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The news: Weaker-than-expected travel demand is driving JetBlue Airways to launch cost-cutting measures, including eliminating underperforming routes, ending service in some cities, halting nonessential aircraft refreshes, and restructuring its leadership team, per Bloomberg. Our take: Macro uncertainty is compounding the pressures on already struggling companies鈥攚hether it鈥檚 JetBlue, auto parts maker Marelli, or home furnishings retailer At Home鈥攁s each grapples with weakened demand, rising costs, and limited financial flexibility.

The news: In a bid to push deeper into creative ad tools, Meta is in talks to acquire Play AI, a voice cloning startup, per Bloomberg. According to sources, Meta is interested in the startup鈥檚 tech and key staff and is looking to integrate its voice features into customer service and content creation applications. Key takeaway: Creators and brands should treat AI voice tools as a way to enhance, not replace, creative work. They should use voice tools judiciously for fast testing or global reach. The goal isn鈥檛 to mimic people鈥攊t鈥檚 to scale content responsibly.

The news: National TV ad revenues will fall 11.4% this year, hitting $35.3 billion, while streamers are expected to rise 26% to $7.8 billion, per a Madison and Wall projection reported by MediaPost. Our take: Advertisers should continue shifting strategies to align with viewing habits and consumer behaviors鈥攂ut remain cautious about complete CTV adoption, as opaque ad placements and looming economic pressures spell an uncertain future.

National Bank is distinguishing itself as the first major Canadian bank to implement a secure data feed (API) for its retail customers to share financial information with approved fintech applications, putting it ahead of Canada's potential 2026 open banking rollout. This innovative approach significantly reduces security risks by redirecting customers to National Bank's own website for identity verification, eliminating the need for customers to share online banking passwords with third-party aggregators (known as "screen scraping"). By taking an 80% stake in Flinks, a financial data aggregator that now accredits fintechs, National Bank transforms a potential threat to customer loyalty into an opportunity to deepen relationships, ensuring it remains the central hub for customers' financial lives even as they use other apps.

The news: Higgsfield鈥檚 Soul is the latest AI-powered image- and video-generation service that鈥檚 fine-tuned for 鈥渇ashion-grade realism,鈥� making the output resemble professional photos and videos without the plasticky, overprocessed feel of typical AI visuals. Our take: For less than $10 a month, freelancers and marketing teams can now fast-track campaign proposals and client pitches with high-quality visuals. As AI tools become more accessible, the advantage goes to creatives who learn to shape them strategically鈥攖hose are the ones who鈥檒l win the big contracts. Marketers should treat tools like Soul it as an accelerant, not a replacement. Use it to prototype fast, align on visual direction, and cut production waste.

The news: During a Congressional subcommittee hearing, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. laid out his vision for all Americans to use a wearable with health-tracking capabilities within four years. Our take: Marketers should use Kennedy鈥檚 enthusiasm for wearables to their advantage. They should get out in front of the government鈥檚 ad campaign by developing their own promotions that inform consumers of wearables鈥� evolved health-tracking features beyond just counting calories and steps. They could target people who aren鈥檛 as familiar or have never used a health wearable due to price concerns or lack of tech-savviness.

Tariffs are slowing retail sales growth: A Reuters analysis found the Trump administration鈥檚 trade policies have cost companies more than $34 billion in lost sales and higher costs, and that toll keeps rising.

The news: Capital One, after acquiring Discover, plans to significantly expand its card businesses using Discover's network. This allows the bank to boost profitability and enhance offerings. CEO Richard Fairbank emphasized new services, including attractive rewards for debit cards and compelling credit card deals, funded by increased interchange revenues. Our take: Capital One's Discover acquisition maximizes its expanded infrastructure. Owning a payment network allows Capital One to capture more interchange revenue, reinvesting it into more competitive debit and credit card products. This approach will appeal to consumers facing financial uncertainty, promising better rates and rewards, strengthening Capital One's market position and ability to attract/retain customers.

The news: Financial institutions (FIs) must prioritize generative engine optimization (GEO)鈥攖he evolution of SEO鈥攐r risk disappearing from AI-powered customer journeys, according to The Financial Brand. As tools like ChatGPT increasingly guide users in choosing financial products, FIs must ensure their content is optimized for visibility and relevance within these AI environments. Our take: Nearly 80 million Americans are already using generative AI search engines, and that number is growing. FIs that move early to optimize their content will increase visibility and credibility with AI-driven consumers, while those who delay risk losing brand presence altogether.

The news: YouTube unveiled Open Call at Cannes Lions 2025, a new platform-native feature allowing advertisers to post campaign briefs that monetized creators can directly respond to with self-produced content. The initiative removes the need for traditional influencer matchmaking, giving brands centralized control over content submissions, approvals, and performance via Google Ads. Our take: As costs rise and brand safety concerns mount, Open Call could tilt the branded content ecosystem in favor of marketers. It simplifies creator discovery, improves ROI measurement, and could lead to longer-term omnichannel partnerships. YouTube鈥檚 move positions it as a central hub for scalable, data-informed influencer marketing.

The news: YouTube unveiled Open Call at Cannes Lions 2025, a new platform-native feature allowing advertisers to post campaign briefs that monetized creators can directly respond to with self-produced content. The initiative removes the need for traditional influencer matchmaking, giving brands centralized control over content submissions, approvals, and performance via Google Ads. Our take: As costs rise and brand safety concerns mount, Open Call could tilt the branded content ecosystem in favor of marketers. It simplifies creator discovery, improves ROI measurement, and could lead to longer-term omnichannel partnerships. YouTube鈥檚 move positions it as a central hub for scalable, data-informed influencer marketing.

The news: A superior digital interface directly correlates with customer care, boosting recommendations and loyalty. Personalized digital engagement, where banks anticipate Gen Z's needs and provide relevant recommendations, also builds trust. Our take: To combat Gen Z's distrust, banks must prioritize brand authenticity and enhance the digital experience. Banks should invest in seamless onboarding, intuitive mobile apps, and relevant personalized recommendations. Failure to do so means digital competitors will continue to capture this emerging generation of wealth builders by operationalizing care through design and data-driven personalization.

Changing regulatory stances and incentives could coax banks into crypto to avoid payments disintermediation.

While shoppers are stocking up for price hikes, return behaviors haven鈥檛 shifted鈥� yet, according to Johnson. Resale and secondhand shopping are rising as consumers seek affordable options. This could be good news for brands wanting to keep returned items on the market. 鈥淚f you can鈥檛 get it back on the shelf as a new product, you can still sell it on the secondhand market,鈥� said Johnson.

Internal upheaval and delays have stymied X鈥檚 payments ambitions, but new beta tests could get the app back on track.

How we got here: Klarna became available to eBay shoppers in the UK, Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain in December 2024. Electronics, fashion, and collectibles are some of the most popular categories where eBay shoppers are paying with Klarna, according to the companies.

Gap鈥檚 momentum continues into the holiday season: Weather-related headwinds notwithstanding, the retailer鈥檚 brand reinvigoration efforts are resonating with shoppers and driving sales.