Pharma marketers are increasingly investing in point-of-care (POC) marketing. Pharma marketers should be able to effectively integrate traditional media advertising with POC content. For example, marketers could use similar wording, data, and testimonials in a TV/online campaign as they do in a POC ad to improve audience retention. Similarly, a TV commercial may spark initial awareness of a prescription drug, while POC ads reinforce it with QR codes or digital resources that patients can explore in the waiting room, or cost-saving information provided at the pharmacy counter.
More than three-fourths (78%) of US adults support extending federal funding tax credits for ACA insurance, according to a new KFF survey. That includes 57% of Republicans who support President Donald Trump. The tax credits are a key part of the current Senate stopgap funding negotiations. If subsidies are not extended, insurers need to prepare customer-friendly strategies to retain price-conscious enrollees, such as flexible plan options or help switching plans. They should also offer new digital health perks (or highlight existing ones) like mental health support and health-related discounts.
ICEBlock, an app that allowed users to flag US Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, was taken down from Apple’s App Store after the Trump administration pressed for its removal, per The New York Times. This push for compliance is exemplified by the TikTok ban threat in the US. Even though the ban didn’t materialize, it showed how government pressure can reshape platform access overnight. And if a company takes a stance that appears to favor one political side, the fallout can be far-reaching, not just for the platform but for every brand inside its walls.
Trust in news media is at a record low in the US, with just 28% of Americans across age groups and party affiliations showing a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in television, radio, and newspapers to report news fully, fairly, and accurately, per Gallup. Creating content that aligns with core audience values will be critical to sustain advertising success as consumer trust in media declines.
Xbox plans to add a free ad-supported tier to its Xbox gaming subscriptions, per The Verge. Employees currently have access to testing ahead of a public beta. Test features include two minutes of pre-roll ads before gamers gain access to Xbox Cloud Gaming and a one-hour time limit per session. Nearly half (46%) of gamers often make purchases based on in-game ads. Marketers should focus on influencer-led campaigns that play up gaming and personalization. If ads feel more like a buddy joining them in the living room rather than an interruption, gamers are less likely to be irritated.
At Advertising Week New York, creators are no longer side players—they’re center stage. Global president Ruth Mortimer told EMARKETER that influencers now operate as media channels in their own right, shaping programming with four dedicated tracks, a creator lounge, and even an Adobe-backed live pitch where creators can secure $25,000 contracts on stage. As creators revive entertainment formats and build their own businesses, brands should view them as long-term partners driving cultural relevance—not just campaign amplifiers.
The subscription economy is on track to surge 67% over the next five years, reaching $1.2 trillion globally by 2030, according to Juniper Research. Digital video subscriptions lead the way and account for more than a third of all spending. The subscription model is scaling, but trust is fragile. With large shares of consumers across markets feeling they pay too much, retention will define the next growth phase. Retention must be part of the design from the start—transparent pricing and policies, simple cancellation or tier-change processes, and clear, distinct benefits—so subscriptions become habits, not burdens.
One out of every four new McDonald’s stores is located in Texas, per Bloomberg, as the fast-food chain aligns its footprint with US population trends and races toward its goal of 50,000 locations worldwide by 2027. Companies should be constantly reevaluating their store portfolios to ensure they align with demographic trends. Failing to respond to population shifts could cause brands to lose relevance, particularly in fiercely competitive sectors like fast food.
Jack in the Box introduced an in-app, AI-powered “choose your own adventure” game to deliver more deals to customers and increase engagement. More quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are turning to gamification to reverse slumping traffic, spotlight value offerings, and attract more diners to their apps. Offering gamified experiences is an effective way for QSRs—and even retailers—to get new customers into their orbits while encouraging existing ones to order more frequently.
Over half (56%) of US luxury consumers plan to maintain or increase their spending in the next three months as of July 2025, a sharp rebound from April's low of 47%, according to a September 2025 report from Saks.
Perplexity dropped the $200 monthly fee for its AI-native Comet browser, making it free worldwide but with rate limits. The change follows Google Chrome hitting a record 73.7% share of desktop browsing in September, per StatCounter. Comet can summarize webpages, pull key details, and wade through links on a user’s behalf. Chrome remains the must-buy channel, but ChatGPT’s mobile stickiness and Comet’s positioning prove that audiences may increasingly flow through alternative gateways. The brands that experiment early across these varied environments will be better prepared when consumer behavior tilts away from legacy browsers.
Seven of the 10 top affiliate publisher types increased coupon use in H1 2025, led by email where 50.1% of sales included a coupon, according to data provided to EMARKETER by Awin.
As advertisers demand clearer evidence of campaign effectiveness, retail media networks (RMNs) are investing in advanced attribution tools. Loblaw Advance, the retail media network of Canadian retailer Loblaw Companies Limited, is taking this step with its new multi-touch attribution (MTA) solution.
Credit union membership has held relatively steady between 2023 and 2025 for Gen Zers but has declined significantly among millennials—to 22% in 2025 from 31% in 2023, per a Sogolytics study. Credit unions must reposition themselves for younger consumers by closing the knowledge gap with simple, clear messaging about what they are and why they matter while also countering the perception that they’re outdated. Marketing should highlight their digital strength and convenience, showcase member ownership and community impact to align with Gen Zers’ and millennials’ values, and promote youth-friendly products like starter accounts or fee-free checking.
Citigroup has accepted President Donald Trump's money, creating a new trust held by his son Eric Trump for some of the president's assets, per Bloomberg. Citi is calculating that the Trump family’s potential investments outweigh the reputational risks—and potential blowback from consumers. Businesses’ decisions have recently led to massive boycotts, for example Disney lost 1.7 million subscribers after Jimmy Kimmel’s highly politicized temporary suspension, per Tvinsider. And Target has faced declining profits after stepping back from DEI policies. We will likely see more movement in this direction, as banks fear being labeled as debanking under this administration.
Charlie Javice, who founded a fintech that JPMorgan Chase acquired in 2021 for $175 million, was sentenced to seven years in prison for pitching the deal based on fraudulent records that exaggerated the size of the fintech’s customer base by several million. Fintechs can be valuable partners and shrewd acquisitions, but for banks, they may also be a siren song. A hunger for growth and a thirst for the next best thing can impair otherwise clear management judgment. Due diligence should be thorough and strategic planning measured.
Consumers are approaching the holiday season with restraint: 27% of US adults expect to spend less from October to December, while 22% spend more, per a July survey from Experian and ad platform GroundTruth. Discounters and value-oriented retailers should be well-positioned to draw holiday sales from consumers. Still, retailers chasing growth during the make-or-break holiday season will need to drive and reward value-seeking behavior. That means their marketing must be aligned with shopping behaviors. Messaging should spotlight value and affordability. Marketing campaigns should be stretched across the extended shopping season, not just concentrated on big events like Black Friday. Promotions and loyalty perks should be used to reward value seekers.
Stripe updated a host of products during Stripe Tour New York. tripe’s use of AI for fraud detection and a frictionless redirected checkout will give merchants increased security and better margins. For ecommerce companies, the ability to seize more of the revenues from in-app sales could motivate directing more marketing promotions aimed at driving customers to download their apps for checkout for a discount.
Google’s Chrome browser hit a record 73.7% share of worldwide desktop browsing in September, according to StatCounter. That’s its strongest position yet and signals little room for competitors. Apple Safari sits at 5.7% on desktop, but its browser is stronger on mobile with 19.5%. Brands should treat Chrome as the default hub for ad spend, search, and AI-enabled commerce by building campaigns that align with Google’s integrated ecosystem. Safari merits a mobile-first strategy to reach iOS users, but the real growth lever is Chrome’s ability to unify discovery, personalization, and conversion for mobile and PCs in one place.
Fiserv will acquire StoneCastle Cash Management, giving its payment ecosystem a new source of liquidity. Broadening its merchant services through stablecoin issuance may take the burden off of Clover to drive revenues, which has struggled recently with weaker adoption amid a stacked POS space. But partnered merchants like DoorDash will have to make a case to workers and customers alike that stablecoin payments are as valuable as fiat. With only 1.8% of the US population using cryptocurrency, per our forecast, the general population will have to be persuaded that FIUSD—or retailers’ own stablecoins—really have the utility to pay bills and rent just as easily as a regular paycheck.