The news: More than one-third (38%) of parents are stressed about affording back-to-school items, per Zip’s back-to-school survey. Our take: Given the level of strain for parents, BNPL providers have an opportunity to pitch their alternative credit models to overstretched families. Targeted marketing campaigns around back-to-school season and easy opportunities to use installments in store and online through BNPL-enabled cards and partnerships can strengthen spend.
The news: Affirm’s gross merchandise volume (GMV) grew 43% YoY to $10.4 billion, per Q4 FY 2025 earnings (ended June 30). The buy now, pay later (BNPL) company reported strong numbers across the board. Revenues soared 33% YoY to $876 million. Active consumers increased 24% YoY to 23 million. Transactions per active customer grew 19% to 5.8. The number of active merchants jumped 24% to 337,000. Our take: Affirm’s dominance in the US market is propelled by powerful Affirm Card spend—we forecast Affirm will edge out Klarna in terms of US volume by $4.7 billion. If the firm can keep growing its average ticket size, it could carve out a healthy niche in the consumer credit market: purchases that are too small to jump through the hoops of securing a personal loan but too large to pay off in one month on a credit card balance.
The news: Despite lingering uncertainty from tariff wars, five of Canada’s Big Six Banks beat analyst expectations in Q3 2025, per Bloomberg. Our take: Strong Q3 results provide a critical opportunity for Canadian banks to proactively fortify their balance sheets against known future risks. While lower loan loss provisions signal a better credit environment, the lingering threat of rising unemployment means this may not last. Banks should use this period of outperformance to conservatively build reserves, tighten lending standards for higher-risk clients, and prioritize stability and risk management over short-term loan growth.
Backlash over e.l.f. Beauty’s partnership with controversial creator Matt Rife and debates sparked by Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad shows that advertisers are facing a moment of heightened scrutiny that requires rigorous vetting of influencer partnerships. As audiences turn to influencers for purchasing decisions and rethink brand loyalty for those who turn their backs on social issues, brands who remain selective and thorough about the creators they work with will win trust.
LinkedIn is urging B2B marketers to embrace unscripted, authentic video after seeing strong engagement growth on the platform. CMO Jessica Jensen told EMARKETER that “real humans talking like real humans” resonates far more than polished assets, encouraging executives to share candid updates and even humor in their posts. The push reflects broader demand: 52% of US B2B marketers used video in 2024, while Millennials and Gen Z—now 71% of B2B buyers—expect casual, social-style content in professional settings. With B2B video ad spend rising nearly 18% this year, LinkedIn is well positioned to capture that momentum.
From Rare Beauty’s scented billboards and Walmart’s truck tours to Dick’s Sporting Goods’ in-house production studios, here’s what the eight most interesting retailers from August have been up to, as ranked on our “Behind the Numbers” podcast.
Kraft Heinz will split into two companies, spinning off its slower-growing grocery unit—home to Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles, and Lunchables. The remaining business will focus on faster-growing products such as Heinz ketchup, Philadelphia cream cheese, and Kraft Mac & Cheese, along with its sauces and condiments. Kraft Heinz’s breakup shows the risks of CPG megamergers, especially given how quickly consumers’ tastes can change. Once prominent brands like Lunchables and Kraft Singles are rapidly losing value as more shoppers avoid ultra-processed foods and artificial dyes, while the company’s bloat has made it challenging to stay current with food trends.
The news: McDonald’s will reintroduce Extra Value Meals on September 8. The combo meals will deliver about 15% savings compared with buying items separately. Our take: While McDonald’s delivered better-than-expected results in Q2, including 2.5% same-store sales growth, most of its gains came from higher prices. To build momentum, the brand must shift consumer perception, not just raise prices. Bringing back the Extra Value Meal is a step in that direction.
Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are in turmoil as shifting food trends, cuts to government benefits, and inflation challenge their share of grocery spending, while organizational headwinds compound the pressures. The strain is forcing bold actions and inviting scrutiny. Kraft Heinz’s breakup makes clear that size and brand recognition alone are not enough to ensure consistent growth—even for a company whose portfolio contains such household staples as Kraft Mac & Cheese and Heinz ketchup. While cost cutting is paramount as tariffs add millions to companies’ operating costs, CPGs must balance efficiencies with product innovation to recover some of the sales lost to private labels.
The news: Modelo Especial and Corona maker Constellation Brands cut its full-year forecast, blaming weak consumer demand in a difficult macroeconomic environment. The slowdown has been most pronounced among its core Hispanic demographic, who are cutting back on high-end beer. Our take: At the start of the year, Hispanic consumers looked like a growth engine—they accounted for one-fifth of the US population, $2.8 trillion in purchasing power, and outsize influence in categories from consumer packaged goods to food and beverage. But the Trump administration’s tariffs and mass deportations have chilled this momentum, with roughly 1 in 5 (21% of) Hispanic consumers report having felt unsafe in their local market due to their ethnicity, per The Asian American Foundation. Companies that banked heavily on Hispanic spending may now find that bet falling short.
The news: Retail pharmacy chains and some state health agencies are changing how they navigate the upcoming vaccination season amid federal health agency policy and personnel shifts. Our take: Pharmacies have an opportunity to share information at the local level to ensure consumers are kept up-to-date on new vaccine rules in their state. They should create digital FAQs, be responsive to consumer questions on social media and in stores, and provide pharmacists with the latest information on vaccine access and restrictions through frequent one-on-one sessions. Not all consumers will be pleased with their pharmacy’s changes, but transparency and being a source of reliable information will help pharmacies build trust and loyalty in the confusing vaccine climate.
The news: OpenAI is rolling out ChatGPT mental health safeguards for people in crisis and boosting protection specifically for teens with added Parental Controls. Our take: Additional AI guardrails are a positive mental health development, but tech companies should continue to develop more. Healthcare is an important emerging use case for AI, but when it comes to mental health, caution and vigilance needs to trump speed to market.
The news: Walgreens Boots Alliance will be spun out into five standalone companies following its official sale to private equity firm Sycamore Partners. The final word: Walgreens tried to become a vertically integrated healthcare conglomerate, but it picked the wrong markets to invest in. Its rival CVS bought a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) and a health insurer, both of which have contributed tremendous value to the parent company. However, Walgreens could find newfound success in retail pharmacy by positioning itself as a neighborhood drugstore destination that isn’t affiliated with unpopular PBMs and insurers while leaning into its pharmacists as highly trusted and accessible healthcare professionals.
The news: President Trump is insisting that pharma companies publicly demonstrate the success of their COVID-19 vaccines. Our take: Trump's demand should not worry vaccine makers like Pfizer and Moderna. In fact, it’s an opportunity for these companies to share evidence-based data on their products (which the FDA has likely already seen) through public channels that could force the Trump administration to acknowledge the shots’ effectiveness. At the very least, drugmakers can show consumers that they have nothing to hide when it comes to providing real-world data on COVID-19 vaccines.
Over half (54%) of US ad-supported TV viewers who paused content did so for between one and five minutes, long enough to serve a targeted ad, according to April data from Magna Global and DIRECTV Advertising.
The news: Google has cut 35% of managers overseeing small teams, part of a sweeping drive to streamline operations. The focus: fewer layers, less bureaucracy, and a leaner leadership footprint. Many managers now serve as individual contributors, per CNBC. Our take: Google’s rapid thinning of management aims to make the tech giant more nimble and cost-efficient. The realignment signals a company eager to do more with less—possibly speeding decision cycles and innovation, but also tightening access to internal advocates and resources. Leaner teams could mean faster product rollouts and ad platform tweaks—but also less support and fewer points of contact for advertisers inside Google’s vast marketing machine.
The news: Instagram’s latest updates to direct messaging could help brands and creators better organize communications, making the platform a go-to for striking brand partnerships and engaging with customers. Meta added several filtering options to Instagram, including the option to sort DMs by unread or unanswered messages as well as by the senders’ follow count and verification status. Creators can also streamline inbox management with new folders. Our take: These are more than just admin updates—they’re features that pave the way for a future where DMs are central to engagement. Investing time and resources in intentional messaging workflows can help treat DMs as a high-impact channel and a meeting point between companies and consumers.
The news: Software now eats 40% of cybersecurity spend to defend against AI-driven attacks—11 points more than personnel (29%) and nearly triple hardware (15.8%), per Forrester’s 2026 Security Budget Planning Guide. Our take: Businesses should prioritize innovation that’s harder to cut—first-party data programs, customer-centric automation, and strategic partnerships. These amplify impact and deliver growth even when budgets are tight.
The news: Online scams and internet crimes cost Americans a record $16.6 billion in 2024, per Pew Research, potentially reshaping trust in digital platforms. Almost three-quarters (73%) of US adults have experienced some type of online scam, ranging from phishing attempts and online shopping scams to credit card fraud. Most adults report getting weekly scam phone calls (68%), emails (63%) or text messages (61%) that attempt to collect their personal information. The big takeaway: To attract new customers and assuage scam-related hesitations, brands need to be proactive about trust in every digital touchpoint.
The news: Anthropic will now require Claude Free, Pro, and Max users to decide whether their conversations can be used to train its AI. The new rules take effect September 28, and business customers remain exempt, per TechCrunch. Some users on Reddit say the change is making them reconsider Anthropic, citing the five-year data retention requirement as heavy handed. Our take: Anthropic says its new policy is intended to empowering user choice, but skepticism over privacy and consent could push users to opt out or seek other alternatives. As more AI providers prioritize data access over user comfort, transparency and trust will become differentiators in a crowded field. AI’s appetite for training data is going to continue to push privacy and copyright boundaries. Anthropic’s ability to manage trust will determine whether the policy change aids or undermines adoption.