Analyzing 91% Open Rates and Capital Flow Headlines: What Gets Consultants To Click?

Good morning, ! This week we’re looking at what really gets consultants to open their emails—capital flows, named deals, and urgency. We also cover beauty’s rebound on social ROAS, how data bottlenecks are stalling campaigns, why AI is moving from experimental to essential, what B2B buyers really think about gated content, and the formats that drive the most engagement in 2025.

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AUDIENCE DATA DIVE

Consultants Open Rates Soar Past 90%

Consultants are clicking at record levels—and the secret is clear. Headlines tied to $5.5T family office flows, $600M mega-deals, and $1T sector plays are driving 80–90%+ open rates, far above average. The formula is simple: scale + specificity + urgency. By contrast, broad outlooks slump below 35%. The data shows consultants want real capital in motion, right now—and the right headline can make engagement skyrocket.

Read the Full Report HERE

AD INTEL

Beauty’s Social ROAS Rebounds

After sliding to $1.90 in Q4 2024, beauty’s social return on ad spend (ROAS) rebounded to $3.50 in Q1 2025, per March data from Cart.com. Search continues to hold strong, though social’s recovery highlights the category’s resilience and ability to re-engage consumers where trends take shape.

Industry context reinforces the shift. 56% of beauty executives worldwide expect value-for-money scrutiny to define the sector over the coming years, according to Business of Fashion and McKinsey. And in the U.S., 27% of Gen Zers and 26% of millennials see skincare and beauty products as necessities, per Credit Karma and The Harris Poll.

Takeaway: This chart offers a roadmap for beauty advertisers navigating post-tariff conditions. Marketers should focus on relevance over reach, leaning into influencer platforms and social channels that sustain cultural momentum and conversion. In a tighter budget environment, the brands that thrive will be those that align with consumer priorities and prove their value proposition at every touchpoint. (More)

THE FUNNEL REPORT

Why Data Bottlenecks Are Stalling Marketing Cycles

For more than half of North American marketers (53%), data analysis and insights are the single biggest drag on campaign speed, ahead of campaign development (47%) and personalization at scale (44%). The culprit: siloed data and antiquated workflows that keep teams waiting on reports instead of acting on them.

The impact is real. Marketers who lack streamlined analytics often face cycles that stretch past 30 days—while teams using AI-powered tools are far more likely to turn campaigns around in under a month (66% vs. 45%). From intelligent segmentation to real-time performance optimization, AI is emerging as the fastest way to cut bottlenecks and accelerate growth.

The takeaway: to keep up with accelerating demand, marketers need to fix the data layer first. Productivity gains will follow. (More)

BUDGET SHIFTS

AI Investment Rises as Marketers Face Growing Pressure

Marketing teams are under unprecedented pressure: 89% of respondents say expectations to deliver better results in less time have grown significantly over the past two years. Budgets are shifting in response—not just toward traditional channels, but also toward technologies that promise efficiency and growth.

Almost three-quarters of marketers believe AI can accelerate growth by at least 10%, with more than a third expecting it to boost results by at least 30%. This optimism is already influencing spending: most survey respondents see AI as a key driver for data analysis and insights, while two-thirds view it as both a tool for efficiency and for growth.

The takeaway: AI is moving from experimental to essential. As pressure mounts, marketers are increasingly allocating resources to AI-powered solutions that can accelerate campaigns and provide actionable insights. For budget planners, the question is no longer whether to invest in AI, but how to integrate it effectively to maximize both efficiency and growth. (More)

BUYER’S ROOM

What B2B Buyers Really Think About Your Gated Content

We asked actual B2B decision-makers what they think of the content behind forms—answers may surprise you: while 60% generally trust what they consume, a staggering 71% admit they’re disappointed in the value that gated content delivers. In short, trust is there—but perceived value is the weak link.

What It Does Well:

• Humanizes the buyer experience by highlighting candid feedback
  
  

• Reveals buyer psychology—what earns their trust isn't enough; content must deliver real value
  
  

• Guides vendor strategy—content creators should aim to exceed expectations, not just gate traffic
  
  

You could optionally contrast this later with content that has impressed buyers—if you have those stories or buyer quotes—doubling the insight. (More)

CREATIVE THAT CONVERTS

Social Posts Lead the Creative Pack

Seven in ten marketers (70%) rank social media posts as the most effective content format for engaging audiences, far outpacing videos (45%) and infographics (28%), per September 2024 data from Ascend2. Formats like blog posts (22%), webinars (18%), and podcasts (15%) trail further behind, underscoring the dominance of quick, scroll-friendly creative.

The findings highlight how content teams are prioritizing snackable, shareable formats that spark attention in crowded feeds. But the opportunity goes beyond reach: research-driven content can fuel these top formats, with infographics and videos distilling complex insights into engaging visuals, while social snippets distribute the story across channels. Blog posts and webinars then serve as deeper touchpoints for those ready to explore further.

Tip: Treat every research study as a content engine. Slice key findings into infographics, turn highlights into short videos, and use social posts to amplify reach and drive traffic. By aligning creative with the formats audiences say are most effective, marketers can maximize impact and ensure their content not only lands—but converts. (More)

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