蘑菇AV

Much is in flux when it comes to tariffs: That uncertainty is putting stress on companies and consumers as they weigh whether to spend or save.

Retailers are feeling the ripple effects of new tariffs as consumers brace for higher prices. While some shoppers accept the trade-off, many are already adjusting their habits鈥攆rom cutting back on fast food to seeking out deals. To stay competitive, brands must focus on value, transparency, and smart messaging. Here are five key stats on how tariffs are shaking things up.

UnitedHealth Group鈥檚 Optum Rx changes pharmacy reimbursement model: It will pay pharmacies more to dispense brand-name drugs. But that鈥檚 not enough to thwart off the Trump administration鈥檚 heat on pharmacy benefit managers like Optum.

Amazon and AppLovin make TikTok bids as sales deadline approaches: While a deal has yet to be inked, Trump and TikTok seem to be confident in the app鈥檚 future.

Alimentation Couche-Tard is determined to buy 7-Eleven parent Seven & i amid c-store headwinds: The two companies are discussing divestitures, but antitrust concerns could scuttle the deal.

23andMe files for bankruptcy: A sale could give the acquiring company access to 15 million people鈥檚 genetic data. 23andMe鈥檚 downfall is a reminder of the risks when tech companies collect sensitive health data and struggle to sufficiently protect it.

The impacts of the Trump Administration鈥檚 new tariffs are already rippling through global supply chains and consumer markets. "US retailers should be dusting off their inflation playbooks and brace for erratic shifts in spending patterns," warned our analyst Blake Droesch.

Makary named FDA commissioner, federal health agency layoffs could soon follow: Pharma companies could face slower approvals and more scrutiny of their products, treatments, and prices.

Echo users can no longer block voice data sharing as Amazon quietly makes off-device processing mandatory to train Alexa+.

Amazon outperformed rivals during February 28 economic boycott: Industry KPI data shows Walmart's and Instacart's online traffic declined.

Mexico is Latin America's second-largest ad market by total spending but has the highest digital ad penetration in the region. Here, we explore the country's consumer behaviors and opportunities for advertisers.鈥�

Social media success was once defined by public stamps of approval, but now brands are recognizing that in-feed engagement is both an inaccurate and incomplete approach to measuring impact. Reaching consumers within their DMs has emerged as a growing strategy for many marketers.

AI agents are revolutionizing marketing with autonomous capabilities that go far beyond traditional automation. Organizations are implementing AI agents to boost workflow efficiency and prepare for a consumer marketplace increasingly mediated by AI.

McDonald鈥檚 organizational overhaul aims to get new products out faster: The speedier rate of innovation could entice customers to visit more often.

Everyone is talking about Hims鈥� Super Bowl weight loss drug ad: The reaction has been largely negative. We examine why it鈥檚 a gamble that will likely pay off for Hims.

AI鈥檚 role in Hollywood expands: The Russo brothers' new studio will explore AI-assisted filmmaking AI skepticism persists in the industry.

: Its low-stakes investment strategy lets it back Claude鈥檚 standout coding abilities while sidestepping antitrust heat.

Walmart faces heat after asking Chinese suppliers to cut prices: The retailer鈥檚 attempt to shift the burden of US tariffs backfired, highlighting the widespread impact of the trade war.

Last month, Instagram rolled out its Testimonials feature, an ad format that allows brands to pay creators for sponsored content that includes comments.

A $750 billion drop in market value reveals investor unease, with tariffs and recession worries putting pressure on consumer spending, marketing budgets, and tech margins.

Total media time is decreasing in all three countries. The decline is slightly less pronounced in France and Germany, where relatively strong traditional media usage and steady growth in digital time help balance the drop.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how copyright lawsuits could down OpenAI (or the whole industry), whether publishers will land on The New York Times side of the generative AI (genAI) copyright debate or on the Axel Springer and Associated Press side, and how copyright will impact the creative arts. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf and Yory Wurmser.

Senators urge DOJ probe into X鈥檚 advertising efforts: The group of five Democratic senators allege that Elon Musk leverages his political power to bully advertisers into returning.

Amazon looks to step into the post-cookie market: Job listings show the company is testing ad solutions for an 鈥渋dentity-restricted world鈥� as Google preps its solution.

TikTok is launching ad product Pulse Premiere, an extension of Pulse that allows publishers like Cond茅 Nast, Buzzfeed, and NBC to make money off of ads featured by all of their own content, according to the Wall Street Journal. The new product is part of TikTok鈥檚 efforts to make the platform more appealing to publishers, even as risks of a US ban loom.