive credit files, who make up 15% of participants in the pilot program, benefitted significantly from the addition of open banking data. 2) Clearer Risk Segmentation: Credit scores moved in both directions both up and down. There were nearly equal numbers of consumers seeing increases and decreases. The result signals better separation between higher- and lower-risk applicants. 3) Expanded Decisioning Opportunities: 44% of previously declined applicants could be reconsidered under a “second look” strategy using VantageScore 4plus, potentially unlocking credit while preserving underwriting rigor reducing risk.
Qualtrics’ AI “Experience Agents” allow brands to adapt survey questions in real time based on customer’s incomplete or partial responses and use that insight to empathetically resolve customer’s problem
Qualtrics’ announced their new Experience Agents™, a series of highly specialized AI agents that utilize agentic AI. With the launch of their Experience Agents, brands will be able to go further and autonomously take action on those insights in real time. One of the most interesting ways that they are applying their new agentic capabilities, particularly when it comes to building connections with customers and acting in the moments that matter, is what they have done within their core surveying product. Their new conversational feedback capability allows them to adapt survey questions in real time based on customer responses, particularly if the responses are incomplete or partial, and then, based on that insight, take action to help resolve the customer’s problem. According to Brad Anderson, President of Products, UX, and Engineering at Qualtrics, this allows their customers to not only add 7% points to their survey completion rate but also enrich the quality of data that they collect by around 40% as a result of their adaptive approach. That is not insignificant, especially when you consider that the average response rate to a customer feedback request is sub 10%, with some organisations operating with a completion rate in the 3-4% range. The ability to act on that feedback empathetically and in real time is a capability that will help brands build better connections with their customers. That, as CEO Zig Serafin points out, is where the big opportunity lies for those wanting to deliver great customer experiences.
Survey shows 35% of shoppers plan to buy products now before tariffs go up and 28% plan to wait and potentially switch to cheaper alternatives
More than eight-in-10 (83%) respondents said they are planning to pull back on spending in the coming weeks, according to a survey by OnePulse for e-commerce platform Klaviyo. Six-in-10 (61%) respondents say they plan to cut back their spending at restaurants, followed by clothing/accessories (47%) and travel/hotels (41%). Meanwhile, 35% of respondents plan to buy products now before tariffs go up, 25% are waiting to see if prices increase and 28% plan to wait and potentially switch to cheaper alternatives. Close to three-in-10 (28%) respondents plan to remain loyal to their preferred brands. However, when asked the best ways to keep them brand-loyal, respondents were most likely to cite frequent discounts or promotional offers (54%), consistent product quality (37%) and better prices (33%). While 37% of respondents said cite product quality is key to building brand loyalty, only 8% prioritize quality in their purchasing decisions. The survey also found that the two biggest communication asks for brands right now are transparent pricing updates and clear info about delays or supply chain issues.
Brandlight’s tech measures and optimizes how brands are interpreted across reputation management, partnerships, content strategy and SEO to enhance their visibility in AI-generated search results
Brandlight, the first-of-its-kind AI Insights and Influence System, has emerged from stealth with $5.75 million in funding to help brands measure and shape their visibility in AI-generated search results. Brandlight provides businesses with the intelligence and tools they need to thrive in a digital landscape reshaped by AI-driven search. Brandlight’s system enables businesses to track, optimize, refine, and improve their AI-driven presence, ensuring they remain competitive in this new frontier. Brandlight’s system goes beyond traditional SEO. It is a strategic AI influence platform that enables brands to proactively shape AI-generated answers, ensuring their messaging accurately reflects and aligns with business objectives. The platform transforms AI search from a passive experience into a high-impact marketing channel, offering predictive insights that help businesses maintain a competitive edge. Imri Marcus, CEO of Brandlight says “Our system creates a baseline of how AI perceives a specific entity, giving you visibility into the AI black box, and actively improves on it.” In other words, it goes beyond surfacing AI-driven search results; it measures and optimizes how brands are interpreted across reputation management, partnerships, content strategy, SEO, and more. Underpinning this capability is a team of repeat entrepreneurs, marketing leaders, and top AI experts from the Israeli IDF’s elite tech units. Brandlight’s technology identifies the strategic data sources AI engines rely on, uncovering opportunities for optimization. It then refines this data for optimal AI processing, empowering brands to cut through the noise, gain visibility, and consistently deliver impactful outcomes.
Delta’s ecosystem approach to loyalty engine integrates partner-driven experiences that deliver emotional resonance
Delta is moving beyond the traditional “earn and burn” model to architect a lifestyle ecosystem. One that delivers emotional resonance, not just rewards. And they’re doing it through powerful partnerships, personal technology, and a loyalty experience designed to meet people where they live—not just where they fly. Delta’s partnerships with Starbucks and Uber are examples of what Josh Kaehler, Managing Director of Loyalty Partnerships at Delta, calls “frequency amplifiers.” “People engage with Uber and Starbucks more often than they fly,” he said. “Those brands already have deep emotional connections with customers. If we can piggyback on that frequency and that brand love, it’s a halo for Delta.” Camille Irving, GM of U.S. & Canada Mobility at Uber, described the partnership similarly: “No one brand owns the entire travel journey. Our work with Delta is about creating a ‘double delight’—seamless experiences, with rewards that resonate.” While aspirational moments—like flying Delta One to Europe—are core to the loyalty engine, Delta is increasingly focused on broadening its appeal to travelers who may only fly a few times a year. Delta’s SkyMiles Experiences platform, recently relaunched, offers everything from once-in-a-lifetime events to more attainable everyday cultural perks and live events. That’s why Delta has integrated partner-driven experiences, like a private tasting at Starbucks’ original Pike Place store and has hinted at more curated events to come through collaborations with brands like Uber and the PGA Tour. Delta’s tech roadmap includes the Concierge feature previewed at CES, aimed at giving travelers customized itinerary guidance, travel updates, and curated offers. Delta’s ecosystem strategy isn’t about transactional perks. It’s about touchpoints that make people feel seen, known, and valued. And in a category where airlines compete on price and routes, Delta’s secret weapon may just be something harder to quantify—but far more powerful: emotional equity.
Walgreens adapts in-store kiosks for safe disposal of unwanted, unused or expired medications
Walgreens is making its stores part of a major national initiative to help fight prescription drug abuse. On Saturday, April 26, 2025, Walgreens is participating in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. This annual event is dedicated to the safe disposal of unwanted, unused or expired medications. During the event, participating consumers can dispose of medications they no longer need at any of more than 1,500 in-store kiosks Walgreens offers in its stores across 46 states and Washington, D.C. These kiosks are intended to help ensure medications are not accidentally or intentionally misused. Walgreens provides the kiosks at no cost, year-round, during regular pharmacy hours. Customers can find kiosk locations on Walgreens.com via the store locator tool by using the search filter for “medication disposal kiosk” under the pharmacy section. Walgreens pharmacies that do not have safe medication disposal kiosks offer other drug disposal options free of charge that are also available year-round upon request at the pharmacy counter.