In today’s podcast episode, we discuss what would happen if sports viewership declined, if Meta had to pay $1.4 trillion to California, New Jersey, Colorado, and Kentucky in youth safety lawsuits, and if AI turned every product placement in a TV show into ad inventory. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Analyst Ross Benes, Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian, and Analyst Marisa Jones. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.
63% of US Gen Z digital audio listeners use YouTube or YouTube Music, making it the top platform for both Gen Z and the total population (53%), according to a March 2026 survey from The Harris Poll and EMARKETER.
High-income shoppers buy private label groceries while booking luxury vacations without hesitation. It looks like a contradiction, but the same psychological decision-making drives both choices, and retailers need to understand it to succeed.
In May, Google unveiled its most significant search redesign in 25 years: an intelligent search box that expands for longer queries and accepts multimodal inputs including videos, pictures, and files. The redesign is Google's bid to hold its dominant position as AI-powered search alternatives gain traction. "This is how Google wins," said our analyst Nate Elliott on a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers." "Google wins in AI by convincing people that they don't need to go to a different place to get AI answers."
YouTube ad growth slows: Video budgets are spreading across more platforms, making YouTube one part of a broader media strategy.
Commercial credit cards that highlight payment speed and flexibility can snag loyalty.
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss how much time Americans spend with GenAI, why daily social media use might not have peaked, and why TV, not mobile, still rules the roost.
Nearly half of US digital shoppers (47.1%) have not used AI to shop and aren't interested, according to an April 2026 survey from Bizrate Insights and EMARKETER.
Livestream shopping is finally carving out a role in the US, even as adoption trails well behind China. For years, the format was held up as ecommerce's next frontier. Now it's settling in not as a replacement for traditional ecommerce, but as a different kind of shopping experience.
Affordability drives food purchases more than health, but brands that pair value with nutrition stand to gain.
Reaching patients through insurers and providers could unlock wearable adoption among higher-need cohorts and strengthen long-term loyalty.
Social burnout weakens organic reach: As people delete apps and share less, brands should prioritize standout content over nonstop posting and trend chasing.
TikTok moves shoppers into physical stores: UK shops, cafes, and luxury brands are using creator content to convert views into visits and sales.
Younger adults mostly use these health features, but older adults' faster uptake points to untapped demand.
Wayfair and QVC set “Christmas in July” events, but frequent promotions risk shopper fatigue and weaker returns.
Housing partnerships open land-constrained markets while influencing shopping habits early.
US consumers shifting toward digital payments creates an opening for pay-by-bank to gain traction.
Visa Stablecoin Platform makes it easier for non-consortium payment providers to offer OpenUSD.
Only 11% cite influencers as a purchase driver, making value and product credibility more important.
Easier access to AI and cloud tools makes local expertise—not scale—their strongest competitive advantage.