On today's podcast episode, we discuss the unofficial list of the most interesting retailers for the month of October. Each month, host Suzy Davidkhanian, Arielle Feger, Becky Schilling, and Emmy Liederman (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 Suzy Davidkhanian and Arielle Feger will defend their list against Senior Analyst, Blake Droesch and Analyst, Rachel Wolff, who will dispute the power rankings by attempting to move retailers up, down, on, or off the list.
Citi is partnering with Coinbase to build stablecoin payment capabilities for institutional clients. The partnership will focus initially on crypto on- and off-ramps, which enable clients to convert between digital assets and fiat currencies. It’s unlikely that many banks will build their own integrations with crypto rails. But with infrastructure partnerships, native on- and off-ramps should become more common. Cryptocurrencies and blockchain infrastructure will be increasingly complementary to the traditional financial system.
Fidelity has introduced Solana trading for US retail and institutional investors. Solana is the digital currency native to the Solana public blockchain, which is designed to be faster, more easily scaled, and cheaper to transact on than competing blockchains. Fidelity’s move with Solana signals mainstream confidence in cryptocurrency for retail purposes and is a nod to using Solana for stablecoin transactions and its potential value for faster cross-border transactions and blockchain-based securities settlement.
Etsy is betting on a new CEO to help revitalize its business after years of sluggish growth. Kruti Patel Goyal, the company’s chief growth officer, will take over the job from Josh Silverman next year. Etsy is in a tough position. The combination of economic uncertainty and a cost-of-living crisis are dampening demand for the discretionary items that it sells, while tariffs and the end of de minimis make it harder for sellers to operate. While Depop’s success is a bright spot, the platform is not large enough to offset Etsy’s broader GMS declines.
Omnicom will retire advertising network DDB as part of its merger with Interpublic Group (IPG), set to close in November, per various reports. For advertisers, the end of DDB carries deeper implications than a simple brand retirement. It represents the erosion of a creative philosophy brands have historically relied on, and advertisers lose a partner that offered a distinct voice and strategy.
Google parent Alphabet reported strong Q3 earnings on Wednesday, with revenues growing 16% YoY to $102.35 billion, while Google Search & other, YouTube Ads, and Google subscriptions, platforms, and devices all saw double-digit growth. But Google simultaneously experienced a notable loss in an ongoing antitrust case that could carry implications for the future of search advertising. Google will remain a cornerstone of successful ad strategies, at least in the short-term.
Fiserv ’s adjusted revenues grew 1% to $14.9 billion, per its Q3 earnings release. Fiserv took a massive hit from the Argentinian economic crisis. However, its investments in other avenues have yet to come to fruition. The payments giant has slowly collected the pieces to successfully issue tokens on the behalf of major retailers, which could become a stable pillar of its business and decrease Fiserv’s reliance on certain markets for growth.
If Amazon’s October Prime Big Deal Days event was any indication of the upcoming holiday season, consumers will keep spending on beauty products for themselves and others.
Starbucks’ premium positioning is hampering its recovery as price-sensitive consumers seek cheaper ways to fuel their caffeine habits. US same-store sales were flat in the quarter ended September 28, with a 1% decline in comparable transactions offset by a 1% increase in average ticket. Starbucks’ ongoing weakness can be attributed at least in part to the challenging economic environment, which is driving consumers to cut back on consuming food and drinks outside the home. But its competitors’ ability to drive sales even with the same headwinds suggest that Starbucks’ hold on customer loyalty is slipping.
Rising costs and softening consumer demand led Kraft Heinz, Hormel, and Mondelez to cut their full-year outlooks, reflecting mounting pressure across the food industry. Hormel cited higher commodity costs and production setbacks, while Kraft Heinz and Mondelez reported slowing sales as inflation-weary shoppers traded down to cheaper or private-label options. Consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level in months, and the looming SNAP benefit cutoff could further dampen spending. With costs climbing and value-conscious behavior spreading, food companies are being pushed to focus on efficiency and share preservation over aggressive growth.
Major casual dining chains are bracing for weaker Q4 sales as the government shutdown and broader economic headwinds weigh on consumer spending. Brinker International maintained its outlook despite Chili’s gains, while Cheesecake Factory reported slowing momentum and Chipotle cut its sales forecast for the third straight quarter. With real income growth stagnating and menu prices continuing to rise, many consumers are cutting back on dining out. To stay competitive, restaurants need to focus on value-driven promotions and loyalty programs designed to attract price-sensitive diners and encourage repeat visits.
Eli Lilly is partnering with chipmaker NVIDIA to build the pharma industry’s most powerful supercomputer. Lily claims it will be the largest AI factory owned by a pharma company and will be up and running in January 2026. Lilly’s partnership with NVIDIA highlights the shift pharma companies are making to rely on tech firms who have the computing power and AI expertise pharma needs to stay competitive.
Samsung Ads and AdGood have launched a partnership enabling nonprofits to advertise on connected TV for the first time at scale. Samsung will donate ad inventory from its free streaming service, Samsung TV Plus, to AdGood’s nonprofit exchange, allowing mission-driven organizations to reach viewers across premium streaming environments. The initiative reflects a broader shift in the CTV ecosystem—where unused inventory and automation are being repurposed to advance social impact, equity, and accessibility in digital media.
Hulu + Live TV and Fubo have struck a deal that will see the streaming platforms merge into a live TV streaming business after initially announcing an acquisition in January. Brands will benefit from access to growing subscribers and vast sports audiences that increasingly embrace digital, as the platforms combine scale with innovative ad formats.
OpenAI completed its public benefit corporation (PBC) restructuring, reflecting how the AI industry has matured since ChatGPT first launched. The company retains a nonprofit arm—the OpenAI Foundation—that holds a $130 billion equity stake in the OpenAI Group PBC for-profit arm. Prepare for rapid evolution of AI capabilities, faster product cycles, and more aggressive scaling of tools like ChatGPT Enterprise, Sora, and Pulse as OpenAI tests which offerings can grow into major revenue drivers.
A growing cohort of companies, including Next PR, Parcel Perform, and Geostar, is helping brands optimize their generative engine presence, ensuring that content surfaces in queries from consumers seeking recommendations and new products. Marketers should consider their brands’ strategic goals—whether it’s driving conversions or boosting visibility of web content—and identify the GEO partners that best align with them. As genAI tools become more mainstream for consumer discovery, proactive optimization is key to stay relevant and manage reputation in AI outputs.
Amid pressure to establish better child safety guardrails in the AI industry, Character AI will block users under 18 from chatting with bots on its platform. Starting November 25, minors will only be able to generate photos and images with safety limits in place and review prior chats. As regulatory and safety concerns rise, advertisers face greater scrutiny when looking to reach younger audiences. CMOs should assess brand alignment with AI platforms and, on platforms that have the potential to pose a safety risk for children, shift efforts to target adults users.
Heading into peak season, D2C ecommerce professionals are as concerned about technology limitations as they are about tariffs (37%), according to a July survey from Passport and Drive Research.
Adobe announced an expansion of its GenStudio at its Adobe MAX conference today, with updates including key AI innovations and new ad partner integrations. Advertising teams are faced with a landscape that increasingly relies on genAI for key processes once handled by humans.