On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the many definitions of an “AI agent”, why they’re so hard to build right, and what comes next. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Analyst Jacob Bourne, and Vice President of GenAI Dan Van Dyke. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Brands face a current environment where consumers are increasingly loosening ties and changing shopping habits due to economic pressures and shifting expectations. Customers are less brand loyal today than they were five years ago, pushing brands to build stronger communities through providing emotional connections and support.
Multi-industry players have the power to redefine the future of commerce media advertising. Unlike in the US, where retailers and FIs typically operate independently, many Latin American retailers act as financial services providers—offering credit lines, digital wallets, and other banking products to unbanked and underbanked consumers.
TikTok-fueled impulse buying is redrawing the affiliate marketing landscape. As shoppers skip the research phase and rely on creator recommendations, brands are rethinking how they build trust, drive conversions, and stay ahead of trends.
Smaller sales can produce big results: Once again, Amazon is using category-specific sales events to drive increasingly cautious consumers to spend.
The deal received conditional regulatory approval, shaking up the card space and larger financial service industry
Anticipated tariffs are speeding up purchasing decisions, revealing a tension between economic caution and the desire to avoid future markups.
The number of paid music streaming subscribers hit 100 million in the US for the first time last year, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Nvidia and AMD face rising costs and slower rollouts, while China seizes the moment to fill market gaps with homegrown alternatives.
Google AI Overviews decrease CTRs: A new study bolsters claims that Google controls both the search experience and the advertising ecosystem.
Finding the right creators remains the biggest hurdle for brand marketers, with 43.9% citing it as their top challenge despite 77.7% saying they increased their creator marketing budgets this year. That’s a key finding of new research from Spotter and EMARKETER on brands’ approaches to long-term partnerships.
We explore two case studies from credit unions that turned to tech to improve efficiency.
Tariffs imperil beauty industry just as post-pandemic boom slows: Costs are expected to spike as duties hit key imports, leaving brands scrambling to maintain sales without alienating price-conscious buyers.
Abbott estimates millions in tariff costs, but may blunt some effects with $500 million investment in new US manufacturing: Pharma manufacturers currently under reprieve should pay attention to medtech industry effects and strategy shifts.
Over half (53%) of US video game players who mostly play story-driven, single player games say that advertising in games or game-related promotions has at least somewhat of an impact on their purchasing decisions, according to March data from CivicScience.
With 65% participation and high multi-recipient sharing, Gen Z treats location sharing less like surveillance and more like a way to stay virtually present.
YouTube’s Shorts push favors quick hits over deep engagement, leaving influencers to balance reach with revenue in an uncertain ad economy.
64% of teens said major tech companies like Google, Apple, and Meta don’t care about their mental health or well-being, and 62% don’t believe they will protect their safety at the expense of profit, according to a January 2025 Common Sense Media report.
Latest data from the Federal Reserve shows leading institutions based on consolidated assets.