Private equity is reshaping the agency landscape: As holding companies exit some service categories, PE firms see AI-driven agencies as high-growth investment opportunities.

Microsoft, Google enhance genAI offerings for clinicians: We examine the race between startups, health tech companies, and Big Tech giants to show healthcare organizations how their AI tools will drive efficiency-–and why Microsoft could have a leg up on the competition.

The BNPL provider has made strong inroads in the US but faces steep obstacles in growing its market share

Nordstrom ended the year on a high note: The retailer’s banner comparable sales rose 5.3% YoY in Q4, and off-price Rack’s comps increased 3.5%.

First-party data is becoming essential: As third-party cookies disappear, brands like The New York Times, Disney, and McDonald’s are leveraging direct consumer relationships to improve ad targeting and measurement.

Target looks to add $15 billion in sales by 2030: However, 2025 is shaping up to be a tough year, as tariffs dampen discretionary demand and shoppers push back against its DEI policies.

YouTube is positioning itself as an all-in-one streaming platform, attracting advertisers and reshaping VOD consumption habits.

Over half (54%) of marketers feel overwhelmed by the prospect of implementing AI into their workflows, according to October 2024 data from HubSpot.

On Running’s marathon win streak continues in Q4: The buzzy running brand reported record profits and a 36% YoY jump in sales, with some help from Roger Federer and Zendaya.

Pinterest will start labeling AI-generated images: The change is likely an attempt to maintain the platform’s user base without sacrificing the lucrative potential of AI.

Rising Airbnb rentals and Tinder’s weak ID verification create unchecked spaces for misuse. Colombia’s tourism boom worsens the problem as traffickers exploit platform anonymity and operate freely.

US smart wearable users will surge past 100 million by 2025 as AI capabilities drive adoption. Generational preferences, device convergence, and rising form factors like smart glasses and rings will reshape the market through 2028.

Its partnership with Perplexity aims to create an action-oriented AI smartphone, but market competition and questionable demand makes this a risky venture.

It promises emotional intelligence and creative capabilities, with a hefty price tag and limited availability. Integrating its best features into GPT-5 could conserve GPUs.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how Amazon has made themselves even more essential to customers, why “they can’t make physical stores work”, and how its advertising business is getting on. Tune in to the episode with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Analyst Rachel Wolff, and Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

25% of US adults consider Facebook the most influential social media platform for purchasing decisions, putting it just ahead of TikTok (21%) and Instagram (20%), according to Relex.

This earnings season revealed retailers with strong value propositions and efficient omnichannel operations are positioned to outperform, while those relying on middle-market discretionary spending face challenges.

Data fuels marketing, but it’s tough to track and even harder to make sense of. Businesses juggle measuring customer behavior, respecting privacy, and personalizing experiences—all while marketers try to prove their campaigns are worth the investment. Analytics and attribution tools help by showing what’s working, where to focus, and how to improve.

With new federal regulations up in the air, banks want to know whether they should still prepare for the rule’s rollout.

BNPL will count more than 100 million users by 2027. Its high-growth days are in the past, with both the number of BNPL users and overall payment value decelerating. But it remains an important financing tool for consumers and has a long runway ahead: BNPL payment value will account for just 1.4% of overall retail sales in 2025, per our forecast.

Connected TV (CTV) is now an integral part of retail media. Media networks can offer rich third-party data, while CTV platforms have advanced targeting capabilities and an engaged audience. But just how big is the opportunity?

Canadian consumers boycott American products as tariff threat looms: Anti-US sentiment is pushing consumers to buy local—a trend likely to continue in countries targeted by Trump’s tariffs.