Brazil’s ad market grew nearly twice as fast as the US last year: Advertisers seek expansion in high-growth LATAM region.
On today's podcast episode, we discuss the unofficial list of the most interesting retailers for the month of January. Each month, our analysts Arielle Feger, Becky Schilling, and Sara Lebow (aka The Committee) put together a very unofficial list of the top eight retailers they're watching based on which are making the most interesting moves: Who's launching new initiatives? Which partnerships are moving the needle? Which standout marketing campaigns are being created? In this month's episode, Committee members Analyst Arielle Feger and Senior Analyst Sara Lebow will defend their list against Senior Analyst Zak Stambor and Analyst Rachel Wolff, who will dispute the power rankings by attempting to move retailers up, down, on, or off the list.
The explosive rise of dupe videos—where shoppers hunt for budget versions of luxury items—is reshaping how retailers compete for customers. With rising financial pressures, shoppers are increasingly turning to store brands and lower-priced alternatives that mimic higher-end products. This shift is not just a matter of necessity but has also evolved into a culture where consumers proudly share their budget-friendly finds.
Estée Lauder scrutinizes portfolio as losses pile up: The beauty company may sell some brands as it expands its presence on Amazon to reignite growth.
Streaming video prices were up 12.6%, well above the 3.6% consumer price index (CPI) increase, per an EMARKETER analysis.
Quince raised $120 million in new funding: The retailer’s strategy of selling low-priced versions of high-end apparel and accessories is working.
Victoria’s Secret’s rebooted fashion show resonated with Gen Z: That, alongside the company’s efforts to expand and refresh its assortment, resulted in a solid holiday performance.
Enterprises struggle to integrate AI agents with their existing tools and solutions, with 80% of IT leaders citing data integration as the key challenge.
The image generator’s open-source availability raises concerns about potential misuse for deepfakes and misinformation, especially in the absence of robust AI safety regulations in the US.
Update adds visual intelligence features, app integrations, and automatic opt-in for Apple Intelligence features—which could boost adoption, or annoy users.
In December 2024, Google.com dominated generated AI (genAI) search with 16.5 billion visitors, while runner-up ChatGPT had just 517 million, according to Similarweb.
Meta brings ads to Threads: The move marks a strategic push to monetize the app and offer an alternative to TikTok and X.
As consumers get bored of brands—72% said that “very few really stand out as different,” according to VML’s 2025 Future 100 report—marketers are turning to creative campaigns to attract attention.
Younger banking customers care more than their older counterparts about banks’ diversity.
The issuer faces rising charge-offs, slowing volume growth, and declining active accounts
Working with Visa will bring the future P2P platform added trust and security—as well as real-time payment capabilities
The expanded partnership boosts merchant acceptance for both Fastlane and Pay with Venmo
Affordable AI is a game-changer for marketers, but DeepSeek’s data privacy practices may scare off companies wary of Chinese server storage and security gaps.