Advertisers are underinvesting in channels they believe would pay off because they can't prove the return. That measurement gap is pushing marketers toward the one channel that may have solved it: mobile. Many are now applying mobile marketing measurement methods to their other channels, according to a recent EMARKETER and AppsFlyer study. Nearly six in 10 marketers (58.6%) say their organizations are likely underinvesting in profitable channels because those channels require better measurement, per the May survey. Channels cited by the most marketers as blind spots were social media (named by 50.3%) and connected TV/streaming (47.1%).

A friend's word still carries the most weight with holiday shoppers. But a close second is something brands rarely offer on their own: an honest account of a product's flaws. Some 41.9% of consumers said a trusted friend's or family member's recommendation made them feel confident in their last holiday purchase, according to a new survey of 1,001 US adults by EMARKETER and Reddit. Right behind that, 26.0% pointed to an honest discussion of a product's downsides alongside its strengths, ahead of expert reviews (18.7%) and influencer endorsements (12.6%). Shoppers are less interested in being sold to than in watching someone work through the tradeoffs.

On today’s podcast, we go beyond the headlines to explore what’s driving the latest wave of GLP-1 momentum, why this represents a lasting shift rather than just another healthcare trend, the biggest misconception retailers still have about how these drugs are changing consumer behavior, and which parts of the retail playbook need to be rewritten as consumers change how they eat, shop, and live. Tune in for a discussion featuring Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, along with Senior Analysts Rajiv Leventhal and Rachel Wolff.

Third-party marketplaces concentrate most of the world's online shopping, and the model keeps expanding: social platforms now run marketplaces, US retailers are opening their marketplaces to international shoppers, and Latin America has become the most contested battleground. This FAQ covers how marketplace power is distributed, where the growth is, and what sellers should do about it in 2026.

Rather than creating an out-of-home (OOH) campaign designed to generate social media buzz, travel app Skyscanner did the reverse: It turned an already-viral TikTok moment into a real-world brand experience. The company recently installed a billboard in the baggage claim area of San Juan's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, riffing on the viral "First time in San Juan, mi hijo?" audio created by Pittsburgh comedian Bill Stiteler (@saxboybilly18), which continues to soundtrack vacation videos, travel recaps and Puerto Rico getaways across TikTok. The billboard greets arriving visitors with the message: "First time in San Juan, mi hijo? Next time, compare flights and save 30% on average."

On today’s podcast, we discuss how infrequent big-ticket brands can stay part of the conversation and maintain relevance between purchases, what separates a partnership that’s simply marketing from one that truly strengthens a brand, and what it means for brands to earn a place in consumers’ initial consideration set as more people discover brands through AI instead of traditional search. Tune in to hear a discussion featuring Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Analyst Rachel Wolff, and Saatva CMO Joe McCambley.

In today's podcast episode, we discuss the patterns behind where AI agents are being built, the technologies that are enabling marketers to do things they couldn't do before, and where marketing campaigns are actually won or lost before a single ad is ever run. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Principal Analyst Yory Wurmser, and Head of GTM at Rokt mParticle, Nicholas Craig. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.

AI adds attention: Generative AI creates new screen time, boosting desktop habits while TV's sports edge keeps living room viewing strong.

This FAQ covers how much consumers spend on subscriptions, where fatigue is emerging, and how brands keep recurring revenue durable.

This summer, Banana Boat rolled out a creator-led campaign to shine some light on consumer attitudes and to promote its “Sheer Sensitive” sunscreen line with social media, retail media networks, and Major League Baseball media channels.

Social commerce gains value: One-third of Western consumers shop via social as AI referrals convert 31% better, rewarding structured product data.

In today's podcast episode, we discuss how consumer intent changes throughout the year, what actually happens to shoppers in the seconds after they complete a transaction, and what marketing looks like when you're buying a moment rather than media. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, and Senior Vice President of Strategic Key Accounts at Rokt, Callum Donnelly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.

This FAQ explores the scale of the ecommerce returns challenge, the policies that most influence shopper behavior, and the strategies retailers should prioritize in 2026 to reduce costs without sacrificing loyalty.

In-store retail media, which includes digital screens, smart carts, audio, and product sampling inside physical stores, remains the least developed segment of retail media. Yet demand is rising as advertisers seek to reach shoppers in the aisle, where most retail purchases still occur. High infrastructure costs and organizational silos, however, continue to limit the channel's growth. This FAQ covers the market's size, the grocery opportunity, and how retailers and advertisers should invest.

This FAQ covers the recommerce market's size, the consumers driving it, and how brands should respond.

Financial media networks’ transaction data across tens of millions of merchants and retailers gives advertisers a fresh angle when planning and measuring campaigns. This is a crucial value proposition made by PayPal Ads to advertisers looking to convert customers and compare allocations between various retail media networks.

AI shopping assistants such as Amazon's Alexa for Shopping (formerly Rufus), Walmart's Sparky, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini are reshaping how consumers discover and evaluate products. Retailer-owned assistants are already lifting order values and conversion, while standalone AI platforms struggle to convert recommendations into purchases. This FAQ covers how AI shopping assistants work, what they mean for brand loyalty, and how brands earn a place in AI-generated recommendations.

In today’s podcast episode, we discuss the most interesting conversations we expect to hear at Cannes this year: how brands can stay true to their values while operating at a global scale, why marketers should stop advertising and start entertaining, and why you should (perhaps) stop listening to the customer in order to build a brand that lasts forever. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Principal Analysts Nate Elliott and Max Willens. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.

Agentic AI locks in walled gardens: 76% of advertisers report gains as automated tools tilt budgets toward closed ecosystems over the open web.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how technology has changed the way Rainbow's customers research, compare, and ultimately make purchasing decisions; what the retailer has learned about serving customers that higher-end, luxury, and mainstream retailers could benefit from; and why "every AI experiment designed to replace a person failed, while every experiment designed to make a talented person better succeeded." Tune in to hear the discussion featuring Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst Zak Stambor, and David Cost, Chief Digital Officer at Rainbow Apparel.