National Bank is distinguishing itself as the first major Canadian bank to implement a secure data feed (API) for its retail customers to share financial information with approved fintech applications, putting it ahead of Canada's potential 2026 open banking rollout. This innovative approach significantly reduces security risks by redirecting customers to National Bank's own website for identity verification, eliminating the need for customers to share online banking passwords with third-party aggregators (known as "screen scraping"). By taking an 80% stake in Flinks, a financial data aggregator that now accredits fintechs, National Bank transforms a potential threat to customer loyalty into an opportunity to deepen relationships, ensuring it remains the central hub for customers' financial lives even as they use other apps.
The news:** Amazon has quietly doubled the ad load on Prime Video, now serving 4 to 6 minutes of ads per hour—up from 2 to 3.5—placing it alongside Hulu and Paramount+ in volume. This aligns with Amazon’s effort to scale its connected TV inventory and offers buyers greater reach. Our take: The added ad time could shift Prime Video’s role in media planning, attracting performance-focused advertisers if CPMs soften, or reinforcing a premium stance if PMP rates hold. Weekly user engagement remains high, making the platform a reliable environment for consistent exposure. Amazon is quietly positioning Prime Video as a leading CTV ad player.
The news: Gaming is becoming a powerful vehicle for delivering ads to engaged audiences, with gamers spending significant time gaming across platforms, per a study from Activision Blizzard Media. Seventy percent of gamers play or watch video games daily, while 95% play or watch weekly. Seventy-seven percent of weekly gamers play on mobile devices, while 52% play on console and 34% play on PC. Our take: In-game advertising provides reach that few other channels can match, connecting with an engaged, highly attentive, and diverse audience, making it a critical touchpoint—but advertisers must understand what strategies work best.
The news: Tech giants like Meta, Google, and Amazon are building tools that let brands bypass ad agencies entirely—automating the creation, placement, and optimization of ads, per The Wall Street Journal. Yes, but: Strategy, storytelling, and brand stewardship can’t come from algorithms. Even with automation, brands need creative direction, long-term planning, and cross-channel cohesion—roles agencies are uniquely positioned to play. Our take: To stay relevant, agencies must move up the funnel. AI can optimize and target, but it can’t craft brand strategy or narrative. The edge belongs to firms that lead with insight, creativity, and cohesion.
20% of users who downloaded mobile apps with onboarding campaigns in Q2 2024 returned to the app the next day, compared to just 16% across all apps, according to data from Airship.
Screen-fatigued shoppers are rediscovering the thrill of real-world discovery by flipping through catalogs, queuing for pop-ups, and going on retail tourism. Josh Golden, CMO at Quad, shares how Gen Z and millennials are craving these encounters, “return on touch” as a measurable metric, and how blending physical and digital elements can lift loyalty and sales.
Over 80% of Gen Z want to unplug, according to new research from Quad and The Harris Poll, sparking demand for tactile brand moments like print catalogs, unboxing rituals, and pop-ups that feel more authentic than scrolling. Marketers who fuse these “return of touch” experiences with digital convenience can build deeper loyalty and lift sales.
The news: President Donald Trump is expected to sign another executive order extending TikTok’s sale deadline as the current June 19 deadline approaches, marking the third extension since Trump took office. Our take: Trump is likely to continue extending TikTok’s sale deadline—but with each extension, brand confidence plummets further as the platform’s long term sustainability remains shrouded in uncertainty. The brands that will be most successful aren’t those that are crossing their fingers for TikTok’s survival, but those that are investing in contingency plans and platform-agnostic strategies that can pivot quickly.
The news: WPP has lost the $1.7 billion Mars global media account to Publicis, just months after parting with Coca-Cola’s North America business. The deal encompasses media, social, production, and commerce, and further weakens WPP’s hold on major global clients. Our take: WPP’s loss is both financial and reputational—and their aggressive counterattack via a client-facing report signals a deeper crisis. As rivals like Publicis gain ground and agency power consolidates, WPP’s public posture and CEO transition raise questions about future strategy. Winning back trust will require more than critiques of the competition—it will demand structural clarity and client-first execution.
The news: Lowe’s launched a home improvement creator network as part of a strategy to reach younger audiences through social media personalities. The network, which Lowe’s framed as key to deepening its connection with Gen Z and millennial consumers, features MrBeast as its first high-profile partner. Our take: Reaching younger generations is crucial for sustained growth, and as influencer marketing surges, Lowe’s strategy could prove effective at bridging the gap with young homeowners. Influencer collaborations are most likely to be effective when the creator is seen as unbiased and honest, authentic, entertaining, and educational.
The news: OpenAI finalized a deal with Google Cloud to supplement its Microsoft Azure infrastructure, per Reuters. The deal addresses OpenAI’s growing compute needs as its annual revenues hit $10 billion, up from $5.5 billion in December. OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google Gemini are the biggest rivals in the AI industry. The cloud deal effectively ends Microsoft’s exclusivity as ChatGPT’s cloud provider and is likely another indicator that the two companies are growing apart. Our take: The OpenAI-Google Cloud alliance signals a new era of pragmatic AI partnerships and the importance of diversified cloud strategies to support the explosion in AI usage.
The news: Starbucks is rolling out “Green Dot Assist,” a generative AI (genAI) assistant built with Microsoft Azure and OpenAI, to 35 locations this month. The tool, which is accessed through iPads, aims to streamline operations, reduce service times, and improve accuracy for baristas while reducing reliance on manuals or intranet searches. Our take: Competitors and the industry will be keeping an eye on how Starbucks integrates AI assistants at scale. This is a potential blueprint for using AI not just for automation, but to enhance human touchpoints while increasing efficiency—provided all the moving parts work together.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how to get folks to buy something they can’t go and see in a store, how D2Cs should be thinking about generative AI, and how one DTC is negotiating the tariff minefield. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sky Canaves and CEO and president of Eyebuydirect Sunny Jiang.
The news: Google’s search dominance is slipping as AI innovations threaten its ad business. Its global web visits declined 1% YoY in April, according to Similarweb data published by AdWeek, compared with 182% growth for OpenAI’s ChatGPT and 181% for Perplexity. Google’s searches on Safari also dropped for the first time ever in April. In March, about 77% of all Google searches that triggered an AI Overview garnered zero clicks, which could dissuade advertisers from spending on the platform. Our take: As AI transforms search and keywords become less important, publishers and brands may need to rethink strategies for how their content is discovered and how they attract search users. AI-optimized content will likely become the next battleground for visibility and performance.
As advertisers navigate Google’s recent search changes that favor its emerging AI models, retail media strategies could offer them heightened visibility and control.
The trend: AI is no longer just a buzzword on the Croisette—it’s the centerpiece of Cannes Lions 2025, with executives demanding more than excitement. Amy Fenton of MarketCast and Grant Gudgel of Verve say this year’s focus is on how AI works in real life, not just on paper. Our take: Cannes 2025 is where AI must prove its value. From content creation to performance optimization, marketers are moving past experimentation and demanding results. Accountability, transparency, and real creative impact will be the true benchmarks. AI isn’t just in the spotlight—it’s being asked to deliver at scale, with substance.
US financial institutions are experiencing a significant increase in losses, with a rising number of banks and credit unions reporting consistent quarterly losses, according to S&P Global. This trend highlights mounting pressures on the industry, including high interest rates, growing loan losses, declining overdraft fee revenues, and intense deposit competition. S&P Global warns that such sustained losses could severely limit strategic options for struggling institutions, potentially leading to mergers, acquisitions, or even regulatory shutdowns. To navigate this challenging environment, financial institutions must proactively adapt their business models, explore strategic partnerships to boost efficiency, expand offerings, and enhance the customer experience to improve loyalty.
The news: Snapchat and McDonald’s have launched a collaboration giving MyMcDonald’s Rewards members a chance to exchange points for a one-month Snapchat+ subscription. The offer marks the first time McDonald’s is offering a digital subscription service as a reward. The program is only available to new Snapchat+ subscribers. Our take: Snapchat’s decision to collaborate with McDonald’s shows its evolving strategy to bolster user monetization through premium subscriptions. Attracting new users to the platform and convincing them to become long-term paid subscribers could help alleviate this issue.
The news: WPP Media has lowered its global ad spend forecast for 2025 by 1.7%, reaching 6% compared with the 7.7% projected in December. The downgrade is attributed to ongoing trade wars resulting from President Trump’s current tariff policies, with WPP Media president Kate Scott-Dawkins citing “uncertainty.” Our take: Despite global uncertainty, advertisers who remain flexible with data-informed pivots, prioritize performance marketing, and plan for uncertainty will come out on top.
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans recently converted its credit union to a digital-only bank after over a decade, aiming for greater growth and strategic flexibility beyond the limitations of its nonprofit credit union structure, as reported by American Banker. The rationale is to offer a wider range of products and reach younger consumers more effectively. This move addresses an existential threat to credit unions, whose customer base is aging. To succeed, Thrivent must implement a targeted marketing strategy to reach digital-first consumers on social media and ensure its new products meet the specific needs of younger demographics, focusing on relevant credit offerings.