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Future's Jamie Samuel on AI Disruption, Attribution, and Agentic Buying

In an interview with Mark Challinor, Future's VP of Commercial Product and Go-to-Market, Jamie Samuel, discusses the challenges and opportunities publishers face as AI reshapes discovery, attribution, and media buying. Future prioritizes human-written content and leverages its editorial authority through products like Future Optic, which helps brands improve visibility in AI search. The company also invests in Aperture, a first-party data platform for predictive audience modeling, to move beyond last-click attribution. Samuel predicts that agentic media buying will transform negotiations, and that publishers must adapt by focusing on outcomes, brand differentiation, and consolidation. He emphasizes the need for publishers to disrupt themselves before AI does.

• Future's Jamie Samuel highlights the importance of human-written editorial content as a differentiator in the AI era.
• Future Optic, launched last year, has over 30 partnerships and more than 60 in the queue.
• Future uses its Aperture platform for first-party data and predictive modeling to identify high-intent audiences.

Future Expands Aperture’s AI-Powered Audience Intelligence Capabilities Globally

Future announces global expansion of Aperture's AI-powered audience intelligence capabilities, and signs the UK Government Cyber Pledge.

Future Signs the UK Government Cyber Pledge

Future has signed the UK Government Cyber Pledge, a commitment to enhance cybersecurity practices.

On misses Q2 revenue; currency change may explain

On reported second-quarter net sales of 850.3 million Swiss francs, a 13.5% year‑over‑year increase (21.6% on a constant currency basis), which missed analysts' expectations for mid‑20s constant‑currency growth. Direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) sales rose 26% while wholesale grew 4.8%; regionally, Asia‑Pacific led with 43.1% growth and the Americas were up 4.5%. The company lowered its full‑year outlook to low‑20% constant‑currency net sales growth and a gross profit margin of at least 65% (down slightly from prior guidance). Analysts cited currency effects and limited visibility in international and wholesale channels as drivers of the disconnect with Street estimates.

• On's Q2 net sales were 850.3 million Swiss francs, a 13.5% year‑over‑year increase.
• On reported 21.6% constant currency net sales growth for Q2, below analysts' mid‑20s expectations.
• DTC net sales grew 26% and wholesale sales increased 4.8% in Q2.

Gap launches fall denim campaign starring Inde Navarrette

Gap launched a fall campaign called “Denim on your own” that pairs actor Inde Navarrette with singer-songwriter Malcolm Todd. The spot, directed by Tanu Muiño with creative direction by Gap’s Calvin Leung, features Todd’s cover of Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own” and was rolled out across Gap’s digital and social channels, email, stores and out-of-home placements (including billboards in Times Square and on Sunset Boulevard). Paid media elements will run on major social/video platforms and via creator partnerships. The campaign highlights Gap’s continued focus on music-and-movement-driven marketing and follows recent celebrity collaborations that have helped revive Gen Z relevance and improved comparable sales.

• Gap launched a fall campaign titled “Denim on your own” starring Inde Navarrette and Malcolm Todd.
• Malcolm Todd recorded a cover of Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own” specifically for the campaign.
• The campaign rolled out across Gap’s digital and social channels, email, in-store, out-of-home (including Times Square and Sunset Boulevard billboards) and includes paid media and creator partnerships.

Best Buy CMO Jennie Weber Exits; Marty Senn Replaces Her

Best Buy's Chief Marketing Officer Jennie Weber has exited the company after more than 20 years. Chief Creative Officer Marty Senn, who joined Best Buy in January, will take over the marketing role. Incoming CEO Jason Bonfig praised Weber's contributions in a note to employees. Jefferies analysts expressed concern about the pace of recent C-suite reassignments at Best Buy. Senn brings an advertising agency background to the position.

• Jennie Weber exited her role as Chief Marketing Officer at Best Buy.
• Weber worked at Best Buy for more than 20 years.
• Chief Creative Officer Marty Senn will replace Weber as the head of marketing; Senn joined Best Buy in January.