On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the three big questions surrounding Spotify right now: What will the audio giant do about AI slop? Can it generate significant revenue from advertising? Will people sit down in their living rooms and turn on a podcast to watch, en masse? And more. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Senior Analyst Ross Benes and Senior Editor Daniel Konstantinovic. Listen everywhere, and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Podcast growth outpaces social, with trusted hosts driving purchases and attention other feeds can’t match.
Toy growth turns K-shaped.
54% of shoppers lose confidence after scam encounters, making prevention a growth lever, not just compliance.
Email remains consumers’ preferred marketing channel, but tailored, intentional outreach is necessary to cut fatigue and drive results.
As early movers launch ads within OpenAI's ChatGPT, they're closely watching how consumers interact with their campaigns and where this emerging channel fits within broader strategies. “Investment in technology and AI…goes hand-in-hand with great experience,” said Target CEO Michael Fiddelke, at the retailer’s 2026 Financial Community Meeting. “We know those tech investments pay off with stronger experience, whether that's digital or whether that's in-store.”
Microdramas are winning daily attention; per-user viewing time now exceeds Netflix and Prime Video on mobile.
Strikes on Middle East data hubs stalled services and campaigns, proving single-region concentration as a weak link.
Betting on a cash-back strategy, Robinhood takes a shot at premium card spend.
The company is shifting tactics as users prefer to purchase on retail sites rather than in chatbots.
Beating profit and sales forecasts, it trims distractions to cement sustainable growth.
The POS provider credited AI and its tech stack as growth drivers.
Tepid stimulus and fragile consumer confidence signal another tough year for retailers.
Competition will be fierce as several neobanks attempt to break into the US market.
This reinforces the crypto company’s plays in the institutional and UHNW markets.
Querying vast troves of financial data is getting easier.
Costco widens its lead as 6.7% comps and rising memberships show value still wins in a K-shaped market.
EMARKETER Principal Analyst Max Willens unveils new forecasts that reveal where creator spending is accelerating, including new category breakouts for 2026. He’ll dig into what’s powering the surge, from shoppable content to CTV’s growing pull, and how brands are moving toward fuller-funnel partnerships that deliver real lift. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Share of voice reshuffle favors performance as food and beverage brands retreat from TikTok and YouTube, betting on Meta’s scale and attribution edge.