33% of US genAI users have experienced inaccurate or misleading output when using the technology, according to a September 2025 report from Deloitte.
Earlier this month, celebrity and influencer Shay Mitchell launched rini, a line of “clinically backed” and “scientifically proven” beauty face masks for kids. Although rini has attached itself to rising beauty trends, consumers and marketers across social platforms are criticising the way the brand is targeting an audience who might still be mastering their ABCs.
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32% of US and UK consumers say AI is negatively disrupting the creator economy, up from 18% in 2023, according to July 2025 data from Billion Dollar Boy.
Gen Zers are becoming increasingly financially independent. A Pathward and Mastercard study of Gen Zers found that 70% of post-college respondents are mostly or completely financially independent, up from 37% in college and 44% in a college alternative. According to our June 2025 report “Future-Proofing Banking Through Customer-Centric Journeys,” banks must pivot from a strategic model based on selling financial products and services to one in which the bank guides customers through solutions to their financial needs and different life stages.
A J.D. Power customer satisfaction benchmark ranked Citi No. 1 for US mortgage origination, above Bank of America (BofA). The study suggests that lenders are changing their sales model from a focus on volume over service to one emphasizing consultation and advice to enhance customer trust and deepen relationships. Consumers should feel supported in the mortgage market. How borrowers feel about the origination experience, from awareness through closing, should strongly influence their choice of provider amid frequent negative headlines and interest rate uncertainty.
As retail media moves from side business to centerpiece, big brands are prioritizing measurement and efficiency to cement the channel as a mature budget item. Retail media will grow almost 20% this year (19.4%) to reach $58.79 billion, according to EMARKETER's September 2025 forecast. In recent earnings calls, tech leaders described a channel that is now about solid data, AI-driven relevance, and reshaping how advertisers reach shoppers.
Key stat: 72% of US buy-side retail media advertisers say they are buying video ads offsite, second only to social media, according to a March RetailX survey commissioned by Koddi.
Jeff Bezos is returning to an operational role for the first time since stepping down as CEO from Amazon in 2021. His new startup—Project Prometheus—launched with $6.2 billion in funding, instantly making it one of the best-capitalized early-stage AI companies, per The New York Times. The company is focused on "physical AI" for engineering and manufacturing across computers, humanoid robots, aerospace, and automotive. Brands should watch how physical AI reshapes manufacturing and R&D. The next competitive edge will come from using AI to prototype new products, automate factory intelligence, and bring ideas to market with unprecedented speed.
TikTok Shop is now almost as large as eBay, according to EchoTik. The marketplace’s global gross merchandise value (GMV) hit $19 billion in Q3, not far off eBay’s $20.1 billion. Between $4 billion and $4.6 billion of those sales took place in the US, up 125% QoQ, making it TikTok Shop’s largest single market. TikTok’s ability to blend shopping and entertainment is turning the platform into an ecommerce powerhouse. While price concerns and value are top of mind for consumers this holiday season, so too is the desire to shop for fun—an itch that TikTok Shop is perfectly placed to scratch.
WPP is reportedly eyeing a merger with holding company Havas and private equity firms KKR and Apollo, per the Times. A merged WPP and Havas would provide more value to advertisers by giving access to a broader mix of services.
PayPal’s Pay Later is soaring in popularity, with 56% of US buy now, pay later (BNPL) customers having used its installment services—outstripping industry leaders Klarna, Affirm, and Afterpay, per a Lending Tree survey. PayPal’s dominance is likely to stick unless BNPL competitors can expand their offerings' acceptance at the point of sale. Continuing to push BNPL-enabled debit cards and merchant partnerships may help to secure loyalty from Gen Zers and young parents seeking these financing options.
LinkedIn’s AI-driven people search lets users type plain-language queries like “marketing leaders with AI experience” and instantly find matches—even if those exact words don’t appear on a profile, per TechRadar. The upgrade, available to US Premium subscribers, makes LinkedIn far more context aware—and strengthens its role as a precision targeting engine at a time when its ad business keeps climbing. For marketers on LinkedIn, the implications are significant and offer improvements in precision targeting, campaign efficiency, and intent-driven discovery.
Mozilla SVP Suba Vasudevan argues that digital advertising’s next frontier isn’t automation—it’s accountability. In her view, trust is no longer a soft metric but a measurable driver of performance. As advertisers recoil from fraud, opacity, and unsafe inventory, Firefox Ads positions itself as the premium alternative: a clean, privacy-first space where engagement aligns with user consent. The data backs her up—CPMs are climbing, and brands are paying more for quality—but the shift remains uneven. Many still prize efficiency over ethics. For marketers, the new equation is clear: trust and performance are converging, and only one will sustain the other.
Amazon has partnered with Ford to list certified pre-owned “Blue Advantage” vehicles on its Amazon Autos platform, allowing shoppers within 75 miles of participating dealers to browse inventory, arrange financing, and complete most paperwork online. The move adds momentum to Amazon’s push into the automotive space following its deal with Hyundai and aligns with its marketplace strategy of scaling without owning inventory. Despite a softening used-car market, the collaboration could strengthen Amazon’s foothold in auto ecommerce, helping it compete with Carvana and CarMax by offering convenience and dealer-backed credibility.
7-Eleven is making bold moves that contradict retail wisdom, expanding its footprint despite declining same-store sales and traffic. "It's not that they're opening a ton of new stores, it's just they're rejigging their footprint," said our analyst Blake Droesch on a recent episode of “Behind the Numbers.”
GoodRx is launching a weight loss telehealth membership plan and discounting the cash-pay price for low doses of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy to $199 per month. GoodRx is newer to telehealth, but already making waves and forging closer relationships with drugmakers.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the three big questions surrounding Meta in Q3 and beyond: How will AI-generated social video affect social media? What’s the biggest takeaway regarding Meta using AI chatbot conversations to target ads? And do Meta's new smart glasses really have a future? Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Analyst Emmy Liederman, and Principal Analyst Minda Smiley. Listen everywhere, and watch on YouTube and Spotify.