The winners and losers of Black Friday 2016

Online shopping scaled new highs, and civility plunged to new lows. Here's what you need to know.

By Jason Ankeny • Nov. 28, 2016

Why marketers must make an emotional connection in an era of discontent

As consumers retreat to opposing corners on a variety of topics, striking the right emotional tone in marketing messages may be more critical — and challenging — than ever.

By Chantal Tode • Nov. 28, 2016

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

Report: Ad targeting on mobile reaches parity with desktop

Gains in engaging specific smartphone audiences could drive higher media spending. 

By Chantal Tode • Nov. 23, 2016

Customer service chatbots: Holiday helper or nightmare 'employee'?

AI conversational tech is hyped for its potential in automating business, but experts say bots aren’t ready to act as little workshop elves just yet.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 22, 2016

Instagram Stories integrates live video

Streaming options arrive at a time when parent company Facebook is betting big on video to drive growth  

By Peter Adams • Nov. 21, 2016

Disney, The Weather Company team up for animated, hyper-local ads

The new film "Moana" is the first client for the mobile ad format.

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 21, 2016

Allrecipes, Food Network spice up holiday recipes with AI

Cooking content arrives on Amazon Alexa devices and Facebook Messenger bots.

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 21, 2016

Airbnb launches a print magazine

Hearst is helping publish the new title, which will be filled with content from hosts. 

By David Kirkpatrick , Peter Adams • Nov. 21, 2016

Cheetos releases luxury holiday catalog, opens e-store

Product offerings for the holiday season include clothing and $20,000 jewelry.

By David Kirkpatrick , Peter Adams • Nov. 21, 2016

How to target mobile moments during the holidays

With consumers experiencing up to 200 mobile moments a day, the season is full of opportunities for brands.

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 21, 2016

Facebook winds down ad serving on Atlas, will boost measurement focus

The move reduces competition for Google’s DoubleClick. 

By Chantal Tode • Nov. 18, 2016

Airbnb sets up one-stop travel shop with Trips

The home-sharing service wants to become a total travel planner. 

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 18, 2016

Wrangler composes live music partnership with Universal Music

The jean maker is bringing country tunes to its online and mobile content platform.

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 17, 2016

Report: Ad quality push fails to recognize urgent need for more systemic change

The Online Trust Alliance insists recent self-regulatory attempts are not comprehensive enough to succeed.

By Chantal Tode • Nov. 17, 2016

How third-party apps are transforming brand partnerships

Marketers thinking outside the box are turning to trendy or tech-driven mobile apps for promotions — a tactic useful for event-based moments like the holidays and beyond. 

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 17, 2016

DoubleClick's new betas address mobile, video growth

Google's ad exchange looks to take advantage of the steady trend toward smartphone dominance. 

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 16, 2016

Twitter NBA live programming nets first big advertisers

Deals with Amex and JBL Harman demonstrate the appeal of original Twitter content for brands.   

By Peter Adams • Nov. 16, 2016

Snapchat, Foursquare team up for better targeted geofilters

The video messaging app can now sell ads that hone in on hyper-specific locations.

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 16, 2016

Facebook testing multi-product retail ads in news feeds

New ad formats show the social media site taking another step toward being an all-purpose shopping platform. 

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 16, 2016

How marketers are wrapping up holiday mobile SEO

Experts offer their take on what's working for organic mobile search this holiday season.

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 16, 2016

xAD nabs WeatherBug for contextual mobile ads

The deal could increase the relevancy of engagement opportunities for brands. 

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 15, 2016

GroupM reorganizes, putting data at the core of targeting and buying

The new Platform Services practice is intended to help marketers find the right audience. 

By Chantal Tode • Nov. 15, 2016

Instagram is getting live video

After months of speculation, the platform confirms it will join parent company Facebook in offering live streaming content. 

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 14, 2016

Gmail responsive design looks cool, but content remains king for holidays

Experts say upgrades to the Gmail client aren't exactly a game changer for marketers, though they could drive creativity during the key seasonal push. 

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 14, 2016

Are Snapchat's Spectacles more than just a 'toy'?

The video-integrated sunglasses are wowing some agencies and brands but also bear the marks of a novelty item.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 14, 2016