DTC brands struggled with profitability prior to COVID-19. Now what?

While the pandemic provided some relief to high customer acquisition costs in the near term, it doesn't necessarily equal long-term profit.

By Caroline Jansen • July 6, 2020

Ads for purpose, product topped Q2's most empowering ranking

Frito-Lay and Tide generated emotional responses from viewers around when the pandemic kicked into full force, Ace Metrix found.

By Dianna Christie • July 6, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Marketing Dive

From the continued rise of artificial intelligence to the emergence of new digital channels, here's a look at key trends driving marketing in 2026.

By Marketing Dive staff

Gartner: CMOs prioritize brand strategy amid pandemic-related budget cuts

Fifty-nine percent of CMOs predict their marketing budgets will lift in 2021, an outlook Gartner warns may be too optimistic during the pandemic.

By Robert Williams • July 1, 2020

Amazon's brand value tops $400B, while TikTok debuts on top 100

Companies investing in long-term marketing are managing to survive the pandemic and still add brand value, according to the latest BrandZ rankings.

By Dianna Christie • June 30, 2020

Beverage makers disproportionately market sugary beverages to Black, Hispanic youth

Total sugary drink advertising expenditures increased 41% in 2018 as compared to 2013, according to a study from the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut.

By Dianna Christie • June 29, 2020

ANA: Marketers believe innovation drives brand growth, but many don't have time for it

While 84% of marketers expect brand growth to be connected to innovation and technology, 45% said they spend a quarter or less of their time on both.

By Dianna Christie • June 26, 2020

Brands blocking ads on Black Lives Matter-related keywords draws criticism

Content related to George Floyd and protests saw 57% lower monetization rates than other news content as advertisers avoid related keywords, according to Vice Media Group.

By Dianna Christie • June 25, 2020

Back to school? Maybe

As summer rolls on, the COVID-19 pandemic promises to interfere with one of retail's most important annual shopping seasons.

By Daphne Howland • June 24, 2020

McDonald's, P&G wade into 'danger zone' with Black Lives Matters ads, study says

Both brands created ads perceived by viewers as more exploitative than empowering, a challenge as marketers look to support the social justice movement.

By Dianna Christie • June 23, 2020

Google's 2020 ad revenue will dip 5.3% due to COVID-19, eMarketer says

The search giant has been hit by a lack of travel ads due to the pandemic, and as Amazon and Facebook continue to nab online ad sales.

By Dianna Christie • June 23, 2020

Marketers invested in digital tools were quicker to pivot when pandemic hit, study says

Looking ahead, two-thirds of marketers anticipate a move away from agency to in-house content creation and management.

By Dianna Christie • June 22, 2020

Pandemic personas include careful optimists and remiss pessimists, study says

New research outlines four persona types that reflect how different core demographics are coping and spending in the COVID-19 era.

By Dianna Christie • June 19, 2020

Female CMO salaries eclipsed men's in 2019, study finds

Compensation findings by the CMO Council may reflect the growing number of women in executive roles as companies look to diversify their leadership.

By Robert Williams • June 18, 2020

Google bans far-right site ZeroHedge from ad platform for policy violations

In a related move, The Federalist was given three days to remove violations of Google's policies, which it did.

By Robert Williams • June 17, 2020

How brands can use hyperlocal marketing to bounce back and drive revenue

Marketers must balance a "monitor and adapt" strategy with consumers' desire for normalcy as they return to business, Chatmeter CEO Collin Holmes writes.

By Collin Holmes • June 17, 2020

Pandemic's hit to ad spending could be less severe than Great Recession, GroupM says

The company projects a smaller slide this year compared to 2009, reflecting a digital resiliency that small businesses have played a potentially significant role in supporting.

By Peter Adams • June 16, 2020

The Macallan's e-commerce boutique fulfills orders from local retailers

Using Thirstie's API addresses the growing demand for online alcohol sales and same-day delivery that has become apparent during the pandemic.

By Dianna Christie • June 16, 2020

Global ad marketplace to drop 7% this year, rebound next year, Magna says

Despite the strength of digital formats, COVID-19's impact on the overall advertising industry now appears to be deeper than previously forecast.

By Dianna Christie • June 15, 2020

Disney+ surges from last to 1st place in 'most beloved brands' this spring

The new streaming platform was popular in homebound consumers' offline conversations during the early days of the pandemic, Engagement Labs found.

By Dianna Christie • June 15, 2020

2020's tumultuous first half spurs new brand safety opportunities, challenges: GroupM

A new guide is designed to help advertisers manage the complexities of brand safety amid the pandemic, tech and privacy developments.

By Dianna Christie • June 12, 2020

Kantar: Consumers want brands to take stance on social issues, but demographic divides remain

As consumers seek ways to make changes in their own lives to tackle issues including racism and climate change, many see their wallets as a way to help.

By Dianna Christie • June 11, 2020

Nielsen brings gaming, extreme reality tech to shopper marketing program for CPGs

Several new tools are designed to help marketers quickly and cost-effectively understand changing shopper needs by simulating realistic in-store actions.

By Dianna Christie • June 10, 2020

Roku teams with Kroger to integrate shopper data and streaming TV ads

The pair aim to attract CPG advertisers by combining shopper data from 60 million households with 39.8 million streaming TV accounts.

By Dianna Christie • June 9, 2020

Disney expands Luminate ad sales offering to Hulu for 1st time

At its virtual upfronts roadshow, Disney also announced it's working with Samba TV on ad performance metrics and participating in Nielsen's test of an addressable TV platform.

By Robert Williams • June 8, 2020

51% of marketing professionals expect virtual events to stick around, survey finds

New research by The 614 Group shared exclusively with Marketing Dive examines what the marketing business experience might look like post-pandemic.

By Dianna Christie • June 8, 2020