Technological advancements are set to transform the automotive industry's cost structure, with managers forecasting 30% efficiency gains within five years, per Bain & Company. Through advanced technologies like digital platforms, intelligence automation, and a fabless future, carmakers can make significant productivity improvements. Successful automotive companies will be defined by their ability to embed technology to solve core problems. To compete, brands must focus on high-impact use cases, build a clean and integrated data backbone, and radically rethink their operating models to prioritize speed and scalability.
Entertainment brands are partnering with influencers to drive engagement with Hollywood properties, according to an Advertising Week New York panel of film and TV industry leaders and creators. While partnering with creators for Hollywood productions is especially important amid volatile box office revenues struggling to reach pre-pandemic levels, the panel’s insights stretch to all marketers working with influencers.
The search journey is becoming increasingly fragmented as consumers no longer trust the first answer they see and turn to various other resources for product recommendations and reviews. Nearly 90% of consumers in the US, the UK, France, and Germany now cross-check results across multiple platforms, per Yext’s The Rise of AI Search Archetypes report. Brands need to optimize for how AI tools act on their behalf, per Yext. CMOs should focus on ensuring AI tools interpret their data accurately and present it in the right contexts, which could come from succinct FAQ pages or concrete product listings that avoid vague descriptions.
In this podcast episode, we discuss how Primark’s US and UK customers see the brand differently, what’s kept the retailer relevant as price pressures have intensified competition, and why its famously store-first strategy is working so well. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and guest host, Suzy Davidkhanian, Senior Analyst, Carina Perkins, and Head of US Marketing for Primark, Rene Federico.
A new Billion Dollar Boy study shows marketers are spending more on AI-generated creator content—even as audiences grow wary. Seventy-nine percent of marketers increased AI investment this year, and 77% plan to shift more budget to AI-driven creator campaigns. Yet audience enthusiasm for AI content has plunged from 60% in 2023 to 26% in 2025, reflecting frustration with formulaic, unlabeled “AI slop.” As the creator economy enters its “post-AI” phase, the challenge isn’t whether to use AI—it’s how to use it without losing authenticity.
Duolingo launched Duolingo Ads at Advertising Week New York 2025. The language-learning app is part of a flurry of new entrants in the digital advertising market in recent months, requiring brands to broaden their approach even amid macroeconomic uncertainty to make the most of new opportunities.
Hannah Elsakr, VP of new genAI business ventures at Adobe, framed AI-enabled tools not as a job disruptor but as “an exponential amplifier to our own humanity and creativity,” at LWT’s TechFutures 2025 in New York City this week. She outlined three frontiers reshaping brand storytelling: AI companions, personalized marketing at scale, and world-building around IP. Brands should prioritize scalable AI pilots, adopt commercially safe AI models, and lead internal change from the top. Provenance, licensing, and IP protection must be built in—not bolted on—if AI is to expand creativity without eroding trust.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping marketing, from how content is created to how advertisers evaluate transparency and trust on digital platforms. Marketers can harness AI to streamline operations, enabling more campaigns more quickly by analyzing large data sets—but do so thoughtfully—avoid using AI for entire ad creation, as consumers still respond negatively to this. Brands must operate with an eye toward maintaining trust and authenticity.
TikTok announced several upgrades to its AI-powered portfolio at Advertising Week New York on Wednesday. Marketers can use the new tools to increase creative control and drive results with key audiences—but keep in mind that the app’s future in its key market could change ad effectiveness, regardless of what tools the platform offers.
AppLovin’s launch of Axon marks its transformation from mobile gaming to full-scale AI ad platform — and one of ad tech’s boldest pivots yet. The new Axon Ads Manager promises real-time AI bidding, Shopify integrations, and transparent attribution as the company positions itself as a performance-driven alternative to Meta and Google. The rollout comes as the SEC investigates AppLovin’s data practices, spotlighting the tension between AI-powered innovation and compliance. Marketers see opportunity — regulators see risk.
Performance channels are gaining traction among B2B marketers, with 84% now shifting from traditional, impression-focused approaches, per a Madison Logic survey. Brands should keep investing in performance marketing for its resilience amid economic headwinds. The added flexibility will let them adapt based on rapidly shifting economic signals and consumer behavior changes.
Domino’s and Pizza Hut have both unveiled brand refreshes designed to modernize their images while maintaining customer familiarity. Domino’s introduced its first major update in 13 years, featuring a brighter logo, redesigned uniforms, packaging, signage, and a new jingle performed by country artist Shaboozey. Pizza Hut refined its classic red roof logo with a streamlined, all-red look. While Domino’s update comes amid rising sales, Pizza Hut’s follows a period of decline. Together, their moves reflect how timely design updates can redefine consumer expectations and keep legacy brands feeling current in a competitive market.
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Most (53.7%) visits to US fashion and apparel websites came from direct traffic between July 2024 and June 2025, per an August SimilarWeb report.
AI adoption is reshaping how brands work with agencies. According to Typeface’s Signal Report, 83% of marketing leaders would cut agency spending if they could automate content creation, and 11% would stop using agencies entirely. As AI tools like Meta’s creative suite expand, agencies face pressure to prove their value beyond content production. While many marketers are reorganizing teams around AI, agencies still play critical roles in strategy, AI governance, and paid media. To stay relevant, agencies must shift from execution to integration partners that help clients navigate AI transformation and maintain strategic oversight.
Over half (52%) of consumers in Australia, the UK, and the US are most concerned about brands posting AI-generated content without disclosure, tied with mishandling personal data as their top social media worry, according to Q3 data from Sprout Social.
In five years, Instacart’s retail media network (RMN) has transformed from a simple performance engine into a full-funnel, end-to-end marketing ecosystem.
Fandom is driving brand growth, according to an Advertising Week New York 2025 panel presented by Spotify emphasizing the audio platform’s role in reaching engaged fans dedicated to their favorite artists. Brands must tap into fandoms that align naturally with brand offerings, key audiences, and ad strategies.
This sponsored video by Contentful will explore the strategies driving success this holiday season.
At Advertising Week New York 2025, Paramount announced Streaming Fixed Units, an update to its ad offerings for Paramount+ that gives brands premium, fixed ad placements for the debut week of episodes for Paramount series. Brands can leverage Paramount’s newest offering to take advantage of cultural moments, increasing the chances that streaming ads will connect at the right time—but should consider that other platforms with bigger audiences could also tap into this shift more effectively.