Retailers and CPG brands may face challenges as President Donald Trump’s so-called “big, beautiful bill” takes effect, ushering in sweeping changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Snap’s attention metric shows the measurement maturing: The platform aims to capitalize on advertiser demand for new ad effectiveness signals.

Our analysts took a look at the first half of this eventful year and provided their own very specific—albeit unlikely—predictions at what could happen in the second half of the year and beyond.

The news: Snapchat acquired social calendar app Saturn and about 30 of its employees. For now, Saturn will stay an independent entity, but integration is likely down the road, per Engadget. Our take: Acquiring Saturn was a natural progression in Snapchat’s social path. It doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel when it has an app that already has a massive user base of its target audience. Calendar integrations will help brands more easily geotarget ads based on school events.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss our ‘very specific, but highly unlikely’ predictions for 2025. What would happen to the social media world if OpenAI bought Snap, what if Starbucks launched a Stablecoin, and why some companies might still want to buy linear networks. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Vice Presidents of Content Suzy Davidkhanian and Paul Verna, and Principal Analyst Yory Wurmser. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

The news: Snap announced its sixth-generation AR smart glasses at the 2025 Augmented World Expo (AWE). The wearables will be available to the public for the first time since 2016, potentially unlocking a new revenue stream beyond ads. The lightweight consumer smart glasses, called Specs, will launch in 2026 and include an “ultra-powerful wearable computer.” Our take: Snap’s next-gen smart glasses could diversify its revenue streams and show off its AR prowess. But unless the price tag is affordable and competitive, users may continue to just use Snapchat’s AR filters on their phones.

The news: Snapchat and McDonald’s have launched a collaboration giving MyMcDonald’s Rewards members a chance to exchange points for a one-month Snapchat+ subscription. The offer marks the first time McDonald’s is offering a digital subscription service as a reward. The program is only available to new Snapchat+ subscribers. Our take: Snapchat’s decision to collaborate with McDonald’s shows its evolving strategy to bolster user monetization through premium subscriptions. Attracting new users to the platform and convincing them to become long-term paid subscribers could help alleviate this issue.

Tariffs threaten to reduce US digital ad spending growth this year. This series explains the effects tariffs will have on ad spending in search, social, CTV, and retail media—and which parts of each might fare best and worst.

AR/VR continues to evolve as a tool for marketers and retailers to develop deeper consumer engagement. Long-term growth will be helped by AI integrations and demographic shifts. And while gaming is still the top use case, smart glasses are on the rise.

Social platforms vie for attention at NewFronts: Meta, TikTok, and Snap all debuted ad updates designed to remain competitive amid a backdrop of uncertainty.

Snap earnings paint a grim picture for 2025: While revenues were up, the company pulled its guidance and lost 1 million users.

Australia will exempt YouTube from its under-16 social media ban: The promise is receiving backlash from Meta and TikTok, and will require brands to adapt.

Despite mental health concerns and corporate distrust, teens still find value in social platforms—especially for connection, creativity, and emotional support.

RFK Jr.’s MAHA vision receives support in Indiana: Gov. Mike Braun issued nine executive orders aligning with Kennedy’s chronic illness agenda. But cuts to Medicaid funding could prevent these initiatives from having their intended effect.

Snap resets its brand story: Grace Kao joins as CMO to lead a creative reinvention, following ad gains and rising interest in immersive media.

Snap study shows the power of positive ads: Consumers reported higher brand recall when seeing ads that sparked "joy."

Snap doubles down on immersive brand tools: AI Lenses, creator events, and AR vending machines highlight its experiential marketing push.

Nielsen is sunsetting its legacy panel-only measurement this year. What do advertisers need to know as they prepare to transact on big data-based metrics at scale?

Sponsored AI Lenses let users drop into branded scenes via selfies, offering a fast, cost-cutting alternative to AR with higher engagement potential.

A nearly $1 trillion loss in a day signals market panic. Apple leads the fall, with ripple effects threatening AI growth, ad revenue, and cloud service pricing.