Reddit, unlike most social media platforms, is growing: Facebook, Instagram, and even TikTok are seeing engagement drops, per Comscore data.

US consumers ‘double lives’ reflect ongoing struggles with money management: The financial anxieties explored in an innovative 2018 report sound awfully familiar—and still present a big untapped opportunity for banks.

But seriously … Flat Earth Credit Union would win our business: As a marketing channel credit union’s website is even more foundational than physical branches. This fictional satire checks all of the boxes.

In August, brands got physical, with Olipop entering a new stadium, Nordstrom inking a deal with Rihanna, and Walmart growing with nonendemic retail media opportunities. Others took a more digital approach, making shopping more seamless on social media sites and AI-powered search. Here are the moves that made our analysts name eight brands to our unofficial most interesting list in August. 

TikTok’s group messaging feature aims to capture more of Gen Z’s attention from Instagram and Snap. But TikTok will need to find a way to attract users from those platforms.

Gen Z shoppers embrace Temu, Shein, and TikTok Shop: 1 in 4 makes a purchase at a Chinese online marketplace at least once a week, as their array of cheap, trendy goods proves impossible for the price-sensitive cohort to resist.

Retail is largely unprepared for a TikTok ban: While 96% of merchants are aware of the potential disruption, only 28% have a specific contingency plan.

Intel contemplates split to regain strength: Facing massive losses and fierce AI competition, Intel may separate its units to better adapt to market pressures and challenge rising competitors like Nvidia.

Gender gap narrows in CMO roles: Forrester report highlights industry-specific trends in marketing leadership across Fortune 500 companies.

There’s far more uncertainty than usual this holiday season: A high-stakes US presidential election and a potential port strike are two factors that could throw retailers for a loop.

Mass affluent consumers are a large demographic for banks to capture and monetize.

Halloween does the trick to drive sales: The majority of consumers plan to spend more than $50 on decorations and nearly half expect to spend that amount on candy.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how the new NBA media rights deal will affect all the different players, the concept of consumer modes, how much Google’s ‘AI Overviews’ will affect publishers, what will happen to X’s user base next year, the state of America’s vacation culture, and more. Tune in to the discussion with host Marcus Johnson, forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, forecasting analyst Zach Goldner, and director of forecasting Oscar Orozco.

What the rise of piracy says about streaming: Major streaming services helped take down several popular piracy sites last week.

Roblox plants deeper roots in the creator economy: The video game platform is at a fascinating crossroads of gaming and digital advertising.

Grok’s ability to generate fake political images threatens to amplify misinformation on X ahead of the elections

Apple and Nvidia are looking to invest in OpenAI, potentially reshaping AI partnerships and escalating competition in the sector.

Pavel Durov’s arrest highlights growing concerns over content moderation, setting a precedent for holding tech leaders responsible for their platform’s misuse.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss where ad dollars outweigh time spent with media, where time outweighs the ad dollars, and where the two are most closely aligned. Tune in to the discussion with host Marcus Johnson and forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood.

A strong digital presence drove Nordstrom Rack's Q2 growth, while Crocs hopes to revitalize its HEYDUDE brand by focusing on a younger, female audience. Holliseter is leveraging back-to-school promotions and targeted marketing initiatives to reintroduce the brand to younger consumers.