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The news: Telehealth company Ro signed tennis superstar Serena Williams as a celebrity patient spokesperson for its GLP-1 weight loss meds. Our take: As an athlete, Williams speaks to potential GLP-1 customers who may not relate to advertising that focuses on people with obesity. Ro鈥檚 strategy is a win for Lilly and Novo since the drugmakers can stick to brand-safe body positivity and anti-stigma messages via obesity awareness campaigns, while their telehealth partners take on flashier campaigns with mega-celebrities while not having to adhere to the same strict FDA ad regulations.

The news: YouTube Music is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a slate of new features, bringing it closer to serving as a full Spotify replacement. Our take: As music platforms evolve into social ecosystems, brand strategies should adapt from passive ad placements to active participation. Testing new ad formats in Taste Match playlists and comments could provide organic brand presence, while partnering with artists who already bridge YouTube鈥檚 properties opens access to engaged, music-first communities.

The news: New details on the Trump administration and European Union trade agreement solidify a 15% tariff cap on generics and active pharmaceutical ingredients, but leave questions on brand-name drug imports. The takeaway: Pharma companies can breathe a sigh of relief with the certainty of 15% EU tariffs and another reprieve, at least for now, on MFN pricing. Although the threat remains, the MFN deadline has already shifted once from June to September and could be moved again. That said, drugmakers should continue discussions while preparing for counter measures if needed such as US-only drug launches or raising prices abroad.

Blue Yonder has acquired Optoro to expand its footprint in returns management, covering everything from in-store and warehouse processes to recommerce and resale. Returns are projected to hit $685.9 billion in 2024, nearly 13% of US retail sales, with fraud and behaviors like bracketing and wardrobing compounding losses. Optoro brings warehouse-focused workflows, while Blue Yonder has built consumer-facing tools through prior acquisitions like Doddle. Together, they now cover the entire returns cycle. By reframing returns as recoverable assets, Blue Yonder aims to help retailers cut waste, boost profitability, and position itself as a leader in returns technology.

The news: Walmart boosted its full-year earnings and sales outlook, even as tariffs weigh on its costs. Our first take: Walmart continues to prove its resilience in a shaky macro environment by leaning on its three biggest levers: value, convenience, and groceries.

The insight: Retail buyers are leaning on AI and earlier ordering to prepare for a highly uncertain holiday season, according to a new survey by Deloitte. Our take: Suppliers have done what they can to ensure shelves are stocked this holiday season. But that may not be enough to tempt wary shoppers: We expect holiday sales growth to decelerate sharply to 1.2% this year as tariffs test buying behaviors and weigh on confidence.

JPMorgan, Bank of America, and others are opening hundreds of new locations, leaning on physical presence to win deposits and outmaneuver fintech rivals.

The news: Bilt has stealthily been behind the vertical short-form social series Roomies, in a long-term game to broaden its brand recognition across Gen Z and millennial renters. The series has 66,000 and 80,600 followers on TikTok and Instagram. On TikTok, Roomies has passed 906,000 likes across 10 episodes. Our take: With 89.7% of Gen Z spending time on social media platforms, per our forecast, Bilt鈥檚 ability to capture the generation鈥檚 attention without drawing the 鈥渋ck鈥� could pay dividends in driving signs up to its upcoming card refresh.

The news: FundCanna launched B2B buy now, pay later (BNPL) platform ReadyPaid to address the cannabis industry鈥檚 endemic cash-flow problem. Our take: Alternative financing pairing well with an alternative industry comes as no shock. If cannabis is finally descheduled by the federal government鈥攐r at least reclassified, as President Donald Trump has considered鈥擱eadyPaid will have a harder time competing against traditional banks that likely will openly service weed-related business without regulatory threats.

The news: The State of Wyoming debuted its Frontier Stable Token (FRNT) across seven blockchains in partnership with LayerZero. Our take: While stablecoins were originally framed as a faster and cheaper alternative to traditional payment methods, the crowding field of available tokens鈥攃oupled with their limited acceptance networks鈥攁ppears to create more transaction disruption than streamlining.

ESPN has launched its long-awaited direct-to-consumer subscription app, consolidating 12 networks and sports rights under one platform. Two tiers鈥擡SPN Select at $11.99/month and ESPN Unlimited at $29.99/month鈥攐ffer up to 79,000 live events annually, with Unlimited subscribers gaining access to marquee programming like Monday Night Football and NBA games. A Disney+/Hulu bundle is also available for $35.99/month, discounted in year one. Features include multiview, betting tools, live stats, fantasy integrations, and an AI-powered personalized SportsCenter. The move signals an existential reset for ESPN, aiming to convert cable loyalists and younger fans while stabilizing growth in a cord-cutting era.

The news: China reiterated that it will not sell TikTok鈥檚 algorithm to the US in accordance with Chinese laws as the September 17 sale deadline looms. The announcement comes almost immediately after the White House launched an official TikTok account in a move Chinese officials stated 鈥渃ontradicts the 鈥榥ational security threat鈥� rhetoric.鈥� Our take: With no definitive answer on TikTok鈥檚 future in the US, advertisers are in a difficult spot. Divestment risks losing access to audiences motivated to take action鈥攂ut investing too heavily risks overreliance on a channel that could face major changes.

The news: As US interest in soccer grows with the 2026 FIFA World Cup less than a year away, one streaming brand with deep ties to soccer is notably absent from the pre-World Cup hype: Apple TV+. Our take: Apple TV+ is fathoms behind leading services with approximately 45 million subscribers, per The Information. Without a legacy media business to support its streaming operations, sports leagues have a wealth of other channels to partner with for better reach.

Efficiency, ROI, and AI integration are now driving B2B martech buying decisions. Marketers are consolidating stacks, prioritizing automation, and investing in tools that deliver measurable performance gains.

Ten years after its establishment, Amazon Business is expanding its seller network and product selection to serve an 8 million global organization customer base, which has grown 33% from 6 million in 2023. Many of the capabilities that individual shoppers enjoy on Amazon鈥檚 B2C platform鈥攂road selection, cost savings, and advanced technology鈥攁re being applied to its B2B marketplace to help organizations work smarter and more efficiently. As Amazon Business continues to innovate, it is poised to compete for more sales from companies seeking to save time and resources.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how to best decide who to partner with, the right conditions for a successful store-in-a-store relationship, how to approach long-term partnerships versus one-off collaborations. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and guest host, Marcus Johnson, Vice President of Content, Suzy Davidkhanian, and the Founder and CEO of Mack Weldon, Brian Berger. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Audience customization is the top GenAI use case for marketers who produce multiple versions of video ads (42%), per a March Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) survey.

The news: Publishers are tackling AI scraping with a new strategy鈥攑ay per crawl. Rather than one-time licensing deals, usage-based compensation models would have AI companies pay publishers and content providers based on how often their work is used in AI-generated responses. Our take: These usage-based models could be a more equitable deal for publishers whose content powers AI engines that are earning tens or hundreds of millions of dollars per year. To avoid getting locked out of monetization, brands should act now to review existing content agreements, explore licensing opportunities, and push for fairer models that recognize the value of original content.

The news: AI dominated Wednesday鈥檚 Made by Google event, where the company unveiled its Pixel 10 lineup. Google pitched Gemini as 鈥減ersonal intelligence,鈥� framing it as a universal AI assistant across smartphones, wearables, smart homes, and connected cars. The showcase feature, Magic Cue, anticipates user needs by pulling data from Gmail, Calendar, and Messages to suggest timely actions. Our take: If features like Magic Cue prove indispensable, Google gains a recurring revenue stream and deeper ecosystem lock-in. If they fade as gimmicks, Pixel risks remaining a niche brand, especially if competitors can provide similar apps or services.

The news: Lowe鈥檚 is acquiring Foundation Building Materials (FBM) for approximately $8.8 billion. The North American distributor of interior building products generated roughly $6.5 billion in revenues in 2024 on a pro forma basis and operates more than 370 locations across the US and Canada, serving 40,000 Pro customers. Its business spans both new construction and repair/remodel applications. Our take: Lowe鈥檚 is playing the long game. By doubling down on Pro customers, the retailer is building a buffer against consumer caution and the frozen housing market. FBM鈥檚 scale positions Lowe鈥檚 to capture long-term share as construction rebounds, and the raised sales guidance signals confidence that its Pro-focused playbook is already delivering results. That stands in contrast to Home Depot, which recently fell short of both revenue and earnings expectations for the first time in a decade. While Home Depot has leaned into its Pro business as well, tariffs, elevated housing costs, and labor pressures are weighing on its results. Lowe鈥檚 acquisitions and investments could give it an edge in weathering near-term headwinds and winning share from contractors and builders who will be critical growth drivers over the next decade.

The news: Many marketers and salespeople doubt AI鈥檚 ability to boost company revenues or customer satisfaction. Some even believe it adds to their workload, signaling a disconnect between AI adoption and employee confidence. Only 39% of marketers and sales professionals in the US and UK are confident that their departments鈥� use of AI drives revenues, per General Assembly鈥檚 AI in Marketing & Sales report. Nearly half (46%) believe AI only somewhat improves the customer experience or doesn鈥檛 at all. Our take: Organizations that prioritize tailored training and tie outcomes to KPIs like team efficiency and customer satisfaction could help employees feel empowered and translate AI investments into measurable impact.

The situation: TJX is thriving as shoppers flock to its off-price value proposition. Our take: Off-price retailers like TJX鈥檚 T.J. Maxx and Marshalls are poised to thrive this holiday season, when consumers are likely to be both budget-minded and eager for discovery. TJX鈥檚 model allows it to avoid much of the tariff pain weighing on full-price retailers, since it sources excess merchandise at steep discounts. At the same time, retailers frontloading inventory in anticipation of tariff impacts may unintentionally flood the off-price channel with fresh product. That could create a double advantage heading into Q4: sharper values for shoppers, and a 鈥渢reasure hunt鈥� experience that can pull traffic away from department stores and specialty chains at a time when promotional intensity will be fierce.

The news: Child safety concerns are mounting as several platforms face heightened scrutiny over lacking moderation capabilities. Google settled a lawsuit on Tuesday over claims that it violated children鈥檚 privacy through YouTube by collecting personal data for targeted ads without parental consent, though the company denied wrongdoing in its decision to settle. Our take: Heightened scrutiny over where advertisers spend and what they promote is a must-have amid current concerns over child safety online, and brands must practice caution when implementing strategies that could be perceived as targeting minors.