Their new debit card highlights the opportunity for providers to serve creators as a distinct small-business segment

Advertisers are pouring money into channels that don’t match where consumers spend their time. This report reveals the biggest gaps across media, devices, and platforms—and where missed opportunities may lie.

YouTube has evolved into a sprawling advertising ecosystem that spans premium video, social, commerce, and AI. Its scale creates new opportunities, but marketers must navigate growing complexity to unlock better business outcomes.

Marketers create more content with AI, but sameness abounds: Strong signal data and model training are needed to differentiate AI creative.

TikTok moves shoppers into physical stores: UK shops, cafes, and luxury brands are using creator content to convert views into visits and sales.

US programmatic advertising is consolidating around video, CTV, walled gardens, retail media, and agentic AI. Marketers need to balance signal, scale, transparency, and control as automated buying enters its next phase.

YouTube ad growth slows: Video budgets are spreading across more platforms, making YouTube one part of a broader media strategy.

Consumer spending will come under greater pressure during the 2026 holiday season, slowing retail and ecommerce sales growth compared with the rest of the year.

Commerce media is becoming less about individual channels and more about creating connected customer experiences. Brands are increasingly combining offsite and onsite media to build awareness, drive consideration, and convert shoppers.

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."

TikTok’s influence across Western Europe keeps expanding, but its biggest opportunities vary by market. This report explores where user growth, advertising, and social commerce are accelerating.

Italy’s digital economy continues to expand as advertising investment grows and consumers spend more time across social, streaming, and connected media environments.

Electronics ads convert best of any retail category at 7.58%, nearly four times the rate of home and kitchen ads (1.94%) at the bottom of the pack, according to a Q4 2025 report from SellMetric.

TikTok pushes women toward DIY health advice, making it essential for providers and marketers to monitor viral trends and deliver trusted guidance.

TikTok turns microdramas into ad inventory: Growth Max lets brands build or sponsor episodic content as viewers watch ads to unlock more episodes.

Consumers prefer relatable stories on social media over quick answers, making patient voices key for brands.

TikTok video views for wellness brands grew 646.9% YoY in Q1 2026, even as views across all industries fell 6%, according to a Q1 2026 report from Dash Social.

The same social media video behaviors that shape other purchases are influencing their health and wellness choices.

AI changes creator playbooks: Cannes Lions showed platforms weaving AI into creator tools as marketers balance scale with credibility.

YouTube Shorts streamlines the user experience: 2x playback, Clean Screen, and simpler feedback tools could fuel longer sessions and sharpen ad targeting.