ClickZ Digital Ad Platform Newsletter | Shoptalk in Five Headlines 🖐️

Editor’s Pick 🌟

📣 Shoptalk in Five Headlines

From marketplace breakthroughs to AI-driven growth, this year’s Shoptalk brought bold predictions and big product reveals. Here are five key headlines shaping the future of retail and eCommerce:

🧠 AI Moves From Buzzword to Bottom Line
Whether driving smarter search or streamlining supply chains, AI was everywhere—and brands are getting serious about turning innovation into efficiency.

📈 Fospha Launches Halo to Measure DTC’s Impact on Amazon
At Shoptalk, Fospha announced the release of its Halo measurement product, bridging the gap between DTC and marketplace attribution. For the first time, marketers can accurately measure the halo effect of their DTC ads on Amazon sales—unlocking new ways to optimize full-funnel performance.

🛍️ Ulta’s Digital Transformation Is Just Getting Started
Ulta Beauty revealed plans to launch a new marketplace and double down on personalization, backed by Adobe and powered by first-party data from its 44M+ loyalty members.

💎 Pandora Reinvents Modern Luxury
From lab-grown diamonds to in-store storytelling, Pandora is redefining what “premium” means—shifting focus from status to personal meaning.

🌐 Marketplace Momentum Is Rewriting the Growth Playbook
From Walmart to Wayfair to startups, everyone’s betting big on marketplaces to drive assortment expansion, experimentation, and new revenue streams.

Expert View 🧠

Recession-Proofing Your Ad Strategy: What Smart Marketers Are Doing Differently

Economic headwinds aren’t new—but how brands respond to them is evolving fast. As recession forecasts grow louder, the instinct to cut ad budgets resurfaces. But marketers who treat uncertainty as a signal—not a setback—are finding smarter, more strategic ways to optimize spend.

The latest CNBC Fed Survey puts recession odds at 36%, up from 23%. For marketers, that’s not just a stat—it’s a cue to get more precise. The era of blanket cuts is over. What works now is dynamic budget allocation, creative efficiency, and platforms that reward real-time learning.

The strongest performers don’t just “spend smarter”—they think in scenarios. Walmart, anticipating shifts in consumer priorities, doubled down on essential categories while maintaining high-visibility media buys. Delta Air Lines, facing softening demand, adjusted marketing forecasts without fully retreating—knowing brand presence is critical for recovery curves.

So what can marketers actually do?

First, reframe AI as more than targeting. Use it to test creative variations at scale, identify high-ROI placements faster, and segment audiences by behavior shifts—not just demographics. Platforms like Meta and Google reward speed and adaptability, but only if you feed them good signals.

Second, move beyond channel loyalty. Diversification isn’t just a hedge—it’s a growth lever. If you’ve leaned heavily on Meta, test Pinterest or CTV. If Amazon ROAS is flat, explore retail media networks where competition is lower but intent is high.

And most importantly, tie ad spend to business outcomes, not platform metrics. The brands that win in downturns are the ones that treat media budgets like strategic capital—not just line items.

Uncertainty isn’t going away. But marketers who stay agile, data-driven, and customer-focused won’t just survive it—they’ll outperform it.

Sector Spotlight 🎥

DIGITAL MEDIA TRENDS

2025 Digital Media Trends: Social Platforms are Becoming a Dominant Force in Media and Entertainment

As social platforms emerge as dominant players in media and entertainment, traditional studios face the challenge of evolving their business models to maintain market relevance. With platforms like TikTok and YouTube capturing significant ad spend by leveraging sophisticated ad tech and AI, studios must adapt by integrating similar technologies and forming strategic partnerships. This disruption calls for a re-evaluation of content distribution and revenue strategies to harness the shifting landscape of viewer engagement and advertiser preferences.

In an era of content diversity and audience fragmentation, studios need to focus on delivering premium experiences at competitive pricing. By embracing innovations such as bundling and advanced ad-supported tiers, they can attract and retain subscribers while curbing rising production costs. Aligning with social media's data-driven personalization can provide a competitive edge, helping to engage audiences more effectively. Aspiring for a balanced approach between traditional storytelling and dynamic, social-driven content remains a strategic imperative for sustained relevance in this rapidly evolving market.

DIGITAL GAMING INFLUENCE

How Digital Gaming Platforms Are Influencing Market Trends in 2025 and Beyond

Digital gaming platforms have evolved beyond mere entertainment, emerging as influential forces reshaping consumer preferences and brand strategies globally. With a projected 3.09 billion gamers by 2025, these platforms serve as multifunctional ecosystems that merge gaming, eCommerce, and social media, driving consumer engagement and marketplace dynamics. Notably, the monetization strategies involving in-game purchases, subscriptions, and digital storefronts underscore their role in redefining revenue models across industries.

Strategically, gaming platforms such as Fortnite and Roblox demonstrate the potential for cross-sector collaborations, particularly in digital goods and branded events. They also pave the way for innovative advertising and marketing strategies as brands target younger demographics in immersive environments. Moreover, the growth of eSports and the rise of virtual communities highlight the platforms' impact on social interactions and consumer behavior. As these digital ecosystems continue to innovate through advanced technologies like VR and AI, businesses are presented with vast opportunities to leverage this transformative medium for future market engagement.

MARKETING STRATEGY

Ad Platforms: Should You Or Shouldn’t You Take Their Recommendations?

Strategically, while automated ad recommendations from platforms offer speed, they often lack the nuanced understanding of business-specific needs that experienced marketers possess. Automated suggestions, although data-driven, risk misalignment with best practices and may inadvertently increase costs without delivering proportional benefits. A human touch remains essential, ensuring recommendations align with strategic, long-term goals rather than immediate spending increases.

Marketers are urged to exercise discernment, integrating automated insights with their expertise to maintain optimal control over campaigns. By balancing these recommendations with seasoned insights, marketers can better navigate the complex landscape of paid media, ensuring that their investments drive meaningful outcomes. Ultimately, blending technological advancements with human judgment emerges as the most effective approach to leveraging ad platforms in an era driven by both human expertise and machine efficiency.

AD-SUPPORTED STREAMING

Ad-Supported Streaming Gains Popularity as Gen Z and Millennials Engage

INTERACTIVE GAMING FORMATS

Samsung Launches GameBreaks Turning CTV Ads Into Interactive Experiences

Samsung Ads introduces GameBreaks on Samsung TV Plus—integrating interactive mini-games into traditional ad slots, allowing advertisers in the U.S. and Canada to enhance viewer engagement and brand recall. This format, debuting with the popular trivia game The Six, demonstrated a significant uplift in brand recall and user preference compared to standard video ads. The introduction of GameBreaks represents an advantageous opportunity for marketing professionals to finetune messaging through interactive experiences, ultimately boosting KPIs in connected TV environments.

Influencer Corner 📢

Optimization Hub ⚙️

MARKETING STRATEGIES

Optimize April Marketing for Increased Conversions Through Storytelling and Personalization

April marketing optimizes SMS and email strategies to enhance conversion rates with targeted campaigns around holidays like April Fools, Easter, and Earth Day. Personalized customer experiences and storytelling cultivate loyalty, as AI-driven insights suggest engagement opportunities. Marketers are urged to continuously test and refine messaging.

AI SHOPPING INNOVATIONS

Amazon Launches AI-Powered Interests For Enhanced Personalized Shopping Experience

Amazon's new AI-powered Interests feature allows select U.S. customers to receive personalized product updates tailored to their preferences, showcasing a shift towards proactive interactions. Using large language models, it promises a more efficient shopping experience by continuously scanning for relevant products and deals. This initiative highlights an evolving landscape where AI tools streamline consumer engagement, offering marketers insights into enhancing customer personalization.

RETAIL MEDIA EXPANSION

Retail Media Networks Enhance Offerings to Capture Advertisers' Interests

Best Buy, Instacart, and DoorDash are enhancing their Retail Media Networks to attract advertisers seeking transparency and accountability. Best Buy utilizes first-party data for targeting on social platforms, Instacart offers in-store advertising through Caper Carts, and DoorDash introduces post-purchase ads and sponsored placements. These developments highlight the shifting priorities in retail media, emphasizing the growing importance of integrated advertising solutions across digital and physical channels for marketing professionals.

Your Say 🙋🏽‍♀️