For CMOs in the US, the biggest potential challenge to growth this year will be talent and labor issues, cited by 42.6% of those executives. The next biggest headwinds they anticipate are supply chain issues (29.6%) and inflation (24.5%). Two years into the pandemic, just 5.8% expect new coronavirus measures to hinder growth.

The internet will have 4.55 billion users worldwide this year, up 2.6% over 2021. This amounts to 57.4% of the general population.

Uncertainty around Twitter’s future grows: Elon Musk now says he has funding secured—but whatever happens next, it could be throwing Twitter off its growth goals.

Retail media advertising poised to grow in Latin America: The region’s marketers and retailers are awakening to opportunities to help drive consumer purchases with media networks.

HBO Max’s subscriber bump reverses Netflix-induced anxiety: The streamer’s success shows blockbuster content and accessible pricing is key.

Restaurants turn to subscription services to maximize customer loyalty: Panera Bread and Pret a Manger are looking to unlimited drinks programs to boost spend and retention.

Demand for luxury beauty remains strong, despite inflationary pressures: L’Oréal saw growth in all divisions and geographies as consumers embraced premium products.

More than 80% of US music industry revenues came from streaming in 2021. Physical formats, like CDs and vinyl records, accounted for 11%, while the rest of the revenues stemmed from digital downloads and synchronization deals with music licensees.

Fashion certification programs could be helping retailers greenwash: A report by the Changing Markets Foundation says that the fashion industry’s sustainability initiatives are a “smokescreen” for environmentally destructive habits.

Retailers rethink gender norms as they focus on inclusivity: Farfetch Beauty features over 100 gender-neutral brands and Victoria’s Secret has its first male brand ambassador.

Luxury retailers tread carefully when it comes to the metaverse: Hermès is considering using the metaverse for communications, while LVMH is wary of an NFT bubble.

‘This is what we’ve always needed’: We talk with Delta CleanTech’s Lionel Kambeitz about what Big Tech’s plan to invest $925 million in carbon removal technologies means for his industry.

Subscriber flight costs Netflix $50 billion in value: Streaming giant suffers worst loss in over a decade and risks losing more users by spending less on original content, charging more for shared passwords, and introducing ad-supported tiers.