The 2024 general election has been dubbed “the podcast election” due to candidates’ potentially game-changing appearances on some of the biggest podcasts in the US. These appearances illustrate the untapped potential of podcast advertising. “Podcasts may have played a big role in the US election, but they're still getting overlooked by advertisers,” wrote EMARKETER senior vice president of content and executive editor Vladimir Hanzlik on LinkedIn.

China’s retail sales ticked up in October: But mixed results from JD.com and Alibaba show that retailers still face significant headwinds.

The CFPB is trying to supervise large payment apps as the lines between Big Tech and payments blur. But it’s unclear how Trump will shake up the agency

It will be a while before consumers feel the Fed’s interest rate cuts, and an unknown regulatory environment could roil expectations

Trump’s proposed tariffs could add to luxury’s troubles: The move would curb US consumers’ buying power and potentially dampen Chinese consumer sentiment further.

Firms must plan for regulatory changes across areas like BNPL, open banking, crypto, and credit cards

Targeting bias detection and fostering global ties, the UK aims to lead in AI assurance and strengthen its tech sector.

Trump spent less on social media and won anyway: An established political brand and shifting social landscape reduced the need to lean on social platforms.

A Trump administration could lead to sweeping changes at the agency

The US ad industry is at a crossroads. Which path it takes will depend heavily on which candidate is elected.

The deal faces an uphill battle no matter who wins, but we think it has better odds under Trump

Mixed results from the Big Four ad firms mark a turbulent period: Concerns about the regulatory landscape and tariffs weigh on spending.

Trump skips Snapchat ads: Harris invests $5.3M to engage younger voters, capitalizing on key demographics ahead of US president election.

Harris outspends Trump 20 to 1 on Meta platforms: Though Harris is largely spending on CTVs, millions are going to Facebook and Instagram.

Proposed caps from both sides of the aisle have failed to gain traction—they could restrict credit access and raise annual fees

The family-led project was light on details, but the debut could signal friendlier crypto regulation if he’s elected

The first $12 billion ad spend US presidential election is underway. That ad spend figure breaks 2020’s by more than $2 billion. Whether or not brands engage in political messaging, they will be impacted by the volume of ad inventory and how the election influences consumer sentiment.

With its shift to digital, political advertising is increasingly programmatic. US digital political ad spend will grow by 156.3% this year over 2020, the last presidential election year. That growth outpaces the 28.7% growth overall US political ad spend will see, as noted in our US Political Ad Spending Forecast 2024 report.

It’s an election year in the US, one where we’ll see record-breaking political ad spend. While political advertising is often viewed as a separate game from other industries, the trends set by campaigns ripple into the rest of the marketing atmosphere. What will 2024’s version of Nixon and Kennedy navigating live TV or Obama embracing social media be, and what will be the impact on the ad industry at large? Here are five trends all advertisers should be watching.

Social media’s relationship with news and politics is getting even more complicated in the age of AI. Brands and the platforms will face big risks and challenges as mis- and disinformation proliferate this election year.