The trend: Brands are ramping up investment in women’s sports to attract diverse audiences in an underserved sector. Snapchat partnered with Togethxr, a sports media company focused on women in sports. Kim Kardashian-owned Skims partnered with League One Volleyball in a deal that will see Skims become the official sleepwear, loungewear, and intimates partner of the league. Our take: Smart, forward-thinking brands will follow in the footsteps of Snapchat and Skims, capitalizing on women’s sports as an undersaturated market with strong potential to drive action before hitting its ceiling.
The news: Amazon is acquiring AI wearables company Bee, opening up a path for the Big Tech player to reenter the wearables field. The startup sells $49.99 AI-powered watches, which record and transcribe all conversations. Amazon said all Bee employees have been offered roles at the company. The value of the deal wasn’t disclosed. Our take: With Bee’s technology—and its endlessly refreshed user data—Amazon could incrementally improve its beleaguered Alexa or train future products. If the company plans to keep Bee running, rather than cancel the product and use its software elsewhere, it could have substantial competition in the AI wearables space—especially if OpenAI launches an AI device.
The news: Google’s AI Overviews feature gets users offline and out of search quickly, making it harder for brands and websites to capture attention and clicks. Only 8% of Google users whose search triggered an AI Overview clicked on a link, per Pew Research. Among those who didn’t see an AI summary, nearly twice as many (15%) clicked a link. Our take: Google’s AI tools offer fast answers, but they’re cutting off engagement before it can begin. For publishers, brands, and creators, that means fewer opportunities to connect, convert, or even be seen. Prioritize visibility on platforms favored by AI Overviews, like YouTube and Reddit, and strengthen owned channels like newsletters and apps to help boost appearance in results while reducing dependence on traffic from Google.
The news: ChatGPT isn’t just leading the chatbot race—it’s dominating it. With rapid growth and billions of daily prompts, it remains the go-to generative AI (genAI) tool for both businesses and consumers despite rising competition. The stats: Figures on the AI leader’s user growth are debated, but the most consistent recent number for weekly active users (WAUs) is 500 million—an increase from 100 million WAUs in November 2023, a year after its debut. That number tripled to 300 million by December 2024. Our take: As genAI evolves from a novelty product to a routine tool in workflows and daily life, ChatGPT is maintaining its role as an industry leader. To stay ahead, OpenAI should focus on improving ChatGPT as a core product and prove it can scale profits sustainably before racing to outbuild its rivals.
Athleisure brands lululemon athletica and Vuori are expanding their presence overseas as the US market cools. With the US market looking increasingly uncertain, it’s no surprise that brands like lululemon and Vuori are looking to international markets to shift growth into a new gear. This trend will likely pick up among apparel brands this year, as they look for ways to mitigate the impact of tariffs and reduce their reliance on US shoppers.
The news: Synchrony’s net revenues fell 2% YoY in Q2 2025, per its earnings release. Our take: Synchrony came off of a rocky Q1 2025 but locked down significant deals over the course of Q2 that will help drive growth through the rest of the year.
The news: 79.64% of consumers prefer going straight to their bank to resolve a dispute rather than engaging the merchant in question, per a survey by Chargebacks911. Our take: Both banks and merchants want to reserve the chargeback process for exceptional circumstances in customer care.
Q2 2025 earnings highlighted a widening gap among the major advertising holding companies. Publicis Groupe posted 5.9% organic growth and won major accounts from WPP and IPG, including Mars and Paramount. Omnicom remained stable at 3% growth, while Interpublic shrank 3.5% organically but improved margins ahead of its acquisition by Omnicom. WPP fared worst, slashing its full-year forecast and citing client losses and macroeconomic uncertainty. As brands tighten budgets and demand results, winners like Publicis are doubling down on performance and AI tools. The sector is consolidating—and only the most adaptive players are poised to thrive.
The news: The Financial Brand recently featured Citizens Bank’s comprehensive strategy for improving the customer experience. What stood out to us were Citizen Bank’s people-first approach, hyper-local strategy, and data-driven decisions. Our take: While no single strategy—be it a people-first approach, hyperlocal focus, or digital innovation—would alone future-proof a bank's business. But Citizens' integrated pursuit of all three forms a truly comprehensive, powerful, and competitive strategy, positioning the bank effectively against traditional rivals and agile fintechs.
The news: Klarna partnered with Poshmark so US buyers can resell Klarna purchases on Poshmark through the Klarna app. Our take: Gen Zers have a hunger for low-cost fashion. As fast fashion brands face mounting tariff pressures, Gen Zers may turn toward resale marketplaces to some from someone else’s closet—and use sales from their own closet to fund that shopping.
The news: We’ve recently covered a fintech, a stablecoin issuer, an auto manufacturer, foreign banks, and credit unions that are considering, applying for, or in the process of acquiring US banking licenses. Some have already succeeded, inspiring others to follow suit. And according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, banking charter applications have increased 70% since 2024. Our take: We predict traditional banks will push for regulatory changes that prevent the steady inflow of new banks that haven’t had to follow the more stringent requirements of the past. Banks’ long-standing customer relationships will be a central pillar of their defense strategy. Banks must increasingly leverage their established trust, extensive branch networks, and comprehensive product suites to highlight their stability and one-stop-shop convenience compared to specialized fintechs or more limited new entrants.
The news: A recent survey by The Harris Poll for Current.com found that Gen Zers and millennials value financial health more than physical attractiveness in a potential romantic partner. Among both generations, 33% prioritize a partner’s emergency savings over their looks. This contrasts sharply with 23% of Gen Xers and 18% of baby boomers, who are more likely than Gen Zers to have emergency savings themselves and may not prioritize this in a partner. Our take: We’ve covered how Gen Zers are putting their financial goals on pause to prioritize summer fun and living in the moment. And we recommended that financial institutions (FIs) gently remind Gen Zers of their financial goals and how to reach them while still supporting their priorities.
YouTube is the No. 1 US media platform when it comes to time spent by US adult users, reaching 11.4 billion minutes per day in 2025.
The news: Primark is incorporating inclusive and sensory-friendly features into its kidswear line to help more children feel “comfortable and good” in their clothes, per The Retail Bulletin. Our take: Inclusivity isn’t just about doing the right thing—it’s a smart business strategy. At a time when brand loyalty is eroding—especially among Gen Z and millennial shoppers—retailers and brands that thoughtfully accommodate children with sensory sensitivities have a real opportunity. By offering products and experiences that meet these needs, they can forge lasting connections with parents who are actively seeking out solutions that make their kids feel comfortable and seen.
Automakers face an increasingly difficult environment as President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the removal of EV tax credits reshape supply chains and production strategy. Like the broader US economy, auto sales have been resilient thus far, as tariffs and other government policies motivate consumers to buy now. Automakers and dealers are capitalizing on the moment with incentives like employee pricing, but the short-term surge is unlikely to last.
The insights: Electric vehicle owners are ideal targets for out-of-home (OOH) advertising and foot traffic. Chargers bring in foot traffic to surrounding areas. Half (50%) of EV drivers go grocery shopping while waiting for their vehicles to charge, per a JOLT Audience Insights survey in Australia. Our take: Here’s how retailers, brands, and advertisers can get ahead in this space: Install charging stations outside brick-and-mortar locations to capitalize on both foot traffic and OOH ads. Add QR codes to EV charger advertising that provide discounts to nearby or online businesses. Offer store credits or gift cards that cover the cost of charging fees to boost loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals.
The news: Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are expanding their portfolios by leaning into better-for-you trends and ingredient transparency. Our take: Even with Coca-Cola and PepsiCo’s massive brand equity, they face the same fundamental challenge as all CPG brands: competing against private labels offering innovative flavors at lower prices, and better-for-you upstarts chip away at brand loyalty. While ingredients like cane sugar and prebiotics may not sway every shopper, they appeal to increasingly fragmented consumer preferences. Expect more targeted innovations as soda makers try to balance nostalgia with modern demands for wellness, transparency, and functional benefits.
The news: AstraZeneca plans to invest $50 billion in US drug manufacturing and R&D by 2030. The big takeaway: Pouring billions into US builds isn’t an option for most generic drugmakers that operate on thin margins. This could result in shortages since companies that make generics may have to choose between exiting the market once tariffs take effect and raising prices when possible. Other players in this space might find it most beneficial to wait it out and see if Trump changes course yet again on tariff policy.
The news: Rare disease drugmaker Sarepta Therapeutics is pausing sales of a muscular dystrophy drug, Elevidys, after initially refusing an FDA request to halt sales due to safety concerns. The takeaway: Elevydis’ path to FDA approval was unconventional, but deemed appropriate at the time for a devastating disease. The new deaths and now paused sales serve as caution for both the FDA and drugmakers to balance the emotional sway of unmet medical needs with complete and continued clinical research.