This is the first installment of our quarterly “Ad Spending Benchmarks” series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.

As ecommerce grows in back-to-school shopping (34.9% of total back-to school sales this year versus 33.5% in 2023), content creators are playing a pivotal role in how consumers find school supplies. This shift is driven by younger parents buying classroom supplies for K-12 children and college students outfitting their dorm rooms. Both groups favor online shopping for its convenience and the ability to compare prices, our analyst Sarah Marzano said in a recent edition of our “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast.

Lowe’s looks to expand the reach of its retail media network: The home improvement retailer rebranded the service Lowe’s Media Network and plans to launch four new channels this year.

The number of Gen Z social media users continues to rise, but it’s baby boomers who are fueling growth on TikTok and Snapchat.

Social media platforms focus on outcomes: Executives cite pressure to deliver for advertisers as Q2 earnings reports approach.

Our user forecasts for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, and Pinterest in Canada highlight an expanding platform mix increasingly divided by age demographics.

Social network user growth is stalling in Western Europe. Marketers should look toward changing platform dynamics, particularly among generational cohorts, to best manage their social media strategies.

Younger generations have embraced TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube as search engines. Although TikTok’s future in the US is uncertain, the social search opportunity remains robust.

Digital, traditional, and total media ad spending growth will all accelerate in 2024, although only modestly. The outlook has stabilized for most countries and regions, even if spectacular growth is harder than ever to find.

Gen Z is Pinterest’s largest and fastest-growing demographic, according to the platform. To cater to its younger consumers, Pinterest is focusing on inclusivity, search, and AI-powered curation. Here are five key stats from a recent Pinterest report on Gen Z and what they mean for brands trying to reach Gen Z consumers across digital channels.

TikTok parent ByteDance has until January 19, 2025, to sell the company or face a US ban. The company is suing to avoid the ban, but if the platform goes away, marketers need to know how to reach TikTok users on other platforms. From Gen Z to niche communities, here are five key stats showing the places marketers should be able to reach TikTok users.

In the last of five reports in our “Payments Ecosystem” collection, we look at what’s influencing retail sales growth across in-store, online, and social commerce channels—and what it means for payment providers.

As AI has evolved over the past few years, Pinterest has leaned heavily into the tech to create a more curated, relevant user experience.

Brazil is Latin America’s largest retail ecommerce market by total sales volume and will be this year’s third-fastest-growing digital economy worldwide. Understanding the nuances of how and where Brazil’s diverse consumer base spends its money online is key for brands and retailers to thrive in this highly competitive ecommerce market.

Total media ad spending growth has stabilized, and digital ad spending is set for an extended period of low double-digit annual increases. Amazon, TikTok, and Instagram will be the main growth drivers this year.

LinkedIn is at a turning point: Users are more engaged than ever, ad revenues are rising, and creators are inking deals on the platform. And LinkedIn’s appeal among both B2B and B2C marketers is growing.

Pinterest reaches 518 million MAUs with a 12% YoY increase: Revenues rise by 23% to $740 million, outpacing expectations and highlighting strategic gains.

US social media ad spending will ride the momentum platforms built in H2 2023 thanks to AI, social video advertising growth, and a fixation on bottom-funnel outcomes.

Ad spending will rebound in 2024, as mobile formats continue to dominate and areas like connected TV and retail media drive renewed growth.

Gen Zers and young millennials are the most likely to splurge on beauty in 2024—but their path to purchase is anything but straightforward.