JCPenney joins forces with Aeropostale’s owner to form Catalyst Brands: The new company aims to tap into its vast pool of customer data to cross-sell across its portfolio.
Amazon will begin selling its ad tech to third-party retailers: The new Amazon Retail Ad Service will give companies access to the retailer’s advanced targeting and sizable advertiser network.
Marks & Spencer, Tesco flag challenges as UK economy weakens: Confidence is slumping due to concerns over tax hikes and sluggish consumer demand.
Disney will attract major attention at Upfronts: Ad-supported subscribers surpassed 157 million, giving it a leg up over the competition.
New rule removes medical debt from credit reports: While this will help in terms of approval and interest rates for loans, relief won’t be felt until health systems stop aggressively chasing down patients’ unpaid bills.
Transcarent to acquire Accolade for $621M: The deal could lower costs for employer and health plan customers. It’s also an indicator that more digital health M&As will take place in 2025.
Meta’s healthcare ad changes go into effect: Healthcare advertisers will need to get creative and experiment with different approaches to effectively reach their target audiences in light of the changes.
Ad-supported streaming grows: 66% of US viewers prefer affordability as Netflix and Amazon refine ad strategies with lighter loads and live content.
DirecTV and Dish challenge the Disney-Fubo merger: Legal fight over Venu Sports launch highlights antitrust concerns in sports streaming.
Tech CEOs align with Trump, signaling support for deregulation and reduced scrutiny. Contributions and softened content moderation show efforts to foster smoother government relations and spur investments.
The technology will improve banks’ customer service and help them deliver more personalized interactions.
EMARKETER
86% of US adults have used self-checkout, and 70% have used mobile apps for shopping, per a September 2024 study from Morning Consult.
Customer data collection, the dawn of retail media, and AI-assisted shopping has upended a retail industry already in the midst of a big-box transformation at the tail end of the 20th century. And then there is one of the biggest elephants in the room: Amazon. Here are some of the most impactful changes that marketing leaders have seen over the last 25 years.
Getty-Shutterstock merger reshapes stock media: Combined strengths in AI, search, and vast content libraries position the new entity for long-term industry dominance.
By mirroring real-world systems in real time, digital twins enable sophisticated simulations of consumer behavior, marketing channels, and organizational processes.
Trump’s tariff threats create stress and uncertainty: “Nothing is off the table” when it comes to the shape, structure, or form of tariffs, which makes planning for them difficult.
WPP’s RTO mandate could spill over to other agencies: Its four-day requirement is upsetting employees hired during an era of remote work.
Whatnot raises $265M amid TikTok ban fears: ByteDance pushes Lemon8, but the US-based livestream shipping platform gains investor confidence and market traction.
Will Meta’s moderation pivot hurt brand safety? Possibly, but other safety features and the company’s enormous reach means brands won’t stop spending.