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SEPTEMBER 21, 2026 |
EMARKETER is fielding this survey to better understand how marketers address audience and identity. The survey should take no more than 5 minutes to complete. By participating in our survey, you have the chance to win one of five $100 gift cards. |
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In this edition: |
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TOP STORY |
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AI enters the $1.4 trillion holiday season as a coin flip for retailers. It can help shoppers find perfect gifts, or it can make comparison shopping so easy that margins collapse even further. The same tools that promise to reduce returns and improve personalization can create new friction points during retail's most critical season. |
"AI is becoming such a big part in the discovery process that it's gotta be part of your plan. And if it's not part of your plan, then I think you're gonna miss out," said our analyst Arielle Feger on
a recent episode of "Reimagining Retail." |
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IN THE NEWS |
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Challenger sportswear brands gain instant credibility by luring superstar athletes. Struggling sportswear brands like Nike and Under Armour face another challenge as upstarts target their marquee athletes with deals that offer them a bigger role in shaping the brand and entering new categories. |
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Airlines cut flights as higher fuel costs squeeze margins. Airlines are responding to the fuel spike by pulling back on capacity to protect margins. |
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Food safety concerns outlast the cyclospora outbreak at Taco Bell. Traffic to Taco Bell had yet to recover as the cyclospora outbreak came to an end. Same-store traffic between July 6 and September 11 declined 12.2% YoY, per emailed Placer.ai data. |
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ANALYSIS |
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Three of the least likely scenarios in social media would also be the most disruptive: a regulatory ban on addictive feed design, a Facebook revival, and an AI chatbot building a $100 billion ad business. None of them is likely. Each one exposes a tension already at work, from how regulators treat engagement mechanics to how much advertising a chatbot can actually carry. |
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QUIZ |
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What percentage of US restaurants have seen an increase in takeout/delivery sales compared to 2024? |
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A) 51% B) 61% C) 71% D) 81% |
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