In today’s episode, we talk about how to be both a product-led organization and a customer-centric one, what fintechs are doing that keeps them closer to customers, and how banks can rethink the customer journey around financial life stages. Join the discussion with host and Head of Business Development Rob Rubin, Analyst Lauren Ashcraft, and Principal Analyst Tiffani Montez.
The No. 1 change B2B tech buyers want is pricing transparency from vendors, as cited by 45% worldwide, per January data from TrustRadius.
A large majority of US consumers are somewhat (26%), very (32%), or extremely (34%) concerned about AI spreading misinformation, according to an August 2024 survey from the Pew Research Center.
Even though most retail dollars are spent in physical stores, experts say retail media dollars have been slow to meet those consumers
The news: A CBS investigation discovered hundreds of deepfake ads on Meta platforms promoting “nudify” apps that create sexually explicit content based on images of real people. The analysis of Meta’s ad library found at minimum hundreds of deepfake ads across Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Facebook Messenger, and Meta Audience Network. Our take: The rise of deepfakes on major platforms like Meta emphasizes AI’s potential to erode consumer trust and raise brand safety risks—forcing advertisers to navigate a growing gap between innovation and lagging safeguards.
The news: Walmart rolled out Sparky, its generative AI (genAI) assistant, to all Walmart app users this week—a preliminary step that puts it closer to achieving its agentic ambitions. Our take: By broadening Sparky’s capabilities, Walmart is trying to position itself not only as a shopping destination, but also as a place where consumers can go when they need everyday life advice or information—such as how to fix a leaky faucet or help with event planning. Whether the retailer succeeds will depend on how well Sparky works, and whether it can convince shoppers to overcome their current skepticism of AI tools.
The US-China trade war drives Shein to diversify its sourcing: Shein and Reliance Retail plan to start international sales of India-made Shein-branded clothes within six to 12 months.
The news: Cannes Lions 2025 kicks off June 16, with media companies and platforms turning the festival into a proving ground for brand innovation. Spotify is merging live acts like Cardi B with audiobook tastings and celebrity panels, while Canva hosts CMO roundtables alongside design influencers. Google, Uber, and Influential are anchoring talks on TV, sports, and creator-driven engagement—with yacht-side podcasts and fundraising activations adding a new layer of purpose. Our take: This year’s Cannes isn’t about opulence—it’s about ownership. Brands that bring substance, not just spectacle, will emerge with more than headlines—they’ll leave with lasting partnerships and fresh strategic playbooks.
The news: Mark Read will exit as CEO of WPP at the end of 2025, concluding a three-decade run shaped by AI investment and structural overhauls. While Read launched tools like WPP Open and pushed to streamline operations, the company still posted a 1% organic revenue decline in 2024 and hit a four-year stock price low. Our take: Read’s departure marks a critical inflection point for WPP and the broader agency model. With 56.1% of agency leaders naming inefficiency as their top issue, the next CEO will need to go beyond tech implementation and deliver meaningful workflow clarity and cost discipline—fast.
Back-to-school sales will decelerate this year: Mounting macroeconomic pressures are prompting retailers to kick off promotions earlier and encouraging consumers to buy now rather than later.