Key takeaways from the SHOPLINE x Jojo Ventures x The Blended Agency webinar

The Blended Agency recently joined global e-commerce solutions provider SHOPLINE and leading AI creative studio Jojo Ventures for a webinar exploring how AI is changing retail, marketing and the way consumers discover, evaluate and ultimately choose brands.

From AI-powered search and changing consumer behaviour to PR, brand authority and the future of content, here are our key takeaways from the discussion.

1. AI search is becoming a new layer of discovery

Consumers are increasingly asking AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity not just what to search for, but what to buy, which brands to trust and what is right for them.

This is particularly important for retail. According to data from Adobe Analytics analysing over 1 trillion retail site visits, AI-referred retail traffic converted 42% better than non-AI traffic, while visitors spent 48% longer on site.

The question for brands is therefore evolving from:

“How do I rank on Google?”

to:

“When someone asks AI which brands they should consider, will it recommend me?”

2. SEO is no longer the whole picture

AI doesn't simply need keywords. It needs information, context, evidence, opinions, descriptions and references to understand a brand.

That means brands need to think beyond traditional SEO and consider the wider ecosystem of information available about them online — from their own website and content to media coverage, reviews, partnerships and expert opinions.

3. PR is becoming part of your authority ecosystem

As AI increasingly relies on external sources to construct answers, credible third-party validation becomes increasingly valuable.

A brand can say that its product is innovative or that its restaurant is one of the best in the city. But when a trusted journalist, publication, expert or customer says it independently, that creates a different level of credibility.

For brands, the goal shouldn't simply be more PR coverage.

It should be the right coverage in the right places, building a credible body of evidence around the brand.

4. AI has made average content easy — so originality matters more than ever before

AI can produce hundreds of pieces of content in a fraction of the time. But when everyone has access to the same technology, content volume is no longer a meaningful competitive advantage.

The opportunity is to focus on what only your brand can say.

Your founder's expertise. Your customer stories. Your proprietary insights. Your experiences. Your point of view.

As The Blended Agency's Jasmin Woolf shared during the webinar: “Use AI to accelerate the work, but don't outsource the thinking.”

5. Find your hero product or story

Jasmin's work with Mr Simm's Sweet Shop demonstrated the power of having something highly specific and memorable to be known for.

The brand's Black Death Ultra Sour sweet became the focus of a viral video that generated 47 million views. Rather than trying to promote all of its products equally, the brand leaned into what was already capturing attention.

The lesson? You don't always need more stories. You may need to find the one story people will remember.

6. You don't need to go viral to build authority

Our work with Hong Kong fashion brand Qipology offered a different model.

Through PR, founder thought leadership, credible media coverage, awards and a strong brand story, Qipology has built a network of evidence around its expertise and positioning.

This demonstrates that authority doesn't necessarily come from one viral moment. It can be built through credibility, consistency and context over time.

7. Customer reviews matter too

During the Q&A, we discussed what brands can do beyond media coverage to strengthen relevance and trust.

Customer reviews — both on your own website and platforms such as Google — are another important source of third-party validation and can help build a more complete picture of the brand.

8. Test what AI actually says about your brand

One of the most practical takeaways was also one of the simplest:

Ask AI.

Think about the questions your customers would ask:

• What are the best brands in my category?

• What should I buy if I want X?

• What are the best options in Hong Kong?

• Which brands are known for X?

Then see whether your brand appears — and how it is described.

If AI doesn't know you, or misunderstands your positioning, that's valuable information. It shows you where your brand's online authority and visibility may need strengthening.

9. The future: Be found. Be trusted. Be remembered.

Our framework at The Blended Agency is simple:

BE FOUND: Understand the questions your customers are asking and make sure your brand has the information needed to appear in those conversations.

BE TRUSTED: Build credibility through PR, reviews, partnerships, experts, thought leadership and other third-party validation.

BE REMEMBERED: Create distinctive stories, products, experiences and perspectives that make your brand genuinely interesting.

Because AI is making information and content more abundant, human distinctiveness becomes more valuable, not less.

The big takeaway

The future of marketing isn't man versus machine.

It's human creativity amplified by technology.

AI can help brands produce, analyse and automate faster. But the strategy still starts with understanding your customer, identifying what makes your brand different and making that difference visible wherever your audience — and increasingly AI — is looking.

The future of search isn't just: “Can I find you?”

It's: “Will AI recommend you?”

A big thank you to SHOPLINE and Jojo Ventures for having The Blended Agency join the conversation and to everyone who tuned in.