Advertising & Marketing

Breaking down Amazon’s layoffs: Its 18,000 job cuts are spread across a variety of business units and locations and could indicate where Amazon plans to pull back on investment this year.

Say goodbye to Peacock’s free-with-ads tier: The no-cost option will sunset soon as the streamer tries to drive up its revenues per user.

The search advertising world has a familiar new entrant: Yahoo is spinning up its search engine efforts, according to tweets and job listings.

What’s got the go-ahead? Pushing boundaries, leveraging social media, and engaging with audiences beyond the TV. But be wary: don’t go too far, lose focus on offline opportunities, or forget to connect the dots.

The FTC Cometh for Digital Health: GoodRx is the first company to be charged with violating the Health Breach Notification Rule—and it won’t be the last.

In the US, 56% of Gen Z adults prefer to buy from companies that reflect their social values, according to Morning Consult. Gen Z’s figure is slightly lower than those of other generations, with Gen X at 61% and baby boomers and millennials at 59% each.

Intel, Groupon, Workday announce layoffs: The historic bloodletting in Big Tech isn’t letting up anytime soon. While laid-off workers are left to evaluate their options, some companies are eager for Silicon Valley talent.

Can airborne 5G networks fill connectivity gaps? A new antenna technology can deliver 5G coverage from high-flying aircraft, showing the versatility of mobile networks in areas terrestrial networks can’t cover.

Cruise and Waymo on notice in San Francisco: Repeated incidents of idled robotaxis are delaying buses and impeding emergency workers. Complaints could stall countrywide expansion.

US, allies put pressure on China’s chipmaking efforts: Key producers of equipment critical for advanced chip design won’t be exported to China, which could lead to reprisal or wider geopolitical retaliation.

Discovery—not influencers—is what separates TikTok and Amazon’s ecommerce businesses: The retail giant is trying to replicate TikTok’s success via its “Inspire” video feed.

Publishers continue to prioritize first-party data: OpenWeb acquires Jeeng in a sign that major outlets don’t want to rely on social media.

The next phase of direct-to-consumer (D2C) retail won’t be defined by a singular distribution strategy, but rather by the goal of making a real connection with customers. To get to the next level, D2Cs must use their physical presence, partnerships, marketing dollars, and customer data.

The tech industry is hurting—even Apple is expected to report a year-over-year revenue decline this week. Valuations are tumbling. Layoffs abound, and venture capital deal value is down. “People are not buying into the hype as much, and [these new technologies are] really going to start to be applied in useful ways for marketers,” said our analyst Yory Wurmser.

Intel’s comeback hits a snag: One of the first technology companies to resort to layoffs and restructuring last year is bracing for billions of dollars in losses and a longer runway to recovery.

Google bows to regulatory pressure: The European Commission demanded Google’s services provide more transparency for consumers. The move is a win for regulators pushing back on Big Tech.

Publishers’ ad business are trending downward in Q1: Dotdash Meredith, Vox, and others are trimming their workforces accordingly.

Forty-one percent of US shoppers think the in-store experience has gotten worse since the pandemic: Most blame the decline on poor or inadequate staff, underscoring the need for retailers to invest in their workers.

Thousands more laid off: While most Big Tech companies have been forced to cut staff following pandemic-era hiring sprees, we’re now seeing large companies shed headcount to simply weather economic headwinds.