"Star Wars," "Dungeons & Dragons," and Pokémon all began as niche obsessions before their fans carried them into pop culture. That path still works, but fans are doing more of the carrying. They adapt the story, remix it, argue about it in comment sections and bring it to audiences its owners never targeted. "When people see their identity reflected back at them, when they feel connected to a community, when they feel like they have a sense of belonging, their fandom gets deeper, it gets stronger, and it becomes something that they want to share with others," said Fotoulla Damaskos, executive vice president of brand strategy and innovation at National Research Group (NRG).
In today’s podcast episode, we present our (somewhat Halloween-themed) Unofficial Monthly Retailer Awards (UMRAs) for October. The awards include “Most Impactful Campaign,” “Best IRL Initiative,” and “Greatest Under-the-Radar Move.” Join Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analysts Sky Canaves and Zak Stambor, and Senior Director of Content Becky Schilling for the discussion.
Catalina Snacks’ products are gaining traction with shoppers who are conscious of ingredients and interested in healthy alternatives in categories like cereals and snacks.
Higher everyday costs are reducing restaurant visits, forcing chains to offer more than discounts to earn a trip.
Shop Direct brings 250 million outside listings onto Amazon as it works to keep shoppers from rival AI tools.
Adoption amid safety or ethics concerns means usage rates won’t determine receptiveness to branded AI features.
A wider range of prices, stronger innovation, and sharper portfolios are critical as consumers scrutinize every purchase.
With US retail media spending set to hit $74.4 billion, new networks must show advertisers they can deliver measurable sales.
The visibility that makes stars valuable can also amplify the damage when controversies emerge.
Banks risk losing new business to rivals unless they offer tailored advice first.
Oncology is just 7% of sales, but GSK has bigger ambitions as industry pipelines set up fiercer competition for patients.
With watch time up 50%, brands can tap devoted audiences through creator deals and natural product placements.
With paid placements off the table, restaurants need creator reviews and active engagement to stand out.
28% of US buy-side decision-makers plan to run 11 or more incrementality tests a year with AI-driven improvements, more than triple the 8% who do so today, according to a February report from IAB and BWG Strategy.
Dedicated leadership will connect data and marketing tools, giving clients more reason to keep working with agencies.
An update could make ads far more relevant but also push consumers’ privacy limits.
Reading about AI and putting it to work are two very different things. As adoption accelerates, hands-on experience is becoming essential for marketers to understand what AI can do, where it falls short, and how to use it effectively.
GEO tools help brands target visibility gaps in AI answers and support brand presence.
Marketing teams should judge experiments by business outcomes, not activity metrics like output volume.
A 625% jump in video sponsorship revenues shows the value of repeat engagement as search referrals decline.