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Consequently, feature phone ownership (9.5%) for this region was tied for No. 2 globally with South and Southeast Asia, just behind Central and Eastern Europe (10.7%). Similarly, smart wristband ownership in the Middle East and Africa region trailed all other regions. At 9.0%, it was about half the rate of ownership in East Asia and Oceania, which was the global leader at 18.1%. Egypt.

On Running leans into premiumization to offset tariff impact: The company plans to raise prices as enthusiasm for its expensive sneakers remains high.

The news: 82% of travelers are interested in using points from non-travel loyalty programs to book trips, per a report from Expedia鈥攊ncluding 43% who are extremely interested. Our take: Capturing expensive travel purchases is critical to reinforcing issuers鈥� card volume as economic anxieties make consumers spend less.

Trump鈥檚 鈥淟iberation Day鈥� tariffs landed harder than expected. Uncertainty remains, given the pause on reciprocal tariffs for countries willing to negotiate with the US鈥攁long with an escalating trade war with China. Which markets will take the greatest hits? And how might our US forecasts change?

The news: President Donald Trump said he will enact 100% tariffs on all chips imported into the US, exempting companies that have promised to build or have begun building in the US. The plan was announced during a White House meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook, who said Apple will invest another $100 billion in US manufacturing and jobs, bringing its total commitment to $600 billion, per The Financial Times. Our take: Brands should prepare for new marketing challenges and opportunities tied to supply chain visibility, patriotic manufacturing narratives, and potentially longer product cycles if companies reshore production. Keeping an eye on where key suppliers are building and how quickly they can pivot to US-based operations will be crucial in forecasting product costs and shaping future campaigns.

Streameast, the world鈥檚 largest illegal sports-streaming hub, has been shut down in a coordinated sting led by Egyptian authorities and the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment. The operation dismantled more than 80 domains that drew 1.6 billion visits over the past year. The crackdown comes as soccer and NFL seasons begin, underscoring how piracy disrupts rights holders by siphoning revenues from subscriptions and ads. Yet piracy remains resilient: copycats are already emerging to tap fans frustrated with fragmented, costly streaming options. With digital sports viewership surpassing pay TV, the industry faces an urgent challenge to keep audiences in paid ecosystems.

Facebook is projected to lose users in several major markets: Meta may need to lean more heavily on its other platforms to sustain growth.

Skechers goes private in challenging time for footwear industry: The $9.4 billion deal will give the company breathing room to navigate punishingly high tariffs.

Social users around the world engage with and make purchase decisions from creator content in similar ways. Localizing creator strategies is key, but marketers can apply the same best practices across many geographies.

The news: Gen Z is preparing an ambitious lineup of summer fun鈥攊ncluding domestic and international travel, shopping and dining, and vacation upgrades鈥攖o a degree that outstrips millennials, Gen X, and baby boomers, per a study by Bread Financial. Our take: Gen Zers invest in work/life balance and are willing to spend to maximize their R&R experiences. Brands should meet this generation with luxury-first options and seamless experiences to maximize their return on investment for the younger cohort willing to spend to make a good time a great one.