Twilio’s new tools solve a major marketing bottleneck: unreliable customer data signals. Its update turns Twilio Segment into a real-time control tower by giving marketers and engineers a shared view of what’s working and what’s broken across the customer journey, per MarTech. Marketers don’t need more data—they need usable data. Twilio’s tools clean the pipes and light up dashboards, turning signal chaos into signal clarity while giving brands the confidence and autonomy to act without second-guessing. Brands that delay addressing unreliable signals risk falling behind as data blind spots widen and personalization breaks down.
EMD Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, reached a drug pricing deal with the Trump administration that will lower the cost of the company’s fertility treatments in exchange for tariff reprieve and expedited regulatory review of a product being brought to the US. Pharma’s pricing agreements with the government suggest they were far more worried about tariffs on US drug imports than they admitted in earnings calls or media interviews. Large drugmakers that are thinking through their own versions of deals will need to weigh their proposed product discounts against tariff exposure if they choose not to comply with the administration.
Americans’ trust in federal health agencies and political leaders continues to erode, but while many are confused about what to believe, they still want clearer guidance, per the latest Axios/Ipsos American Health Index. Federal agency staffing cuts, shifting vaccine guidance, and the glut of social media health information have fragmented Americans’ health trust. But trust hasn’t completely disappeared; it’s just gone local. Consumers still believe their doctors and families, creating an opening for healthcare and pharma brands to deliver clear, credible information through those trusted messengers.
Apple TV and NBCUniversal’s Peacock are partnering to offer a streaming bundle for $15 per month starting Monday. The new bundle provides potential for advertisers who have been hesitant to invest in Apple TV and Peacock respectively because of a lack of proven results.
YouTube now reaches 76.3% of Mexico’s internet users and has become the default screen in Mexican homes, per DataReportal. But the bigger story is how it’s being watched—mostly through connected TV (CTV). YouTube now sits at the center of Mexico’s CTV and cultural ecosystem. There’s an opportunity for marketers to capture attention by seeking out partner creators for sponsorships. Brands looking to connect should prioritize long-form CTV strategies that hold attention on the big screen, collaborate with local creators who understand community dynamics. and develop original, Spanish-language content that reflects local culture and values.
WhatsApp is tackling spam with a message-capping feature that limits how many messages users and businesses can send without getting a reply from the recipient. When a user nears the limit, which hasn’t been defined yet, they’ll get a pop-up warning to help them avoid being blocked from sending messages, per TechCrunch. Brands need to segment audiences more carefully and measure message quality, not just output volume. To maintain trust, companies should streamline their communication, focus on relevance, and avoid messaging fatigue to talk less and connect more.
“Everything is shoppable,” said Christi Geary, executive vice president and head of agency at Advantage Marketing Partners (AMP), during a session at Advertising Week New York. “It’s no longer negotiable. It’s no longer a question of, should I pay attention here or there? You should pay attention everywhere, and you should do it all at a time, all at once.”
Pinterest is giving users control over the flood of genAI content on the platform with a new tuner that allows users to control how much genAI content they see in specific categories, per a Thursday announcement. By giving users control over how much genAI content they see, Pinterest is creating a safer environment for advertisers, reducing the risk for brands by ensuring ads don’t appear alongside content that audiences dislike or want to avoid.
Meta announced updates to its brand safety and suitability capabilities for Threads and Instagram this week as it looks to gain advertiser trust in its platforms amid regulatory scrutiny. The new restrictions are a double-edged sword. On one hand, advertisers will have increased confidence in their ability to appear next to safe content that doesn’t damage brand image. But on the other hand, reaching younger audiences helping drive growth could become more challenging and require nuance.
Small business optimism dipped in September due to growing concerns about inflation, tariffs, and weakening consumer demand, according to the NFIB. This holiday season could be a make-or-break moment for many small businesses. Nearly all—93%—think that their sales during the period will be essential to their survival this year, according to an Intuit QuickBooks survey. That’s up 52% from last year, underscoring how tariffs and economic uncertainty are threatening small businesses’ ability to survive.
Temu’s European expansion—and advertising blitz—is delivering substantial growth. Over 25% of the EU’s population—115.7 million people—made at least one purchase on Temu in the first six months of 2025, according to the company’s most recent transparency report. The challenging economic climate is a prime opportunity for Temu to extend its hold on European shoppers—but its ability to do so may soon be hampered by regulatory efforts to change its pricing and advertising tactics.
Erebor has received conditional approval for a national bank charter. It will be a digitally native competitor to lenders that serve the “innovation economy” and some specific industries: Erebor will focus on B2B services for AI, defense, crypto, and manufacturing companies, with offerings for high-net-worth individuals tied to those sectors. The biggest threat to traditional banks is that payments technology quickly advanced beyond what they can support or understand. Real-time payments solve the instant settlement problem that crypto provides for domestic transactions. But the next generation of changes to payments infrastructure is coming—and very few institutions are ready.
The federal government has been shut down for over two weeks as funding bills keep hitting roadblocks in the Senate, and it could take weeks to resolve. Some financial institutions have responded quickly, while others have been slow or off the mark. The fact that a lengthy government shutdown would weigh on federal government employees’ and contractors’ finances poses a risk to bank and credit union balance sheets. But it’s also an opportunity for them to deepen customer trust.
Bank of America’s revenues rose 11% YoY to $28.1 billion in its Q2 2025 earnings, outstripping analysts’ expectations at $27.5 billion, per CNBC. While consumers are demonstrating resilience, leaning into flexibility as the holiday season approaches could give issuers more loyalty from consumers who are skittish about holiday shopping. 0% interest holidays and card-linked buy now, pay later offers can help banks compete against fintechs offering similar promotions.
Synchrony reported $1.1 billion in net earnings during Q3 2025—a notable increase from Q4 2024’s $789 million, while net revenues were flat at $2.8 billion YoY, per a press release. Buy now, pay later platforms like Klarna, Affirm, and PayPal have an opportunity to pick off consumers from co-brand and private label issuers as the holiday season approaches. While these cards often boast high interest rates, PayPal’s in-store eligible Pay Monthly offers 5% cashback, and Affirm’s 0% interest days likely connect with Gen Zers trying to avoid revolving credit. As long as these fintechs can offer more competitive interest rates, installment plans, or rewards, co-brand cards are caught on the back foot for securing this consumer segments’ loyalty.
90% or more of consumer goods’ decision-makers are using AI technologies, including generative, predictive, and agentic AI, or plan to use them in the next two years, according to a June 2025 survey from Salesforce.
Healthcare marketing faces unique challenges as skeptical consumers find it hard to trust much of the messaging sent their way.
Hims & Hers and GoodRx each moved into new categories of prescription drug sales. Hims and Hers is now offering care for menopause and perimenopause under its Hers brand, while GoodRx launched a subscription for men’s hair loss treatment. GoodRx is a new player in an expanding market of companies selling prescription drugs, but we think the company has staying power. GoodRx’s vast user base offers a cheaper, more efficient path to converting consumers into subscription members than other D2C healthcare competitors.
Nearly 4 in 10 (38%) US parents consider themselves supporters of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, according to a recent KFF/The Washington Post survey. MAHA supporters and non-supporters hold distinct views on the importance and safety of vaccines and other children’s health issues. Pharma and food marketers should encourage open dialogue around the concerns expressed by MAHA proponents. Marketers need to reach parents who are MAHA supporters with transparent, evidence-based messaging—not lectures—on food and drug safety.