On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the unofficial list of the most interesting retailers for the month of July. Each month, our analysts Arielle Feger, Becky Schilling, and Vice President of Content and guest host, Suzy Davidkhanian (aka The Committee) put together a very unofficial list of the top eight retailers they're watching based on which are making the most interesting moves: Who's launching new initiatives? Which partnerships are moving the needle? Which standout marketing campaigns are being created? In this month's episode, Committee members Arielle Feger and Suzy Davidkhanian will defend their list against Senior Analyst Blake Droesch, and Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, who will dispute the power rankings by attempting to move retailers up, down, on, or off the list.
Cost of living is the top concern for global Gen Zers (39%) and millennials (42%), according to December 2024 data from Deloitte.
OpenAI is preparing to launch GPT-5 in early August. The newest and most powerful model combines traditional GPT capabilities with o3-series reasoning—marking a major leap in performance and model simplification. The consolidation play with GPT-5 could further cement OpenAI’s dominance if competitors are slow to respond.
The challenges: UPS’ turnaround remains in the early innings due to structural inefficiencies, operational missteps, and mounting macroeconomic headwinds. Our take: UPS faces a difficult road ahead. The company is actively trying to streamline operations—planning to shutter up to 10% of its buildings, downsize its fleet, and reduce its US workforce to better align with leaner volumes. It’s also trimming low-margin business, notably cutting back on Amazon deliveries, which made up as much as 11.8% of its total revenues last year, in an effort to prioritize more profitable shipments. Still, with demand under pressure and cost headwinds mounting, stabilizing performance will be an uphill climb.
Snacks maker Mars said it plans to invest an additional $2 billion in US manufacturing through next year to build new facilities and upgrade existing ones in wake of the Trump administration’s tariffs. Tariffs are leading some businesses to boost their US footprint, and we may see more investment announcements. But a key consideration is whether these expansion announcements will represent substantive, job-creating initiatives, or if they are largely symbolic moves designed to support the US government’s current messaging around American manufacturing.
The news: Citigroup unveiled the Citi Strata Elite Card, its new premium card, per a press release. However, its rewards package lacks some of the flexibility that its peer card, Sapphire Reserve, holds in travel booking. While Reserve cardholders are more handsomely rewarded when booking through Chase travel platforms, members still receive points for booking travel directly—Strata Elite members lack that privilege.
The news: The trade deal between the US and EU will include a 15% tariff on pharmaceuticals imported from Europe, the White House said. The final word: Pharma companies and industry trade groups had been holding out hope that their medicines imported to the US would be exempt from tariffs. Not getting that reprieve is a setback—but the 15% rate on its own could be seen as a decent outcome, particularly considering that 200% tariffs were threatened and the Section 232 investigation could lead to a higher levy in other countries.
The news: Amazon’s Prime Video overtook Netflix in Brazil’s streaming market in Q2 2025, leading with 22% of user interest and edging out Netflix at 21%, according to JustWatch, per Meio & Mensagem. Prime Videos’ ascent presents new advertising opportunities in the country, while Netflix’s decline suggests potential audience fragmentation Our take: Brazil’s streaming war is shifting from subscriptions to hybrid models, and Prime Video wins on bundled utility. Netflix can catch up by scaling its ad tier and investing in local hits. The next battleground? Premium reach at a lower cost in a market where cultural relevance drives loyalty.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what “authentic storytelling” looks like in practice, surprising findings about the authenticity levels between print and digital, and what’s most important when it comes to a “brand’s handshake.” Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings, Jeremy Goldman, and Vice President of Brand Marketing at Quad, Heidi Waldusky. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
YouTube is the top recipient of AI chatbot referral traffic, receiving over three times as much traffic than Facebook or Wikipedia, according to May 2025 data from Similarweb.
This year, Amazon extended its July Prime Day event from two to four days, giving consumers more time to shop, brands more opportunities to advertise, and Amazon more time to generate sales.
Ocado Ads has partnered with data collaboration platform Permutive to make its first-party purchase data available to select UK publishers.
The news: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to remove all 16 members of a task force that advises the government on preventive health services due to the committee being perceived as too “woke,” according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. Our take: A complete overhaul of another important panel of medical experts could reduce patient access to critical preventive care while confusing doctors about which guidelines to rely on—especially if Kennedy chooses replacements based on politics and like-minded beliefs rather than health expertise.
Tariffs could reshape the fashion calendar as brands rethink their merchandising strategies to limit exposure. While Vince’s decision to lengthen its spring season was borne out of necessity, it could herald a larger shift in how fashion brands approach their calendars—particularly as tariffs force tougher decisions about what and how much inventory to bring in. Companies can either go faster—taking a page from the fast-fashion industry and launching new styles quickly and often—or slower, à la Vince, depending upon their customers’ preferences.
58% of US adults have viewed a search result page that included an AI-generated summary, per a March Pew Research Center survey.
The contrast: At a time when many big box retailers are struggling, Tractor Supply Co. bucked the trend by delivering its strongest sales growth in two years—up 4.5% YoY to $4.44 billion—driven in part by solid momentum in big-ticket purchases. That performance stands in stark contrast to peers like Target and Home Depot, which have seen consumers pull back on discretionary and high-priced items. Our take: Tractor Supply’s formula is simple: high-quality experience + strong loyalty program + scale = growth. It delights shoppers, rewards them, and keeps expanding its footprint. That approach is helping it outrun the macro headwinds—and its largely US-sourced assortment leaves it better insulated from tariff and supply shocks than many other merchants.
The volatile macroeconomic environment is causing most shoppers to be more cautious with their spending, but it’s also driving a subset to spend more in search of comfort. Roughly 2 in 5 shoppers (38%) say that the current stress of economic uncertainty is making them spend more, according to a June LendingTree survey. Consumers may be choosing to spend more of their money on essentials, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be swayed to spend a little extra on the occasional indulgence—particularly if there’s an element of novelty, or if the purchase offers a sense of emotional comfort. While the Labubu craze is likely to fizzle out as quickly as it started, shoppers will remain as eager as ever to splurge on small luxuries that bring them satisfaction.