蘑菇AV

The news: US adults are increasingly dependent on digital platforms for news, with social media and video overtaking traditional news outlets for the first time. 54% of US adults get their news from social media, per the Reuters Institute鈥檚 2025 Digital News Report, compared with 50% from TV news and 48% from news websites and apps. Our take: Linear platforms could offer personalized news digests and mobile- and social- friendly content to reengage younger users, while advertisers should diversify their campaigns across social media platforms to follow fragmented user engagement.

Social media marketers are using genAI to analyze data, brainstorm ideas, and meet content demands. But these tools come with their own sets of limitations and concerns, often requiring human guidance and intervention.

Engagement rose 159% to 23.4 billion interactions. Why it matters: The CreatorIQ analysis draws from its database of over 1,200 global brands and agencies. The company's scale and market position provide a representative view of creator marketing trends, with data normalized to account for platform growth and adoption rates.

On today's episode, we discuss why TikTok isn't as algorithmically driven as we once thought, the significance of its less expensive ad rates, and the likelihood of a US ban. "In Other News," we talk about Americans' brand engagement on social platforms and some upcoming milestones for social media in 2023. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Jasmine Enberg.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss a new lawsuit against Meta for designing its products to be addictive to kids, new paid ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram, and where Threads engagement is at. "In Other News," we talk about whether we will ever come together again on social media and if AI can help us get there. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Jasmine Enberg and director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman.

On today's episode, we discuss whether Threads can keep up its momentum, if TikTok Music can compete in the music streaming world, how engagement with the Women's World Cup will look, what to make of the Burger King rebrand, whether US consumers actually shop on social media platforms, who invented the first-ever hybrid car, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Ross Benes, Blake Droesch, and Max Willens.

The news: Cannes Lions 2025 kicks off June 16, with media companies and platforms turning the festival into a proving ground for brand innovation. Spotify is merging live acts like Cardi B with audiobook tastings and celebrity panels, while Canva hosts CMO roundtables alongside design influencers. Google, Uber, and Influential are anchoring talks on TV, sports, and creator-driven engagement鈥攚ith yacht-side podcasts and fundraising activations adding a new layer of purpose. Our take: This year鈥檚 Cannes isn鈥檛 about opulence鈥攊t鈥檚 about ownership. Brands that bring substance, not just spectacle, will emerge with more than headlines鈥攖hey鈥檒l leave with lasting partnerships and fresh strategic playbooks.

That leaves Reddit with two core monetization paths: sell ads against its high-engagement environment, or license the conversations that drive it. When AI companies like Anthropic bypass licensing and extract data anyway, it doesn鈥檛 just undercut Reddit鈥檚 licensing revenues鈥攊t jeopardizes the value proposition of its ad model, too.

The news: Meta鈥檚 Threads is adding direct messaging (DM) and a 鈥渉ighlight鈥� feature to show trending topics related to a user鈥檚 feed. Our take: DMs will allow consumers to interact directly with brands and could open up a new customer service channel, while brand social media accounts could become part of the narrative as new 鈥渉ighlight鈥� trends arise. Marketers and social media managers should boost brand presence on Threads by engaging with followers and posting on relevant trending topics.

However, the platform will need to carefully balance the visibility limitations of Trial Reels against creators' desires for immediate engagement. This feature underscores how today鈥檚 creators can鈥檛 solely be creative; rather, they must be highly data driven and recognize that testing helps maximize key metrics, like engagement rate.

The news: Brazil鈥檚 Supreme Court ruled that social media platforms must be held accountable for illegal user-generated content (UGC), marking a major shift in digital regulation, per Reuters. Six of 11 justices backed fines for non-removal, putting the pressure on platforms to police their content. The decision to place accountability on platform owners could undermine the business and advertising strategies of Meta, YouTube, X, and TikTok. Key takeaway: When governments crack down on platforms, ad environments change fast. If Brazil鈥檚 ruling becomes the norm, social platforms may shift from open forums to tightly controlled spaces鈥攔isking user engagement, discoverability, algorithmic reach, and ad effectiveness.

Banks cannot meaningfully engage consumers without using social media, but it鈥檚 exposing them to more potential brand damage than ever. They must understand emerging risks and prepare to combat them.

And while revenue growth is promising, Reddit still only captures around 1% of US social ad revenues, indicating that further changes are necessary if the platform wants to capitalize on its popularity with users and high engagement rates.

TikTok offers users Shop credits in last-ditch attempt to boost sales, downloads before US ban: The platform is dangling hundreds of dollars in incentives to increase engagement.

Consumer electronics brands like GoPro may define loyalty differently than a quick-service restaurant like Starbucks. A Starbucks customer may visit the chain many times a week or month, but a GoPro customer is likely to make purchases sporadically.

For publishers and brands focused on driving meaningful traffic and conversions, Bluesky's quality-over-quantity approach, combined with consistently higher engagement rates, could represent a significant shift in social media strategy.

The CMOs identified the following generative AI (genAI) use cases as top budget priorities: content creation, social media engagement, and ad copywriting. AI enhances decision-making by analyzing customer data. AI helps marketers understand behavior and preferences. And it has made marketing more data-driven, agile, and aligned with AI-driven revenue intelligence and sales forecasting.

Player-driven engagement, social media clout, and multi-platform exposure all fuel this growth. As the league shifts further into streaming and digital-first distribution, its commercial ecosystem is poised to expand鈥攅specially with Amazon鈥檚 cross-league sponsorship offerings enabling brands to stay active year-round.

It also necessitates that brands take interest in communicating with users through feedback surveys, customer interviews, and an analysis of social media mentions. Brands must also pay attention to platform governance and moderation.

The stakes are particularly high among younger users, with 53.3% of US Gen Z using social media primarily for messaging, and TikTok now entering the group chat space with its messaging feature now supporting up to 32 participants. The shift to messaging platforms is particularly evident among younger users, with direct messaging being a primary social media activity for Gen Z.