FTC wants to know how companies use AI to adjust prices: “Surveillance pricing” targets prices to individual consumers, which is a bad look for retailers.

Among social networks, Reddit has seen the biggest growth of average time spent per day by US active users, according to our June 2024 forecast.

Netflix’s struggling ad business suffers another exec departure: Peter Naylor left the company after it softened its ad outlook for the next two years.

“Over the last 12 months, we’ve seen a flurry of [media advertising] activity from outside the retail sector,” our analyst Sarah Marzano said on an episode of the “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. Although retail kicked off the commerce media trends, financial services, travel companies, and intermediaries such as Instacart and Uber Eats are monetizing their customer data and setting up ad networks. The rise of commerce media networks is changing the way advertisers approach targeting and how consumers interact with brands. Here are four predictions on these emerging trends.

Netflix CFO Spencer Neumann is optimistic about the future of ads on Netflix. “When you get into ‘26 and beyond, [advertising] can be even more meaningful and, hopefully, it becomes to the point where it is a primary [revenue] contributor, given all of that engagement and reach that we’re building,” he said on the company’s earnings call last week.

Despite a slow start, foreign sanctions, and tight digital regulations, generative AI is emerging as a significant force in China.

Unilever begins the process of selling its ice cream business: A sale could boost profitability and enable it to steer clear of controversies over Ben & Jerry’s political stances.

Amazon returns partnership is a huge hassle for Kohl’s, Staples employees: Despite an increase in foot traffic, the constant deluge of packages fails to deliver the expected sales bump.

Third-party cookies on Chrome could be here to stay: Google said it may ask users to opt-in to cookie tracking in a major strategic shift.

McDonald’s $5 meal deal boosts traffic: The company plans to seize on those gains by extending the offer as it looks to bolster “affordability plans” through the rest of the year.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how the time we spend with media is changing—a double milestone for digital and mobile, when time spent watching CTV will catch up with linear TV, and why social media time will fall for the first time ever. Tune in to the discussion with host Marcus Johnson, director of forecasting Oscar Orozco, and forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood.

A struggling Warner Bros. looks to pivot: The company could split digital and linear assets to lighten the weight of debt on its streaming ventures.

Biden's withdrawal boosts ad spending: Political ad spending projections rise to record highs with Biden stepping down, influencing 2024 campaigns.

Apple TV+ looks to curb spending on originals: Despite investing $20 billion, the streamer only owns 0.2% of time spent with TV.

Grab acquires Chope’s restaurant reservation business in Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, providing a blueprint for super apps absorbing flailing services to expand user engagement.

LVMH’s L Catterton acquires stake in upscale outlet operator Value Retail: The purchase will strengthen the company’s physical presence while adding to the pressure on competitors.

Increasing its stake in Serve Robotics sent the stock up 233%, showcasing Nvidia’s ability to influence investor confidence in startups.

Valued at $5.5 billion, Cohere’s business-focused AI has secured major clients. It has no consumer-facing products—and no pressure from Big Tech partners.