CPG firms are raising prices where they have to while cutting prices with promos elsewhere to address shopper revolt.

Humor and celebrity now dominate Super Bowl ads; brands now favor memeable, star-driven comedy as safer attention drivers and a chance at social-media virality.

The news: Monthly subscription dog toy company BarkBox is under fire for a leaked Slack message showing the company stepping back from its Pride marketing initiatives. The message claimed that promoting its Pride offerings alienates a large portion of BarkBox’s audience. Our take: The BarkBox backlash highlights that companies are at an inflection point where submitting to political pressures and pulling back on Pride is just as risky as staying the course—but those who remain committed are most likely to benefit in the long run.

Pepsi buys Poppi to hone its appeal to health-conscious consumers: The acquisition comes amid a broader portfolio shift in favor of “better for you” options.

Brand strength bubbles up: Even as inflation squeezes budgets, many consumers are not trading down from name-brand sodas.

Coca-Cola takes on Olipop, Poppi: The company is getting in on the “better for you” trend with Simply Pop, a high-fiber, low-sugar prebiotic soda.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the unofficial list of the most interesting retailers for the month of May. 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 Arielle Feger and Sara Lebow will defend their list against analysts Sky Canaves and Zak Stambor, who will dispute the power rankings by attempting to move retailers up, down, on, or off the list.

As Gen Zers enter adulthood and increase their spending power, brands new and old are fighting for a larger share of their dollars. Here are three battles being waged for Gen Z consumers and how wellness, social media, and low prices are giving newcomer brands an edge.

In 2024, a perfect storm of technology, business, and consumer behavior trends will conspire to intensify the challenges of protecting brands on digital media.

In its first rebrand in 14 years, Pepsi unveiled a new logo and color palette to be seen on shelves in North America this fall, marking the brand’s 125th anniversary. While the revamp nods to Pepsi’s nostalgia, it pushes into what Todd Kaplan, Pepsi’s CMO, said is an increasingly “phygital” world, where consumers engage with brands both in-store and online.

By blending regional nuances, timely messaging, and a deep understanding of its brand-specific audiences, PepsiCo’s approach to digital out-of-home (DOOH) goes beyond arbitrary billboards. Its DOOH strategies enable the company to connect with consumers in meaningful ways, without compromising on the high-impact creative that public spaces demand.

A ban isn’t swaying brands from spending on TikTok: Apple, Pepsi, and DoorDash are among brands increasing ad spend despite hefty political problems.

Alcohol ecommerce is growing. See how alcohol purchase trends are shifting, who’s buying, and how to reach new customers.

As many brands honor members of the LGBT+ community this Pride Month, consumers are looking for more than just a rainbow logo—they want action.

Find out why global marketers have unique data and analytics challenges and how PepsiCo overcame its own operational challenges by unifying data across its channels and silos to drive measurable business results