American Express’ total revenues increased 11% in Q3 2025, per its earnings release. Increased card member spending, higher net interest income, revolving loan balances, and card fees supported growth, the company said. The uptick in dining indicates that even the wealthy are looking to pull back on bigger indulgences like vacation and looking for more local opportunities to splurge. To make up for lost travel volume, issuers should encourage spending on fine dining with exclusive dining pop-ups and experiences through their dining apps, focusing on local vendors—similar to Square’s Neighborhoods’ launch, but elevated.

This sponsored article by TransUnion® will explore why marketers’ trust in measurement is plateauing.

Retailers expect 15.8% of annual sales, or about $849.9 billion, to be returned this year, a slight drop from 16.9% in 2024, according to a new report from the National Retail Federation and Happy Returns. The shift suggests stricter return policies, such as charging fees, are discouraging some returns but also risking customer loyalty. With most shoppers prioritizing free and flexible return options, retailers are expanding in-store, QR-based, and “no box, no label” methods to boost convenience. Balancing return costs with shopper expectations remains key to maintaining satisfaction and long-term loyalty.

Twitch introduced livestream shopping ads powered by Amazon’s advertising platform. The ad launch reflects the burgeoning popularity of livestream commerce, which despite being slow to take off in the US is now gaining traction thanks to TikTok, a booming collectibles market, and the rise of “shoppertainment.” Amazon is betting that an easier path to purchase will encourage more viewers to pull the trigger on products they discover via livestreams. However, a successful live shopping strategy requires thinking about the channel less as an avenue for direct conversions and more as an opportunity to engage potential customers and build lasting relationships.

Twilio’s new tools solve a major marketing bottleneck: unreliable customer data signals. Its update turns Twilio Segment into a real-time control tower by giving marketers and engineers a shared view of what’s working and what’s broken across the customer journey, per MarTech. Marketers don’t need more data—they need usable data. Twilio’s tools clean the pipes and light up dashboards, turning signal chaos into signal clarity while giving brands the confidence and autonomy to act without second-guessing. Brands that delay addressing unreliable signals risk falling behind as data blind spots widen and personalization breaks down.

The connected car is shifting from a tech talking point to a marketing one as in-car entertainment becomes the next attention battleground for advertisers. Nearly two-thirds (63%) want infotainment systems to give them personalized recommendations based on listening behavior, and 67% want those systems to organize content seamlessly. A brief window exists before in-car ecosystems mature and become harder to penetrate. Marketers should act now by experimenting with partnerships, designing “car-first” experiences, establishing a cross-device identity, and investing in personalization.

WhatsApp is tackling spam with a message-capping feature that limits how many messages users and businesses can send without getting a reply from the recipient. When a user nears the limit, which hasn’t been defined yet, they’ll get a pop-up warning to help them avoid being blocked from sending messages, per TechCrunch. Brands need to segment audiences more carefully and measure message quality, not just output volume. To maintain trust, companies should streamline their communication, focus on relevance, and avoid messaging fatigue to talk less and connect more.

Citi’s Strata Elite rollout has been pockmarked by poor customer service, per a report by The Wall Street Journal. Amex’s Platinum and Chase’s Sapphire Reserve products look increasingly desirable as competitors fumble their entrance into the premium space. To win over former Strata Elite cardholders, Amex and Chase should advertise their card portfolios’ solid customer service performance records in combination with their impressive reward packages. In addition, both issuers should highlight their cards’ travel rewards compatible with flying American Airlines. Former Citi cardholders may have joined specifically for AA frequent flier benefits, making travel rewards preferences critical for those members who might switch to a new product.

EMD Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, reached a drug pricing deal with the Trump administration that will lower the cost of the company’s fertility treatments in exchange for tariff reprieve and expedited regulatory review of a product being brought to the US. Pharma’s pricing agreements with the government suggest they were far more worried about tariffs on US drug imports than they admitted in earnings calls or media interviews. Large drugmakers that are thinking through their own versions of deals will need to weigh their proposed product discounts against tariff exposure if they choose not to comply with the administration.

While many Amazon Big Deal Days shoppers sought savings on essentials, nearly one in three participated “just for fun,” per a new CivicScience survey. About 41% planned purchases in advance, while 38% made impulse buys, showing a mix of deliberate and spontaneous shopping. Despite signs the event may have underperformed, it still offered strategic value by driving engagement, boosting retail media investment, and generating incremental sales. Retailers can build on this momentum by personalizing offers, sustaining engagement post-event, and using campaign data to refine future promotions and deepen shopper loyalty.

Despite audience preference for relevant advertisements, users across age groups maintain a generally negative sentiment toward ad personalization, per a Verve study—representing a unique challenge for advertisers. Marketers must understand the factors that make consumers more receptive to personalized ads and adapt accordingly.

Americans’ trust in federal health agencies and political leaders continues to erode, but while many are confused about what to believe, they still want clearer guidance, per the latest Axios/Ipsos American Health Index. Federal agency staffing cuts, shifting vaccine guidance, and the glut of social media health information have fragmented Americans’ health trust. But trust hasn’t completely disappeared; it’s just gone local. Consumers still believe their doctors and families, creating an opening for healthcare and pharma brands to deliver clear, credible information through those trusted messengers.

Out-of-home (OOH) advertising is regaining cultural and commercial relevance as digital environments grow more synthetic and less trusted. OAAA’s Anna Bager and Vistar Media’s Lucy Markowitz told EMARKETER that OOH’s greatest advantage is its permanence—it’s “literally there.” As misinformation and algorithmic fatigue reshape consumer behavior, physical media has become a trust signal that can’t be faked or filtered. Modern OOH blends this credibility with interactivity, using 3D creative, AI-assisted design, and viral social moments to amplify campaigns beyond the street. For marketers, OOH isn’t just awareness—it’s proof of authenticity in an era of artificial everything.

Corporate dredit quality is causing investor consternation even as bankers overall appear optimistic. While risks to the economy abound, very few headlines reflect it. Faint echoes of the 2023 banking crisis—in which contagion was narrowly averted and economic cataclysm prevented—do nothing to calm investors’ nerves. Pockets of consumer worry haven’t metastasized, and there’s been no clear sign of a commercial credit meltdown. But bankers should follow the undercurrents in anticipation of the next crisis, even while the economy appears “fine.” The 2023 regional banking crisis seemingly came from out of nowhere, even though the signs were there. The subsequent need for the government’s emergency actions as well as frantic mergers among regional banks show how shaky the foundation can be.

Apple TV and NBCUniversal’s Peacock are partnering to offer a streaming bundle for $15 per month starting Monday. The new bundle provides potential for advertisers who have been hesitant to invest in Apple TV and Peacock respectively because of a lack of proven results.

BMO announced that it would sell 138 branches—nearly all in the Mountain West and Midwest—to First Citizens Bank. The sales includes about $5.7 billion in deposits and about $1.1 billion in loans. Customers still value branches: 55% of respondents to EMARKETER’s US Banking Consumer Habits survey said “branches near me” ultimately led them to purchase banking products or services. While digital services enable national reach with little additional cost, physical connection with consumers and small-business customers is crucial. And for banks scaling to the degree that they offer commercial banking services to corporate customers, an in-person presence is mandatory.

Nearly half (46.9%) of US brand and agency marketers plan to invest in marketing mix modeling (MMM) over the next 12 months, according to July data from TransUnion and EMARKETER.

As the oldest members of Gen Alpha prepare to turn 16 next year, they have more purchasing power than ever before. For retailers, that means the race is on to understand how to connect with a generation that is not only digitally native but has grown up with an expectation for an active, back-and-forth relationship with brands.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how digital has changed in 2025: why the digital ad triopoly (Google, Meta, and Amazon) are losing influence, how YouTube is still under valued, how AI search behavior is changing, and more. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, VP of Global Content Operations, Eleni Digalaki, and Principal Analyst, Yory Wurmser. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

AI will soon redefine how people find information. As search engines and generative AI engines converge, the next wave of discovery is emerging—and marketers who invest in AI optimization now will secure an early advantage.