The FDA claims Hims & Hers’ compounded GLP-1 offering is being falsely marketed on its website, and its Super Bowl weight loss drug ad is under scrutiny for omitting side effect and risk information. Telehealth players in the copycat GLP-1 space can easily change marketing language online, and likely don’t have to worry about adhering to drug advertising laws that apply to pharma manufacturers—yet.
Dozens of pharma direct-to-consumer (D2C) TV ads are under fire as the FDA demands at least 40 commercials be pulled off the air or changed. A spate of untitled warning letters posted on the FDA’s website charge that the TV ads—from Big Pharma companies including AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Pfizer—are false or misleading. It directs marketers to respond within 15 days with plans for corrective action or defend why the ads do not violate guidelines. This is just the first wave of targeted FDA enforcement on high visibility pharma broadcast TV ads. Marketers and ad agencies need to immediately review commercials for potential problems under the new stricter compliance, and proactively retool them. Analyze the FDA letters to figure out what is now acceptable, and dedicate resources, including new generative AI tools, to create and review ads. Create flexible, modular TV ads that can be changed or reworked quickly if needed.
Google, the latest Big Tech company to reach a $3 trillion market cap, is committing £5 billion ($6.39 billion) to expand its UK footprint and anchor AI and cloud growth in one of its most important ad markets. Google expects the expansion to help drive as much as £400 billion (about $511 billion) in AI-related economic activity for the UK by 2030 while supporting about 8,000 local jobs annually. By building infrastructure, tech giants are laying the groundwork for ad expansion across Europe. Each multibillion-dollar bet buys influence, regulatory goodwill, and a stronger grip on the region’s digital backbone.
Meta Connect, the company’s annual developer conference, will highlight how it’s weaving AI, VR/AR hardware, and ad technology across its platforms. Meta is expected to shift its multibillion-dollar bet from VR to smart glasses. Meta is shifting from experimental hardware to AI as the company’s true growth engine. Smart glasses may grab headlines, but the near-term payoff—and competitive edge—will come from campaigns built on AI. The bigger test is whether Meta can fuse its hardware, AI, and ad products into a cohesive platform that justifies its massive spending and persuades both consumers and advertisers to buy in.
New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is no longer about who sits in the front row—it’s about who shares the clips. N4XT Experiences has tapped Viral Nation as its exclusive social partner across NYFW, LA Fashion Week, and BEAUTYDAYS, enlisting 900 creators to capture and amplify content in real time. Influencer voices now account for nearly a quarter of NYFW’s media impact, showing how creators have become central to fashion’s cultural resonance. Viral Nation will manage NYFW’s entire digital presence, tracking social performance and ensuring fashion weeks function less as insider events and more as global cultural engines.
Amazon is keeping Prime Big Deal Days to two days—October 7 and 8—a shift from July's four-day Prime Day sale. The retailer said the two-day window aligns with its broader holiday strategy. With just 28 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the season will be a sprint. Amazon is pacing itself—and other retailers should, too. That approach lets Amazon and its third-party sellers conserve budget and promotions for Cyber Five, when competition peaks.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the top takeaways from the Google monopoly verdict, how the rise of AI search influenced the decision, and how much this ruling has any bearing on the Google ad tech case. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, and Senior Director of Briefings, Jeremy Goldman, and Principal Analyst, Yory Wurmser. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Reddit has become one of the most effective social platforms for marketing-driven sales and consistently outperforms other social networks on return on ad spend (ROAS). The platform delivers more marketing-driven sales relative to its share of spend than 4 out of 5 other platforms, per a TransUnion study commissioned by Reddit. The authenticity that makes Reddit valuable can also be fragile. Brands should focus on making original content that’s not recycled from other platforms and is relevant to the niches they want to target, rather than chasing virality, to maximize campaigns and avoid alienating the communities they want to reach.
Sell-side ad company Magnite announced a lawsuit against Google on Tuesday over alleged monopolistic and anticompetitive behavior in ad exchanges that hindered Magnite’s growth, following an April ruling that Google operates an illegal ad tech monopoly. The lawsuits against Google give advertisers a rare chance to strengthen their own position without overhauling their tech stack.
Google’s Gemini surpassed longtime leaders like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Meta’s Threads to become the No. 1 free iPhone app in the US App Store. Downloads surged due to the viral success of its Nano Banana AI image-editing feature, which sparked intense social media engagement, per ZDNet. Gemini’s breakthrough demonstrates the power of social media to amplify AI tools overnight, yet its long-term position will hinge on whether it can evolve from a trend into a staple. For now, Nano Banana’s popularity is a huge win for Google, but the next test is whether Gemini can convert that buzz into habit.
China’s economy slowed broadly in August, raising the stakes for the current round of trade negotiations with the US. Consumption, investment, and industrial output all slipped last month, a troubling sign for both China’s economy and global growth. These factors increase pressure on Beijing to roll out more stimulus support. Whether the government will do so is another question: It has so far resisted introducing broad-based initiatives to shore up the struggling property market and reduce unemployment, both of which continue to be a major drag on sentiment.
The Trump administration stated Monday that a TikTok sale deal has finally been reached with China after months of uncertainty, allowing TikTok to remain operational in the US. TikTok’s US operations may be safe for now, meaning brands can continue investing in the platform for its massive reach without immediate disruption—but caution is still warranted until details emerge on how its critical algorithm will be handled.
Meta announced new ad options at its Brand Building Summit, focused on Reels and innovative ad formats for Threads, per a blog post. While Meta’s new ad offerings promise more sophisticated placements, they can’t fully offset uncertainty. Marketers could face a scenario where the platform they’re relying on today could operate under massively different constraints tomorrow.
Robotaxi deployments are moving from pilots to broader rollouts as companies try to cash in on advancements in autonomous driving. Lyft recently began robotaxi tests in Atlanta, and Amazon's Zoox launched in Las Vegas. For companies investing in robotaxis, the opportunity extends beyond passenger rides. These fleets could eventually serve as a backbone for cost-saving delivery services, expanding the commercial applications of the technology. With Uber and DoorDash testing delivery robots, robotaxis could be the next move in on-demand logistics, moving beyond transporting passengers to carrying packages, meals, and groceries.
LG Electronics will integrate Xbox into its vehicle infotainment systems, allowing passengers to play games on the road, per Engadget. At the same event, IAA Mobility 2025, LG announced plans to incorporate Zoom, integrating a user experience that will allow drivers to participate in meetings without added distraction. LG’s integrations open up new in-vehicle advertising opportunities within premium ad formats, including in-game inventory. With LG’s data, brands will be able to geotarget the gaming and productivity demographics while they’re on the move—opening opportunities for gas stations, restaurants, and brick-and-mortar stores.
Retailers are expanding their footprint on college campuses. PacSun and Bath & Body Works are among the brands looking to boost recognition and build long-term loyalty. With Gen Z's spending power projected to reach $12 trillion by 2030, brands are smart to meet these consumers where they are. By making their products convenient to college students, retailers increase the odds that those shoppers will give them a try—and potentially form lifelong brand connections.
Aldi plans to invest £1.6 billion ($2 billion) in the UK over the next two years as it looks to take advantage of shoppers’ “demand for discount” and cement its position as one of the country’s largest grocers. Aldi and other discount grocers are shaking up the supermarket landscape, both in the UK and US, through their rapid expansion and array of affordable—and more exciting—products. Their success gives competitors a blueprint to keep shoppers from trading down. That includes investing in a tiered selection of private-label products, lowering prices where possible, and satisfying consumers’ desire for at-home indulgences.
US healthcare workers don’t feel appreciated, and many are considering leaving their current place of employment, according to a recent Harris Poll survey. Some frontline healthcare workers will jump from one hospital or medical clinic to another, but others will leave the industry outright. Provider organizations must proactively invest in developing their employees by offering education and career advancement opportunities, and committing to workplace safety amid rising violence against healthcare workers.