As the internet becomes omnipresent in our lives, individual privacy is emerging as a major social issue. These concerns are compounded by the fact that the majority of personal digital data is controlled by a handful of tech giants. This stranglehold on the digital world has created significant unease around the globe.

Generation X, ranging in age from late 30s to early 50s, is oft referred to as the "forgotten generation." Advertisers have taken this moniker literally, as the generation sandwiched between Baby Boomers and Millennials is scarcely targeted by them. To quote Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman: "Big mistake. Big. Huge!"

Over the past several years, marketing departments have enjoyed increased budget and headcount in a race to acquire and retain customers. But after three straight years of increases, marketing budgets have stalled.

With Toys 'R' Us announcing the closure of its 700 stores across the U.S., toy and games brands are faced with fresh dilemmas in reaching their audiences.

GDPR has been looming over marketers' heads for some time now, and with its implementation only a couple months away, many organizations are working rapidly to ensure compliance. One main element of the conversation around the new regulations is the overwhelming focus on its burdensome nature, but marketers would do well to shift perspectives and think about how these regulations will benefit their efforts- if they're not already.

Millennials are approaching brand loyalty differently. They evaluate mission statements carefully. Cash rewards are less enticing. Experiences are more motivating. And once aligned to a brand, they are more resistant to competitors' offers. According to new research we conducted with The Wise Marketer, 38% of Millennials buy exclusively from their preferred brands versus only 24% of Boomers who are as loyal.

For the first time since the financial crisis in 2009, U.S. annual car sales declined in 2017. The drop in sales come as Millennials and a new generation of drivers demand a retail experience that more closely aligns with the way other industries have evolved. It's no surprise that recent studies continue to indicate that customers dislike the experience of buying or leasing a new car. In the past, the average car buyer used to visit five dealerships. Now, that number has dropped to two.

Last Saturday, more than one million people took to the streets for the March for Our Lives, telling the government that "Enough is enough." That it's time to prioritize student lives-all lives-over gun regulations and open a meaningful dialogue about gun violence. Was Congress watching? And more important, did they listen? The midterm elections should give us some indication. However, while the streets were peppered with organizations looking to register young people to vote, research shows that only 28% of Gen Z believes the government even cares about them, much less actually listens to them.

Isolating ad performance from the overall performance of the brand tells a more nuanced - and often vastly different - story.

This weekend may be the culmination of March Madness with the NCAA Men's and Women's Div. I Final Four and National Championship games, but that won't keep MLB in the dugout.