Google and Anthropic inked a cloud partnership that could put Amazon Web Services (AWS) on notice and raise the stakes for the stability and services Anthropic will offer enterprise and consumer customers in the future. The deal gives Anthropic access to up to 1 million of Google’s custom Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), per CNBC. To remain resilient against outages and capitalize on the fast-moving development of AI models, companies should diversify AI bets, shift AI use from output to intelligence, and ask vendors to explain infrastructure choices.
Shopping for fun was one of the top reasons consumers shopped Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sale last month, cited by 30% of Prime Day shoppers, according to October data from CivicScience.
While holiday gift-givers do more of their shopping online every year, many shoppers will make purchases in physical stores this holiday season. The segment could make or break retailers facing economic challenges from tariffs and supply chains.
PayPal will use Rokt, an AI marketing service, to power its post-transaction advertisements for users in the US, per a press release. PayPal has for years tried to improve Venmo’s profitability, and post-transaction ads could help accomplish that without changing consumers’ retail checkout habits. However, one of FMNs key selling points to advertisers and consumers alike is trust. Platforms with FMNs should take care not to erode consumer trust—and down the line, loyalty—by pushing ads too aggressively too soon.
Splitit partnered with DXC Technology, enabling affiliated banks to offer installment options at checkout for their consumers, per a press release. Expanding BNPL availability during the upcoming holiday season will be critical. In order to capture consumers’ limited spending, issuers should broaden financing options to make gift-buying more manageable and interest-free, especially for consumers with children, who are more likely to use BNPL options than any other demographic besides millennials at 46.7%, per a PYMNTS study.
TikTok is undergoing a sweeping reorganization that consolidates control under ByteDance’s Beijing-based leadership. The company’s global content and distribution teams now report directly to Douyin architect Fiona Zhi, who is closely tied to ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming. The change strengthens central oversight just as the US and China approach a potential TikTok ownership deal—but it also raises questions about governance, transparency, and stability. Advertisers are pausing or shifting spend amid uncertainty over who will run TikTok’s US operations and how its algorithm and data policies will evolve. ByteDance’s move reasserts control—but risks reigniting trust concerns in its largest market.
UK-based neobank Revolut has achieved two new steps in its global growth plan: acquiring a Cyprus crypto license, which allows it to offer crypto services across Europe, and getting approval for its Mexican banking license. It ultimately intends to acquire a licensed bank in the US. Neobank “super apps” offer huge suites of financial products and services, including global transfers. If they reach the right segments, they could pull more customers away from smaller FIs—particularly Gen Zers (Revolut’s focus) and Latin American consumers (Nubank’s core market).
Public responses are in for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB’s) request for comment as it prepares to revise its open banking rule. The revision comes as a result of the Trump administration's rollback of Biden-era rules, which has once again shaken up a decade-long debate. Banks have good reasons to be upset with the original rule and are using this rulemaking opportunity to relitigate the issues they lost on. Their less fintech-friendly angle risks rupturing industry relationships that were crucial to the private-sector solution. However, it gives them a defensive posture to protect what they see as their business interests under threat.
Amazon is introducing “Help Me Decide,” an AI-powered shopping feature that recommends the best product for users comparing similar items. The tool analyzes browsing patterns, search history, and purchase behavior to offer personalized suggestions, along with explanations based on customer reviews and key features. Initially rolling out to millions of US shoppers, it joins Amazon’s growing lineup of AI-driven tools like Interests, Shopping Guides, and Rufus. While Amazon and rivals such as Google, Meta, and OpenAI are all racing to integrate AI into ecommerce, the industry is still testing which approach will truly enhance the shopping experience.
Unilever said its core business grew in Q3 as sales in North America rose for the fifth straight quarter, fueled by demand for new deodorants and beauty products. Unilever’s focus as it restructures reflects a wider industry trend: Companies are expanding their beauty, well-being, and personal care product offerings to meet demand for clean, natural, and sustainable goods and position themselves as lifestyle brands. Earlier this week, Lysol maker Reckitt Benckiser reported rising Q3 sales as consumers bought its self-care and germ-protection products. Unilever will need to keep leaning into premium products and digital engagement to keep up with consumer changes in everyday wellness.
The price of newly launched prescription drugs increased by more than half over two years, according to new analysis from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Research (ICER). Although the industry continues to bring innovative therapies to market, high launch prices risk alienating consumers and policymakers. Pharma marketers should prepare for intensified pricing scrutiny and create value-driven narratives anchored in outcomes data, financial support programs, and digital support tools that help patients connect price to health benefits.
Consumers lack familiarity with direct-to-consumer (D2C) pharma services, but many are open to purchasing prescription medications from drugmakers. Pharma companies entering the D2C market must boost awareness of the channel. Pharma brands and marketers should inform pharmacists and doctors of drugmakers' latest D2C options, since they’re key sources for patients with medication cost and coverage questions. They should also create clear educational materials showing how consumers can save on D2C prescriptions, backed by data on limited insurance coverage for certain drug categories.
Alphabet subsidiary Verily is launching a free health app offering personalized guidance from clinicians. The Verily Me app will also have an AI agent to answer people’s health questions based on their medical records. Verily’s competitive advantage over bigger companies with brand-name is that it has clinician partners and access to some medical record data. The company should leverage its network of doctors to endorse Verily Me to their patients, using real-world examples to demonstrate the benefit of combining a person’s health history with a medical expert’s view for individualized guidance.
Taboola and Paramount Advertising announced a partnership Wednesday, launching a “Performance Multiplier” tool that enables small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) to extend connected TV (CTV) ad opportunities to the open web. Small-budget brands can now use CTV the way big advertisers do, reaching new audiences through streaming ads that spark awareness at the top of the funnel and drive measurable bottom-funnel results online.
Spanish-language media company TelevisaUnivision reported a rocky Q3, with notable downturns in net income, ad revenues, and overall revenues. TelevisaUnivsion and ViX still offer a compelling value proposition for brands seeking smaller, but influential Spanish-language audiences.
The NBA is experiencing one of its biggest advertising booms in decades following a record $76 billion media rights deal with Disney, NBC, and Amazon. Ad spend on NBA programming jumped 15% last season to $1.52 billion, with NBCUniversal selling out its first-year inventory after returning to coverage for the first time in 23 years. ESPN, ABC, and Prime Video are also thriving—drawing hundreds of advertisers across broadcast and streaming. Amazon is fusing ecommerce and live sports with shoppable ad formats, while NBC and Disney leverage cross-platform studio content. The result: the NBA is redefining what live sports monetization looks like.
Roku maintains its lead in programmatic connected TV (CTV) device advertising in Q3 2025 with 36% share of voice (SOV) in North America. That’s more than twice the share of Apple TV (15%), Amazon Fire TV (14%), and Samsung (13%), per Pixalate. However, Roku’s share has dropped 15 points in two years. Roku is actively working to increase opportunities for advertisers. At the same time, CTV insights remain opaque. To make the most of CTV ad spending, advertisers should diversify across devices, focus on channel-level contextual targeting, and continue investing in linear.
Hasbro and Mattel enter the 2025 holiday season on divergent paths after contrasting Q3 results. Hasbro outperformed expectations and raised its outlook, fueled by strong growth in its Wizards of the Coast and digital gaming divisions, while Mattel missed estimates and kept guidance steady amid cautious retailer orders and tariff pressures. Despite broader industry growth, slowing consumer demand and higher costs pose headwinds. With Hasbro’s diversified mix offering resilience if toy sales weaken, Mattel’s reliance on traditional toys could make it more vulnerable to price-sensitive shoppers this holiday season.
A string of solid earnings from Kering, Prada, LVMH, and Hermès could be a sign of a broader sector turnaround. All four companies cited improving conditions in the US and China, the two largest markets for luxury goods. A recovery in China would be a particular relief, as brands have struggled to engage consumers worried about the country’s property crisis and other economic challenges.