IRYS raised $12.5 million in seed funding. The company sells technology for insurance companies—what it calls “an insurance operating system”—instead of trying to disrupt the industry with a competing offering. Insurtechs are fast becoming reliable partners. Updates to insurance industry systems, now frequently enabled by insurtechs, are long overdue. Insurers will need to work with these startups to keep up with nimble customer-facing competitors

For its latest campaign, BMW is using celebrity storytelling and music to raise awareness for its certified pre-owned program, which the automaker says remains underrecognized among potential buyers.

Marketers are doubling down on content relevance and strategy as key drivers of performance, but personalization is being left behind. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of North American B2B marketers who say their efforts have been effective in the past year cite content relevance as a main reason, per Content Marketing Institute (CMI). Despite the potential payoff, 94% of marketers say their use of personalization is either basic or moderate. Marketers should pivot AI’s role from content creation to content intelligence, focus on high-quality signals, and implement data-driven personalization to get a sustainable edge in campaign efficiency and engagement.

Rising restaurant prices are reshaping how Americans dine out. As 82% of consumers notice higher prices, many are cutting back, especially lower-income households. This shift has boosted value-focused chains like Chili’s and Texas Roadhouse, which have gained market share through affordable bundles and barbell pricing strategies that balance cost-conscious and premium offerings. In contrast, chains that serve less affluent consumers, such as McDonald’s, have seen visits fall despite renewed value promotions. With profitability concerns mounting, operators face pressure to raise prices carefully while using targeted deals and loyalty programs to sustain demand and protect margins.

Procter & Gamble’s strategy of delivering innovation over discounts is helping it navigate economic uncertainty better than many of its peers. While other companies lose sales to private labels, P&G’s US market share is rising as shoppers opt to pay more for products they perceive to be higher quality. Rather than follow competitors by discounting heavily, P&G is focused on delivering superior products—in addition to messaging that emphasizes the potential cost-savings of using them. That strategy allows it to offer more value to customers (and raise prices) without losing loyalty.

Approximately 35% of US adults report using AI tools to learn about and manage aspects of their health and wellness, according to a recent study conducted by The Vitamin Shoppe and Talker Research. As more people grow to trust AI for health information, they may move away from social media and influencer-driven health content that they have never found very reliable. Consumers will increasingly value AI that links to verifiable sources over social videos that often lack accountability. Healthcare and pharma marketers shouldn’t make any drastic pivot away from social media, but should closely track shifts in how consumers engage with social and influencer health content.

Health insurer Highmark Health will cover the cost of Noom’s weight management programs as part of plan members’ medical benefits starting next year. Digital health tools like Noom offer a solution to rising healthcare costs for insurers and employers, but they must boost member engagement to deliver ROI for customers. The companies should collaborate on targeted outreach—using AI and analytics to identify eligible members, promoting no-cost programs via text and email, and highlighting benefits through clear messaging, case studies, and testimonials.