Amex’s Fanatics events show how experiential sports rewards can give issuers a competitive edge.

In June, retailers and brands kept experimenting with experiential marketing, cultural partnerships, and strategic pop-ups. The campaigns that stood out tied themselves to sports moments and real consumer engagement. Here are the three retailers that won June’s “Unofficial Monthly Retailer Awards.”

Creative brands are capturing attention without official rights.

Bass Pro, RH, and Ralph Lauren are turning to hospitality to build deeper customer connections.

In today’s podcast episode, we discuss what the data says about young people actually going out and touching grass, what “logging off” really looks like, whether this trend is a temporary backlash or the beginning of a long-term cultural shift away from screens, and some of the best examples of brands taking note of this trend by creating real-world experiences. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian, Analyst Paola Flores-Marquez, and Senior Analyst Gadjo Sevilla. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.

B2B events face higher expectations and tighter scrutiny. Attendees want experiences that justify the trip, while marketers are increasing investment before execution maturity has caught up. Gaps show up in agenda design, networking quality, and ROI.

Digital detox drives IRL marketing: From Pinterest to Netflix, companies court screen-weary youth with phone bans and offline experiences.

Retailers in April proved that breakthrough moments come from bold repositioning, experiential stunts, and quiet backend innovations that reshape operations. Here are the three retailers that won April's “Unofficial Monthly Retailer Awards.”

Sneaker fans experienced a full-court press at the NBA’s All-Star weekend in Los Angeles this month. Nike's Jordan Brand unleashed a series of activations throughout the city, putting in action a playbook for marketers looking to make a real-world impact on brand enthusiasts.

Super Bowl campaigns aren’t one-size-fits-all; brands are now splitting between full-scale TV buys and multi-channel activations that extend beyond the broadcast.

Chase’s anticipated travel and dining trends focus on experiential and novel landscapes and experiences, and continues a push for luxury in dining.

45% of B2B marketers worldwide are prioritizing investment in AI-powered marketing tools for 2026, according to an August 2025 report from Content Marketing Institute.

A new report from ANA and Harris Poll indicates that future marketing success will require delivering offline experiences. Brands will need to recalibrate budgets to accommodate this hybrid landscape of high-touch engagement blended with AI-driven discovery. Brands should use AI to handle low-touch decisions, then reinvest the time and trust gained into high-touch offline experiences and brand activations like pop-up shops or store takeovers. Those events create meaning that will help brands stay visible and valued.

In 2026, marketing success will hinge on visibility, credibility, and governance. AI-led discovery is redefining how B2B buyers find brands, human influence is reshaping how marketers build trust, and data governance is powering growth.

The agency and marketing world is undergoing a strategic shift, with M&A activity surging in AI, experiential, and sports sectors. AI is no longer optional—firms like R/GA, Real Chemistry, and The Shipyard are acquiring to integrate automation, content generation, and efficiency into operations. Experiential marketing is also bouncing back, with global spending surpassing $128 billion and deals like BeCore and JetFuel reflecting renewed momentum. Meanwhile, sports marketing is booming, with Publicis and M&C Saatchi expanding to capture rising media rights value and digital viewership. Across sectors, the common thread is impact: marketers want scalable, measurable solutions that deliver real results.

The news: Cannes Lions 2025 kicks off June 16, with media companies and platforms turning the festival into a proving ground for brand innovation. Spotify is merging live acts like Cardi B with audiobook tastings and celebrity panels, while Canva hosts CMO roundtables alongside design influencers. Google, Uber, and Influential are anchoring talks on TV, sports, and creator-driven engagement—with yacht-side podcasts and fundraising activations adding a new layer of purpose. Our take: This year’s Cannes isn’t about opulence—it’s about ownership. Brands that bring substance, not just spectacle, will emerge with more than headlines—they’ll leave with lasting partnerships and fresh strategic playbooks.

Now offering massages, art tours, and more without a home booking, Airbnb is turning into a full-service travel platform with a trove of first-party data.