Mastercard will launch the second iteration of its Artist Accelerator program next month, which equips emerging artists with tools to thrive in the digital economy, including merchandizing, marketing, monetization and promotional skills. New to the program this year is a partnership with live touring series and music discovery platform OnesToWatch, which will add live performances, mentorship, virtual audience engagement and education bootcamps in emerging tech—like Web3 and generative AI—to the experience.

“Experience” is the key word here, according to Cheryl Guerin, Mastercard’s EVP of Brand Strategy and Innovation. “One of the things we're not doing is traditional marketing… We consider ourselves an experiential marketer,” she said. “And that means we're going to find a way to connect to what matters to people. It’s not about us talking at people, it's about us enabling experiences. That creates affection for our brand, and loyalty to our cards.”

Here's our conversation with Guerin about the strategic marketing goals for the accelerator program’s second season and how it will engage consumers during the process. Plus, she shares an update on Mastercard’s sonic branding strategy, new channels the company is experimenting with, and her approach to differentiating from competitors.

The industry has been flooded by excitement—and fear—about how AI will completely transform businesses and revolutionize every industry. But while there’s certainly plenty to anticipate, marketing leaders are starting to move on from experimentation to real-life use cases and applications of the technology. Here are four practical questions marketing leaders should ask themselves regarding AI integration—prior to making the investment.

The IAB released its State of Data Report for 2024, which focuses on how the digital advertising industry is tackling data evolution. This year’s study reveals how the shift to a privacy-first approach has had a lasting impact on the availability of high-quality data, and as a result, significant organizational shifts are taking place. Learn about the study’s key insights and recommendations for moving forward.

Lastly, check out dating app OkCupid’s successful collab with generative AI, which enlisted ChatGPT to write in-app matching questions for users—resulting in a boost in website traffic and extensive media coverage.

Until next week,

Kaylee Hultgren
Content Director
Chief Marketer

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