Walmart bought a mall, Coca-Cola launched a soda, and Nike partnered with SKIMS in February, marking some of the month’s most interesting retail moves. Here are the eight most interesting retailers and brands from last month, as ranked on our “Behind the Numbers” podcast.
Best Buy faces stiff headwinds: The consumer electronics giant warned of higher prices due to President Trump’s new tariffs, which will likely crimp demand.
Eli Lilly’s Oscars commercial slams unapproved drugs like compounded GLP-1s: The ad could help pharma companies rebuild trust with consumers.
Medical misinformation ‘infodemic’ on social media: Influencers are promoting misleading information about medical tests. Here’s what healthcare and pharma brands should be doing to combat it.
Microsoft, Google enhance genAI offerings for clinicians: We examine the race between startups, health tech companies, and Big Tech giants to show healthcare organizations how their AI tools will drive efficiency-–and why Microsoft could have a leg up on the competition.
Rising Airbnb rentals and Tinder’s weak ID verification create unchecked spaces for misuse. Colombia’s tourism boom worsens the problem as traffickers exploit platform anonymity and operate freely.
Oscars viewership falls 7% but improves across younger demographics: The ratings decline doesn’t necessarily mean that live events are a lost cause.
On Running’s marathon win streak continues in Q4: The buzzy running brand reported record profits and a 36% YoY jump in sales, with some help from Roger Federer and Zendaya.
25% of US adults consider Facebook the most influential social media platform for purchasing decisions, putting it just ahead of TikTok (21%) and Instagram (20%), according to Relex.
This earnings season revealed retailers with strong value propositions and efficient omnichannel operations are positioned to outperform, while those relying on middle-market discretionary spending face challenges.
With new federal regulations up in the air, banks want to know whether they should still prepare for the rule’s rollout.
Data fuels marketing, but it’s tough to track and even harder to make sense of. Businesses juggle measuring customer behavior, respecting privacy, and personalizing experiences—all while marketers try to prove their campaigns are worth the investment. Analytics and attribution tools help by showing what’s working, where to focus, and how to improve.
BNPL will count more than 100 million users by 2027. Its high-growth days are in the past, with both the number of BNPL users and overall payment value decelerating. But it remains an important financing tool for consumers and has a long runway ahead: BNPL payment value will account for just 1.4% of overall retail sales in 2025, per our forecast.
Google, OpenAI, and Opera are embedding AI agents into devices and browsers. These tools can browse, compare, and purchase products with minimal user input.
Canadian consumers boycott American products as tariff threat looms: Anti-US sentiment is pushing consumers to buy local—a trend likely to continue in countries targeted by Trump’s tariffs.
R/GA exits IPG, embracing AI-led innovation: A $50 million investment fuels its future as it competes against consolidating agency holding companies.
Amazon plots Haul expansion in spite of de minimis crackdown: The retailer plans to launch its low-cost marketplace in Europe and Mexico.
B2B ecommerce site sales increased 10.5% YoY in 2024, reaching $2.297 trillion.
Brand strength bubbles up: Even as inflation squeezes budgets, many consumers are not trading down from name-brand sodas.
Connected TV (CTV) is now an integral part of retail media. Media networks can offer rich third-party data, while CTV platforms have advanced targeting capabilities and an engaged audience. But just how big is the opportunity?