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The trend: Consumers are less satisfied with chain drugstores than with mail-order pharmacies, mass market merchandisers, and supermarket pharmacies, according to JD Power鈥檚 US Pharmacy Study. Our take: We expect consumers to increasingly explore different channels for getting their prescriptions, both in-person and online鈥攅specially folks in areas affected by drugstore closures. CVS and Walgreens have a built-in advantage of established pharmacy customers, but will lose more of them if they don鈥檛 address long lines at the counter and improve their online and in-app capabilities.

Coach plans to open more than 20 of its Coach Coffee Shops in retail and outlet stores this year, per Business of Fashion. There鈥檚 a reason so many luxury brands are turning to hospitality concepts: They are an excellent way to get shoppers through the door, and to keep them spending鈥攅ven if it鈥檚 just on a cup of coffee or branded baseball cap.

The news: Klarna and Afterpay will not share the majority of their consumers鈥� loan information with credit bureaus until they can receive confirmation that their customers will not be penalized for seeking buy now, pay later (BNPL) plans. Our take: Affirm鈥檚 early plunge into credit reporting has been blunted against its competitors鈥� refusal to participate in the system, but it still takes the reputational lead in terms of being a 鈥渢rustworthy鈥� provider.

The news: Noom is now selling microdoses of compounded GLP-1 semaglutide for weight loss with a lower price tag and fewer side effects. Our take: GLP-1 microdosing is booming on social media trend and although weight loss drugmakers Novo and Lilly have neither studied nor endorsed mini doses, it鈥檚 another tactic for telehealth providers like Noom to stay in the weight loss game. We expect GLP-1 microdosing to gain marketing steam among telehealths this year.

The news: President Trump said to CNBC on Tuesday that forthcoming tariffs on pharma products imported to the US could reach 250%. It鈥檚 the highest rate on pharma tariffs that Trump has mentioned to date. Our take: 250% is an enormous number, but it鈥檚 more of a threat than an end result that will impair the sector. Such a high levy rate will likely spur further manufacturing commitments, which is something Big Pharma is prepared for鈥攅specially if they鈥檙e given 18 months to move more production to the US.

The news: US-based rewards app Fetch opened the waitlist for the Fetch American Express Card. Our take: Fetch is positioned to take off for consumers who want rewards that help ease cost concerns when buying everyday essentials.

The news: Big Tech鈥檚 Q2 2025 earnings reveal Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), Meta, and Amazon are expected to spend up to $364 billion to $400 billion collectively on capital expenditures in their 2025 fiscal years, with the vast majority targeted toward AI-related infrastructure, per The Wall Street Journal. Our first take: Big Tech is doubling down on generative AI (genAI) as its next growth engine. This massive buildout is already squeezing cloud margins, straining data center capacity and igniting a talent arms race.

The news: Roku launched Howdy, a streaming service for just $2.99 per month. It will initially be available through the Roku platform, with further rollout on mobile and beyond in the works.Our take: With 2.5% of all TV watch time鈥攎ore than any other FAST provider鈥擱oku has the audience to promote Howdy effectively. It must ensure that Howdy feels essential, not disposable, and that its content delivers real value. Still, with price sensitivity increasing and tolerance for ads shrinking, Howdy has clear appeal鈥攅specially among users seeking affordable streaming without sacrificing experience. If Roku executes on distribution and content strategy, Howdy could quietly scale into a meaningful revenue stream. Our take: With 2.5% of all TV watch time鈥攎ore than any other FAST provider鈥擱oku has the audience to promote Howdy effectively. It must ensure that Howdy feels essential, not disposable, and that its content delivers real value. Still, with price sensitivity increasing and tolerance for ads shrinking, Howdy has clear appeal鈥攅specially among users seeking affordable streaming without sacrificing experience. If Roku executes on distribution and content strategy, Howdy could quietly scale into a meaningful revenue stream. Our take: With 2.5% of all TV watch time鈥攎ore than any other FAST provider鈥擱oku has the audience to promote Howdy effectively. It must ensure that Howdy feels essential, not disposable, and that its content delivers real value. Still, with price sensitivity increasing and tolerance for ads shrinking, Howdy has clear appeal鈥攅specially among users seeking affordable streaming without sacrificing experience. If Roku executes on distribution and content strategy, Howdy could quietly scale into a meaningful revenue stream.

The news: Serious delinquency rates held steady YoY, while credit card volume growth continued to slow, per a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Our take: As middle-class educated professionals are slapped with resumed student loan payments, many will falter in the face of reaccelerating inflation and a weakening job market鈥攅specially if faced with possible wage garnishment.

The news: Advertisers are increasing investment in up-and-coming digital advertising channels as the shift away from traditional continues, per a DoubleVerify study. Social media maintains the highest level of investment among North American marketers. Seventy-nine percent are already investing, while 19% have plans to. Our take: High-performing traditional ad formats are being overlooked because they鈥檙e harder to measure鈥攂ut optimizing for attribution over outcomes could come at a cost.

After advertisers spent Q1 2025 reacting to the threat of tariffs, they shifted their focus back to the business of figuring out how social platforms鈥� automated offerings complement more established methods of investment.

The news: YouTube is giving connected TV (CTV) users the ability to skip to the most-viewed part of a video, helping them avoid slow moments or sponsored content. The feature was previously available on mobile and web for Premium subscribers and is now rolling out to Premium users who watch YouTube on its CTV app, per Android Authority. Our take: Influencer sponsored content spots are becoming more invisible and avoidable. Brands should pivot toward native product integrations within core content or have creators place sponsorships in pre- and post-roll messaging, which may be less likely to be bypassed by AI. The era of passive viewing is over. Viewers have more control, and brands need to adapt to stay visible.

The news: Instagram added new limitations to its livestream feature, now requiring creators to have a public account with over 1,000 followers to go live, per TechCrunch. Our take: While it could benefit Meta鈥檚 competitive position in the livestream space, Instagram鈥檚 latest restrictions will harm creators looking to break into the influencer space鈥攏ecessitating rapid adaptation. Smaller creators could shift attention to other platforms with less restrictive livestream requirements鈥攖hink YouTube, which only requires 50 subscribers to go live, and Twitch, which has no livestream minimum.

The news: Amazon plans to put ads in its AI-powered Alexa+ voice assistant to boost product discovery and profits. Our take: If Amazon rolls out sponsored answers to Alexa+ user queries or in-conversation ads, the voice assistant鈥檚 vast trove of personal user data will help marketers target consumers on a micro level. However, if hallucinations arise and lead to irrelevant or inaccurate product recommendations, Amazon risks eroding both user trust and brand confidence.

Ulta Beauty is tapping into trends like Korean beauty and wellness to stay relevant with younger consumers while Pop Mart has created viral excitement around its collectibles through smart digital marketing and gamification. In addition, Urban Outfitters has launched a back-to-school dorm makeover contest and Away Luggage is enhancing the travel experience with a giveaway. Here are the eight most interesting retailers and brands from last month, as ranked on our 鈥淏ehind the Numbers鈥� podcast.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss why Ms. Yaccarino left X, the expectations for its advertising business in the short and long term, and how realistic its chances are of becoming an 鈥渆verything app鈥�. Join our conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Jasmine Enberg, and Analyst, Marisa Jones. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Kroger has consolidated its retail media, consumer insights, and loyalty marketing capabilities under the Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) brand.

The gap between retail鈥檚 most and least digitized categories will grow even wider.

The news: According to a recent survey by money management and safety app Greenlight, financial literacy is a top concern among US families. While this type of education is in high demand, 47% of financial institutions (FIs) don鈥檛 offer it at all, per the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Our take: Offering solutions that help young families can help build stronger relationships with parents and their kids (who are likely to bank where their parents do). While it鈥檚 difficult to quantify the ROI of offering these solutions, the benefits of improved customer loyalty and young customer acquisition can help set up an FI for long-term success.

The playbook: Amid mounting pressure across the grocery sector, Publix and Sprouts Farmers Market are gaining ground by leaning on four core pillars鈥攅ach executed with their own twist: A sharp focus on value Convenient, high-quality prepared food options Loyalty programs that drive repeat visits Disciplined, strategic expansion The formula is working: In the most recent quarter, Publix鈥檚 revenues grew 7.0% YoY and its same-store sales rose 6.0%. Sprouts delivered even stronger results, with revenues up 17.2% and same-store sales jumping 10.2%. Our take: Publix and Sprouts show that even in a tough retail climate, disciplined execution on fundamentals still pays off. By doubling down on value, convenience, loyalty, and strategic expansion, both are positioning themselves for durable growth in a category where shopping habits tend to stick. Their clear, consistent playbook is helping them gain ground while many competitors stand still.

The news: Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed plans to 鈥渟ignificantly鈥� increase AI investments, including acquisitions. The iPhone-maker acquired seven firms this year, some focused on AI, and remains open to deals of any size to boost capabilities, per Business Insider. Our take: Apple鈥檚 focus on efficiency and partnerships suggests incremental but impactful AI-driven tools will emerge, especially around privacy-first and device-dependent personalization. Prepare for evolving Apple AI features that emphasize user privacy. Balance campaigns between Apple鈥檚 controlled environment and more open, AI-reliant ecosystems like Google鈥檚 and Meta鈥檚 to optimize reach and precision.

9 in 10 Americans (93%) plan to cook at home as much or more in the next 12 months compared with the previous year, according to HelloFresh鈥檚 State of Home Cooking report. That shift is as much due to financial considerations as it is to a general desire among consumers to eat healthier. The shift to eating at home creates a prime opportunity for meal kit providers like Hello Fresh, provided they can make the case to consumers that their menus offer value for money鈥攚hile also satisfying their seemingly-unquenchable desire for protein.To that end, these companies could highlight their budget-friendly options, as well as put the nutritional value of their meals front-and-center, while emphasizing the convenience that such kits provide.

The results: In a home furnishings market that Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah describes as 鈥渇lat to down low-single digits鈥� and 鈥渂umping along the bottom,鈥� Wayfair stood out. Excluding its exit from the German market, the company posted its strongest growth since 2021 and returned to profitability. Our take: While many home-related retailers are stuck in neutral amid a sluggish housing market, Wayfair is gaining traction. Its success shows that a willingness to test, learn, and iterate can help retailers stand out in an otherwise stagnant category.

Starbucks will rely on kiosks to shorten wait times at high-traffic locations like airports and hospitals, per a Bloomberg report. For all Starbucks鈥� talk about building the community coffeehouse, it recognizes that service, speed, and reliability are integral to keeping customers engaged with the brand. While there are other pillars the company needs to execute to complete its turnaround, being able to deliver efficient service when it鈥檚 needed most will bolster its reputation for reliability and encourage more frequent visits.