Anthropic, Block, OpenAI and other AI-tech companies recently launched the Agentic AI Foundation to ensure that agentic AI tools for advertisers and marketers develop as an open, collaborative ecosystem.

Context includes the situation, mindset and occasion in which consumers encounter brands.

Among supporters of the ban, common concerns included the vulnerability of young people to manipulation and influence.

The FIFA World Cup 2026, the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics and a rapidly evolving streaming ecosystem will push brands to stand out.

The problem for many employees, according to a new Harris Poll, is the pressure they feel to give a gift, with 46% saying they feel pressured to spend a certain amount on gifts.

Entertainment has quietly expanded its share of the consumer wallet for the past three years.

The Platinum Rye Entertainment survey also found that Super Bowl ads are vehicles for discovering or rediscovering music with 44% of those polled saying they have searched for and streamed or downloaded a song after hearing it in an ad.

A BrightEdge analysis of informational, consideration and transactional queries revealed patterns showing where the biggest competitive battles are - and it's not where most marketers might expect.

Because just like nature, trade reporters abhor a vacuum, and the demise of IPG's and Publicis' forecasts has created one. Plus, WARC has paid its dues and is widely cited across the industry.

Consumers are increasingly seeking comfort and escape through fandoms, collectibles and "cuteified" culture as traditional adult milestones recede amid economic pressure.

In this week's installment I'm publishing the first two edition of my annual countdown of the year's top 40 TV shows. Stay tuned for parts three and four.

And nearly 62% believe the direction of the country is on the "wrong track," according to new research from Stagwell research firm National Research Group.

Business leaders continue to view premium media environments as places where consumers are paying attention by choice, not accident.

For political news, most young adults say it reaches them passively, and they tend to be more trusting of the information they see on social media.

Brands that can trigger positive feelings immediately, stand out quickly in memory and maintain a distinctive identity consistently outperform their peers.

42% of those surveyed in a new Harris/CIT Bank poll say they'll spend an average $4,700 to achieve New Year's resolutions.

A study conducted by a neuro-contextual ad company in partnership with a neuroscientist at Columbia University found neuro-contextual ads deliver 3.5x higher neural engagement than non-contextual ads.

The decline in interest in following the news is happening across all age groups, Pew reports.

Americans are embarking on the 2025 holiday season with a blend of resilience and restraint, planning to spend more even as inflation and tariffs continue to squeeze budgets, according to consulting firm KPMG. Consumers expect to lift their holiday spending by 4.6% from last year, but the report finds that rising prices, not stronger household finances, are the primary driver behind the increase. Much of the anticipated growth comes from higher-income shoppers, while lower-income households plan to trim expenses. KPMG’s finding exceeds the estimate from rival firm Deloitte, whose research shows U.S. holiday retail sales are expected to rise between 2.9% and 3.4% this season. Inflation remains top of mind, with 80% of consumers citing it as their biggest shopping concern, and nearly the same share expecting tariffs to push prices even higher. Overall, consumers plan to spend an average of $847, up from $810 in 2024, but households earning above $200,000 are increasing their budgets by 9%, whereas those earning under $50,000 expect a 2% pullback. Nearly half of respondents say their income has dropped compared with last year, adding to the pressure. Shoppers are adjusting accordingly: more than half say they are seeking out promotions, and 50% plan to buy fewer items, resulting in smaller cart sizes and a pivot toward essentials such as groceries and personal care. Shopping On Social Media Shopping behavior continues to evolve across channels. While one-third of consumers prefer online shopping and 18% prefer in-store, nearly half say they have no strong preference, reinforcing the importance of seamless omnichannel strategies. Value-oriented formats are gaining momentum, including dollar stores, now planned destinations for 38% of shoppers, and outlet centers, which rank as the top holiday shopping channel overall. Meanwhile, AI and social media are reshaping discovery, with 41% using AI tools to research gifts and one in three making purchases influenced by YouTube or Instagram. Cash Tops Consumer Wish Lists Gift preferences this year skew practical. Cash tops the wish list for 57% of respondents, ahead of gift cards and apparel. Yet self-spending is seeing the biggest surge: 57% of consumers plan to treat themselves, and spending in this category is up 20% to an average of $379, far outpacing the overall growth rate in holiday budgets. KPMG’s U.S. Consumer & Retail leader, Duleep Rodrigo, said brands that help shoppers “capture small moments of joy, without breaking the bank,” are likely to benefit in this environment. Experiences are also gaining ground, with travel budgets set to rise 10% to an average of $1,127 as consumers prioritize gatherings, longer trips, and group travel. Thanksgiving travel is climbing as well, with 40% of respondents planning a trip, up from 36% last year. Holiday hosting costs remain steady, averaging $231 per event for the two-thirds of Americans planning to host or attend gatherings. Additional trends highlight shifting consumer habits: Dry January participation is on the rise, holiday decorations feel more expensive to a majority of shoppers and social-commerce adoption skews heavily toward younger generations. Nearly half of Gen Z and millennials have already made purchases through social platforms, compared with just 18% of Boomers. Overall, KPMG’s survey suggests that despite financial pressures, consumers are determined to preserve the holiday spirit, but are doing so in more intentional, value-driven ways.

But many advertisers, pressured by budgets and market uncertainty, continue leaning on cheap reach at the expense of brand equity.

Gardner previously served as COO of the Harris Poll, which he joined in 2017. Earlier he was APAC CEO and global COO of Penn Schoen Berland.

A once-niche promotion is turning into a key part of the holiday shopping season for aspirational and experience-driven travelers.

"AI agents" can analyze consumer-recorded videos to surface micro-behaviors, hidden frustrations, emotional reactions and contextual details that traditional surveys routinely miss.

Instagram comes in third, and TikTok is fourth, Pew reports.

Total linear core TV ad revenues are expected to land at $55.2 billion in 2025 - down 7% vs. 2024 - and to fall 6% to $51.6 billion next year and 8% to $47.9 billion in 2027. The only part of total TV's gains is AVOD streaming, which will rise this year by 15% to $16.1 billion.

Legacy systems, manual processes, disconnected data pipelines and incomplete attribution models are the most common bottlenecks.

Spending on phones, gaming and TVs continues even as confidence hits a four-year low.

Food delivery, social commerce and artificial intelligence tools dominate the year's biggest gains in purchasing consideration, Morning Consult says.

Spending on sports media rights for streaming/TV platforms is projected to climb to $78 billion by 2030. The U.S. will drive just under half of those results, rising to $36 billion in 2030 - mostly from the NBA and the NFL.

Seventy-three percent say shopping at a retailer feels like being part of a cultural moment.