Don't miss tomorrow's social media industry news

DEEP DIVE

9 marketing predictions for 2026 as AI fuels polarity

The sense of a stable middle ground is eroding across an industry at a point of contraction, with many displaying mixed feelings about marketing’s future.

BRIEF

Publicis weds creator, sports marketing for new Influential Sports unit

The move is designed to help brands connect with sports fans at scale and measure creator-driven programs with greater speed and accuracy.

BRIEF

Unilever taps influencer agency for food business as potential spinoff looms

Samy is tasked with developing a global influencer strategy for the CPG giant’s food business, which Unilever is in talks to sell to McCormick & Co.

BRIEF

Unilever taps influencer agency for food biz as potential spinoff looms

Samy is tasked with developing a global influencer strategy for the CPG giant’s food business, which Unilever is in talks to sell to McCormick & Co.

NEWS

How rising retail brands use influencers to combat digital overload

At NRF’s Big Show, execs from Mejuri, Coterie and Beyond Yoga emphasized the power of community in amplifying brand messages and viral moments.

Q AND A

How Scotts Miracle-Gro evolves marketing as gardening goes year-round

The lawn care company is using influencers, AI and sports marketing to be an always-on partner for gardeners of all ages.

BRIEF

Publicis sharpens sports marketing focus with 160over90 acquisition

Publicis CEO Arthur Sadoun described sports as the firm’s “next big bet” as it tries to bring cohesion to an increasingly valuable but fragmented market.

OPINION

Marketing’s next target audience? Co-workers

When marketing’s mission and value aren’t clear, it can be undervalued by colleagues, writes The Conference Board’s Denise Dahlhoff.

BRIEF

Crocs puts self-expression over algorithmic sameness with new platform

Ads show mannequins dancing to life and growing more human as the footwear marketer encourages real-world experiences over digital drudgery.

NEWS

Inside Walmart’s creator-driven social commerce playbook

The retail giant’s head of content, influencer and commerce shared its social principles and details about its Walmart Creator program.

NEWS

How Nestlé turns creator content into brand-suitable ads at scale

The CPG giant is deploying a new tool from CreatorIQ and CreativeX that identifies and scores creator posts that can work as paid media.

NEWS

Why Tropicana is rejuvenating its creative but keeping the same strategy

CMO Chris Tussing explains how its new campaign is a creative evolution and demonstrates what the brand has learned about effective media planning.

OPINION

What CX leaders need to know about Gen Alpha’s influence

Most companies still design customer experience strategies for a single user moving through a linear path, but that model doesn’t reflect how households now make purchasing decisions.

NEWS

CFOs remain skeptical of flashy SaaS marketing

Super Bowl ads, billboards and conference spectacles may grab attention, but finance leaders say peer networks and ROI still drive their software-buying decisions.

NEWS

Reddit study highlights user purchase behavior

The research, created in partnership with WPP, examined how people on the platform gain insights into brands and make buying decisions.

BRIEF

American Eagle offers creators rewards to keep content flowing

The AE Creator Community is anchored on a rewards system that incentivizes creators to participate in regular challenges around content sharing.

NEWS

Why ivermectin is in the limelight again

As patient interest rises for using the antiparasitic drug in cancer, it's having an impact on R&D; in the space.

NEWS

How Macy’s is flexing its Style Crew affiliate program beyond social media

The department store recently experimented with its Style Crew of over 600 influencers by integrating them into in-person events and direct mailers.

BRIEF

Unilever’s creator marketing strategy takes center stage at World Cup

The CPG’s largest sports partnership activation to date will see over 35 of its brands collaborate with creators and influencers around the globe.

NEWS

Report finds Reddit ads drive strong performance for retailers

Fospha's State of Retail Marketing report looks at rising sources of product discovery and sales activity.

OPINION

The problem for brands isn’t their marketing strategy — it’s their structure

Organizations that fail to deliver have often hired great talent into a broken system, writes Edmunds’ Alison Steinlauf Anziska.

FEATURE

Overcoming tech career barriers faced by underrepresented groups

NEWS

What Is Human-First Marketing? [Infographic]

Some key advice to keep in mind in your planning.

NEWS

Snapchat influences telecommunications purchases

Users on the app are two times more likely to sign up with a service provider after seeing in-app content from a creator, according to a new report from the company.

OPINION

How agentic AI could destroy social media: the need for proactive governance

NEWS

Snapchat research provides insight for movie marketing

New data reveals the importance of in-app promotional tools such as influencer recommendations and artificial intelligence suggestions.

Q AND A

Carter’s chief marketer on pairing heritage with progress

The first creative under Global Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Crockett captures a universal truth of youth sports: parents around the world will eventually shout, “Wrong goal!”

NEWS

How Jelly Belly is repositioning its brand for ‘social epicureans’

The new “Bean Appetit” campaign is meant to reintroduce the brand to consumers after its acquisition by confectioner Ferrara in 2023.

BRIEF

CMOs prioritize organizational influence over long-term brand growth

Marketers should focus on changing internal dynamics to help shift priorities back to enduring brand growth over short-term results, a Lippincott study said.

OPINION

Why AI Is shifting power left

BRIEF

Kroger links with TikTok on targeted ads

The grocer’s retail media unit is offering a self-service tool that lets advertisers deliver messages to Kroger customers on the social media platform.

BRIEF

VML: Marketing must balance consumer anxiety and hope in 2026

Marketing trends, such as microdramas and consumers who are expressing a sense of “dysoptimism,” are identified in the agency’s “Future 100” report.

Q AND A

Dave’s Hot Chicken CMO on building on organic growth as brand levels up

Brandon Rhoten spent years leading creative and social strategy at Wendy’s at a time when the chain rewrote the rules for fast-food advertising.

NEWS

Sociable: Reddit study highlights user purchase behavior

The research, created in partnership with WPP, examined how people on the platform gain insights into brands and make buying decisions.

NEWS

Creator content drives brand success on Snapchat

Snapchat's latest report highlights the value of connections that users make with influencer-led promotions in the app.

SPONSORED

The TikTok effect: How viral trends are changing visual merchandising

The average viral trend lasts just five to 10 days before attention shifts. And with 42% of Gen Z consumers in the U.S. discovering new products on TikTok, the need for speed has never been more critical.

SPONSORED

How to turn the insights you already have into better commercial outcomes

Your best decisions depend on insight you already have — if you can use it in time.

NEWS

TikTok users are motivated by affiliate links

Donte Murry, the platform's director of beauty, wellness and personal care, told Glossy that it was important to meet shoppers where they are.

NEWS

LinkedIn Shares Key Trends in B2B Marketing

LinkedIn says that more B2B buying activity now stems from creator content.

NEWS

Target’s digital chief breaks down the retailer’s creator overhaul

Sarah Travis details two new offerings designed for the social commerce boom and addresses frustration with the winddown of a prior affiliate program.

NEWS

LinkedIn offers guidance on B2B product launches

Robert Yanik, the platform’s product marketing and GTM leader, suggested a three-step plan for building buyer confidence and brand presence over time.

NEWS

P&G’s Pritchard on how brands must navigate a new epoch in marketing

The brand chief at one of the world’s largest advertisers credited the speed of recent campaigns to the use of AI tools and its in-housing strategy.

NEWS

Interview: Why identity is the nucleus for cyber security

BRIEF

Kayak pokes fun at millennial travel anxiety in new brand platform

The travel search engine is shifting the focus from the destination to the anxiety of planning a trip.

NEWS

YouTube publishes brand growth playbook

The guide offers suggestions for building businesses on the platform and tapping into the evolving creator marketplace.

NEWS

Snapchat drives TV viewership, promotions

A new study in partnership with Omnicom and Ipsos found that the app’s users are more likely to watch a show after discovering it on social media platforms.

NEWS

VaynerX’s new agency wants to help brands master the attention economy

The Tamara Group seeks to flip the typical agency split between strategy and production work as CMOs wrestle with volume, CEO Ryan Harwood explains.

SPONSORED

3 ways grocers can net new seafood customers

The in-store experience is a key marketing touchpoint for reaching shoppers who don’t regularly buy seafood.

COLUMN

Campaign Trail: Bosch builds cute robots to push windshield wiper innovation

Created with agency Bailey Lauerman, “Impressive Innovation” demonstrates how the company brings precision and performance to wipers and beyond.

Q AND A

How Nestlé’s US CMO keeps tabs on changing consumer tastes

Vicki Felker discusses launching the CPG giant’s first at-home condiment brand and how the brand has increased its digital and social investment.

NEWS

Why Papa Johns is going back to basics in latest marketing shakeup

The pizza chain has reestablished local marketing co-ops and plans to launch a creative platform in collaboration with new AOR Leo Chicago.

BRIEF

Expedia bets on creator-led marketing with IShowSpeed partnership

The platform is becoming the official travel partner of the livestreamer known for his globe-trotting endeavors and rabid Gen Z fandom.

NEWS

How Aerie is pushing back against AI content with Pamela Anderson

Chief marketer Stacey McCormick explains how the brand is spreading the word around its October pledge against using AI-generated bodies in its marketing.

BRIEF

Harris Teeter promotes ‘treasure hunt’ shopping with new initiative

The grocer’s “Aisle Adventure” campaign taps social media influencers and original content to encourage shoppers to discover new products.

BRIEF

Bath & Body Works wants to transform from a specialty retailer to a ‘premier global brand’

Sales were down in Q4 and are forecast to be down in 2026. But, the company has a transformation plan to meet customers where they are.

NEWS

How international restaurant brands are reshaping the US market

Luckin Coffee, Mixue and other chains are winning over consumers with digital-first operations and experiential dining experiences.

NEWS

TikTok shares performance data on FMCG campaigns

A study on the effectiveness of on-platform fast-moving consumer goods ads explored the impact of promotions on offline sales.

Q AND A

Why Dove turned Reddit product feedback into a real-world campaign

Emily Barfoot, head of Dove U.S., discusses how the campaign came together, navigating Reddit and the brand’s larger social media strategy.

BRIEF

Essentia takes rule-defying campaign national for summer season

After an initial launch in New York last year, “Change the Equation” is expanding through a 90-second brand film and partnership with a soccer star.

Q AND A

Carter’s CMO on evolving marketing by pairing heritage with progress

The first creative under Global CMO Sarah Crockett captures a universal truth of youth sports: Parents around the world will eventually shout “Wrong goal!”

OPINION

How hoteliers can embrace design to create memorable moments

Small but carefully considered design details represent a valuable way for owners to differentiate their hotel and drive a tangible return.

NEWS

Sprouts’ Achilles’ heel is affordability. Can its new loyalty program mend that?

The specialty grocer is looking to its newly launched Sprouts Rewards to improve its value messaging, but sources say the payoff may take a while.

NEWS

Sociable: Life stage matters more than age for in-app brand promotions

A Meta study found that behaviors such as “digital pebbling” are prevalent across every generation, and expert knowledge matters more than fame.

BRIEF

PepsiCo’s first creator-led product launch reimagines chips for Gen Z

The CPG giant teamed with Madison Beer, iShowSpeed and Dude Perfect on products meant to shrink the distance between creators, culture and checkout.

NEWS

LinkedIn adds new ways for brands to tap into creator partnerships

LinkedIn is expanding opportunities for advertisers to align promotions with creator content as more B2B marketers work with influencers.

COLUMN

How creating FordDirect helped avert a potential automaker-dealer showdown

Dealer veteran David Kain, the joint venture’s first employee, recounts how the partnership came about during the early stages of internet shopping.

OPINION

$8M for 30 seconds: A CFO’s guide to Super Bowl ad spend

Advertising around the Super Bowl can be worth it if you run it like a CFO. Not if you let the marketing team treat it like a trophy.

BRIEF

Strong corporate social impact programs reap financial rewards: ACCP

Such programs, which can encompass DEI, ESG and CSR, strengthen brand resilience, mitigate risk and attract and retain talent, according to research compiled by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals.

NEWS

How The Children’s Place embraces modern parenting with new brand platform

The retailer’s “It’s a Yes Day” platform began rolling out this month across digital, social and e-commerce channels and includes creator partnerships.

NEWS

Life stage matters more than age for in-app brand promotions

A new study from Meta found that behaviors such as “digital pebbling” are prevalent across every generation, and expert knowledge matters more than fame.

NEWS

Maintaining brand relevancy: Here’s what the numbers say

Public perception may be a key indicator of brand performance, according to a report from The Harris Poll company QuestBrand.

NEWS

Why Dos Equis revived the Most Interesting Man amid category headwinds

Alison Payne, CMO for parent company Heineken USA, explains how the iconic character is being reimagined for the social-digital world.

BRIEF

Albertsons integrates branded product placement into AI-search tool

The grocery company’s retail media arm now lets ads appear in conversational search product carousels.

NEWS

Snapchat releases data on video ad performance

The app used eye-tracking and a brand equity framework to determine how its user base responded to branded commercials on Snapchat.

NEWS

Meta Announces Discovery Improvements for Creator Marketplace

Some handy updates for Meta's creator partner discovery option.

NEWS

Digital printing poised to ‘mature’ in 2026

Factors such as brands’ input, artificial intelligence and system interoperability are expected to influence adoption of digital printing for packaging this year, according to a newly released report from Keypoint Intelligence.

DEEP DIVE

Beyond protein: The new wellness trends shaping food and beverage

Consumers are looking to improve their physical and emotional health through what they eat and drink, driving demand for functional ingredients such as fiber or adaptogens.

BRIEF

Burger King names 2 new agencies following viral Whopper bite moment

Mojo Supermarket, now the chain’s U.S. social AOR, claimed credit for a video swiping at McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski’s awkward Big Arch review.

OPINION

Creators work, but measurement doesn’t — yet

While creators deliver impact across the funnel, most campaigns are still evaluated using outdated proxies, writes the IAB’s Zoe Soon.

NEWS

Go Figure: 3 big marketing numbers from March

From Instagram advertising to Papa John’s marketing investment, here are some important numbers marketers may have missed.

NEWS

Snapchat users travel more than non-users

A new survey from the app and research platform Suzy found that Snapchatters also use their content to influence travel decisions in their social circles.

NEWS

Why ClassPass invested $50M in marketing to supercharge partner growth

Zach Apter, CMO at ClassPass parent Playlist, explains how the booking platform is using performance marketing to grow the market for partner studios.

NEWS

War Game Exercise Demonstrates How Social Media Manipulation Works

NEWS

Salesforce rolls out Agentforce Health AI agents

NEWS

Snapchat report positions the app as a B2B marketing tool

New data released with GWI found that digitally native users are consuming business content outside of traditionally professional online environments.

NEWS

AI’s influence on shoppers ups importance of inventory positioning

Consumers’ desire for speed and convenience in online shopping lends an edge to regional distribution models, experts said.

BRIEF

David’s Bridal reshapes C-suite for the AI era

The retailer named a CTO, chief global transformation and operations officer as it works to scale technology, AI, operations and revenue

OPINION

The CHRO paradox: Is HR’s top role as secure as we’d hope in 2026?

The CHRO role is evolving fast, but not always in ways that align with its growing strategic importance, warns global industry analyst Josh Bersin.

SPONSORED

5 ways multifamily video is driving leases — and saving teams time

Five data-backed tactics top operators use to increase lease conversion and streamline operations with video.

Q AND A

Medely CFO’s bid to lower health care costs

After a long tenure at digital marketplaces like Airbnb and Turo, Brent Loder looks to bring his expertise to the health care staffing startup.

NEWS

Inside Opal’s attempt to reduce AI’s ‘alignment tax’ for marketers

The planning platform's new AI copilot, Gem, is designed to align campaign data with overall strategy and help teams understand results faster.

NEWS

Those 'Summarize With AI' Buttons May Be Lying to You

BRIEF

What customers consider when using AI to shop

The vast majority of consumers say it’s important to recognize the seller or merchant and check customer reviews before purchasing, a PSE Consulting survey found.

NEWS

TikTok ad campaigns drive movie ticket purchases

Promotional performance in the app was significantly more effective than for traditional linear television advertising, according to new data from the company.

NEWS

Black representation drives brand opportunities: Here’s what the numbers say

Black audiences are significantly more likely to pay attention to an ad if they feel it reflects their culture, according to Nielsen research.

NEWS

CMOs face risks locking brands into agency AI platforms: Gartner

The researcher predicts that half of agencies’ proprietary AI platforms will become obsolete by 2029 and emphasized the value of human talent.

BRIEF

What gets shoppers past the ‘tipping point’ on private label?

Promotions are “undefeated” in getting consumers to expand their horizons and try more innovative store brand products, 84.51° reported.

NEWS

For retail brands, TikTok Shop’s rise brings viral success — and disruption

At NRF, executives described major sales wins while acknowledging the social commerce feature is shaking up several retail fundamentals.

TIP

Does your organization need an AI ethics committee?

SPONSORED

The grocery tech breakthrough happening at regional retailers

The biggest advances in grocery tech are coming from unified platforms, not bigger budgets.

BRIEF

ChatGPT to begin testing ads as generative AI competition heats up

OpenAI said that advertising will not influence the answers ChatGPT provides and that ads and sponsored content would be clearly labeled.

NEWS

Liquid I.V. updates ad playbook with Amazon’s Brand Innovation Lab

A new campaign features actors from “Off Campus,” marking the first time lead talent from a Prime Video show has appeared in a co-branded spot.

NEWS

The wellness industry is HHS’ new belle of the ball

Congressional leaders and health experts are sounding the alarm about potential conflicts of interest among the agency’s new leaders.

NEWS

Research Shows X Amplifies Conservative Political Views

A new study published in Nature found that exposure to the platform’s algorithm had long-term effects on users’ political attitudes.

NEWS

How MLB is leveraging automation and data to enhance fan messaging

The sports league has expanded its partnership with Adobe so individual clubs can create marketing that better matches how individual fans enjoy sports.

NEWS

Meta Outlines Its Plan To Manage Integrity During the US Midterm Elections

The company’s safety and security measures will include ad restriction policies and artificial intelligence labeling.

BRIEF

Nearly $100B in global ad growth at risk if energy crisis persists: WARC

Assuming a worst-case scenario, 4.2 percentage points of expected growth could be erased in 2026 as marketers struggle to preserve thin margins.

BRIEF

Accenture acquires Whalar agency to gain creator economy advantage

The shop has managed more than $600 million in creator campaigns and is credited with its creative and measurement expertise.