As advertising executives prepare to descend on the French Riviera for Cannes Lions 2026, several sessions highlight the industry's most pressing challenges, from AI-powered creativity to the tension between brand values and customer demands. "We are right in the middle of a pretty weird era of mismatch between the creative needs that brands have and what they are able to produce either on their own or via their agency partners," EMARKETER analyst Max Willens said on a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers." The festival runs June 22-25 in Cannes, France. These four sessions reveal where the industry is headed.
57% of US digital audio listeners spend the most time with music playlists, far ahead of podcasts (35%) and every other format, according to a March 2026 survey from Harris Poll and EMARKETER.
Heritage luxury jewelry brand Tacori faces a unique marketing challenge: Its core bridal customer base constantly cycles in and out of relevance. Engagement ring shoppers typically research for just one to four months before purchasing, and once they buy, they're no longer in-market.
Financial media networks’ transaction data across tens of millions of merchants and retailers gives advertisers a fresh angle when planning and measuring campaigns. This is a crucial value proposition made by PayPal Ads to advertisers looking to convert customers and compare allocations between various retail media networks.
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss the main reasons Apple might be about to take over the AI race, the challenges Siri is going to face, and whether Siri AI just “Sherlocked” the free version of ChatGPT. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Analyst Grace Harmon and Senior Analyst Gadjo Sevilla. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.
Brands see college shopping as a gateway to long-term loyalty.
Yahoo’s agent hub: Yahoo links third-party AI agents in one DSP, reducing integration friction across existing tech stacks.
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss what summer travel will look like for Americans this year, where people go online to book their vacations, and how AI is helping travelers plan and manage their trips. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Vice President of Research Jennifer Pearson and Principal Analyst Zak Stambor. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian, Analyst Paola Flores-Marquez, and Senior Analyst Gadjo Sevilla. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.
YouTube/YouTube Music is the most-used digital audio platform, reaching 51% of US digital audio listeners and standing alone as the only option to clear the halfway mark, according to a March 2026 Harris Poll and EMARKETER survey.
China’s luxury goods market is poised for a return to growth as government policies and easing economic pressures boost demand. But this positive sentiment is not equally shared, and changing consumer preferences will continue to challenge luxury brands.
Americans are spending more on health and wellness, and the reasons have less to do with income than with institutional skepticism. That dynamic is creating a significant retail opportunity, one that major retailers are already moving to capture. "[Wellness] has evolved into a much broader concept that combines physical health and mental health and emotional balance and lifestyle habits and longevity," said EMARKETER analyst Rajiv Leventhal in a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers."
Marketers have a clear idea of what channels deserve their energy, like AI ad spending, retail media, and influencer marketing. So instead of heading into Cannes Lions with concerns on where to invest, they're more focused on how to make those investments work. Some 38.7% of US marketers say that while creative is important, measurement gaps prevent it from meaningfully influencing investment decisions, according to a February EMARKETER and Perion survey.
AI shopping assistants such as Amazon's Alexa for Shopping (formerly Rufus), Walmart's Sparky, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini are reshaping how consumers discover and evaluate products. Retailer-owned assistants are already lifting order values and conversion, while standalone AI platforms struggle to convert recommendations into purchases. This FAQ covers how AI shopping assistants work, what they mean for brand loyalty, and how brands earn a place in AI-generated recommendations.
Buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) has quietly become the workhorse of omnichannel retail. Pickup now outpaces same-day delivery among grocery shoppers, according to FMI and NielsenIQ. The benefits are clear: Retailers save on last-mile costs while gaining foot traffic and the fee-free economics fit a value-conscious consumer. This FAQ covers how click-and-collect works, why it is winning, and where retailers should invest in 2026.
The company is expanding live shopping capabilities and ad formats on Instagram and Facebook as the format gains traction.
To boost frictionless payments, merchants need to drive consumers to mobile app offerings.
Younger members and digital tools are reshaping the brand.
The hotel chain’s push into the premium co-brand market shows the tension between providing both value and luxury.
Standalone shops offer brands more control over experience and positioning.