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.
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.
33% of US restaurant diners discover promotions via email/newsletters and 32% via social media, according to a September 2025 survey from YouGov.
Seven of the 10 top affiliate publisher types increased coupon use in H1 2025, led by email where 50.1% of sales included a coupon, according to data provided to EMARKETER by Awin.
The news: Google’s new Manage Subscriptions tool is starting to appear in Gmail on web, iOS, and Android, per MarTech. It lets users batch-unsubscribe from promotional emails—now sorted by frequency and sender name. Brands that over-email or deliver low-value content will feel the fallout. Even loyal subscribers may churn if their needs aren’t being met. Our take: Marketers already using segmentation—or dividing large email subscriber lists into smaller, more targeted groups based on shared characteristics—won’t see much fallout. The unsubscribe spike will primarily hit brands with poor targeting and those that are over-mailing. Gmail just turned inboxes into intent filters. Every send must earn its keep.
The news: Big Tech is cracking down on high-volume email. Gmail just empowered users to unsubscribe in bulk, Google and Yahoo began enforcing strict sender rules for anyone dispatching over 5,000 emails a day in February 2024, and Microsoft followed suit in April, per MarTech. These new standards aim to reduce spam and improve user experience by requiring senders to meet three key criteria: proper authentication, low spam complaint rates, and one-click unsubscribe options. Non-compliance risks message rejection. Our take: The crackdown on bulk email is permanent. Marketers must audit email practices now to avoid disruptions. Compliance ensures deliverability and maintains audience trust, making authentication, monitoring spam rates, and streamlining unsubscribes a priority.
Interactive buttons or calls-to-action (CTAs) are the most effective interactive elements to use in emails according to 35% of marketing professionals worldwide, per January 2025 data from Litmus.
Google is launching a new Gmail feature called Manage Subscriptions, giving users a streamlined way to bulk unsubscribe from newsletters and promotional emails. The tool—rolling out across web, Android, and iOS—centralizes subscription management and ranks senders by frequency, making high-volume emailers easier to flag. With fewer barriers to opt-out, brands risk higher unsubscribe rates if they rely on one-size-fits-all content. Gmail's update reflects a broader trend toward more curated inboxes and less tolerance for irrelevant messaging. Marketers now face heightened pressure to improve targeting, pacing, and value—or risk being silently purged by users looking to clean house fast.
The news: With scams on the rise, advertisers and brands need to be thoughtful with their communications to keep it out of junk folders. 96% of US adults get at least one scam email, phone call, or text message each week, per CNET. Our take: To stop volume fatigue, brands should avoid inundating users’ phones and inboxes with constant messaging. Social media could offer a less-saturated space where short-form content can exemplify brand personality and where users are more likely to expect engagement.
Consumers prefer email, but low-quality lists and lack of verification are keeping campaigns out of inboxes and risking ISP blacklisting.
Adobe’s new Email Designer addresses content delays with cloning, GenStudio integration, and improved reuse—streamlining production for time-starved teams.
The deal promises smoother campaigns, but longtime Litmus users may not welcome the growing pains of martech consolidation
Google fights AI-driven fraud with QR codes: As security threats grow, it’s ditching SMS codes in favor of QR authentication—another step toward passkeys and a future with fewer phishing vulnerabilities.
In 2024, some of our newsletter team’s predictions included that attention metrics would gain more momentum in measurement, and Gen Alpha would steal some of Gen Z’s appeal among marketers. This year, we’re expecting a surge in AI ethics campaigns, email marketing troubles, rising browser competition, as well as some innovation in the world of gaming. Our analysts have already shared many of their predictions for 2025, but here are a few more from our newsletter team.
Email engagement on the rise: Industry KPIs show improvement in core metrics, but brands need to prevent user fatigue.
Bloomberg launches Weekend Edition: The news outlet aims for 1 million subscribers by 2025 for its newsletters and audio content.
69% of consumers worldwide say email is their preferred communication channel with brands, according to a June 2024 survey from Emarsys. Email was followed by SMS/MMS, at 53%.
US consumers overwhelmed by marketing content: 40% unsubscribe weekly, driven by frequent messaging and privacy concerns, raising questions about responsible data practices.