Livestream shopping is finally carving out a role in the US, even as adoption trails well behind China. For years, the format was held up as ecommerce's next frontier. Now it's settling in not as a replacement for traditional ecommerce, but as a different kind of shopping experience.
Wayfair and QVC set “Christmas in July” events, but frequent promotions risk shopper fatigue and weaker returns.
Housing partnerships open land-constrained markets while influencing shopping habits early.
Only 11% cite influencers as a purchase driver, making value and product credibility more important.
Easier access to AI and cloud tools makes local expertise—not scale—their strongest competitive advantage.
Plain-language web updates keep banking products visible as consumers ask AI for advice.
Google redesigns Image Search: Personalized galleries and image generation compete with Pinterest and keep users discovering content.
Summer vacations will be more expensive this year as US consumers face price hikes over considerations like airfare and lodging. As a result, many travelers are cutting back and turning to digital channels to find deals. Despite these economic headwinds, US digital travel sales are expected to reach $332.56 billion, up 5.0% YoY, EMARKETER forecasts. If sales are increasing on digital travel channels, it’s not because consumers are looking to buy more things. The rise in travel-related expenses is much higher than modest gains on digital channels, suggesting travelers are cutting back.
Retail media drives discovery: In-store digital ads help shoppers find new products, giving CPG brands fresh ways to earn attention beyond planned buys.
Chipotle turns fan attention into first-party data.
Kalshi leans into culture for discovery and reach: Its culture-led campaigns show emerging brands can earn attention without product education.
Apple Maps ads are coming to the US and Canada: Retail and hospitality brands may benefit as Apple blocks fraud-prone categories.
On today’s podcast, we discuss how consumers decide what’s worth buying, why we spend hours trying to save $10 on groceries but think nothing of spending thousands on a vacation, how uncertainty influences the way people make decisions, and why being a smart shopper is becoming part of our identity. Tune in for a discussion featuring Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Senior Analyst Grace Broadbent, and Ayelet Fishbach, Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Fewer buyers and more borrower stress make grants, buydowns, and servicing key differentiators.
Restricting affiliates’ use of AI may protect credibility but limit exposure.
The Bieber capsule reinforces Gap's denim heritage, betting product credibility can outlast viral controversy.
Podcast hosts earn trust as advertisers invest: Podcast ads gain appeal as host credibility drives purchases, prompting brands to increase spending.
Dentsu gives AI agents structure: dentsu.Connect 4.0 helps CMOs scale their AI workflows without replacing existing martech stacks.
Canva keeps marketers inside its suite: Code 2.0 ties AI app-building to brand kits, templates, and campaign workflows.
Rather than creating an out-of-home (OOH) campaign designed to generate social media buzz, travel app Skyscanner did the reverse: It turned an already-viral TikTok moment into a real-world brand experience. The company recently installed a billboard in the baggage claim area of San Juan's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, riffing on the viral "First time in San Juan, mi hijo?" audio created by Pittsburgh comedian Bill Stiteler (@saxboybilly18), which continues to soundtrack vacation videos, travel recaps and Puerto Rico getaways across TikTok. The billboard greets arriving visitors with the message: "First time in San Juan, mi hijo? Next time, compare flights and save 30% on average."