Question: If you could wave a magic wand and fix one thing about marketing, what would it be?
More magnetic messaging? A halt on the jargon-jumble?
Finally, proving to the boardroom-brigade that your campaigns are worth their weight in £10-per-bag-pink-himalayan salt?
The question’s a bold opener. The kind that cuts through the corporate noise and slaps your inner CMO awake.
And when I put it to Pete Markey, CMO of Boots, on Funnel Visionaries, he didn’t flinch.
He didn’t ask for bigger budgets. Or a sexier MarTech stack.
He said something simple. Something painfully relatable.
“I’d make everything measurable.”
Because even in this age of big data-driven marketing and even bigger promises, marketing still has its Bermuda Triangle. A place where results vanish without a trace. Blind spots that even the most advanced customer journey analytics can’t see.
Thing is, uncovering these marketing data blind spots matters now more than ever.
So what did Pete and I unpick in this juicy, meaty, metrics-muddling episode?
Let’s have a look at the key takeaways covering everything from attribution to AI-powered marketing.
And a few funnel-related truth bombs I think you’re gonna like.
Why is marketing measurement still a struggle?
Let’s go on a little trip. To, let’s call it, Magical Marketing Utopia.
Where every click, comment, and casual conversation is tracked in real-time. A dashboard so dreamy it gives you a live feed of the entire customer journey analytics – neatly wrapped up in sexy, scrollable charts.
The full-funnel fairytale.
You don’t just see what converted. You see why.
“Oh look,” you say, sipping your organic oat flat white, “that LinkedIn post inspired a Slack chat, which led to a Google search, which triggered a webinar sign-up, which finally converted into a chunky sale. Lovely.”
But back here in the real world? Not so much.
Because as Pete pointed out, relying solely on digital data is like trying to read a novel with half the pages ripped out.
What we actually get is:
Once upon a time, someone heard about your brand.
They do a cheeky little Google search, click on your site, and convert.
Your analytics tool gives all the credit to SEO.
The end.
That, my friends, is the dark funnel. Full of those untrackable touchpoints where word-of-mouth, podcasts, and social engagement influence buying decisions but don’t show up in attribution reports.
Key takeaway: Even in our data-driven marketing age, the most meaningful parts of the buyer journey often happen off the radar. To truly crack marketing measurement, marketers need to look beyond the numbers – and embrace the mystery of the dark funnel.
Want to get a clearer view of your content’s performance? A solid content audit can help – here’s how to do it right.
AI in marketing: What the future looks like
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AI in marketing isn’t new.
But it’s moving faster than a B2B buzzword on LinkedIn.
Pete gave me a peek behind the curtain at how Boots is already putting AI-powered marketing to work:
- Creative enhancements
Boots is using AI to help speed up creative production, like generating imagery for campaigns. But there’s a firm line: all people featured are real, and nothing’s retouched. No fake faces, no dodgy hands – especially in health and beauty, authenticity comes first.
- Competitive analysis
Pete shared how AI tools like Microsoft Copilot are already streamlining competitor reviews. What used to take hours – digging through campaigns, comparing strategies – can now happen in seconds, giving the team fast, useful insights during meetings and decision-making.
- Personalization at scale
From writing email headers to summarising reports, AI is being used to clear the admin clutter – so marketers can focus on strategy, creativity, and adding real value. It’s not about replacing people, it’s about freeing them up to do the work that matters most.
And one thing that Pete said hit me like a stunning final episode plot twist:
“AI should make jobs more interesting, not replace human creativity. There’s no point in automating the 20% of work that your best people enjoy doing. Instead, use AI to take away the mundane tasks and let marketers focus on strategy and creativity.”
Key takeaway: AI can assist, but it won’t be writing sonnets or stealing our jobs… yet. Use it to ditch the dull stuff, double down on creativity, and power up AI-driven customer engagement, giving your team the headspace to do what they do best.
If you’re curious about which tools can actually enhance your workflow (without turning your writers into robots), this roundup’s worth a look.
The power of an omnichannel marketing approach
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Boots isn’t just dominating online – they’ve got 2,000+ stores across the UK.
And while digital shopping has exploded, Pete made one thing crystal clear: the high street is far from dead.
“We’ve seen digital shopping skyrocket. But at the same time, physical retail has bounced back. The key is making both work together seamlessly.”
And that’s exactly what Boots is nailing with their omnichannel marketing approach. It’s not about picking sides. It’s about making every customer interaction smooth, smart, and seriously convenient.
Here’s how they’re doing it:
- Click-and-collect
Order online, pick up in-store. It bridges the gap between browsing and buying, and removes delivery delays from the equation. A simple part of their wider retail omnichannel strategy. - QR codes in-store
Remember when we all thought QR codes were dead? Turns out, they just needed a glow-up. Boots has brought them back with purpose – giving shoppers instant access to product info, exclusive offers, and expert advice, right from their phones. - Rapid delivery partnerships
Boots has partnered with Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat to offer rapid delivery from over 100 stores. Customers can order a range of products – including health essentials, beauty items, and even meal deals – and receive them in under 30 minutes. Yep, faster than your average pizza delivery. - Loyalty programs
With 17M+ Advantage Card holders, Boots is delivering personalized marketing at scale. That means hyper-personalised offers, smarter rewards, and targeted content that actually feels relevant. It’s loyalty with brains behind it.
Key takeaway:
Omnichannel customer experience – it’s about creating one fluid experience across both. Boots is working to reduce friction at every stage of the customer journey, making sure that each touchpoint – digital or physical – connects smoothly. So you can show up wherever your customers are, whenever they need you.
If you’re rethinking your funnel to better support the full journey, this post on the content flywheel breaks down how to keep that momentum going.
Pete’s secret to long-term success? Brand loyalty strategies
You don’t stick around for 175 years by accident.
And according to Pete, the secret to Boots’ long game isn’t endless reinvention, it’s consistency with a capital C.
That, and having a brand purpose that actually means something.
Boots’ North Star is “With You for Life.”
And it’s not just a line on a slide deck. They really mean it. A promise that runs through every touchpoint, from pharmacy counters, to packaging, and TikTok videos. The lot.
And it shows up in real, tangible ways:
- Influencer marketing
Boots partners with creators who actually align with the brand – especially in health and beauty. For Boots, authenticity matters. - Social media
The team balances fresh, trend-led content for younger audiences with messaging that resonates with loyal, long-standing customers. - Customer feedback
They’re not just collecting NPS scores for fun. Surveys, data, and digital tracking all feed into a feedback loop that keeps the brand in tune with what people want – today. Not ten years ago.
Pete put it best:
“If you know your customers better, you can serve them better.”
That kind of purpose-led consistency is what helps legacy brands like Boots stay relevant – even as the world, technology, (and the algorithm) changes.
Key takeaway: Brand longevity isn’t about chasing the next shiny thing. It’s about building a strong house.
Boots doesn’t flip-flop with every trend. It sticks to its purpose. And when you lead with that kind of clarity? You make sure you stay relevant in a turbulent market.
(Watch the clip here on boots secret to long-term success)
Final thoughts: Retail marketing trends marketers can learn from Boots
The world of digital marketing insights is noisy, fast-moving, and full of pressure to prove your worth.
But Boots dropped some gems that are worth scribbling down and sticking to:
- Don’t drown in data
Data’s important. But so is gut instinct. Combine both and you’ll make sharper calls that bring in real results.
- Let AI take the grunt work
Use it to speed things up, not water things down. Keep the creative magic human.
- Think beyond channels
Customers aren’t thinking in silos, so your brand experience shouldn’t either. Make it as seamless and fluid as possible.
- Stick to your purpose
A strong brand truth can guide everything – creative, content, customer service, the whole shebang.
And the final note from Pete?
“If you keep innovating, keep listening, and keep delivering what your customers need – you’ll always stay relevant.”
Simple. Smart. Solid advice.
Because when you put customer needs, brand purpose, and long-term thinking at the centre of your marketing? You survive – and lead the way.
Looking at you, Boots.
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