Q1 has been a mixed bag for marketers. Ad spend grew in January and February, hitting double digits for the first time since March 2022. But many tech and retail companies were hit with layoffs as companies tightened ad spend. IBM, TikTok, and Google all slashed their marketing and advertising teams. On earnings calls, Nike’s finance chief said the company is planning for a “subdued macro outlook” and Paramount mentioned “softness in the global advertising market.”

Here’s what a TikTok-less America would look like for marketers, users, and creators, based on our latest forecasts.

For Gen Z, music festivals like Coachella or Stagecoach aren’t just about the music—they’re about self-expression. Because of how closely Gen Z links festivals and fashion, apparel brands like Pascun are using the events to connect with the young festivalgoers. And Pinterest is tapping both online and on-site activations for Coachella.

“Most marketers want to be cutting-edge, and to be able to say that they’re exploring new technology,” Jack Johnston, associate director at Tinuiti, said about AI’s explosion into social media tools. “But our focus is not just being gimmicky and tapping into AI because it’s AI, but doing it because there’s a real business value and a positive impact that can come from it.”

Pinterest’s search enhancements continue with body type filter: The platform’s AI-enabled upgrades are boosting engagement and shopping behavior.

“The beauty of a clean room is that it's a privacy-centric way for CVS to share data from its 74 million Extra Care members and for us to share the data from our 498 million users, and end up with a repository of powerful, completely anonymized first-party data,” said Carrie Sweeney, VP of retail at Pinterest. “Then we can connect our users with targeted ads without sharing any of their personal data, just as CVS can on its website.”

US political ad spending will hit new highs amid the 2024 presidential election, with connected TV (CTV) driving the biggest gains. Despite the digital shift, traditional TV—long a mainstay of political advertising—will hold its own.

The ecommerce search experience is ripe for reinvention: Pinterest, Walmart, Etsy, and others are relying on AI to deliver more relevant results and drive sales.

Gen Z is redefining search. Platforms like TikTok and YouTube are encroaching on Google’s territory as Gen Zers use social networks to look up tutorials, trends, and more.

Strategic partnerships boost Pinterest: Amazon and Google deals fuel revenue and international expansion—while MAUs nearly hit 500 million for the first time.

What is shoppable media and which formats have the most potential?

Sometimes two is better than one. Especially when trying to capture consumer attention in a world of seemingly endless options. Here are four retail partnerships we think could occur in 2024, ranked from most likely to happen (e.g., Pinterest and Ikea) to least likely (e.g., Chewy and Blue Apron), and why we think they make sense.

The US’ second-biggest ad market rallied in 2023 thanks to ad buyers in China and investments in automation paying off.

“Despite lingering inflation, relatively sluggish consumer confidence, and shrinking excess savings, people still pulled out their wallets for the holidays,” our analyst Zak Stambor said on an episode of the “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. Because it’s never too early to start planning for the biggest retail period, here are four predictions for the 2024 holiday season.

The pace of change in social media won’t slow in 2024. The rising number of disruptors—whether it’s AI, creators, social search, or TikTok Shop—will both reshape old trends and create new ones.

The ad spending winter of 2022 and early 2023 was mild and short-lived, as we predicted. And after a solid H2 2023, things are looking up across the board for 2024.

Earlier this month, Pinterest hosted its Pinterest Predicts pop-up event, a showcase in New York City combining trends, predictions, photo ops, and shoppable displays. The pop-up offered insights into what experiential social commerce can be, and how brands can offer retail experiences without needing to stock products.

TikTok is taking the lead on social commerce: But Meta, Pinterest, and Snap are trying to take back the spotlight by partnering with Amazon and focusing on shoppable ads.

Despite a slowdown in smartphone sales, innovations in advertising, commerce, AI, and even device form-factors will drive mcommerce and mobile advertising growth in 2024.

Roku and The Coca-Cola Co. are using shoppable media to target consumers at home during the holidays, while Saks Fifth Avenue and Dior are celebrating 70 years of partnership with a first-of-its-kind ecommerce pop-up. Plus, Uber is leveraging the “Real Housewives” franchise to build up its ad business.