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A key inflation gauge that excludes food and energy prices picked up in July, suggesting tariff-related cost increases are being passed along to consumers. Core CPI, which strips out energy and food, rose 3.1% YoY, up from 2.9% in June. On a monthly basis, that closely watched measure rose 0.3%, the highest increase since January and up from June鈥檚 0.2% advance. Retailers and producers are exhausting their early strategies to shield consumers and will need to plan for sustained cost pressures. Some strategies retailers can take on include negotiating with suppliers on cost-cutting measures or the use of lower-cost materials, exploring investments in onshoring production to avoid tariffs, and increasing D2C sales in a bid to improve profit margins.

More Amazon Prime shoppers purchase groceries from Walmart than from the ecommerce retailer, according to Coresight Research data reported by Grocery Dive. While grocery is a hugely important category for Amazon to conquer, its efforts so far have been hampered by a complex ecosystem. The retailer鈥檚 attempts to unify that system could result in a more seamless experience for shoppers, while its fast delivery capabilities could make it a more appealing place to shop for perishables.

Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are no longer seen primarily as budget-friendly dining. Just 14% of consumers view them as a good value, while nearly a quarter (23%) now consider them a treat or reward, per consumer insights platform Zappi. That鈥檚 a notable shift for a category long associated with affordability. That helps explain why nearly a third (31%) of US adults have cut back spending on fast food. As inflation erodes fast food鈥檚 traditional value proposition, QSRs must sharpen their brand strategy or risk alienating diners. Brands that lean into indulgence and novelty can help position meals as a 鈥渢reat,鈥� while doubling down on affordability with compelling promotions and budget-friendly meal deals can reengage price-sensitive consumers.

Swiss footwear company On posted raised its full-year sales and gross margin outlook, citing broad-based geographical strength as Gen Z consumers scoop up its premium-priced athletic shoes.

The news: Revolving consumer credit growth has been negative for two months, per Federal Reserve Board data. Annualized revolving credit growth declined 3.5% in May and 1% in June. A year ago, annualized revolving credit growth stood at 6.15% in May and -0.92% in June. Our take: In the face of uncertainty, consumers are wary of spending unless they feel incentivized to change their behavior, especially as tariff-related pressures increase.

In today鈥檚 episode, 鈥媤e talk about the promise and challenges financial media networks face in the burgeoning commerce media network landscape.鈥� Join the discussion with host and Head of Business Development Rob Rubin, 鈥婸rincipal Analyst Sarah Marzano, and Senior Analyst Max Willens.

As the creator economy continues to expand, consumer attention is further fragmenting across a growing number of creators and platforms. But revenues are increasingly consolidating into top names, squeezing the long tail of creators and other creator economy stakeholders.

The news: Content demands are growing faster than budgets, pushing marketers toward AI as a way to keep up. Even as automation increases, ad agencies remain crucial partners for executing and scaling campaigns. Two-thirds (67%) of global employees working in marketing and communications use AI for content creation frequently or all the time, per 10Fold鈥檚 AI-First, Buyer-Ready report. That surge in AI adoption is accompanied by ambitious output goals: 91% plan to increase their content output this year, and nearly half (45%) expect to produce three to five times more than before. Our take: The future of content marketing isn鈥檛 AI versus agencies鈥攊t鈥檚 a combination of both. Hybrid models that combine in-house human and AI-powered creation with agencies鈥� expertise in strategy, distribution, and optimization can help maximize budgets, maintain brand voice, and keep up output as demand rises.

Elon Musk plans to sell paid placements within Grok鈥檚 AI-generated answers, marking his first major advertiser pitch since Linda Yaccarino鈥檚 departure. Grok, X鈥檚 in-house AI assistant built by xAI, will integrate ads directly into responses, offering brands high-intent, context-driven targeting. The move comes as X鈥檚 global ad revenues, projected at $2.26 billion in 2025, remain roughly half of pre-Musk levels. Musk says Grok will eventually automate the full ad-buying process, from creative grading to personalization, aiming to improve efficiency and performance. With user growth declining in every major region, the strategy hinges on whether brands trust Musk鈥檚 AI-led vision enough to re-engage.

The news: The release of OpenAI鈥檚 long-awaited GPT-5鈥攁 frontier model the company originally expected to launch in summer 2024鈥攈it turbulence almost immediately. Despite high expectations, early users reported the model felt sluggish and less capable than GPT-4o, labeling it 鈥渒inda mid.鈥� It鈥檚 a surprising letdown for what was billed as a major leap forward. Our take: Marketing and communications remain stubbornly human domains for now. If AI could fully replace them, OpenAI鈥檚 own product announcements would run like clockwork. Instead, the debut of one of the world鈥檚 most advanced AI models was labeled an avoidable public relations headache, showing that even cutting-edge technology may be remembered less for what it can do and more for how it was introduced.

The news: Meta announced today updates to its Brand Rights Protection product to combat an influx of scam ads across its social platforms. Meta will now give brands using Brand Rights Protection the option to report scam ads at scale, regardless of whether the ads use the brand鈥檚 intellectual property. This feature includes ads that are suspected as scams or ads that are misleading and exploit a brand鈥檚 name without authorization. Our take: With social media鈥檚 vulnerability to ad fraud and proliferating concerns about brand safety causing some advertisers to reconsider spending, Meta鈥檚 update comes at a critical time.

Saks Global has yet to make good on its pledge to resume payments to vendors, per Retail Dive, despite CEO Marc Metrick鈥檚 promise to tackle overdue balances starting in July. Saks鈥� acquisition of Neiman Marcus is looking increasingly like a costly misstep. The current environment is unfavorable to both luxury and department stores, as shoppers prioritize retailers and goods that deliver value. With numerous headwinds working against it, Saks will need to find a way to woo big spenders and reassure vendors鈥攁nd investors鈥攖hat it has the funds to cover its obligations.

Companies are beginning to feel the sting of anti-US boycotts. Anti-US sentiment is especially visible in Canada, where consumers are directing more spending to local retailers and brands鈥攁nd making fewer visits south of the border. Still, while Canadians are using boycotts to push back against US trade policy, there are few signs elsewhere that anti-American sentiment is driving shoppers away from US brands.

Cutting back is easier said than done. 72% of consumers made an unplanned discretionary purchase in the past month鈥攅ven as 69% say they intend to cut back or maintain current levels of nonessential spending, per an Optimum Retailing consumer survey. Tried-and-true strategies like spotlighting limited-time deals, using eye-catching displays, and cross-merchandising essentials with related products continue to drive results鈥攅ven when shoppers say they鈥檙e cutting back.

The news: Paramount struck a $7.7 billion, 7-year agreement with UFC in its first big move after closing its merger with Skydance. The deal will see all 43 live annual UFC events streamed exclusively in the US on Paramount+, while select UFC events will be simultaneously aired on CBS. Our take: With its UFC deal, Paramount is taking the first step toward regaining audience share and ad spend post-Skydance merger, banking on live sports鈥� steady draw for viewers and marketers.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss what to make of Meta鈥檚 鈥楽uperintelligence Labs鈥� unit, the unconventional ways young people are using Instagram, and the potential sleeping giant of WhatsApp鈥檚 ads. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Jasmine Enberg, and Senior Analyst, Minda Smiley. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

The news: Podcast ads are the most effective way to drive action through advertising across media types, per a new study from Sounds Profitable and Signal Hill Insights. 22% of monthly podcast listeners have made an immediate purchase after hearing an ad on a podcast in the past six months, per the study. Podcasts outperformed users of premium TV streaming services like Peacock and Netflix (13%), Instagram (13%), YouTube (12%), and TikTok (5%). Our take: As audiences shift to digital, podcasts demand advertiser investment. Brands that pay attention to the format and take steps to innovate will succeed long-term.

The news: The identified gunman in a fatal shooting at the CDC鈥檚 Atlanta headquarters had blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him ill and suicidal, according to media reports. Our take: Building trust in government health agencies like the CDC is crucial. Physician associations and healthcare and pharma companies can help reinforce the credibility of the medical establishment by partnering with trusted local doctors, pharmacists, and patient advocacy organizations to inform consumers on the benefits of government-endorsed treatments and the risks of being unvaccinated.

Over half (56%) of US adults commonly purchase private label grocery/food and beverage products, the most popular category of private label purchased, according to April 2025 data from First Insight.

For advertisers, the increasing fragmentation within the search landscape can be quite frustrating and challenging. 鈥淏ut for consumers it feels like ease and convenience," said our analyst Sarah Marzano on a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers." "We're able to conduct product searches wherever we're spending time and go on a journey that's tailored to the mindset we're in."

Some students have already started their school year, but the back-to-school shopping season is far from over. In fact, over a third (34%) of families begin their back-to-school shopping in August, according to recent data from ad platform gumgum.

The news: Meta鈥檚 strategy of hiring its competitors鈥� top AI engineers reflects the industry鈥檚 urgency to ramp up capabilities and get to artificial general intelligence (AGI) first鈥擟EO Mark Zuckerberg stated that was the company鈥檚 objective in 鈥渄elivering personal superintelligence for everyone,鈥� per ZDNET. Our take: Meta is betting big鈥攐n people, not just products. This strategy offers speed, proprietary insight, and technical capacity. But it also raises scrutiny from investors and customers expecting it to pay off. Marketers should track Meta鈥檚 progress and watch how it integrates newly acquired AI knowledge. If successful, this shift could reinvent ad targeting, creative automation, and user modeling at scale.

Target鈥檚 protracted slump is hurting employee morale as workers worry the retailer is falling behind. Roughly half of respondents to a companywide survey don鈥檛 think Target is making necessary changes to compete effectively, The Wall Street Journal reported, while 40% said they lack confidence in the retailer鈥檚 future. After 10 quarters of flat or declining sales, Target is in dire need of a shakeup.