The news: Amazon is testing humanoid delivery robots, per The Information, which could work in tandem with human drivers or as part of an autonomous fleet of delivery vehicles. The humanoid robotics team is working on incorporating large language models (LLMs) from Chinese companies DeepSeek and Alibaba so the bots can contextualize real-world surroundings. Our take: Delivery bots could help with heavy loads and ease the burden on human drivers, but Amazon might be better served with a less human form factor, such as a platform with walking legs to carry packages. The focus on humanoids could limit functionality, and bringing the uncanny valley to consumers’ front door could be off-putting.
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.
Citibank is undertaking a major brand refresh through a bold new marketing strategy aimed at boosting relevance and customer engagement. Chief Marketing and Content Officer Alex Craddock outlined a comprehensive overhaul, including hiring specialized marketing talent, unifying wealth management services, and building a new brand platform targeting globally minded “change-makers.” The bank is shifting toward a data-driven, personalized approach using genAI and enhanced cross-channel content. Rather than incremental changes, Citi is reimagining its entire strategy to deliver more impactful, client-focused messaging—signaling a major pivot to a modern, cohesive, and insight-led marketing future aligned with its global presence.
The news: The Trade Desk unveiled Deal Desk, a new tool to fix the inefficiencies in private marketplace buying, where up to 90% of structured deal IDs fail to scale. By automating deal creation via API and surfacing metadata like fit and availability, Deal Desk aims to save time and unlock premium inventory. Our take: As PMP spending overtakes open exchange buys, The Trade Desk is shoring up the backend infrastructure that supports this shift. Deal Desk positions the company to capture more high-value spend and offers a cleaner path to scale in a fragmented programmatic landscape.
The insight: Discounters are experiencing a resurgence as concerns about rising prices and economic stability spur shoppers of all income levels to seek out bargain retailers. Our take: The uncertain environment in many ways benefits Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Five Below, whose value initiatives are enabling them to win spending from cautious consumers. But—as with the broader retail industry—tariffs are a costly challenge for all three, particularly as they try to minimize price hikes and maintain their value advantage.
Credit unions often market themselves as equal to banks, but they may be undervaluing their unique strengths. Instead of aiming to match competitors, campaigns should spotlight key differentiators like a deep-rooted commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), member ownership and control, and using profits to lower fees and rates. These qualities can build trust and attract younger, value-driven consumers. A strong example is one credit union’s storytelling strategy, which focuses on real member experiences and community impact. By highlighting authentic, mission-driven narratives, credit unions can better showcase their distinct role and value in the financial landscape.
Brokered deposits at US banks decreased for the fifth consecutive quarter in Q1 2025. This means that banks are reducing their dependence on this generally more expensive funding source in favor of lower-cost options. And targeted marketing efforts helped them achieve this. Banks employ a variety of strategies to attract and retain customers of their lower-cost deposit products such as seamless account opening, free checking accounts, early access to paychecks, and competitive rates.
Along with expanded access to Pay with Venmo and a buzzy ad campaign, Venmo is trying to reach key demographics.
Centralized payment options and automating spend threshold One Credential can help to keep PayPal products top-of-wallet for Gen Z.
The news: Shein’s and Temu’s influence in the US is fading quickly as both companies cut ad spending and look to Europe for growth. Our take: Shein and Temu are finding that the billions of dollars they plowed into US advertising have not been enough to secure US customers’ loyalty in the face of higher prices. But rather than find ways to extend the longevity of their US businesses, both companies are fleeing to Europe to take advantage of the (currently) more favorable trade environment.
With account integration ending for Android wallets, PayPal sets its sights on keeping more users within its own ecosystem.
The trend: Consumer packaged goods brands are prioritizing profitability as macroeconomic headwinds reshape consumer behavior. For example, Kimberly-Clark is selling a majority stake in its international tissue business to Suzano and P&G is cutting roughly 15% of its global nonmanufacturing workforce. Our take: While short-term headwinds may be driving CPG companies’ actions, portfolio reassessment is a valuable exercise in any economic climate. Those that take the time to find efficiencies that enable them to emerge stronger and more agile will be better positioned for long-term success than companies simply focused on cutting costs.
The trend: From insight generation and content creation to media placement and regulatory reviews, generative AI (genAI) is becoming more connected to every part of pharma marketing. Our take: The tech is helping pharma marketers and ad agencies create more personalized ads and better predict ad performance—but overall, genAI usage is still pretty nascent in the industry.
The news: Moderna has agreed to conduct a true placebo-controlled trial of its new COVID-19 vaccine, according to a post on X this week from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Our take: It’s difficult for vaccine makers to keep up with shifting requirements for getting shots approved, and for which groups of people. Companies may soon have to weigh pouring billions more into vaccine R&D against expanding or growing product offerings to other drug markets.
The news: Medical AI startup OpenEvidence inked a multi-year agreement with JAMA Network that gives the company access to full-text content from the American Medical Association’s 13 medical journals. Our take: OpenEvidence is competing with Wolters Kluwer’s UptoDate medical information tool, which is used by a few million clinicians worldwide and has recently integrated its own AI search capabilities. One big difference between the products is that OpenEvidence is free for doctors and generates revenue through advertising. Meanwhile, UptoDate does not provide advertising opportunities. We think that OpenEvidence’s internal AI prowess could give it the leg up as long as its in-platform advertising doesn’t turn off doctors too much.
The news: Newsweek is buying healthcare-focused ad platform Adprime to boost its offerings for pharma and healthcare marketers. Our take: Healthcare and pharma marketers looking for targeted, data-driven ad solutions could find valuable niche audiences tuning into Newsweek’s expanding content and events. We’re not convinced Newsweek’s adtech strategy is a slam dunk competing against much larger players, but we do think doubling down on the resilient healthcare and pharma digital ad industry makes sense.
The news: AMC Theaters has made a deal with National CineMedia (NCM) that will see the biggest US theater chain run additional ads before showings. Beginning July 1, AMC showings will include a “platinum spot” right before a film starts. Our take: AMC’s deal emphasizes that getting moviegoers back in theater seats and boosting ticket sales isn’t enough to keep the industry afloat—theaters need to diversify revenue streams through tactics like expanded advertising to remain competitive.
The news: Meta is planning another VR headset, codenamed Loma, to compete with Apple’s beleaguered Vision Pro, per The Wall Street Journal. The product will look similar to its Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses—rather than a traditional headset goggles design—and feature higher-fidelity video than the Quest line of headsets. Meta is offering millions of dollars to Disney, A24, and others for exclusive IP-based gaming content to avoid the Vision Pro’s pitfall of lacking compelling content. Our take: Meta’s renewed headset push shows the company is learning from past missteps, but success will hinge on whether Loma can offer must-have experiences at a justifiable price.
The news: Lululemon beat earnings expectations and met revenue forecasts in Q1, but softening demand in its core Americas market cast a shadow over the results. Our take: Even premium brands aren’t immune to macro pressures. As consumers grow increasingly cost-conscious, discretionary purchases—especially those with big price tags—are easy for consumers to postpone. Lululemon’s challenge now is not just product innovation, but convincing shoppers its value proposition is worth the premium.
The news: The NBA held steady at 4,668 brand sponsors between 2023 and 2024, but total sponsorship revenues rose 8% to $1.62 billion, thanks to jersey patch deals, venue launches like the Intuit Dome, and record-breaking player endorsements. The Golden State Warriors alone brought in over $200 million, and rookie Jared McCain set a league record with 30 personal brand deals. Our take: The NBA is deepening its value to advertisers, not just expanding reach. With media rights deals and Amazon integration elevating its commercial footprint, the league is fast becoming one of the most lucrative platforms for modern marketers.