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

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

BEHIND THE WACKY AND WHIMSICAL REVIVAL OF MCDONALDLAND

31. 8. 2025 The nostalgic campaign continues a strategy rooted in fan truths, which is paying off for McDonald’s. On its journey to rebuild connections with younger audiences, McDonald’s has traveled into subcultures including hip-hop, K-pop, anime, and streetwear. But for years, one world had fallen off the map: the magical realm of McDonaldland. First introduced in 1971,… Continue reading BEHIND THE WACKY AND WHIMSICAL REVIVAL OF MCDONALDLAND

WHAT’S DRIVING BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALES: EARLY DEALS, AI TOOLS, AND HYBRID SHOPPING

15. 8. 2025 Back-to-school spending is steady in 2025, but shopper behavior is split. Parents are prioritizing tech and clothing—yet these are also the first to be cut when budgets tighten. Consumers are shopping earlier, seeking deals, and using AI to keep costs down. With shopping habits divided by generation and income, retailers must stay flexible, personalize offers,… Continue reading WHAT’S DRIVING BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALES: EARLY DEALS, AI TOOLS, AND HYBRID SHOPPING

HOLIDAY SHOPPING IS ENTERING A GEN Z, MOBILE, AND AI ERA

15. 8. 2025 Retailers face an atypical holiday season. Instead of the usual end-of-year boom, 2025 is expected to bring a rare deceleration in holiday sales growth. “We expect that consumer spending will be more restrained during the 2025 holiday season,” said our analyst Sky Canaves during a recent Meet the Analyst webinar. “Brands and retailers won’t be able… Continue reading HOLIDAY SHOPPING IS ENTERING A GEN Z, MOBILE, AND AI ERA

NEARLY 90% OF ADVERTISERS WILL USE GEN AI TO BUILD VIDEO ADS, ACCORDING TO IAB

14. 8. 2025 Video’s transition to the future is accelerating, with half of advertisers already using Gen AI to build video ads, according to IAB’s “2025 Digital Video Ad Spend & Strategy Full Report.” Created in partnership with Advertiser Perceptions and Guideline, Part Two of the report provides insights into the impact of GenAI on ad production, what… Continue reading NEARLY 90% OF ADVERTISERS WILL USE GEN AI TO BUILD VIDEO ADS, ACCORDING TO IAB

WARC CONSUMER TRENDS 2025: FIVE SHIFTS SHAPING CONSUMER SPENDING

4. 8. 2025 A growing cost-of-living gap, consumers’ proactive approach to health, and the emergence of alternative social activities are among the biggest trends influencing consumer spending this year, according to WARC’s 2025 Consumer Trends Report. What the trends tell us In uncertain times we crave control. Economic uncertainty continues to cast gloom over consumer sentiment, but a… Continue reading WARC CONSUMER TRENDS 2025: FIVE SHIFTS SHAPING CONSUMER SPENDING

REACH, BRANDING AND TRUST: THE REASON WHY MORE AND MORE BRANDS THAT ORIGINALLY PREFERRED SOCIAL NETWORKS ARE ADVERTISING ON TV

3. 8. 2025 More and more brands that have been primarily in the digital world are now advertising on TV. In doing so, they are not only reaching new target groups, but also investing in brand building, which is a real driver of growth. These include Kapten & Son, Duolingo and Snocks. You can’t do it without TV… Continue reading REACH, BRANDING AND TRUST: THE REASON WHY MORE AND MORE BRANDS THAT ORIGINALLY PREFERRED SOCIAL NETWORKS ARE ADVERTISING ON TV

STUDY USA: BLIND BOXES ARE EFFECTIVE FOR GETTING PEOPLE TO BUY STUFF, FINDS STUDY

31. 7. 2025 People looking for hard-to-find Labubu dolls will be familiar with blind boxes – when it’s unclear which doll you’ll get – and now there’s scientific research to prove that combining this mystery with perceived scarcity can be effective in motivating people to buy. The study – conducted in China and published by Elsevier – makes… Continue reading STUDY USA: BLIND BOXES ARE EFFECTIVE FOR GETTING PEOPLE TO BUY STUFF, FINDS STUDY

MARKETING TO GEN ALPHA: HOW BRANDS CAN WIN OVER THE NEXT GENERATION

29. 7. 2025 The cohort represents a major opportunity for advertisers, keying them into future trends in areas like gaming, according to research from Horizon Media. Winning over young generations is key for marketers in the chase for relevance and as those groups’ purchasing power rises. In the coming years, no cohort may be as valuable to reach… Continue reading MARKETING TO GEN ALPHA: HOW BRANDS CAN WIN OVER THE NEXT GENERATION

LABUBU: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

17. 7. 2025 Trends and fads, especially around single products, can make money – but whether they point to something significant about the world (or about how to do business in the world) is much trickier; Labubus are one such fad that invites our consideration – Kantar trend analysis explores the deeper meanings of the toys’ rise. Why… Continue reading LABUBU: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

PRODUCT PLACEMENT CAN TRULY BOOST THE BRAND

1. 7. 2025 Broadcasters and marketers are offering more and more opportunities for creative brand integration into their formats. This brings a range of benefits for all parties involved, as shown by the research. We are used to surprises on television—but no one expected a premiere like this: at the start of the eleventh season of the TV… Continue reading PRODUCT PLACEMENT CAN TRULY BOOST THE BRAND

IF YOUR TRAVEL AD LOOKS TOO PERFECT, GEN Z WON’T TRUST IT

28. 6. 2025 What clicks with Gen Z? Show them the good, the bad and the ugly.

STUDY PARKS ASSOCIATES: SHOPPABLE TV GROWING IN POPULARITY

27. 6. 2025 While digital goods and services remain the dominant transactions on CTV, consumers are growing comfortable purchasing physical goods through streaming channels and apps, too. Nearly one out of 10 households with a smart TV or streaming media device have purchased a physical good through a connected TV (CTV) platform within the past 30 days, according… Continue reading STUDY PARKS ASSOCIATES: SHOPPABLE TV GROWING IN POPULARITY

THREE AI TRENDS RESHAPING THE FUTURE OF MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

20. 6. 2025 The annual NAB Show brings together the top innovators in media and entertainment, showcasing the tools, tech, and trends driving the next era of storytelling. Aside from the tens of thousands of attendees and hundreds of featured sessions, what really set this year’s event apart is that it wasn’t just a display of newfangled tech—in many… Continue reading THREE AI TRENDS RESHAPING THE FUTURE OF MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT