蘑菇AV

The news: Simplicity, speed, and personalized human support are the top priorities for small-business owners seeking a loan, according to an Academy Bank study. Nearly three-quarters of small-business owners still prefer in-person service despite the benefits of a speedy online process. Our take: We鈥檝e argued that people still want to work with people, especially for something as high stakes as a business loan. Gen Z and millennials are pushing the industry toward a digital-first model, but the mass market isn't there yet. This means banks can't simply abandon their physical branches or personal bankers鈥攅specially if they want to keep earning the loyalty of small-business clients. The most successful approach will involve giving these customers the option of completing everything they need in-person while simultaneously providing remote services for digital-first entrepreneurs.

The news: YouTube has made an official inquiry about purchasing the rights to future Academy Awards ceremonies in its latest live events push, per Bloomberg. The move comes after viewership increased slightly for the most recent Oscars ceremony, driven by simultaneous airing on ABC and Hulu. Our take: Rather than competing head-on with broadcast, YouTube can position itself as a complementary streaming partner that extends the Oscars鈥� reach by highlighting shifting viewership trends that capture audiences broadcast alone struggles to reach and its edge in premium video advertising.

The news: Paramount struck a $7.7 billion, 7-year agreement with UFC in its first big move after closing its merger with Skydance. The deal will see all 43 live annual UFC events streamed exclusively in the US on Paramount+, while select UFC events will be simultaneously aired on CBS. Our take: With its UFC deal, Paramount is taking the first step toward regaining audience share and ad spend post-Skydance merger, banking on live sports鈥� steady draw for viewers and marketers.

The news: AMC Entertainment鈥檚 stock plummeted 7.4% on Tuesday, per TipRanks, after the chain started running additional ads before screenings鈥攂uilding on AMC鈥檚 27.8% YTD loss. AMC simultaneously announced a debt and financing agreement that included $223 million in new financing for debt maturing in 2026 and converting at least $143 million worth of existing debt into equity. Our take: Higher ad revenues for AMC could offset the chain鈥檚 financial difficulties, but its refinancing plan shows ads alone aren鈥檛 enough. Investors are seeking a clear path to consistent profitability.

Consumers have unfavorable views of drugmakers and health insurers: But these companies are simultaneously getting higher brand equity. Their growth is predicated on revenue-driving actions that consumers believe lead to high healthcare prices.

The new TV looks like YouTube: Forget old-school programming鈥擸ouTube鈥檚 Shorts, podcasts, and second-screen features are reshaping television into an interactive, on-demand experience powered by creators.

The future of Super Bowl advertising is multi-platform: Brands are investing in second-screen engagement and digital-first campaigns to maximize impact beyond the game.

Fubo pioneers interactive TV ads: New formats aim to move commerce from second screens to big screens with seamless shopping experiences.

Investing in second-screen engagement will boost results. Pairing live sports ads on streaming and linear with ads across social will reinforce messaging where fans are likely to engage, especially as second-screen social network users grow.

These generations are also most likely to use social media while simultaneously consuming other media content. Why reaching Gen Z matters: Identifying Gen Z鈥檚 social habits and following this audience where they engage is critical for brands looking for sustained momentum.

What it means: The decline in mobile's share reflects increased multitasking behavior, with consumers often using mobile as a second screen while their primary attention is focused elsewhere. This divided attention creates new challenges for marketers trying to effectively reach consumers. Listen to the full episode here.

As issuers have pivoted to catering to the wealthy, underwriting has simultaneously gotten tighter, squeezing out average Americans. Our take: Issuers are going to chase opportunities to increase their payment volume, which explains targeted efforts to boost luxury travel and dining rewards. But looking long-term, banks need to think strategically about loosening their credit guidelines.

Spotify is simultaneously accelerating its investment in video podcasts to catch up with YouTube, and expanded its Partner Program to remain attractive to creators. Our take: The updates could enable Spotify to increase its share of ad dollars, attracting advertisers looking for more opportunities to reach engaged audiences representing key demographics.

Meanwhile, partnering with nano- or micro-influencers can be cost-effective鈥攚hile simultaneously driving high impression and engagement rates. There鈥檚 value in tried-and-true methods that come at little to no cost. Refocusing on SEO for greater visibility and incentivizing people through email marketing can still be effective, even as more advanced channels emerge.

Complicating the battle for attention, a significant portion of time spent with media occurs during multiscreen multitasking. Most adults will not actually spend over 12 hours of their day consuming media. Rather, the subset of time when they鈥檙e consuming two (or even three) types of media simultaneously adds up quickly under our methodology.

Companies that experiment with both internal and customer-facing applications simultaneously will gain significant competitive advantages as these technologies reshape commerce. AI agents move beyond traditional automation. AI agents represent a significant evolution in digital automation.

Amid the shift, the agency is facing major client losses while AI simultaneously threatens the agency model. WPP is still reeling from its recent loss of Coca-Cola's US and Canada media business to rival Publicis, which the agency鈥檚 CFO Joanne Wilson admitted has affected its business in Q2.

Full-funnel capabilities: Wong emphasized that Reddit operates as an auction platform where marketers can toggle between brand and direct-response objectives鈥攐r run both simultaneously. Many do just that, and Wong said full-funnel strategies perform well because 鈥渙ne and one equals three.鈥�

The platform is simultaneously launching "Faves," an AI feature that transforms 15 years of neighbor conversations into personalized local recommendations. These recommendations are built on human-verified neighbor input鈥攐ffering the kind of context 52% of US adults say is necessary to trust local business reviews.

This feature seems to address a number of pain points simultaneously. According to an 蘑菇AV/Spotter study, 33.1% of marketers believe strong contextual alignment to brands is critical, and 36% of marketers believe data and analytics represent the largest lost opportunity in creator marketing.

Simultaneously develop comprehensive and ongoing training programs to teach employees to effectively leverage these tools鈥攅specially advanced technologies like AI and data analytics. Establish KPIs for the employee digital experience. Regularly solicit feedback, analyze usage data of internal digital tools, and identify pain points.

And the FIs that ensure their offerings have the best possible experience will simultaneously be gaining their primary customers鈥� loyalty.

Ulta Beauty claimed the top spot in July's retail rankings by pursuing multiple growth avenues simultaneously. The beauty retailer acquired UK-based Space NK, announced new store openings in Mexico, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, and formed a strategic partnership with K Beauty World to introduce Korean beauty brands to its stores.