In the coming year, experts believe retailers will aim to consolidate their operations and link retail media silos with broader organizations.
Companies are cutting jobs to manage costs amid uneven demand and persistent margin pressure.
TikTok US uninstalls jumped 150% post-takeover--but engagement held, meaning sentiment shifts matter more than uninstall headlines.
Advertisers use AI across creative and targeting, yet 61% report no meaningful gains and only 30% trust it.
Settling their suits pretrial shields execs and data as pressure now concentrates on Meta and YouTube.
The shift signals a move from store-first to infrastructure-first retail.
48% of influencer marketing agencies say strategic guidance on AI, automation, or new platforms is the biggest change in client expectations this year, ahead of faster turnaround times (40%) and ROI focus (40%), according to July 2025 data from CreatorIQ and Sapio Research.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion may still be framed as priorities for marketers, but Black consumers increasingly view inclusion as a baseline expectation that directly influences attention, trust, and purchasing behavior.
For the past several years, commerce media has been defined by proliferation: New networks, new formats, new acronyms. As the category heads into 2026, industry leaders agree that growth alone is no longer the story. What matters now is connection: Across channels, across data, and across the full customer journey.
TikTok’s US transition brought algorithm resets, upload glitches, and new data tracking—jolting users and scrambling marketers’ reach.
Meta is tightening teen safeguards for its AI companions in a move that could help make future chatbot ads more viable.
TikTok creator Khaby Lame is scaling beyond human limits thanks to his AI twin, expanding his global reach as part of a $900 million deal.
TV-like rates meet beta-grade reporting, testing how much brands will pay for early intent.
Service, exclusives, and smarter real estate strategies may help stabilize demand and differentiation.
This FAQ covers the fundamentals of programmatic advertising and the trends shaping the market in 2026.
Brands with differentiated storytelling could attract investors despite cautious sentiment and pressured consumers.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the new Disney-OpenAI deal: why Disney did the deal, what's in it for OpenAI, and everything that might happen next. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Analyst Ross Benes, and Principal Analyst Max Willens. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Governance over strategy: 76.6% of marketers have AI policies, but roadmaps and ROI targets are lagging, resulting in oversight without outcomes.
Humor and celebrity now dominate Super Bowl ads; brands now favor memeable, star-driven comedy as safer attention drivers and a chance at social-media virality.