Strong demand for human service is prompting McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King to put employees back at the center of the experience.
Issuers can tap younger shoppers’ appetite for fun with seasonal cash back and flexible rewards.
AI-powered search is reshaping how consumers discover products, and it's creating urgent monetization challenges for publishers, browsers, and commerce platforms. Consumers spend an average of at least 23 minutes a day in AI chat platforms, and that time will more than double by 2028, according to industry experts. "Consumers on average spend at least 23 minutes within AI chat today, and that will more than double by 2028," said John Nitti, global chief business officer at adMarketplace, during a panel at Advertising Week New York this week. "Advertising expenditure is actually a two-year lag. So the consumer has always been ahead of marketing."
42% of US retail leaders rank social commerce, like TikTok Shop and Instagram Shopping, among their top two holiday order drivers, edging out the 41% who say the same of their own ecommerce site or app, according to an August report from Narvar and eTail Insights.
New buying and AI tools could help the platform capture more transactions from brands and shoppers.
It signals how the FDA may interpret tone, framing, and context in social media pharma marketing.
Walmart and McDonald’s are drawing lines around dynamic pricing as consumers grow wary of how prices are set.
Skydance inventory gains purchase-based targeting, giving marketers reason to keep linear in the mix.
Extra cash back can keep group spending in-app, especially when Venmo targets social organizers.
Payment providers can earn loyalty by pairing agentic tools with education, safeguards, and guarantees.
Exclusive data show the sales potential of influencer partnerships, though larger creator networks add complexity.
52% of US retailers say shipping costs will sway holiday shoppers' online purchases, more than say product price (42%) or discounts (42%), according to a May survey from Narvar and eTail Insights.
Commerce media is entering a new phase, one defined less by rapid expansion and more by operational maturity, EMARKETER analysts and industry leaders say. Commerce media ad spending will reach $83.71 billion in the US this year, accounting for 20.5% of all digital ad spending, according to EMARKETER's June 2026 forecast. As the channel becomes a core part of marketers' media strategies, the conversation is shifting from whether to invest to how to make those investments deliver measurable business results. In a new EMARKETER guide titled "Commerce media outlook: What industry leaders see ahead," our analysts and industry leaders give their thoughts about the capabilities brands should prioritize today, the consumer behaviors that will shape tomorrow, and what it will take to succeed as commerce media becomes a permanent pillar of the media mix. Erica Culley, senior director of shopper marketing at Chobani, told us about their focus on incrementality and what it takes to use data in order to deliver media that's genuinely useful.
Chains that pair compelling experiences with strong value are better positioned as diners become more selective.
Amazon, Target, and Toys R Us are using different channels to shape what kids want this holiday season.
The retailer is closing three locations while continuing to expand, refining where smaller stores make economic sense.
Branded Conversations can guide shoppers, though advertiser influence risks eroding trust.
At AWNY, Amex talks about how it won over women music superfans with exclusive artist access.
Nearly half (49%) of Gen Z and millennial pet owners have designed, or considered designing, a specific part of their home for their pet, according to an April survey from The Harris Poll.
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss how our relationship with screens is changing, how the emergence of consumer-facing AI is influencing the way we spend and divide our attention, and how retailers and brands are designing experiences that people remember rather than simply photograph. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian, Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing at Atmosphere TV Lindsay Sutton, and Chancellor’s Professor Emerita of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine, Gloria Mark. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.