On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what Crayola is aiming to achieve with its “Campaign for Creativity,” how the brand guides children from digital creation to hands-on creative play, and what’s top of mind for the art supplies company as it heads into the holiday season. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, and Crayola Chief Marketing Officer Victoria Lozano.

In today’s episode, we talk about whether the “American Dream” is less achievable, or just different, how this new economic reality has reshaped consumer behavior, and how brands are marketing aspiration differently. Join the discussion with host and Head of Business Development, Rob Rubin, Senior Director of Briefings, Jeremy Goldman, and Analyst, Paola Flores-Marquez.

In this podcast episode, we discuss the difference between a real miss vs. sparking conversation, if there is such a thing as bad press, and what brands should do once a campaign doesn’t land. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and guest host, Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst, Sky Canaves, and Analyst, Arielle Feger.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the ingredients of Walmart’s current recipe for success and the technology that’s most likely to propel them into the future. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian and Analyst Rachel Wolff.

On today’s podcast episode, we check in on how retailers’ financials are looking this year, different approaches to inventory, and what Q2 is telling us. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Senior Analysts Blake Droesch and Zak Stambor.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what we expect from consumer spending in Q2, the three scenarios we expect for total media (and digital) ad spending, and how marketers are reacting to everything. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Principal Forecasting Writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, and Senior Forecasting Analyst Zach Goldner. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how tariffs will impact private labels, if private label still a synonym for “affordable”, and some unofficial awards for the 5 most interesting private label players. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sky Canaves and Analyst Arielle Feger.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss (now that tariffs are here), how they’re impacting consumer behavior, some unexpected outcomes, and the numbers that will guide retailers in the months ahead. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Analyst Rachel Wolff and Senior Analyst Zak Stambor.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how department stores are getting on, how they’re evolving, and what the contemporary department store needs to do to stick around. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian and Senior Analyst Carina Perkins.

While banks aren’t directly paying tariffs, they face a combination of other threats.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what consumer confidence actually means, which specific economic indicators most significantly impact it, and what all this says about the overall health of retail right now. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian, Senior Analyst Zak Stambor, and Research Associate Professor and Director of the Surveys of Consumers at the University of Michigan Joanne Hsu.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what happens when a shelf is empty, how retailers can stay ahead of this, and how signals translate into actionable store-level decisions. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, Senior Analyst Blake Droesch, and Chief Revenue Officer at Trax David Gottlieb. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the unofficial list of the most interesting retailers for the month of March. Each month, our analysts Arielle Feger, Becky Schilling, and Sara Lebow (aka The Committee) put together a very unofficial list of the top eight retailers they're watching based on which are making the most interesting moves: Who's launching new initiatives? Which partnerships are moving the needle? Which standout marketing campaigns are being created? In this month's episode, Committee members Senior Director of Content Becky Schilling and Analyst Sara Lebow will defend their list against Principal Analyst Sky Canaves and Analyst Rachel Wolff, who will dispute the power rankings by attempting to move retailers up, down, on, or off the list.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how the beauty industry is venturing into untapped markets, how the conversation of ageism in beauty fits or diverges with the greater trend away from diversity and inclusion, and how brands market to older people while staying relevant with younger audiences. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, Analyst Arielle Feger, and CEO and Founder of Ageism Is Never In Style® Jacynth-Bassett.

In today’s episode, we talk about whether regulators will allow, and consumers will adopt, AI over human financial advisors. Will AI close or widen the wealth gap? What happens if an AI financial advisory loses your money? Join the discussion with host and Head of Business Development Rob Rubin, and Analysts Lauren Ashcraft and Jacob Bourne.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what a tariff even is, what might happen when they’re implemented, and how best to prepare for them. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analysts Paul Briggs and Matteo Ceurvels, and Analyst Rachel Wolff.

B2B ecommerce growth is outpacing B2B product and electronic sales growth. And ecommerce site sales are taking an increasing share of the market. Macroeconomic conditions, buyers’ preferences, and AI use are fueling increased digital transactions, particularly through third-party marketplaces.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how much is too much when it comes to AI-generated ads, the relationship between how much people notice ads versus how intrusive they find them, and the main reason consumers say they feel “ignored” by marketers. Tune in to the conversation with Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Director of Reports Editing Rahul Chadha, and Senior Analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolff. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

As consumers get bored of brands—72% said that “very few really stand out as different,” according to VML’s 2025 Future 100 report—marketers are turning to creative campaigns to attract attention.