While consumers are always looking for more efficient ways to shop and engage with brands, they aren't always ready to trade that efficiency for relinquished control. Marketers seeking to enhance engagement with AI have an evolving tightrope to walk.

The trend: US consumers trust the pharma companies that advertise the prescription drugs they’re taking. Our take: Pharma companies can take heart in knowing the people who take their drugs trust them and their advertising. But it’s also an opportunity for precise data and media targeting to reach new consumers who would be interested in their medication—undiagnosed people or competitors’ patients—and receptive to learning about them.

Believe it or not, the year is already halfway over. For advertisers, it's been a whirlwind with economic upheaval, massive AI adoption, Google upending search, and working hard to understand Gen Z. Oh, and remember when TikTok went dark for a weekend?

The news: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaced the CDC’s influential vaccine advisory board with 8 new members, including some anti-vaccine advocates. Our take: The new HHS administration's public statements and actions undermine the safety perception of all vaccines. Drugmakers on the sidelines risk consumer trust—and vaccine uptake. It’s time to partner with respected medical groups like AMA to counterbalance confusion.

Adidas is the latest retailer to fall victim to a cyberattack: Data breaches are always costly and disruptive, but they’re especially damaging in the current climate.

The cost of everything from Pandora jewelry to Adidas sneakers is rising: The trend is poised to accelerate as tariff-hit goods arrive at US ports—and shoppers have taken note.

Marketers struggle with shrinking returns on social media ad spend: A new study found diversification without divestment is key to staying afloat.

Retailers are quickly embracing autonomous AI—sometimes referred to as agentic AI—to enhance operations and customer experiences. Gen Z is leading the shift, using AI for discovery and shopping. But to grow adoption across all generations, retailers must build trust through data security and transparency of AI use.

AI agents are here, but they’ve had little effect on the consumer journey so far. That should change by the end of 2028.

Forty-nine percent of Americans feel stereotyped by identity-based ad targeting: Overuse of these ads can fracture consumer trust. It might be time for brands to reconsider how they connect with consumers. Read online

Gen Z consumers rely heavily on online reviews to make purchase decisions: They’re also more likely to trust reviews than older generations.

The law enforcement agency is seeking civil penalties against the neobank, replacing the FTC’s original lawsuit.

TikTok is driving social commerce sales and buyer growth: The platform’s popularity and influence with Gen Zers contributed to its 2024 successes. We look at how that could change in 2025.

Some 88% of worldwide consumers say not trusting a brand is a dealbreaker when it comes to buying a product or using a service, according to Edelman. But building trust isn’t easy. Trust requires protecting consumer data, being thoughtful about third-party platform use and partnerships, and advertising through the right channels. Here are five key stats marketers can use to improve their brands’ consumer trust.

The FTC’s lawsuit against the neobank alleges that it misled and deceived consumers.

Affiliate marketing shifts to creator-driven strategies: Influencers bring engagement and trust to brand partnerships.

Customers cited a bank’s reputation as their top factor in choosing a new one. That’s a challenge for newer or smaller banks.

Google faces criticism for AI ad: The Gemini commercial during the Olympics raises concerns over AI replacing meaningful human interactions and creativity.

Social shopping skepticism: Despite Meta and TikTok’s best efforts, many prefer to focus on the "social" and the "media" instead.