WPP, once the top advertising group globally, will be retired from the FTSE 100 after almost 30 years as its market value has fallen dramatically in recent years. Removal from the FTSE 100 and a plummeting market value indicates that WPP’s struggles are deep-rooted and unlikely to vanish in the near future. For advertisers, the current imperative is to rethink partnerships, explore alternatives, and increase diligence.

Amazon is testing ultra-fast delivery for fresh groceries and other household essentials in some areas of Seattle and Philadelphia. The service, called Amazon Now, allows shoppers in eligible neighborhoods to receive thousands of items in 30 minutes or less. While Amazon continues to invest in its brick-and-mortar grocery business, enhancing its ecommerce initiatives appears to be taking precedence. Speeding up delivery could help Amazon extend its foothold in grocery while keeping shoppers wedded to its platform, but our forecast expects its share of digital grocery sales to dip as Walmart, pure-play grocers, and intermediary delivery platforms grow their piece of the pie.

Shifts in what consumers watch, how they search, and where they shop are reshaping Latin America’s digital economy—and how brands will reach audiences in 2026. Explore the five trends to watch in the year ahead.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) will enable Visa Intelligence in its marketplace, bringing agentic commerce capabilities to AWS’s merchant list, per a press release. However, US consumers still have trepidation about letting bots complete purchases on their behalf—almost 70% of US adults are uninterested in testing out AI shoppers, per an EMARKETER and Civic Science survey. Major payment players hoping to benefit from agentic-driven volume need to develop incentives or roll out education materials to assure consumers that bot-driven shopping is safe and effective.

An OpenAI leak indicates that ads are coming to ChatGPT in the near future, according to computer engineer Tibor Blaho. Advertisers should anticipate a future where ads become a core part of the ChatGPT experience and act quickly to test and learn before competitors, but should remain agile in their strategies and remain informed about developments in consumer behavior.

Mobile will account for nearly half of US online sales in 2026 and become the dominant channel in 2027. To make the most of this shift, retailers and brands should enhance integration of their shopping apps and loyalty programs.

Retailers aren’t waiting for Black Friday to kick off their holiday campaigns. Since October 1, linear TV holiday ad spend reached $475.1 million, up 13.2% YoY, according to iSpot. Weekly spending has also climbed steadily, indicating brands are frontloading their budgets to capture demand across all of Q4.

As AI increasingly powers everything from holiday ads to product recommendations, retailers face a critical balancing act between efficiency and authenticity. "The question isn't if retailers will use AI, it's how they'll keep using it and maintain the human touch along the way," said host Suzy Davidkhanian on a recent episode of “Behind the Numbers.”

Q3 was another strong quarter for Walmart and Amazon, and another weak one for Target. Shoppers are showing a clear preference for the convenience, product selection, and overall value that Amazon and Walmart offer, while being less impressed by Target’s assortment and shopping experience. Economic uncertainty is heightening the gap, as more shoppers turn to Amazon and Walmart for necessities like groceries while pulling back on the discretionary spending that fuels Target. Walmart's and Amazon's ability to combine low prices with an extensive product selection and fast and convenient delivery will serve them well this holiday season, while Target has the harder task of convincing price-conscious shoppers to spend on nonessential items.

Amazon blocked several OpenAI-affiliated crawlers from accessing its site, a move first reported by ecommerce analyst Juozas Kaziukėnas. That marks the retailer’s latest attempt to keep third-party agents from encroaching on its turf and endangering ad revenues. Amazon’s insistence on keeping AI agents at bay is the right move for the company for the time being. Adoption is minimal for now, hampered by trust issues, clunky UX, and minimal merchant participation. However, the gates will have to open at some point—and the longer Amazon waits, the more ground it cedes to rivals like Walmart.

Shoppers across Western Europe are gearing up for a digital-first, deal-focused 2025 holiday season. Brands that better understand shifting consumer behaviors can refine their holiday strategies and capitalize on opportunities for growth.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the three big questions surrounding Amazon in Q3 and beyond: What Amazon's corporate layoffs tell us about how AI is actually affecting the broader job market. Is Amazon’s new “Help Me Decide” feature a significant stepping stone toward agentic AI? And could Amazon’s AI smart glasses for delivery workers be a Trojan horse for broader smart-glasses adoption? Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Analyst Rachel Wolff. Listen everywhere, and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Bath & Body Works’ new CEO is overhauling the company’s strategy as it struggles to revive sales and win over younger consumers despite being a major player in the fast-growing fragrance space. CEO Daniel Heaf aims to fix a “slow and inefficient” organization with a four-part plan: refocusing on core categories, expanding ecommerce (including launching on Amazon in 2026), reclaiming cultural relevance through targeted promotions and influencer partnerships, and streamlining operations to unlock $250 million in savings.

Walmart raised its full-year outlook again as its strong value proposition and fast-growing ad business drive broader consumer spending. It now expects net sales growth of between 4.8% and 5.1% this year, and EPS between $2.58 and $2.63. Q3 comps rose 4.5% YoY, with higher traffic and ticket size, and gains were strongest among higher-income shoppers. US ecommerce sales jumped 28%, supported by faster delivery, rising Walmart+ signups, and 33% growth in US ad sales (excluding Vizio). Walmart is also expanding to emerging channels, including ChatGPT. Its focus on value, convenience, and tech has strengthened its position, helping it compete with Amazon and capture more holiday and online spending.

Shoppers are spending about 10% more on gifts this year, even if they’re feeling less confident. New insights from PMG show how that mix of caution and momentum is shaping a holiday season built on smart pacing and steady engagement.

TD Bank will finally offer Amazon Shop with Points in the US for its credit cardholders, per a press release. Earning consumers’ loyalty requires delivering on competitive rewards. While perks like fraud protection and Amazon rewards are seen as default credit card features, issuers trying to impress should incorporate at least 2% cash back, rewards for paying off balances, and payment flexibility at checkout, per our 2025 US Cash-Back Credit Card Emerging Features Benchmark.

Live sports is drifting from linear TV to fragmented streaming. That’s raising costs, confusing viewers, and forcing leagues and advertisers to navigate new tradeoffs between reach, revenues, and shifting time spent.

Amazon is going all-in on AI-powered advertising solutions for small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). SMBs can now create high-quality campaigns without requiring costly resources, giving SMBs access to creative capabilities that were once out of reach.

In earnings calls from retail leaders, one of the biggest shared signals is that AI shopping assistants are becoming the new front door of the customer journey. Whether the retailer is in grocery, fashion, or general merchandise, conversational search is now the organizing principle for discovery.

Q3 was a record-breaking quarter for the three largest ad platforms, but heavy spending on AI is compressing margins and raising questions about how the technology will impact the future of digital advertising.