CRM integrations could make targeting and measurement easier, but side-by-side tests will reveal where AI ads add value.
AI will touch every stage of marketing mix modeling (MMM), from cleaning data and building models to translating complex findings into plain English. But speed and automation alone won't make measurement more valuable. The bigger opportunity is using AI to help marketers get from measurement to decisions, and ultimately action, while keeping humans in the loop. ROI is one of the biggest reasons marketers turn to MMM. Focusing too narrowly on it obscures the rest of the value measurement provides.
Even AI enthusiasts, the early adopters, dedicate about 10% of their digital time to AI tools. The finding comes from Triton Digital's latest research on how AI is impacting consumer behavior and what it means for brand strategy, based on quantitative and qualitative studies across the US and UK.
New advertisers are starting small, while brand-awareness spending takes a larger role.
Brands can advertise without an Instagram profile, though Meta’s cross-app data still powers much of its value.
Brands can reach more affluent shoppers but should avoid neglecting broader audiences.
A ski trip planning session turned into a case study in how fast AI-driven discovery has taken hold, our chief content officer Vladimir Hanzlik told the audience at EMARKETER’s Future of Digital summit. Sitting around the table with friends and family, phones out on Gemini, his group booked resorts, hotels, and ski schools in a matter of hours. "What really struck me is that if you didn't turn up in those LLM recommendations, if you didn't show up in Claude or Gemini, there'll be literally zero chance that we will pick you," Hanzlik said, opening a conversation with VML's chief discoverability officer Heather Physioc on whether brands understand just how close that future already is.
Pharma B2B digital ad spend will jump 15% this year. Marketers can build consumer awareness and equip doctors with treatment information for patient conversations.
Enclosed mail can convey credibility, but the mail still needs easy digital next steps.
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss why some of the biggest names in AI are now calling for a slowdown in development, what we would gain and lose if the pace of AI progress decelerated, and whether these doomsday concerns are about a distant existential risk or consequences that are already showing up in everyday work and life. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Analyst Jacob Bourne and Senior Analyst Asa Hiken. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.
US retail sales will surpass $1.4 trillion this holiday season, growing 4% over last year, per EMARKETER. That growth arrives under pressure: tariff refunds that major players like Walmart ($2.7 billion) are using to slash prices, rising consumer costs for gas and travel, and the unpredictable impact of AI on shopping behavior.
Commerce media has ambitions beyond the bottom of the funnel. But expanding into CTV, social, and the open web does not automatically make it a full-funnel channel. That was one of the central discussion topics at EMARKETER’s Future of Digital summit last week. Commerce signals can help advertisers understand and reach consumers well before they are ready to buy. But brands already have direct relationships with search engines, social platforms, video providers, and publishers. Commerce media networks need to prove what they add to those investments, particularly as they ask advertisers to accept more cost and complexity.
Nike topped EMARKETER’s apparel rankings in August as scale, publisher credibility, and wide assortments continued to favor legacy brands.
Partnerships with athletes can help the app capture sponsorship payouts and expand its reach.
What chatbots surface about a product can matter beyond the visibility brands pay for.
AI agents could weaken retail media data and ad exposure, pushing brands to rethink their Amazon strategies.
Dress-code changes and training investments are meant to improve service and support discovery.
Low admission pricing and promotions show retailers how to draw traffic without blanket discounts.
Advertisers could gain broader bundled reach but lose negotiating leverage.
75% of US consumers who used AI to find a local business checked Google or Maps before contacting them, according to a July report from BrightLocal.