Overview

• Cannes Lions has introduced a dedicated retail media subcategory in its Media and Creative Commerce awards to reflect the rise of commerce-driven advertising.
• The pending Omnicom-IPG merger would create the world’s largest ad holding company as traditional agencies navigate leadership exits, consolidation and a drop in the big six’s U.S. market share from 40% in 2015 to 30%.
• Agencies and brands are racing to integrate AI tools into creative production and media planning amid ongoing economic uncertainty and tighter marketing budgets.
• Influencer marketing is projected to grow 36% to $33 billion in 2025, and Unilever plans to hire twenty times more creators to advance a social-first strategy.
• Spending on commerce websites, apps and in-store displays is forecast to overtake linear TV ad spend by 2026 as advertisers shift toward more targeted digital channels.