On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how not to over-engineer your marketing with too much data, what retail media brings to social and creator marketing (and vice versa), and where retail media data can genuinely make marketing better—and where we may be asking too much of it. Tune in for a conversation featuring Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst Sarah Marzano, and Vice President of Commerce & Retail Media at the IAB, Collin Colburn.
Some 41% of US ad buyers expect to increase spending on in-person and experiential marketing this year, according to IAB data cited by EMARKETER. As those budgets grow, however, so does the pressure for experiences to accomplish more than drawing a crowd.
Higher monthly expenses are making even affluent consumers scrutinize big-ticket purchases.
Companies put more support behind ad tactics and product platforms that show sales and share-gain promise.
Strong demand for human service is prompting McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King to put employees back at the center of the experience.
AI enablement roles rose 21% as banks focus less on technical foundations and more on business results.
Self-service AI can handle more campaign work, making strategy and human creativity key differentiators.
Target and Chase are betting that the future of marketing won’t be purely digital. Instead, physical experiences, from retail stores and bank branches to exclusive events, can become engines for digital content, creator amplification, and consumer connection.
AI-powered search is reshaping how consumers discover products, and it's creating urgent monetization challenges for publishers, browsers, and commerce platforms. Consumers spend an average of at least 23 minutes a day in AI chat platforms, and that time will more than double by 2028, according to industry experts. "Consumers on average spend at least 23 minutes within AI chat today, and that will more than double by 2028," said John Nitti, global chief business officer at adMarketplace, during a panel at Advertising Week New York this week. "Advertising expenditure is actually a two-year lag. So the consumer has always been ahead of marketing."
It signals how the FDA may interpret tone, framing, and context in social media pharma marketing.
Walmart and McDonald’s are drawing lines around dynamic pricing as consumers grow wary of how prices are set.
Skydance inventory gains purchase-based targeting, giving marketers reason to keep linear in the mix.
Payment providers can earn loyalty by pairing agentic tools with education, safeguards, and guarantees.
Exclusive data show the sales potential of influencer partnerships, though larger creator networks add complexity.
Only 32% use AI for decision support, limiting their ability to turn customer data into timely, personalized outreach.
71% of CX leaders and practitioners worldwide use AI for ticket resolution, more than for any other task, according to an August report from Zendesk.
52% of US retailers say shipping costs will sway holiday shoppers' online purchases, more than say product price (42%) or discounts (42%), according to a May survey from Narvar and eTail Insights.
Chains that pair compelling experiences with strong value are better positioned as diners become more selective.
Amazon, Target, and Toys R Us are using different channels to shape what kids want this holiday season.
The retailer is closing three locations while continuing to expand, refining where smaller stores make economic sense.