The news: Social media is no longer just a branding tool—it’s a commerce engine, particularly among Gen Z. Over half (56%) of US Gen Zers have made a purchase because of a social media influencer, per CivicScience’s 2025 Gen Z Media Consumption report. That’s up from 41% in 2023. 52% of Gen Zers have made a purchase directly on a social media platform, compared with 32% of adults over 30. Our take: Gen Z’s buying behavior is embedded in social-first platforms, where influence equals transaction. Partnerships with nano-influencers, who often have extremely engaged audiences, can help boost reach. Brands should test direct in-platform checkout integration on social media to boost conversion and capitalize on growing ecommerce options on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
The finding: Interest in electric vehicles (EVs) has ticked up in the past year, per Deloitte’s June 2025 ConsumerSignals report. Globally, 44% of consumers said they would prefer an EV for their next vehicle, compared to 39% one year ago. In the US, 37% of consumers want an EV, up from 34% in June 2024. The rise in EV demand marks a fundamental shift in the risk landscape. Insurers can no longer afford to underwrite EVs as they would a regular car and adjust premiums reactively. Instead, they must move to a proactive model. This will include incentivizing safe driving, and educating consumers about their vehicles and how to keep premium prices as low as possible. Next, insurers should consider acquiring cybersecurity insurance, investing in human-centric security, and implementing advanced security technologies.
The strategy: Insurance Business Magazine analyzed the tactics behind recent successful insurance marketing campaigns. Our take: The most successful insurers aren't just selling a product; they’re telling a story that connects to people's lives and their need for security and peace of mind. In our report “Life Insurance Trends 2025,” we also explored marketing techniques to help customers—especially younger generations—see the value of insurance. We emphasized price transparency, value-adds, and education on what products entail. Insurance Business Magazine’s analysis backs this up: When insurers move beyond technical jargon and focus on tangible benefits of insurance, they build trust, create memorable campaigns, and ultimately drive greater interest and loyalty.
The news: Sixty-four percent of Gen Z and 65% of millennial homebuyers say their financial well-being will depend on their ability to refinance to a lower interest rate in the future, per Truework’s “The State of Homebuying in America” report. But if rates don’t significantly drop over the next few years, these customers’ mortgages could be at risk of defaulting. Our take: Financial institutions (FIs) can step in to help young homeowners navigate their mortgages while they await rate changes. FIs can start by offering automated refinance alerts, enhancing digital transparency and providing a homeownership/homebuying educational hub.
The strategy: Tech platform Bluwhale has released a model for a scoring system that calculates real-time credit signals from both fiat and crypto assets, per Cointelegraph. Why this matters: We called for FIs to consider incorporating crypto assets into lending products in our report “Home Lending Trends 2025.” Here’s why: Cryptocurrency is becoming more mainstream, with big banks increasingly incorporating digital currencies into everyday solutions. Younger consumers are more interested in alternative investments including crypto than their older counterparts. Our take: FIs aren’t currently offering Bluewhale’s system, but the model still illustrates how creditworthiness scoring could look in the future. FIs that include financial activity that demonstrates strength but doesn’t appear on a traditional credit report can assess loan requests more accurately—and potentially approve more customers.
Three in four US online shoppers consider fast delivery to be important, per a YouGov survey. Just 8% believe it to be unimportant. Thanks to Amazon Prime and similar offerings, consumers have come to expect free and fast shipping. But if forced to pick between the two, shoppers will accept slower delivery speeds if it means no extra cost. That’s good news for brands that can’t afford to compete with the likes of Amazon and Walmart on speed.
The news: Klarna’s revenues jumped 20% YoY to $823 million in the latest earnings released ahead of its IPO this fall. Gross merchandise volume (GMV) spiked 19% to $31.2 billion—nearly four times the size of competitor Affirm’s $8.6 billion. Klarna’s US GMV growth is even more impressive, at 37% YoY. Our take: Klarna will have an uphill battle if it wants to dethrone Affirm as the dominant BNPL provider in the US. Given Affirm’s recent partnership with Stripe, Klarna may not be able to rely on the fintech for such rapid growth anymore—especially considering Affirm’s more direct integrations with Stripe in-store.
The news: Affirm will be available as a payment option for in-store shoppers on Stripe Terminal for US and Canadian merchants, per a press release. Our take: Snagging a Stripe Terminal integration is a big win for Affirm. This can help expand its lead in the US, where it holds $35.69 billion in payment value—a $4 billion dollar lead over Klarna.
The news: Microdramas may be the next big thing on mobile, at least that’s what a new Hollywood startup is hoping. MicroCo plans to use AI to help create 1- to 3-minute vertical-video shows meant for the mobile screens. Microdrama seasons would be 30- to 100-episode arcs—think telenovelas in short bursts. Our take: Microdramas are a growing venture and are ideal for the quick-hits crowd occupying social media. MicroCo could come out ahead if it can create and monetize buzzworthy content. While brands have the opportunity to advertise within short videos, they might fare better creating their own microdramas to appease consumers who are tired of ads.
The news: Western Union will acquire International Money Express (Intermex) in a deal with a total equity and enterprise value of $500 million, per a press release. Our take: Increasing its retail footprint in the US positions can help Western Union capture more remittance outflow from the US, which we forecast to hit $92.58 billion this year.
After beauty's social return on ad spend (ROAS) dipped to $1.90 in Q4 2024, the category saw a marked jump up to $3.50 in Q1 2025, according to a March report from Cart.com.
More than a dozen food manufacturers have pledged to remove artificial dyes from their products in response to pressure from US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. The shift from artificial dyes underscores the increased sway of public health advocates and consumer demand for cleaner labels—even in the absence of conclusive science. It puts food manufacturers in a tough spot: They are under pressure to reformulate without compromising appearance or taste, all while facing steep costs and limited upside for benefits that may be more symbolic than nutritional.
The Ulta Beauty at Target partnership, which put more than 600 Ulta mini-stores inside Target locations, will end in August 2026 when the current agreement expires. The companies said they mutually agreed not to renew the deal, which launched in 2021. With this business venture set to end, Ulta will focus on new growth opportunities, while Target will gain space to focus on operational improvements and refine its retail strategy.
Quick-service chains like Starbucks, Taco Bell, and Potbelly are leaning into secret menus as a low-risk, high-reward strategy to spark buzz, drive app engagement, and crowdsource product innovation. “Secret” is one of the most powerful words in the marketing playbook—it signals exclusivity, discovery, and insider access. For QSRs, secret menus turn that intrigue into action, gamifying loyalty, testing new flavors, and tapping into cultural trends—all without disrupting operations. By inviting fans to co-create, brands get viral traction and fresh product ideas, often using ingredients already in stock. It’s a low-lift, scalable strategy to boost visits and stay relevant in a crowded, fast-moving category.
The news: Costco has opted against dispensing the FDA-approved abortion pill mifepristone at its 500+ pharmacy locations, per Bloomberg. Our take: Costco's position could offend many of its customers and reverse the goodwill it has earned by holding firm on its DEI policies amid right-wing criticism. Costco might risk further brand damage if it stands by the reason of weak consumer demand when there’s evidence showing an uptick in medication abortions.
The news: 26.5% of US adults with type 2 diabetes used a GLP-1 injectable drug last year, per CDC data published Thursday. Our take: While type 2 diabetes is still driving most GLP-1 prescribing today, there’s a healthcare opportunity to address obesity at the same time. Providers need to proactively educate patients with obesity about the risk for type 2 diabetes, while marketers can message GLP-1s as preventive care. Partner with physicians who’ve seen the benefits for their patients and social influencers touting health benefits they’ve gained after starting GLP-1s for weight loss.
The trend: Even amid the surging popularity of weight loss drugs, 60% of respondents to a recent Tebra survey admitted they’re hesitant to ask physicians about GLP-1 medications. Our take: Healthcare and pharma players in the GLP-1 space will want to double down on messaging that obesity is a chronic condition that often requires medication, while integrating testimonials from GLP-1 patients who are proud of their weight loss achievements. Marketers should also craft content that addresses physicians’ specific biases against weight loss drugs and refutes common misconceptions.
The news: Eli Lilly is hiking the UK price of its diabetes and weight loss drug Mounjaro by as much as 170% starting next month, depending on the dose size. The drugmaker also said it’s been working on raising prices of its medications in Europe and other developed countries. Our take: Drug pricing is so complicated that it could benefit pharma manufacturers, because it will be hard to know whether they’re truly equalizing prices or just finding ways around the Trump administration’s demands that other drugmakers could copy.
The news: The podcast ad market is maturing and evolving past an experimental medium into a reliable resource for repeat advertisers and larger test budgets. Q2 podcast ad spending grew 28% YoY and 17% quarter over quarter (QoQ), per Magellan AI’s latest Quarterly Benchmark report. Our take: Podcast audiences are high-intent, highly engaged listeners. Maintaining a positive user experience means advertising remains effective and trusted. Marketers should use podcasts as a bridge medium, not just for conversions, but for brand memory and affinity.