National Credit Union Administration's (NCUA’s) Q2 2025 report shows that US credit unions have successfully implemented growth and customer acquisition strategies over the last four quarters. As we covered in our “Community Bank and Credit Union Trend 2025” report, the industry has had no shortage of challenges, including difficulty acquiring and resonating with younger customers. But a 2.8 million member increase, potentially across various age groups,means their digital innovation strategies are working. To continue this trend, credit unions must maintain their level of digital investment while continuing to prioritize the human touch they’re known for. This is particularly important if they’re growing quickly through mergers and acquisitions.
The internet is now a near-constant presence for many adults—but adoption remains uneven. A median 28% of adults globally report being online “almost constantly,” per a Pew Research Center survey across 24 countries. This access creates fertile ground for advertisers. Always-on consumers deliver more touchpoints for engagement, more data for personalization, and more chances to convert browsing into buying. But more access doesn’t guarantee more impact. The challenge is finding the best way forward, through mixed formats, short videos, interactive polls, and native ads—so users stay engaged without feeling bombarded.
At Tuesday’s “Awe Dropping” Apple event, the hardware giant unveiled next-gen AirPods, Apple Watch models, and iPhone 17 series. Apple is pacing its AI rollout, waiting until users are ready and the tech can show real value. By banking on product innovation and design, it secures its dominance in the smartphone space. However, as rivals push out increasingly capable AI features, Apple’s silence may come across less like strategy and more like struggle. It may be time for Apple to consider more outside generative AI (genAI) partnerships, lest it fall too far behind to catch up—even on its own terms.
Ahead of an impending US sale deadline, ByteDance-owned TikTok has announced significant growth in Europe, adding 5 million active users YoY and seeing over 200 million EU users monthly. Even as TikTok grows in the EU and other key markets, the platform faces an uphill battle to reassure advertisers amid persistent uncertainty over its US regulatory future.
As the number of podcast listeners grow, giving them options for both listening to or watching the latest episodes has become key to maintaining audiences. More than half of US podcast consumers (53%) prefer watching podcasts over just listening on YouTube, per the Podcast Landscape 2025 report from Sounds Profitable and Signal Hill. YouTube’s connected TV (CTV) and podcast dominance presents a unique opportunity for brands to advertise in a variety of formats, whether that’s sponsored episodes, partnerships, digital video ads, or pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll audio spots.
Roblox is expanding with TikTok-style videos, bigger creator payouts, and new AI tools—while scaling its ad business. Users can now scroll gameplay clips, react with emojis, and jump directly into experiences, per TechCrunch. The platform is morphing from a gaming hub into a short-form media platform—challenging TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch. For advertisers, Moments offers a new layer where branded clips can sit alongside gameplay. Brands should balance paid ads with creator collaborations to preserve authenticity. For example, they could integrate brands and products into game content while sponsoring individual gamers creating short-form content on Roblox.
A recent Pew Research Center study reveals a dramatic shift in online behavior: When users encounter AI-generated search overviews, they're almost half as likely to click through to websites and more likely to end their browsing sessions entirely. This fundamental change threatens the traditional internet business model where human traffic drives ad revenue.
Brands are testing the waters with AI-generated influencers as AI becomes a staple of advertising and everyday life. Telecommunications brand Vodafone is the latest to jump on the trend. Despite consumer hesitancy, AI is increasingly shaping the ad ecosystem, necessitating that advertisers take a balanced approach to leverage AI for its creative and operational potential without alienating consumers.
Ad tech company PubMatic filed a lawsuit Monday against Google for alleged anticompetitive and monopolistic actions in the digital advertising ecosystem. The lawsuit claimed Google took illegal actions that impacted PubMatic and harmed its ability to grow revenues. PubMatic’s lawsuit underscores that structural shifts in ad tech could eventually reshape how advertisers access and value Google’s search inventory and digital ad offerings.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how Americans view GenAI-made media, if the “AI concern gap” between AI experts and the general public will widen, and why some of GenAI’s negativity might not apply to ads. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson and Senior Analyst, Max Willens. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
IBM is positioning itself as a partner and integrator for enterprises at a time when various companies find themselves stuck in AI pilot limbo due to a lack of governance, per Marketech APAC. Its new global campaign, “Let’s create smarter business,” focuses on unifying its hybrid cloud, quantum computing, and business integration expertise to push enterprise AI from experiments to scale. CMOs should seize IBM’s ability to deliver safety and scale but protect agility. Build safeguards into contracts and keep internal or secondary partners ready to test new models as they emerge. That balance ensures AI adoption stays both credible and competitive.
AI is taking over tasks once handled by junior staff. Agencies and brands are embracing the efficiency and cost savings of AI—but at the risk of cutting the very pipeline that feeds future leadership, per MarTech. Marketers are realizing they can’t afford to treat AI as a zero-sum replacement for junior talent. The smart play is balance: Use AI for short-term efficiency while still investing in entry-level hires who can grow into long-term strategists and leaders. Pair automation with training, expand AI education, and let young staff lead adoption. That balance drives efficiency now while protecting tomorrow’s talent pipeline.
When consumers control digital discourse, brands face heightened pressure to get their messaging right, creating a market for AI-generated testing and vetting that detects potential backlash.
Warner Bros. Discovery has sued AI image generator Midjourney, alleging “mass theft” of copyrighted TV and film IP. The complaint highlights prompts producing near-identical images of characters like Bugs Bunny, Batman, Superman, and Scooby-Doo. Disney and NBCUniversal filed similar claims, arguing Midjourney diverts consumers from licensed products while profiting from subscriptions. Studios seek damages up to $150,000 per infringed work. The case raises critical questions over whether training AI on copyrighted content qualifies as “fair use.” With marketers already using AI image tools at scale, the lawsuit underscores mounting legal, financial, and reputational risks tied to unlicensed generative content.
The news: Citi Wealth is collaborating with BlackRock to create a customized portfolio offering for its clients, per a press release. The new offering is scheduled to launch in Q4 2025 pending regulatory approval. Our take: Citi is leveraging BlackRock's scale and expertise to focus on its core strength: personalized, high-level advisory services. This is part of CEO Jane Fraser’s broader strategy to streamline operations and boost profitability in Citi's wealth management division. In addition, this move highlights the opportunities that partnerships create. In this case it allows Citi to offer more personalized services through a new platform as well as through the more efficient personalized guidance of experts. This follows the bank’s recent deployment of two new AI solutions that will supercharge client communications.
European regulators are warning consumers about a recent spike in counterfeit versions of Eli Lilly’s and Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 weight loss drugs. In addition to the physical dangers, illegal GLP-1 drugs create a perception problem, as consumers may not understand the difference between fakes and official products. Drugmakers must continue to educate consumers, disavow the fakes, and double down on anti-counterfeiting measures. In Europe, especially, they need to repeat warnings from regulators and detail the risks to healthcare providers, pharmacies, and consumers.
Despite persistent inequities in the US healthcare system, Black, Hispanic, and Asian consumers are more positive about health and wellness. They actively look for and buy healthcare products and information online. To effectively reach Black, Hispanic, and Asian consumers, marketers should consider the following: Reflect their positive outlook on health and wellness. Be specific about how your brand can help. Use digital channels and social media to create engaging, educational videos. Partner with health influencers to connect with these younger, culturally aware audiences.
For podcasts that run under 15 minutes, an average of 21.8% of the play time is ads, according to an August 2025 report from Magellan AI.
The news: Microsoft will avoid a major EU antitrust fine by agreeing to sell its Teams app separately from Office 365 and Microsoft 365. Brussels is set to approve the deal after a positive market test, with no strong objections from rivals or customers, per Bloomberg. As part of the settlement, Microsoft must not only unbundle Teams but also lower prices on Office packages without it and improve interoperability with rival apps such as Zoom, Slack, and similar productivity tools. Our take: Microsoft sidesteps a fine but loses its bundling edge. The move levels the playing field for Slack, Zoom, and others—while showing the EU’s playbook is evolving from punishing fines to behavioral change.