Robin Ross, Digital, Analytics and Loyalty Executive at Activate Insight, on how brands compete when a consumer's AI agent controls the consideration set. Recorded live at MAICON 2026 with Greg Kihlström.
- Brand preference is now decided before the customer sees the options.
- When an agent builds the shortlist, the direct-to-customer relationship enterprises have invested in for decades runs through an intermediary the brand doesn't control.
- Loyalty and first-party data have a second audience.
Ross and Kihlström look at what a loyalty program is worth when an agent weighs price and features on every purchase, and how a data strategy has to change to inform agent-based decisions. Attribution breaks when the agent is the filter.
If a brand is considered and rejected without an impression or a click, the traditional funnel has nothing to measure. The conversation covers what marketing leaders should track instead.
About Robin Ross
I’m a marketing and strategy executive with 20+ years of experience driving growth through data, loyalty, and digital transformation. I’ve led initiatives that expand membership, strengthen customer engagement, and scale innovation across functions. My expertise includes marketing analytics, loyalty programs, digital transformation, and applying AI and data to accelerate decision-making. I focus on simplifying complexity, aligning teams, and building systems that deliver measurable results. I thrive at the intersection of strategy and execution—partnering with leaders to clarify goals, design customer-centric programs, and turn them into business impact.
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