Omnichannel strategies are crucial to capture multigenerational shoppers in their product discovery and research journeys. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of US Gen Zers say social media is their main source for learning about new products, per Salsify, and about two-thirds (61%) of Gen Xers discover products while browsing in physical retail stores. To earn the attention and trust of multigenerational shoppers, build channel-specific messaging and invest in measurement tools that track cross-channel behavior to see how different audiences are finding, researching, and buying products across platforms.
Coursera’s $950 million all-stock acquisition of Udemy is a consolidation play rooted in survival, not expansion. The deal brings together two of the largest US-based online learning platforms as demand for online education cools amid cheaper AI-driven learning tools and employers pulling training in-house, per The Information. Online learning is becoming a gated, premium environment shaped by AI and consolidation. As Coursera and Udemy merge, brands should expect fewer sponsorship slots, tighter rules, and higher prices.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what Crayola is aiming to achieve with its “Campaign for Creativity,” how the brand guides children from digital creation to hands-on creative play, and what’s top of mind for the art supplies company as it heads into the holiday season. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, and Crayola Chief Marketing Officer Victoria Lozano.
Google is testing a new AI agent, CC, to change how the workday begins. Instead of another app or dashboard, CC delivers a daily email briefing that summarizes information pulled from Gmail, Calendar, and Drive. As AI agents begin ranking and summarizing messages, the inbox shrinks and attention gets scarcer. Marketers who rely on email will need to understand tools like CC and optimize for agents—not inboxes—as AI assistants decide what’s worth surfacing. Catchy subject lines will no longer be enough to earn attention.
Online return volumes dipped 2.5% YoY early in the holiday season, though momentum slowed after Cyber Week and a surge is still expected post-Christmas, consistent with retailers’ forecasts that returns will represent 15.8% of annual sales. To curb costly returns, merchants are improving product detail pages and adopting tools like virtual try-on, while many are also adding return fees—moves that risk dampening demand as shoppers grow wary of stricter policies. A smoother, more supportive returns experience remains critical, as most consumers hesitate to buy when returns seem difficult and reward retailers that make the process easy and fast.
Integral Ad Science is expanding far beyond verification with IAS Agent, a DSP-embedded AI assistant that analyzes live campaign data and autonomously optimizes safety, suitability, and contextual settings. Built on IAS’s multimodal dataset, the tool evaluates trillions of signals across text, video, audio, and imagery to refine targeting decisions faster than human workflows—early testers reported efficiency gains and reduced waste. IAS frames the product as a step toward agentic advertising, enabling real-time optimization, natural-language insights, and interoperability with other AI systems. The launch comes as private equity bets heavily on independent measurement players amid rising demand for precision and transparency.
LinkedIn is proving the power of its ad offerings, delivering promising results from both its Reserved Ads format and video ads. Recognizing LinkedIn’s ability to foster measurable ad results will prove valuable for B2B marketers looking to build credibility with other business professionals. Other features, like auto-targeting tools to reach key audiences, AI tools to create ads, and platform recommendations to maximize ROI contribute to LinkedIn’s ability to drive action.
Amazon is in early talks to invest up to $10 billion in OpenAI, three sources told The Information. If finalized, the deal would value OpenAI at more than $500 billion and intensify Amazon’s competition with Microsoft in AI cloud services. The investment, which follows November’s $38 billion deal between the companies, would bring OpenAI deeper into Amazon’s ecosystem to use Amazon’s Trainium chips to develop future AI products. Consolidation means faster model updates, tighter cloud integrations, and more reliable access to genAI tools. Choosing the right AI tools and cloud providers now becomes a turnkey solution.
On today’s EMARKETER Miniseries—A Blueprint to Better Measurement—we explore Amazon's plans for moving out of Beta and offering Omnichannel Metrics (OCM) more widely to advertisers, the top two challenges they face heading into the new year, and what is next for Amazon Ads in 2026, as it pertains to durables. EMARKETER Principal Analyst Sky Canaves speaks with Kolby Capelouto, Head of Sales for Durables at Amazon Ads. Listen everywhere you find podcasts, and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Marketers are entering 2026 with more money and less patience for waste. Sixty percent of US small businesses plan to raise marketing spend next year, per Clutch. Budgets are moving toward channels that produce quick returns and at lower cost as ROI expectations tighten—46% of marketers say more than half of their 2026 spend will go to digital. Marketers should treat 2026 as a year for discipline, not just expansion. Invest where attribution is strong, like paid search tied to conversion events, retail media with closed-loop sales data, and email with CRM programs.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed lawsuits this week against Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL, stating that they secretly record users’ viewing activity through automated content recognition (ACR) software embedded in their connected TVs (CTVs), per Newsweek. If Texas wins, TV makers could face stricter limits on ACR data collection, forcing them to pause or redesign how they track viewing behavior across apps. The cases could establish new disclosure and consent standards for smart devices. For advertisers, it could upend existing data pipelines that rely on opaque tracking and may face state-level scrutiny.
Social media is a crucial retail channel for brands, but gaining trust—and attention—may depend on clear product data and crafting a mix of both user-generated content (UGC) and brand-created content. UGC is the most trusted type of social media content for 31% of US adults, per Signs.com’s The Social Media Sweet Spot report. Among Gen Zers, brand-created photos and content are the most trusted. As marketers optimize for user attention and trust, efforts can converge with generative engine optimization (GEO) strategies: UGC provides authenticity and specificity, while structured product data adds discoverability in AI-driven environments.
45% of creators prioritize working with high-quality brands above all else when evaluating brand deals, according to a July survey from Ipsos and Publicis Media.
After Netflix won the bidding war and Paramount pushed forward with a hostile bid, a new possibility is emerging for the fate of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). The Information reports a possible compromise between Netflix and Paramount, where Netflix would acquire WBD’s studio assets and Paramount would be in charge of its HBO Max streaming service and cable networks. Netflix remains the frontrunner without any conclusive regulatory action preventing the acquisition, but Paramount remains the best option for advertisers.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss our “very specific but highly unlikely” predictions for 2026: sports team sponsorships pushing the envelope, the ceiling for TikTok Shop, and a budding relationship between creators and retail media networks. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Analyst Ross Benes, Senior Forecasting Analyst Oscar Orozco, and Principal Analyst Max Willens. Listen everywhere, and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Meta is shifting strategy from mining its online social networks to tapping more real-world conversations as original posts on Facebook and Instagram fade, per Social Media Today. Its acquisition of Limitless and partnership with ElevenLabs open up new data channels for its AI models. Meta’s alternative AI training sources could deepen personalization and predictive insights if these conversation flows feed next-gen recommendation engines. Advertisers might gain richer behavior signals and context that go beyond scroll patterns and likes.
AI chatbot use has crossed from novelty to habit for US teenagers. Nearly half (46%) of teens ages 13 to 17 use chatbots at least once a week, per Pew Research, including 16% who access AI several times a day or almost constantly. A new generation of AI-native users is emerging and could soon define which chatbots and AI services become the industry standard. Marketers should pressure-test AI integrations for age-appropriate use cases. As teen AI use grows, safety-first design can earn trust and long-term loyalty.
The Home Depot launched a new creator portal this week, a hub where creators can access content inspiration, campaign opportunities, and expertise to build content around home improvement, DIY projects, and decor tips.
Even as consumer attitudes toward AI in advertising remain mixed, agencies are rapidly expanding their use of AI across the marketing lifecycle. But significant resistance remains, especially when AI is used in ad creative. As agencies scale AI adoption, consumer sentiment underscores the need for restraint and intentionality—using AI for work behind-the-scenes, but resisting entire AI creative.