As normalcy returns, Alaska Airlines pivoted its marketing strategy from heartfelt imagery to messaging with a fresher tone. By embracing humor and levity, the airline is reassuring consumers that it’s OK to start thinking about travel again. Watch Industry Voices Spotlight on Travel with Alaska Airlines managing director of marketing and advertising Natalie Bowman.

Google gets health data deal with a top dog provider: The Big Tech co linked up with HCA Healthcare to boost its health records—though this cracks open another chance for Google to lock in its hold in healthcare, it’ll still contend with patient privacy concerns.

Taking the witness stand, Tim “Not a Gamer” Cook showed off his evasive moves dodging questions about App Store profitability. Apple’s Epic battle may wrap up soon, but Big Tech’s antitrust wars have just begun.

Mobile proximity and peer-to-peer (P2P) payments have hit the mainstream, thanks to a pandemic-driven upswing in digital payments that is set to last. This trend is leading providers to diversify their offerings and compete for share of the market.

Privacy is more than just a compliance concern—it’s an opportunity for differentiation. This report features four case studies that highlight how emerging technology platforms are establishing privacy and trust to gain a competitive advantage.

To track or not to track? New data on iOS app tracking opt-in rates contradicts earlier estimates, but may ultimately offer a clearer glimpse into consumers’ real behavior.

Marketers see third-party cookie deprecation as a near-term challenge, but this change also presents an opportunity to prioritize identity management strategies and quality data.

China’s smartphone market enters a new competitive era: The country’s smartphone market grew for the first time in four years, but it didn’t translate evenly for all players. Huawei’s sales continued to decline, leaving several smartphone competitors neck-and-neck in the race to claim top spot in China’s market.

Amid the carnage of bankruptcies, store closures, and massive layoffs in 2020, some retail companies actually fared very well. Adjustments to supply chains, product and service bundles, stocking and inventory, and customer service have been the keys to success for big-box retailers like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. Others, such as Apple, lululemon athletica, Nike, and Starbucks, are focusing on innovating and modifying store experiences through digital integration, frictionless shopping, and atmospherics modified for a “new normal” of social distancing and sanitization.

Amazon’s AR push: The ecommerce giant has opened an in-person hair salon to show off its new augmented reality (AR) tools. Were Amazon to integrate AR into its site, it could make this experimental mode of shopping commonplace.

Podcasts were one of the few areas to have weathered the pandemic without sustaining ad spending losses.

eMarketer was pleased to moderate a Tech-Talk Webinar featuring InMobi’s Robyn Meyers, vice president, West Coast brand partnerships, and Sergio Serra, senior product manager, SSP, along with Advertiser Perception’s Lauren Fisher, vice president, business intelligence. They highlighted the changes, how advertisers are currently thinking about Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), and the best path forward.

Mobile games to stop targeting ads to kids: Some major developers and ad tech companies will need to stop tracking children under 13 after settling a lawsuit, limiting their targeting abilities.

Apple plans to roll out a major update to iOS this spring, requiring an opt-in before apps can track users across channels. "Behind the Numbers" host Marcus Johnson turns the tables on eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Nicole Perrin to ask about the latest research on AppTrackingTransparency opt-ins, the China Advertising ID (CAID), and how advertisers are preparing.

IDFA isn’t dead yet: New AppsFlyer data suggests that tracking opt-in rates could be much higher than the industry’s expectations, a spot of optimism that could make it worthwhile to keep collecting Apple’s Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA).