CONSUMERS ARE HUNGRY FOR HALLOWEEN

18. 9. 2025 While retailers’ usual Halloween tricks are right on schedule, this year’s real treat may be a record $13.1 billion in spending, according to the National Retail Federation — topping last year’s $11.6 billion and the prior record of $12.2 billion. Per-person spending has climbed to a record $114, nearly $11 more than last year. Some… Continue reading CONSUMERS ARE HUNGRY FOR HALLOWEEN



FOOTBALL HELPS CABLE, BROADCAST RECLAIM SOME VIEWERS IN AUGUST

16. 9. 2025 Streaming still outpaces traditional TV, but Nielsen’s monthly figures show the first gains for linear outlets in four months. The start of the college football season, and a large cohort of streaming-first viewers returning to school, put a stop to several months of declines in cable and broadcast TV viewing in August. Streaming still outdrew… Continue reading FOOTBALL HELPS CABLE, BROADCAST RECLAIM SOME VIEWERS IN AUGUST



TV NEWS’ FAST ERA: CAN FREE CHANNELS BRING BACK YOUNGER VIEWERS?

16. 9. 2025 For purveyors of TV news, free ad-supported streaming channels have become a bigger part of their future as the habit of traditional viewing fades and a new generation relies on information from TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms. The channels carry repeats of TV newscasts, morning shows and news magazines, but over time have… Continue reading TV NEWS’ FAST ERA: CAN FREE CHANNELS BRING BACK YOUNGER VIEWERS?



GEN Z GO STRAIGHT TO STREAMING SERVICES

16. 9. 2025 Over half of British Gen Z start watching TV on streaming platforms such as Netflix or Amazon Prime over browsing regular broadcast channels, according to new research from Boston Consulting Group. When they can’t decide what to watch, 40% of Brits default to Netflix, close to three times more than Amazon Prime Video, the next… Continue reading GEN Z GO STRAIGHT TO STREAMING SERVICES



WATCH ROBERT REDFORD’S MOST MEMORABLE ADS

16. 9. 2025 ADWEEK remembers the Hollywood icon’s best commercials. Robert Redford, actor, director, producer, and Hollywood icon, has died at age 89. Redford is best known for starring in films including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President’s Men, The Way We Were, and Out of Africa. He won an Oscar for directing Ordinary People… Continue reading WATCH ROBERT REDFORD’S MOST MEMORABLE ADS



SURVEY: GEN Z, MILLENNIALS PREFER AI TOOLS FOR PRODUCT RESEARCH

15. 9. 2025 A sizable amount of younger consumers are gravitating towards artificial intelligence tools for product research. According to a new survey from technology solutions company Commerce, Gen Z shoppers are nearly as likely to use AI platforms (33%) for product research as they are traditional search engines (37%). For millennials, 26% choose to use AI platforms… Continue reading SURVEY: GEN Z, MILLENNIALS PREFER AI TOOLS FOR PRODUCT RESEARCH



STUDY: MORE VIEWERS START THEIR TV VIEWING WITH A SVOD SERVICE THAN LIVE TV

15. 9. 2025 Less than one third of viewers start watching TV with a live TV service; 40% begin with an SVOD service like Netflix. As linear TV channels battle streaming services for viewers, Hub’s annual “Decoding the Default” survey found that many viewers began watching TV using a SVOD services like Netflix and that a significant majority… Continue reading STUDY: MORE VIEWERS START THEIR TV VIEWING WITH A SVOD SERVICE THAN LIVE TV



WHAT MARKETERS CAN LEARN FROM BRANDS CONNECTING WITH GEN Z

12. 9. 2025 Following the publication of Collage Group’s “2025 State of Brand Cultural Fluency” report, the cultural intelligence data company also looked at which brands are most resonant with Gen Z, and which brands are more differentiated in appealing to the generation (compared to consumers overall). Oreo was the top-performing brand overall with Gen Z, followed by… Continue reading WHAT MARKETERS CAN LEARN FROM BRANDS CONNECTING WITH GEN Z



FROM BRANDING TO ACTION: BEST PRACTICES FOR USING QR CODES IN PERFORMANCE CTV

12. 9. 2025 At the most recent NewFronts, TV manufacturers Samsung and LG and Fox-owned streaming service Tubi all talked about integrating QR codes into their ad offerings. The technology, which grew in prominence to provide menus and other information during COVID-19, is making a marketing comeback. Will QR codes really be the tech that finally makes TV… Continue reading FROM BRANDING TO ACTION: BEST PRACTICES FOR USING QR CODES IN PERFORMANCE CTV



STUDY UK: SVOD SUBSCRIBERS MOVING TO AD TIERS

11. 9. 2025 The UK showed an increase of 500,000 homes in the number who had access to a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service in Q2 2025. According to Barb, 20.6m UK homes (69.7%) now have services from providers including Apple, Netflix and Disney+ available. Doug Whelpdale, Head of Insight at Barb said: “With almost all services showing quarterly… Continue reading STUDY UK: SVOD SUBSCRIBERS MOVING TO AD TIERS



HALLOWEEN ARRIVES EARLY AS RETAILERS LOOK TO SCARE UP SEASONAL SALES

9. 9. 2025 Retailers are wasting no time filling shelves with Halloween goods to entice cost-conscious shoppers to treat themselves with seasonal items. The examples: Target this week released limited-edition Halloween Stanley cups, about a month after dropping more than 1,500 Halloween items online that include everything from gold snakeskin taper candles to fringed pumpkins to iridescent witch… Continue reading HALLOWEEN ARRIVES EARLY AS RETAILERS LOOK TO SCARE UP SEASONAL SALES



WEALTHIER SHOPPERS DRIVE HIGHER RETURN RATES FOR RETAILERS

9. 9. 2025 Higher-income shoppers are more likely to make returns, according to an analysis of credit and debit card data from Bank of America. Their return rate in 2025 to date stands at 5.3%, significantly above the 3.7% rate of low-income shoppers. The average across income and demographic cohorts stands at 4.5%. The theories: Several factors help explain… Continue reading WEALTHIER SHOPPERS DRIVE HIGHER RETURN RATES FOR RETAILERS



HBBTV AWARDS 2025 OPEN FOR ENTRIES

9. 9. 2025 The HbbTV Association, a global initiative dedicated to providing open standards for the delivery of advanced interactive TV services through broadcast and broadband networks for connected TV sets and set-top boxes, is pleased to invite entries for this year’s HbbTV Awards. The contest will take place as part of the 13th HbbTV Symposium and Awards… Continue reading HBBTV AWARDS 2025 OPEN FOR ENTRIES



GEN Z EXPECTS TO MAKE STEEP CUTS TO THEIR HOLIDAY BUDGETS THIS YEAR

5. 9. 2025 US consumers overall will slash their holiday spending about 5% this year, while Gen Zers expect to cut it 23%, per Inkl. How we got here: This move is driven by a shift in spending toward experiences and entertainment, leaving less for holiday shopping. Retailers are already seeing customers trading down to cheaper options, per Inkl. Why this… Continue reading GEN Z EXPECTS TO MAKE STEEP CUTS TO THEIR HOLIDAY BUDGETS THIS YEAR



DIMINISHED “AURA” WORRIES AMERICAN BRANDS TRADING AROUND THE WORLD

5. 9. 2025 American brands are accustomed to the glow of their native country around the world, but in a newly contentious international situation, brands are having to adapt to a more problematic political and cultural context. Why Brand USA matters US soft power remains, as it continues to top Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Index, but there… Continue reading DIMINISHED “AURA” WORRIES AMERICAN BRANDS TRADING AROUND THE WORLD



L’ORÉAL UNCOVERS NEW INSIGHTS FOR EFFECTIVE BEAUTY ADS

3. 9. 2025 L’Oréal worked with Google and research partner Sundogs to analyse 5,000 YouTube ads and found that moving beyond category conventions can drive measurable gains: replacing product-led formats, for example, with richer, character-driven storytelling boosted engagement by 55%. The AI-driven analysis across seven markets highlighted the value of character-driven storytelling, contextually relevant casting, and emotional diversity.… Continue reading L’ORÉAL UNCOVERS NEW INSIGHTS FOR EFFECTIVE BEAUTY ADS



30% OF SHOPPERS WILL REDUCE SPENDING THIS BLACK FRIDAY/CYBER MONDAY

3. 9. 2025 Wunderkind’s survey shows that most consumers plan to take a more strategic approach this holiday season. Shoppers are adjusting their Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) habits this year as inflation and tariffs weigh heavily on household budgets. According to an August survey conducted by Wunderkind, most consumers plan to take a more strategic approach in… Continue reading 30% OF SHOPPERS WILL REDUCE SPENDING THIS BLACK FRIDAY/CYBER MONDAY



ORLANDO WOOD INTERVIEW: WHY ADVERTISING NEEDS SHOWMANSHIP AGAIN – AN INTERVIEW WITH ORLANDO WOOD

2. 9. 2025 Orlando Wood share his views on the enduring principles of effective advertising, the future role of television, and how brands can rediscover the creativity that fuels long-term growth.