蘑菇AV

This is the first installment of our 鈥淐补苍补诲补 Ad Spending Benchmarks鈥� series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.

This is the first installment of our 鈥淐补苍补诲补 Ad Spending Benchmarks鈥� series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.鈥�

This is the first installment of our 鈥淐补苍补诲补 Ad Spending Benchmarks鈥� series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.

Commerce media networks, including retail, travel, and financial services follow, with 62% currently investing and one-quarter planning to. An equal percent of North American marketers (60%) currently spend on connected TV (CTV) and print, though slightly more plan to invest in CTV than those who have plans for print (28% and 26%, respectively). Beyond print, traditional is getting left behind.

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: Klarna is now available in-store at over 400 Walmart Canada locations. Canadian Walmart shoppers can scan a QR code at assisted lane checkouts to choose between Pay in Full or Pay in 4. Only purchases over CAD 50 will be eligible for Klarna鈥檚 financing. Our take: Klarna鈥檚 partnerships with Walmart in the US and Canada are major coups for the BNPL player. Affirm鈥檚 dominance stateside is driven by its strategic partnerships and strong Affirm card adoption. Klarna should continue staking out new tie-ups with major retailers and boost Klarna card use to secure a stronger presence in Canada.

In the first 100 days of his second term, President Trump has reshaped business strategy across retail, tech, healthcare, and media. Here鈥檚 how tariffs, regulation, and market volatility are forcing brands to rethink spend, growth, and planning.

The news: Circle K owner Alimentation Couche-Tard has dropped its bid to buy Japan鈥檚 Seven & i Holdings, casting doubt on whether the 7-Eleven operator鈥檚 planned US IPO will proceed, Bloomberg reported. Our take: As 7-Eleven continues efforts to strengthen its core business, the failed takeover bid offers lessons for retailers and brands. Decisions involving globally recognized brands should be strategic, not reactive. Retailers must maintain flexibility to revisit IPO or spin-off plans as business circumstances change.

The news: The trade war between the US and the rest of the world is heating up again, thanks to President Donald Trump鈥檚 latest threats to boost universal tariffs and impose stiffer duties on Canada and Brazil. Our take: The newly announced duties鈥攕hould they come to pass鈥攚ill push the US into the heavy tariff scenario outlined in our tariff report. Based on our forecast, that would mean a 1% decline in retail sales this year, the first contraction since 2009, as rising prices force consumers to prioritize essentials.

In our exclusive survey with ESW, data from shoppers in 18 countries reveals new twists in the path to purchase, the rising momentum of marketplaces, and the resilience of age-old fundamentals.

The news: Lululemon beat earnings expectations and met revenue forecasts in Q1, but softening demand in its core Americas market cast a shadow over the results. Our take: Even premium brands aren鈥檛 immune to macro pressures. As consumers grow increasingly cost-conscious, discretionary purchases鈥攅specially those with big price tags鈥攁re easy for consumers to postpone. Lululemon鈥檚 challenge now is not just product innovation, but convincing shoppers its value proposition is worth the premium.

Retail media鈥檚 17.4% increase in 2025 will once again exceed the growth rate for traditional search (12.2%) and display (13.3%). Every year, retail becomes a more important part of the digital advertising story. (Note that portions of retail media ad spending fall under both search and display, so retail is buttressing those umbrella categories as well as the larger digital total.).

The US could be the only country to experience a drop in foreign travel spending this year: Tariffs, uncertain travel policies, and a boycott by Canadian and Mexican travelers may cost the economy $12.5 billion.