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Amazon is the largest retail media giant worldwide, but it鈥檚 not the only major player. Amazon will capture nearly 40% of worldwide retail media ad spending this year. If not for China, the ecommerce giant would be nearly as dominant internationally as it is in the US. In its home market, Amazon accounts for over 75% of retail media spending.

This is the first installment of our annual 鈥淐补苍补诲补 Ad Spending Benchmarks鈥� series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.

A trade war with the US will hinder economic performance in Canada this year. Ad spending overall is expected to lose the momentum gained in 2024. But many digital formats will benefit from the emphasis on return on ad spending.

The news: Gander Social is an upcoming Canadian social platform built on the decentralized AT Protocol, similar to Bluesky. Gander rejects algorithmic feeds, ad surveillance, and dark UX patterns, per Metricool. As an alternative to networks like X, Meta鈥檚 Threads, and Bluesky, it offers user-controlled content, privacy by design, and community-first tools鈥攈osted entirely within Canada. It will be available as a closed beta in August. Our take: As algorithmic fatigue and platform distrust grow, demand is rising for community-driven, ad-light spaces. Marketers should watch Gander as a testbed for the next wave of privacy-first, hyper-local platforms.

Canada鈥檚 trade war with its largest trading partner is underway. While uncertainty remains around the scope and depth of US tariffs, Canadian brands and retailers need to rebalance a heavy reliance on US-based customers and suppliers.

Companies are beginning to feel the sting of anti-US boycotts. Anti-US sentiment is especially visible in Canada, where consumers are directing more spending to local retailers and brands鈥攁nd making fewer visits south of the border. Still, while Canadians are using boycotts to push back against US trade policy, there are few signs elsewhere that anti-American sentiment is driving shoppers away from US brands.

The news: Cohere wants to ease enterprise concerns around AI adoption with the launch of North, its new flagship platform. North is a privately deployable agentic platform that lets companies create, manage, and deploy AI agents entirely behind their own firewall. Our take: With the frenetic pace of AI model launches and the pressure for quick enterprise adoption, data governance and security can鈥檛 be an afterthought. Platforms like North give enterprises a path to adopt powerful AI tools without giving up control over sensitive information.

The news: Lowe鈥檚 is acquiring Foundation Building Materials (FBM) for approximately $8.8 billion. The North American distributor of interior building products generated roughly $6.5 billion in revenues in 2024 on a pro forma basis and operates more than 370 locations across the US and Canada, serving 40,000 Pro customers. Its business spans both new construction and repair/remodel applications. Our take: Lowe鈥檚 is playing the long game. By doubling down on Pro customers, the retailer is building a buffer against consumer caution and the frozen housing market. FBM鈥檚 scale positions Lowe鈥檚 to capture long-term share as construction rebounds, and the raised sales guidance signals confidence that its Pro-focused playbook is already delivering results. That stands in contrast to Home Depot, which recently fell short of both revenue and earnings expectations for the first time in a decade. While Home Depot has leaned into its Pro business as well, tariffs, elevated housing costs, and labor pressures are weighing on its results. Lowe鈥檚 acquisitions and investments could give it an edge in weathering near-term headwinds and winning share from contractors and builders who will be critical growth drivers over the next decade.

The news: Circle K owner Alimentation Couche-Tard has dropped its bid to buy Japan鈥檚 Seven & i Holdings, casting doubt on whether the 7-Eleven operator鈥檚 planned US IPO will proceed, Bloomberg reported. Our take: As 7-Eleven continues efforts to strengthen its core business, the failed takeover bid offers lessons for retailers and brands. Decisions involving globally recognized brands should be strategic, not reactive. Retailers must maintain flexibility to revisit IPO or spin-off plans as business circumstances change.

The news: The trade war between the US and the rest of the world is heating up again, thanks to President Donald Trump鈥檚 latest threats to boost universal tariffs and impose stiffer duties on Canada and Brazil. Our take: The newly announced duties鈥攕hould they come to pass鈥攚ill push the US into the heavy tariff scenario outlined in our tariff report. Based on our forecast, that would mean a 1% decline in retail sales this year, the first contraction since 2009, as rising prices force consumers to prioritize essentials.