蘑菇AV

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.

Ocado Ads has partnered with data collaboration platform Permutive to make its first-party purchase data available to select UK publishers.

The news: Magnite and Dentsu are expanding their partnership in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region to streamline video and connected TV (CTV) capabilities, per a press release. The agreement will use Magnite鈥檚 SpringServe video platform across markets like the UK and Spain to support Dentsu鈥檚 programmatic CTV offering, Total TV. Our take: Magnite and Dentsu鈥檚 partnership marks a critical expansion, giving advertisers a better opportunity to deliver impactful, precise, and measurable video and CTV experiences at scale across key markets.

The news: Though it already offers software-as-a-service in the US, UK digital bank Starling has its sights set on a US expansion, per PYMNTS. Our take: Starling鈥檚 multi-pronged growth strategy is in line with its biggest digital competitors. We鈥檝e recently covered multiple neobanks and fintechs pursuing or considering IPOs in the US, along with fintechs acquiring banks for licenses. But this isn't just about neobanks competing with other neobanks; it represents a direct strategic pivot by digital-native players to leverage their technology to rapidly modernize and capture customers from the traditional banking market. Such moves will inevitably intensify competitive pressure on US mid-tier and community banks, forcing them to seek fintech partnerships to avoid becoming acquisition targets themselves.

Google AI Overviews could face aggressive regulatory measures in UK: A CMA investigation adds to a slew of regulatory challenges that are chipping away at Google鈥檚 dominance in search and advertising.

The insights: Generation X leads in consumer spending, and tech industry marketers may be missing out on a key opportunity, especially this holiday season. Gen Xers worldwide will spend $15.2 trillion in 2025鈥攎ore than any other generation鈥攑er NielsenIQ鈥檚 The X Factor report. 25% of UK Gen Xers plan to spend more than 拢500 ($639) on Christmas gifts this year, per Azerion, while only 1% of Gen Zers say they will spend that much. Our take: This is marketers鈥� cue to lean into smarter personalization, digital experiences, and loyalty programs that appeal to Gen X鈥檚 tech-savvy, open-minded style, and their outsized influence on household spending. Dedicated strategies to target Gen X now will drive growth while spending power is at its peak.

The news: Governments across the UK, EU, and Australia are mandating age verification online and reshaping how platforms handle user identity and access to content. Reddit now requires UK users to prove they鈥檙e 18 via selfie or photo ID to access adult or harmful content, in compliance with the Online Safety Act. Our take: Age assurance is becoming the new standard. Advertisers need to move now by adjusting targeting strategies, creative assets, and compliance practices to stay effective in an increasingly verified and government regulated web.

The news: A study commissioned by UK Bank TSB found that 55% of people who acted on financial advice found on social media lost money. This highlights the substantial risk associated with such advice and a real opportunity for banks to build brand trust online. Our take: Financial institutions (FIs) have a role to play in dispelling financial misinformation on social media. In addition, they have a chance to build trust with young social media users, especially when responding to viral trends with facts and informing consumers whether they should take the steps recommended in viral videos. Responding to viral trends in a meaningful way can boost brand awareness and cause social media users to turn to an FI first, before their favorite influencers.

The news: Nearly half of US and UK consumers admit to abusing retailers鈥� returns policies in the past 12 months, according to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll. Our take: Retailers face a Catch-22 when it comes to returns. Being too generous opens the door for fraud and can result in retailers being overburdened by reverse logistics costs. But being too restrictive can deter shoppers from opening their wallets.

The trend: Gen Z is turning to social media for job and career guidance in the UK, but typical pharma company content isn鈥檛 engaging them. The takeaway: Pharma and biotech companies need to embrace social media as serious recruiting channels to connect with Gen Z, and create unpolished, everyday snapshot-type videos with real employees. Social teams should track video trends on TikTok like 鈥渄ay in the life鈥� or 鈥減ut a finger down鈥� and enlist employees to replicate them.

The news: The UK economy contracted by the most in 18 months in April due to the twin pressures of tariffs and tax increases. Our take: The UK economy鈥檚 contraction in April sets the stage for another year of tepid growth. Despite a highly publicized (and yet to be finalized) trade deal with the US, macroeconomic uncertainties are set to weigh heavily on corporate and consumer sentiment, while rising household and business expenses will limit investment and consumer spending.

Programmatic accounts for the vast majority of digital display ad spending across the major markets we track in Western Europe. The UK holds a significant lead in terms of overall spend, but France and Germany are growing quicker.

The news: Klarna will offer unlimited 5G data, talk, and text for $40/month with coverage on AT&T鈥檚 network in the US, per a press release, with plans to expand this deal to the UK and Germany soon. Our take: Klarna鈥檚 ambitions to be a BNPL provider, a mobile phone service, a neobank, and most recently鈥攁ccording to CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski鈥斺�渁 digital financial assistant,鈥� per CNBC, signals the company鈥檚 voracious appetite to be everything at once.

A new poll finds consumers in the US and UK are almost evenly split鈥擥en Z is upbeat, Gen X is gloomy鈥攁mid a cost-of-living crunch and rapid tech gains. The results remind brand marketers that price, value, and purpose now collide at every purchase decision.