Epsilon vs Harte Hanks

Companies Misalign AI Measurement with Customer Value

An opinion piece argues that most companies are measuring AI against internal productivity goals rather than customer value. Epsilon's 2026 benchmark study of 257 marketing decision-makers found 71% use AI for productivity, yet 46% measure its impact by revenue. The article highlights a perception gap between C-level and senior managers regarding AI maturity and value. It also cites data on AI's growing influence in search and retail traffic. The author suggests focusing on customer-centric outcomes and warns against treating AI as a strategy substitute. The piece includes insights from Gartner, Adobe, and Forrester on AI's effects.

• Epsilon's 2026 benchmark study of 257 marketing decision-makers found 71% primarily use AI for productivity, but 46% measure AI performance by revenue.
• Epsilon found 67% of C-level marketers rate their organization as extremely mature in AI, versus 33% of senior managers.
• Adobe found AI referral traffic to U.S. retail sites grew 693% year-over-year during the 2025 holiday season, converting 31% better than non-AI traffic.

Brands Should Use Retail Media for AI-Led Discovery

Esme Robinson of Epsilon argues that as AI-powered search and shopping agents change how consumers discover products, brands should invest in retail media to control the product narrative within retailers' properties. Retailers' first-party data and structured product feeds increasingly inform AI recommendations, so brands that build richer, text-led pages and brand experiences inside retail media environments can influence signals used by AI assistants, improve visibility during peak buying seasons, and create co-branding and promotional opportunities at point of purchase.

• Esme Robinson of Epsilon authored an opinion piece discussing retail media and AI-led discovery.
• The article states AI-powered search (e.g., Google AI, ChatGPT-style platforms) is shifting consumer queries toward context-rich questions and acting as a gatekeeper for discovery.
• Retail media uses retailers' first-party shopper data and structured product feeds that increasingly inform AI agents' recommendations.

Shoppers Cut Non-essentials; Golden Quarter Competition Rises

A new Epsilon report, based on two Censuswide studies, finds UK consumer intent for the Golden Quarter at £17.9bn, but shows widespread caution: 71% of shoppers say they are cutting back on non-essential spending and 68% are seeking lower prices. The research also notes ad spend is forecast to reach £50bn this year while audience growth is minimal and average daily online time has fallen. Marketers plan to prioritise performance (79% of Q4 spend) and many expect H2 budgets and Q4 sales to be up, but the report warns conversion risk if demand proves softer than expected.

• Epsilon's report projects £17.9bn of UK consumer spending intent during the Golden Quarter.
• 71% of shoppers reported cutting back on non-essential purchases; 68% are looking for lower prices.
• Epsilon commissioned Censuswide in June to run two parallel studies: one with 2,000 consumers and another with 200 marketing decision-makers.

8-K Financial Filing Analysis for Harte Hanks (2026-08-19)

Harte Hanks, Inc. has entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger to be acquired by Star Equity Holdings, Inc. for $5.00 per share in cash or 0.50 shares of Star's 10% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock per share, subject to proration and an aggregate cash cap of $19.2 million. The acquisition will transition Harte Hanks into a wholly owned subsidiary of Star Equity Holdings. The transaction will be partially financed via an up to $15.0 million drawdown on Harte Hanks's existing credit facility with Texas Capital Bank. The agreement incorporates standard closing conditions, including stockholder approval, a Form S-4 registration effectiveness, a 30-day go-shop solicitation period, and a reciprocal termination fee of $1.152 million under defined conditions.

• Harte Hanks agreed to be acquired by Star Equity Holdings, offering stockholders an election of $5.00 per share in cash or 0.50 shares of Star 10% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, capped at $19.2 million in total cash.
• Debt financing for the transaction is supported by an anticipated drawdown of up to $15.0 million on Harte Hanks's credit facility with Texas Capital Bank.
• The merger agreement provides a 30-day go-shop period to solicit superior proposals and specifies a termination fee of $1.152 million.

Revenue Experience Orchestration: Building Predictable Growth Across the Customer Journey

New blog post by Alex Gill, Global Head of Strategy at Harte Hanks, discussing revenue experience orchestration and building predictable growth across the customer journey.