On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how not to over-engineer your marketing with too much data, what retail media brings to social and creator marketing (and vice versa), and where retail media data can genuinely make marketing better—and where we may be asking too much of it. Tune in for a conversation featuring Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst Sarah Marzano, and Vice President of Commerce & Retail Media at the IAB, Collin Colburn.
Some 41% of US ad buyers expect to increase spending on in-person and experiential marketing this year, according to IAB data cited by EMARKETER. As those budgets grow, however, so does the pressure for experiences to accomplish more than drawing a crowd.
Outcome-specific frameworks can help advertisers compare performance and justify larger investments.
Target and Chase are betting that the future of marketing won’t be purely digital. Instead, physical experiences, from retail stores and bank branches to exclusive events, can become engines for digital content, creator amplification, and consumer connection.
AI-powered search is reshaping how consumers discover products, and it's creating urgent monetization challenges for publishers, browsers, and commerce platforms. Consumers spend an average of at least 23 minutes a day in AI chat platforms, and that time will more than double by 2028, according to industry experts. "Consumers on average spend at least 23 minutes within AI chat today, and that will more than double by 2028," said John Nitti, global chief business officer at adMarketplace, during a panel at Advertising Week New York this week. "Advertising expenditure is actually a two-year lag. So the consumer has always been ahead of marketing."
42% of US retail leaders rank social commerce, like TikTok Shop and Instagram Shopping, among their top two holiday order drivers, edging out the 41% who say the same of their own ecommerce site or app, according to an August report from Narvar and eTail Insights.
New buying and AI tools could help the platform capture more transactions from brands and shoppers.
It signals how the FDA may interpret tone, framing, and context in social media pharma marketing.
Walmart and McDonald’s are drawing lines around dynamic pricing as consumers grow wary of how prices are set.
Skydance inventory gains purchase-based targeting, giving marketers reason to keep linear in the mix.
Extra cash back can keep group spending in-app, especially when Venmo targets social organizers.
Payment providers can earn loyalty by pairing agentic tools with education, safeguards, and guarantees.
Exclusive data show the sales potential of influencer partnerships, though larger creator networks add complexity.
Only 32% use AI for decision support, limiting their ability to turn customer data into timely, personalized outreach.
Most US adults monitor a health metric daily, but simpler, outcome-focused tracking may be more appealing.
AdWeek NY panelists urge pharma marketers to adapt as patients’ digital research increasingly shapes treatment decisions and informs conversations with doctors.
Marketers could get simpler media buys but face higher CPMs and less pricing leverage.
Stable distribution opens the door to longer-term sponsorships, though streaming alone may not revive viewership.
Licensing IP can attract new fans to Disney+ while giving marketers more ways to reach them.