The news: Netflix is dialing up its global ad game, with its latest UK hire signaling what’s to come next for the streaming giant. The company hired Ed Couchman, who previously served as the head of advertising sales for Spotify’s UK and Northern Europe business, to spearhead UK ad sales, per Business Insider. Couchman has served in ad sales roles at Meta, Snap, and Channel 4 in the past. Our take: Hiring Couchman is a critical step in shifting Netflix’s ad focus from the US market to reach foreign advertisers who haven’t taken advantage of its broad reach.
The news: Few US adults pay for news behind paywalls. A June 2025 Pew Research Center survey shows just 17% paid for any news last year. The vast majority (83%) avoid payment, citing the abundance of free alternatives. Our take: Advertising tied to paywalls narrows reach and shrinks scale. Brands should prioritize open, ad-supported platforms where audiences engage freely. Marketers who embrace paywall resistance—focusing on easy access and relevant content—will win attention and revenues in a fragmented media landscape. Those relying on strict gating risk losing audience share and diminishing ad impact as consumers stick to free, accessible alternatives.
The news: YouTube’s lead in connected TV (CTV) advertising faces a real threat as Amazon Prime Video gains momentum. But that standing might be short-lived—Amazon’s Prime Video is on track to surpass YouTube as the top CTV advertising platform by 2027, per Morgan Stanley as cited by Business Insider. Our take: Marketers should expect CTV ad dollars to shift toward Amazon’s ecosystem by 2027. Early investment in Amazon’s premium, shoppable ads can secure top inventory and sharpen targeting as streaming evolves.
The news: Macy’s aims to boost in-store traffic this back-to-school season by expanding its assortment—most notably by adding select Abercrombie Kids items to its lineup. The move comes at a challenging moment, as we expect back-to-school sales to slow for the second straight year. Our take: Back-to-school is a perfect proving ground for Macy’s portfolio revamp. Parents and teens are already in “new‑gear” mode, so adding Abercrombie Kids now lets Macy’s showcase a fresher, youth‑centric mix when foot traffic naturally peaks. Pairing the drop with proven draws like Nike and Jordan turns a seasonal rush into a live test of Macy’s revamped merchandising—and gives shoppers a clear reason to visit the store before classes start.
The news: Reddit is positioning itself as a full-fledged search engine, with over 70 million weekly active users (WAUs) using its search functionality. As part of its strategy to house a full-fledged search engine within its website, the company is expanding its AI-powered conversational interface, Reddit Answers, and making it a central feature on the platform around the world. Reddit Answers has grown to 6 million WAUs from 1 million in December. Our take: If Reddit succeeds in becoming a self-sustaining search platform, it will become an even more valuable asset for marketers looking to target niche audiences and get in on the consumer purchase journey early. Advertisers should start identifying specific subreddits where their audience are already active, experiment with Reddit’s ad formats, and optimize content to surface in the platform’s search results.
Airbnb may launch a loyalty program at some point, chief business officer Dave Stephenson told Bloomberg. The company has all the ingredients “that would make a compelling loyalty program,” he said—especially following the launch of Airbnb’s services and experiences booking platform. While it’s hardly surprising that Airbnb, a company that has thoroughly disrupted the travel industry, would be reluctant to copy its competitors’ approach to loyalty, there is something to be said for simplicity. What worked for Amazon may not translate as well to Airbnb, given the number of competing platforms that offer similar services—and the fact that most of what it offers is highly discretionary.
The number of retail media networks (RMNs) worldwide offering competitive conquesting (the ability to target campaigns to competitors’ shoppers) has risen from 10 in Q2 2024 to 15 in Q2 2025, a 50% increase, according to data from Mars United Commerce.
As parents prepare their kids for the new school year, they’re tightening budgets, reusing last year’s supplies, and looking for ways to efficiently check off their lists.
The strategy: In 2023, U.S. Bank launched a nontraditional campaign to promote Asistente Inteligente, its bilingual Spanish voice assistant that debuted the prior year. The bank co-produced “Translators,” a documentary highlighting the challenges faced by millions of children who act as translators for their immigrant families, particularly in financial matters, per Storyboard 18. Our take: This campaign was a masterclass in purpose-driven marketing that doubles as a long-term business strategy. Many financial institutions (FIs) often overlook or superficially address underbanked and immigrant populations. But the GDP of US Latinos is the second-fastest-growing in the world, next to that of consumers in China, per think tank Latino Donor Collaborative. And 25% of US consumers ages 18 and under are part of the Latino community—offering smaller FIs an opportunity to combat their “age problem.”
Etsy and eBay see opportunity to gain share as tariffs burden their competitors and consumers adjust their spending habits. Both companies are well-positioned to benefit from renewed interest in resale as tariffs make buying new more expensive for shoppers. The two platforms also now face less competition from Shein, Temu, and Amazon in online ad auctions—allowing them to be more efficient with marketing spend and reach more potential customers. While neither eBay nor Etsy is fully immune from the effects of tariffs—and their potential drag on the economy and consumer confidence—they are less exposed than most other retailers.
The news: Mastercard and Visa reported strong revenue growth in their most recent quarters. Visa’s net revenues rose 14% YoY in its fiscal year Q3 (ended June 30, 2025). Mastercard’s net revenues for the period rose 17% YoY. Our take: Both Visa and Mastercard understand that they need to innovate to keep their infrastructure competitive in light of the explosion of alternative payment rails—most recently stablecoin initiatives, made possible by the recent passage of the Genius Act.
The news: PayPal posted net revenue growth of 5% YoY at $8.3 billion due to strong performances of Venmo, its debit card, and Braintree, per its earnings report. Our take: PayPal is leaning into its branded experience and tech innovations to power its way through 2025.
The news: JPMorgan Chase is reportedly in late-stage talks to take over the Apple Card portfolio from Goldman Sachs, per The Wall Street Journal. Our take: Apple needs a stable financial partner after a rough road with Goldman Sachs’ regulatory scrutiny and failed experiment with consumer banking.
Amazon shrugged off tariff concerns in its Q2 earnings report, after reporting growth ahead of expectations. But the retailer’s Q3 forecast was murky, suggesting that while consumer demand remains resilient, uncertainty from tariffs and trade policy—along with extensive investments in AI—could weigh heavily on its bottom line. Amazon’s strong quarter and Q3 sales guidance help dispel some fears about the health of the consumer. But its decision to once again offer an unusually broad profit range for the next quarter shows considerable uncertainty about the impact the Trump administration’s trade policies will have on retailers’ costs.
The news: Last week, credit unions and their customers participated in the annual #ILoveMyCreditUnion social media campaign, per America’s Credit Unions. During last year’s campaign, over 1,000 organizations across all states and 15 countries reached more than 4 million people. Our take: The industrywide social media blitz underscores the importance of collective action and unified messaging. In a competitive landscape where individual credit unions often lack the marketing budgets of large banks, coming together for a coordinated campaign can amplify their reach exponentially. This collaborative spirit is a core differentiator for credit unions, helping them demonstrate their unique, member-centric value proposition to millions of potential new members.
Meta’s Q2 2025 earnings showed the company thriving despite softening engagement in mature markets. Revenue surged 22% YoY to $47.52 billion, largely driven by better ad pricing, AI-optimized performance tools, and growing monetization via WhatsApp. Although user growth was modest, Meta demonstrated strong pricing power—especially in North America and Europe—and continues to see big potential in Asia-Pacific. Operating margins remained healthy at 43%, even with record AI investments. As Meta extracts more value per user and expands monetization across platforms, its performance proves that engagement isn’t the only growth lever—it’s how well each session gets monetized.
The news: The UK’s Online Safety Act triggered an immediate surge in virtual private network (VPN) downloads, reflecting public resistance to mandatory age checks, per Wired. Proton VPN reported a 1,400% spike in UK sign-ups after the law took effect, per PCMag, and NordVPN saw purchases jump 1,000%. Our take: Age-check laws, though designed to protect minors, are reshaping how all users interact with content—and how marketers can access these users. VPN adoption is both a privacy signal and a marketing blind spot. Brands that respect digital autonomy while adapting strategy will be best positioned to reach—and keep—their audience.
The trend: Inflation ticked higher in June as the impact of tariffs began to reach consumers. The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index—the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge—rose 2.6% YoY, slightly above the 2.5% analysts expected and up from 2.4% in May, marking the highest level since February. On a monthly basis, it climbed 0.3%, in line with forecasts. Core PCE, which excludes volatile food and energy items, increased 2.8% YoY, ahead of the 2.7% analysts expected, and 0.3% MoM, in line with expectations. Our take: Inflation remains the top economic concern for US consumers and pressure is building. Companies ranging from Procter & Gamble and Kraft Heinz to Mattel, Stanley Black & Decker, and Walmart have all signaled plans to raise prices. With many households already tightening their budgets, even modest hikes could spur further pullbacks in spending, making an already tough retail environment even harder to navigate.
Microsoft reported $76.4 billion in Q2 revenue, up 18% YoY, as cloud infrastructure, productivity software, and embedded AI drove strong performance. Microsoft Cloud grew 27% to $46.7 billion, and Azure's annual run rate surpassed $75 billion, overtaking Google Cloud. Enterprise adoption of tools like Dynamics 365 continues to rise, reinforcing Microsoft’s role in AI-powered operations. Following the report, Microsoft’s market cap crossed $4 trillion. The company plans to spend $80 billion in fiscal 2025 to expand its AI infrastructure, while showing capital discipline. Microsoft is positioning itself as the foundational enterprise platform for the AI era.