77% of worldwide consumers are comfortable with AI resolving a question or issue, according to an August survey from CSG.
Attention metrics (AUs) in the social media video landscape are gradually fragmenting as audiences shift to platforms with interest-driven feeds, per our industry KPI data provided by Adelaide. Consumer attention fragmenting across platforms means that advertisers who are already struggling to reach target audiences on social media are facing an uphill battle. Focusing on interest-driven platforms like Reddit and Pinterest as they gain AUs can help drive stronger results, while maintaining investment in leaders like YouTube will remain essential.
Pinterest is piloting a new shoppable recipe format with Walmart’s help. Select recipes now feature a “Shop Ingredients” button that lets users add ingredients directly to their Walmart carts. The pilot fits squarely with Pinterest’s broader goal to make every pin on its platform shoppable, a strategy designed to fully monetize its influence over product discovery and shopping trends. It also fits with Walmart's aim to establish a presence on as many shopping channels as possible, be it social commerce or ChatGPT.
Despite multiple pivots and significant investments, Amazon continues to struggle in a sector that represents one of the largest consumer spending categories. "Amazon dominates ecommerce with nearly 40% market share, but grocery remains the category it just can't crack," said our analyst Suzy Davidkhanian on a recent episode of “Behind the Numbers.”
PepsiCo has reached an agreement with activist investor Elliott Investment Management to cut its US SKU count by 20%, streamline its workforce, and reinvest savings into lowering prices on core brands—moves that largely reinforce strategies already underway. The company expects these price reductions to lift volumes while continuing to expand its growing lineup of “better for you” products, including reformulated snacks, sugar-free beverages, and prebiotic offerings. PepsiCo projects 2% to 4% organic revenue growth next year, but regaining momentum will take time as price-sensitive shoppers increasingly turn to lower-cost private-label alternatives.
Yelp’s newest Most Loved Brands list identifies which national chains consumers returned to most in a year defined by cautious, value-sensitive spending. Unlike perception-based rankings, Yelp’s loyalty score draws from behavioral signals—repeat visits to brand pages, review volume, sentiment, and photo activity—revealing what people actually do, not just what they say. Dave’s Hot Chicken leads the list on the strength of customizable experiences and overwhelmingly positive ratings, while legacy chains, nostalgia-driven brands, and Zillennial favorites succeed for distinct reasons. For marketers, the findings echo broader path-to-purchase trends: consumers increasingly depend on reviews, consistency, and social proof to validate where they spend.
Uber is offering customer data to marketers to enhance ad targeting and placement capabilities. The data is available through Uber Intelligence, its new insights platform powered by LiveRamp. Advertisers can get information on how people “move, dine, travel, and order” to build a better understanding of customers’ behavior patterns, the company said in a blog post. Marketers should experiment with Uber Intelligence’s insights to create bespoke ad strategies that segment audiences, identify relevant customers, and personalize targeting.
While commerce media networks expand, retailers can take advantage of the efficiencies and measurement capabilities that they can provide.Retail media networks alone are expected to claim one-fifth of US digital ad spending by 2029, according to EMARKETER’s September forecast.
The commerce media landscape is bracing for a defining year. Pressure is building across retailers and platforms to rethink how shoppers discover, evaluate, and buy products.
e news: Multicultural consumers—a segment whose buying power has grown 345% over the last 20 years—now expect brands to prioritize representation in ads, per a Snapchat study. Brands must tailor ad strategies to appeal to multicultural consumers, but should understand that simple, one-off campaign inclusion won’t be enough to drive action.
Retailers experimenting with agentic AI are doing so with commercial urgency, not curiosity. In an EMARKETER interview, Criteo’s Michael Greene said retailers now see onsite AI as “mission critical” for owning the shopping journey—especially as consumers increasingly use chat-based tools for early discovery. Generic LLMs lack real retail signals like inventory, regional availability, and nuanced category expertise, making proprietary data the retailer’s strongest edge. With Gen Z already leaning heavily on AI for purchase research, retailers must build systems that deliver more relevant, trustworthy guidance than general chat interfaces. The mandate is clear: build AI that improves baskets, conversion, and shopper retention.
Instacart has become the first grocery partner to launch a dedicated app within ChatGPT, enabling users to shop by prompting the assistant and then building a cart powered by Instacart’s catalog and OpenAI models. After signing in, customers can review selections and pay securely via Instant Checkout, with orders fulfilled through Instacart’s network. The move reinforces Instacart’s leadership in US grocery delivery and gives it an early chance to shape AI-enabled shopping behavior. If consumers embrace the feature, its ability to learn preferences and streamline reorders could meaningfully reduce friction and nudge more shoppers toward online grocery buying.
Grocery prices continue to climb amid low crop yields, geopolitical shocks, supply-chain issues, and new tariffs, leaving middle- and low-income consumers struggling as wages lag inflation. Student loan borrowers are feeling particular strain, with many reporting difficulty affording basic necessities. President Trump has responded with executive orders exempting some foods from tariffs and directing investigations into potential foreign price-fixing, though these steps are unlikely to offer quick relief. With nearly half of Americans saying the cost of living is the worst they can remember and holiday spending plans dropping sharply, consumers remain cautious heading into next year.
Listening patterns from 2025 show how audio fits into everyday moments differently across markets, from commutes to cooking to winding down at night. Spotify’s Wrapped for Advertisers pulls those signals into a clearer picture for 2026 advertising decisions.
A spike in consumer interest, changing social expectations, and perception has brands and retailers leaning into men's fragrances. "The days of guys only wanting a classic, masculine scent are gone," said Sarah Armstrong, associate content manager at Axe US."Guys are looking for excitement in the fragrance category, wanting to explore new scent cues," she said. "For example, we've seen more gourmand, sweet fragrances come to market over the last few years."
Amazon, Target, and Walmart are stepping up their holiday fulfillment efforts to reassure late shoppers that gifts will arrive before Christmas. Amazon is adding clear “Arrives before Christmas” messaging and enabling delivery or pickup on many items through Christmas Eve, while Target is extending store hours and leaning on rapid curbside, in-store pickup, and same-day delivery. Walmart is expected to match or exceed last year’s Christmas Eve express cutoffs. These moves highlight how crucial last-minute reliability has become, as faster delivery speeds increasingly shape where shoppers spend and give retailers with strong fulfillment networks a powerful competitive edge.
Gap’s new AI chatbot was quickly coaxed into discussing intimacy products and other off-limits topics after launch, revealing a misconfiguration in the guardrails set by its AI partner Sierra, according to The Information. Sierra said a bad actor attempted to jailbreak more than a dozen client agents, and Gap’s was the only one that slipped past detection due to the setup error, which has since been fixed. The incident underscores how easily brand safety can be compromised when safeguards aren’t airtight, highlighting the need for companies to rigorously vet vendors and ensure robust protections before deploying AI tools.
Cash App and Binance are targeting teen and pre-teen engagement with payments and crypto, per press releases. Emphasizing safety and financial education will be critical for any youth financial product to get off the ground. Streamlining parental controls through easy-to-monitor features like push notifications can win over parents of Gen Alpha, who are more likely to be millennials who favor mobile- and app-first financial experiences.
Bank of America debuted an exclusive FIFA World Cup 2026 custom card design and ticket opportunity for applicants, per a press release. Cardholders can choose between two FIFA-themed card designs. New applicants for BofA’s Customized Cash Rewards or Unlimited Cash Rewards Visa credit cards can also buy two tickets to select FIFA World Cup matches starting February 10, 2026. Leaning into sporting events for marketing and rewards can connect issuers with young consumers who are passionate about exclusive, memory-building experiences. Hosting on-site events and spaces during the matches could draw in even more potential cardholders.