蘑菇AV

The news: Google is bringing its generative AI (genAI) suite deeper into classrooms, launching Gemini and NotebookLM tools as part of Google Classroom for students under 18. It鈥檚 the first time NotebookLM鈥攁 research and note-taking AI鈥攚ill be accessible to minors, per The Verge. Our take: Marketers and edtech players should align with Google鈥檚 expanding education stack. Building AI-integrated tools that plug into Google Classroom, optimizing content for Gemini-powered workflows, and creating solutions that run smoothly on Chromebooks can address the needs of a captive audience.

Our take: OpenAI鈥檚 first-mover advantage is under threat from all sides鈥攙ertically from specialized AI agents, horizontally from rival chatbots, and internally from talent wars and Microsoft. The news: OpenAI鈥檚 ChatGPT has rapidly become a mainstream AI tool, with new data showing that 34% of US adults have now used it鈥攁lmost double the 2023 figures, per Pew Research Center. For CMOs and CTOs, this means betting on ChatGPT鈥檚 current dominance while preparing for a fragmented future where no single platform reigns supreme. Finding the right AI solutions for specific use cases is a smarter play than betting the farm on an all-in-one solutions provider.

The news: The Trade Desk CRO Jed Dederick likened Amazon鈥檚 advertising approach to Google鈥檚, accusing it of bundling and self-preferencing practices that threaten market competition. In an interview at Cannes Lions, Dederick urged Amazon to adopt a more open model like Meta鈥檚, warning that closed systems could draw regulatory scrutiny. Our take: By framing Amazon as the next Google, The Trade Desk is angling to become the preferred neutral alternative for marketers. As Amazon expands in CTV and commerce media, regulatory pressure may follow. If it does, The Trade Desk is well-positioned to gain from any shift toward more transparent platforms.

The news: While major companies are picking up generative AI (genAI) for coding, many developers remain skeptical about using it without human oversight. Three-quarters (78%) said AI tools have made them more productive, but a similar share (76%) don鈥檛 entirely trust AI-generated code, per Qodo鈥檚 The State of AI Code Quality report. Our take: Remaining skepticism from developers鈥攐ne of the professions closest to AI鈥攕hows that companies use genAI as a support tool and co-pilot rather than a replacement for human judgment. Training employees on AI鈥檚 weaknesses and requiring review can help reduce errors.

The situation: Low-income Americans are feeling squeezed by high prices, declining pay, and public assistance that doesn鈥檛 go far enough. Bottom line: Declining after-tax income and tariff-driven inflation mean relief for low-income Americans is unlikely anytime soon. Their budgets will tighten, shrinking grocery baskets and curbing discretionary spending. While Walmart, Dollar General, and other value retailers are currently propped up by higher-income shoppers, that cushion could quickly disappear if those customers expect tax-cut windfalls and return to old spending habits.

The news: US shopper interest in generative AI (genAI) assistants has spiked 223% between 2023 and 2025, per Chain Store Age. 69% of US consumers surveyed by CouponFollow have used AI assistants for shopping. Our take: Retail AI strategies must match their audiences. Those geared toward younger consumers should highlight AI use and innovation and even let AI guide purchases. For older consumers, focus on AI to inform, not take control.

The news: Discount furniture retailers are stepping up their expansion as much of the industry contracts. Our take: Consumers are focusing more on value, and that push could change US perceptions about shopping for furniture鈥攅mphasizing value and simplicity over stylish but costly designs

The trend: A growing parade of retailers are front-loading July promotions to capture sales before the start of Amazon鈥檚 Prime Day event, which will run from July 8 at 12:01am PDT through July 11. Our take: There's a good reason that more retailers are joining Walmart and Target in attempting to get a head start on Prime Day. Amazon typically garners an outsized share of sales during its marquee event; we expect Amazon will account for 75% of US ecommerce sales during Prime Day this year.

The only certain thing about TikTok鈥檚 sale is more uncertainty: Washington keeps kicking the can on a US sale, leaving TikTok to convince advertisers not to panic.

Despite the rise of digital shopping, brick-and-mortar still dominates retail. This makes in-store digital advertising attractive for marketers, but a new 蘑菇AV and Placer.ai study reveals critical disconnects between marketers' assumptions and consumer reality.

The trend: Gen Z is opting out of both traditional pay TV and ad-supported streaming tiers, signaling deeper changes in viewing behavior. Just 42% of Gen Z subscribers use ad-supported SVOD, while less than half of all US households now maintain a pay TV subscription. Our take: Streaming鈥檚 future depends on reaching the next generation, but current models鈥攅specially ad-supported tiers鈥攁ren鈥檛 meeting Gen Z where they are. With only 1.3 hours of streaming and 0.8 hours of traditional TV per day, Gen Z prefers social video, gaming, and music. To stay relevant, platforms must prioritize native formats, interactivity, and creator integration over legacy ad models.

As employment trends and economic stressors drive down life insurance products鈥� relative affordability, insurers must find new ways to sync up with potential customers. Product flexibility, investing in technology, and updating outreach tactics will be key.

As consumers turn to fintechs and payment providers for timely, solution-based support, banks are losing relevance. Staying in the game means shifting from product pushing to customer-led journeys.

The news: A Sprout Social report found that 41% of Gen Z turns to social platforms first for finding information, ahead of search engines (32%), AI chatbots (11%), and friends and family (9%). In an exclusive conversation with 蘑菇AV, Thomas Markland, founder of creator company HYDP, discussed the shift and the need for brands to adopt a social-first strategy. Our take: As social media users, especially younger generations, increasingly turn to social for product discovery, brands that are willing to adapt and are strategic with their creator partnerships stand to gain most.

As retail media networks expand, one of the biggest challenges facing marketers is measurement. In fact, 42% of US retail media buyers believe that more effective and accurate campaign measurement is the most important issue in retail media advertising today, according to March 2025 data from Koddi. To help advertisers better assess the effectiveness of their campaigns, Sam鈥檚 Club Member Access Platform (MAP) has introduced Omni-Impact鈥攁 new AI-powered measurement solution.

The situation: Several recent macroeconomic indicators point to a tough and increasingly uncertain economic environment. Our take: Uncertainty has cast a long shadow over the retail industry all year鈥攁nd clearer skies aren鈥檛 on the horizon. Retailers trying to weather the economic storm must focus on delivering compelling value to cost-conscious consumers. That means leaning into what makes their brand stand out, whether it鈥檚 quality, service, loyalty perks, or meaningful innovation. With nearly a quarter of shoppers adjusting their budgets as they tighten their purse strings鈥攁nd retail sales expected to rise just 1.5% YoY this year鈥攄ifferentiation is more important than ever.

63% of millennials and 61% of Gen Zers feel more connected to health brands since starting GLP-1s, per a January Dentsu report.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss our 鈥榲ery specific, but highly unlikely鈥� predictions for 2025. What would happen if Google preemptively broke itself into smaller pieces, if online shopping flatlined, and if the audio ad space doubled in size in short order. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Director of Reports Editing Rahul Chadha, and Senior Analysts Blake Droesch and Max Willens. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

The tests: In an effort to regain momentum, Target is piloting several initiatives aimed at boosting sales and protecting its margins. Our take: Target isn鈥檛 standing still amid its challenges鈥攂ut it isn鈥檛 clear if its latest moves will resonate with consumers. It鈥檚 encouraging to see Target establish an 鈥渁cceleration office鈥� to push innovation forward. But with consumer budgets under strain, finding the right formula won鈥檛 be easy鈥攅specially given the stiff competition it faces from Amazon, Walmart, and others.

The trend: Food manufacturers are pledging to remove artificial dyes from their products amid pressure from US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. Kraft Heinz said it would phase out artificial coloring in products sold in the US by 2027. General Mills quickly followed, announcing that it would eliminate artificial dyes across its full US portfolio by 2027, and remove them from all cereals and foods served in K-12 schools by next summer. Both Nestl茅 and Conagra are joining the party. Nestl茅 pledged to 鈥渇ully eliminate [food, drug, and cosmetic dye] colors in its US food and beverage portfolio by mid-2026,鈥� and Conagra will stop using such dyes in its frozen foods by year-end, and in all products by the end of 2027. Our take: For most companies, removing artificial dyes from their product lineups is a fairly easy lift, as many have already done so in Europe. It鈥檚 also increasingly a necessary move to prevent private labels from encroaching further on their turf, as more retailers launch 鈥渇ree from鈥� lines and pledge to remove ingredients like aspartame and high-fructose corn syrup from their store brands.

The trend: Most healthcare and pharma marketers plan to increase their CTV/over-the-top (OTT) spending in the next year, according to Nielsen鈥檚 Global Annual Marketing Survey. Our take: CTV鈥檚 gain of healthcare and pharma ad dollars isn鈥檛 necessarily linear TV鈥檚 loss. Campaign strategies for linear should focus on brand awareness, while CTV allows drug ads to be highly targeted.

The upshot: The first meeting of a new and controversial CDC vaccine advisory panel signaled its intent to focus on childhood immunizations. The panel may change childhood vaccination approvals and scheduling. Our take: Pharma vaccine makers can鈥檛 stay quiet for much longer and can take a page from the medical associations by messaging to consumers and parents that they stand by their products.

The news: Novo Nordisk is partnering with WeightWatchers to offer discounted Wegovy to cash-pay customers. Our take: WeightWatchers is recognizing that diet culture is being replaced by weight loss medications accessible via virtual care. To stand out from other Novo鈥檚 other telehealth partners, WeightWatchers should lean into marketing that positions the company as a pioneer weight loss brand that鈥檚 now meeting consumer demand for GLP-1s.

The news: Consumers who are more familiar with AI are also more likely to mistrust an AI-assisted diagnosis from their doctor, per a recently published Journal of Medical Internet Research survey. Our take: Physicians and healthcare marketers can鈥檛 assume people who are familiar with AI will be more comfortable with AI uses in healthcare. Marketers need to talk about AI as a tool with many positive effects like freeing doctors for longer personal interactions and resulting in fewer mistakes.