Gen Z wants fun, exciting ads amid pandemic boredom, survey says

Signs of "coronavirus fatigue" suggest marketers can change the tone of their ads to more traditional content that's still mindful of public health concerns.

By Robert Williams • May 5, 2020

Clorox refreshes ad strategy with digital media shift, $50M budget increase

The company said it will be "very bullish" with its ad spend as it looks to hold onto new customers trialing its products during the pandemic.

By Dianna Christie • May 5, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Consumer Packaged Goods

If CPGs can adeptly adjust to emerging mandates, they have an opportunity to strengthen their brands.  

By Marketing Dive staff

Q1 growth in digital ad spend masks negative effect of pandemic

The quarter was mostly strong until the coronavirus pandemic pushed marketers to cut or halt spending in March, according to marketing firm Merkle.

By Robert Williams • May 4, 2020

Ads around COVID-19 work better within news media, study finds

The type of programming in which ads from Amazon, Ford and Domino's appeared impacted the performance for their pandemic-related messaging.

By Dianna Christie • May 4, 2020

Amazon's ad business a 'mixed bag' as Q1 sales soar, profits tumble

Growth for its advertising business was consistent with the previous quarter, but the coronavirus pandemic led to some advertisers pulling back and downward pressure on prices.

By Daphne Howland • May 1, 2020

Shoppers prefer brands over private labels in current economic slowdown, study says

Private labels often get a boost during belt-tightening periods, but that doesn't appear to be the case for many categories as the pandemic impacts spending.

By Dianna Christie • May 1, 2020

Top brands may lose $400B in value during pandemic

Apparel, airline, bank and hotel brands may lose 20% of their value, while e-commerce, media and telecom categories have a chance to make gains.

By Robert Williams • April 30, 2020

Local ad revenue forecast contracts 10.6% due to coronavirus, study says

While the pandemic's impact dings every channel, online ad spend largely driven by SMBs is particularly hard hit as local shops close their doors.

By Dianna Christie • April 28, 2020

Soul of discretion: What's selling in the COVID-19 pandemic?

After stocking up on essentials, consumers have begun targeted discretionary spending. What have they deemed worth buying during a quarantine?

By Lara Ewen • April 27, 2020

Coronavirus reshapes consumer habits, creating 4 new segments, report finds

Marketers would do well to note the shift, as 42% of people say they will fundamentally change how they shop.

By Peter Adams • April 23, 2020

Amazon adds Qualtrics CX features for enterprise customers

The new instant customer feedback services show how Amazon is ramping up offerings that can help marketers drive loyalty and growth beyond ads.

By Robert Williams • April 22, 2020

Marketing M&A stalls as pandemic disrupts deal-making

While a rebound in H2 is possible, deals have mostly come to a halt except for ad tech, location data and potential bargain buys.

By Robert Williams • April 21, 2020

How social conversations are changing due to COVID-19

Consumers have adapted quickly to the impact of COVID-19 on their normal day-to-day activities, and many of those changes will likely stick around long after this pandemic is behind us.

By Sarah Hughes, Product Marketing Manager, Inmar • April 21, 2020

EMarketer: Digital video ad spending up in the air, could slide 5.2% in Q2

The category is still better insulated than others from the pandemic, as it's frequently looked to for brand-building efforts.

By Peter Adams • April 20, 2020

P&G boosts marketing as US sales surge amid pandemic

U.S. sales soared as shoppers stocked their pantries with toilet paper, laundry detergent and cough medicine.

By Robert Williams • April 20, 2020

Recent CTV ad fraud scheme could be biggest ever

At its peak, the Icebucket bot network impersonated more than 2 million people and generated 1.9 billion ad requests.

By Robert Williams • April 17, 2020

The tricky business of retail marketing in a pandemic

Even with most transactions frozen, this can be a good time to talk to customers, experts say. But retailers need to send the right message.

By Daphne Howland • April 16, 2020

Measure twice, cut what?

Downturns don't always doom your bottom line. Building strong measurement strategies through data can help you base decisions on adjusting spend while helping your company adapt and thrive, writes Analytic Partners' Nancy Smith.

By Nancy Smith • April 16, 2020

Direct publishers hit harder by coronavirus than programmatic specialists, study finds

Even as news consumption soars, 77% of publishers report clients have asked to cancel campaigns, delivering a blow to revenue.

By Peter Adams • April 15, 2020

Marketers predict pandemic will slow ad spend into 2021, study says

Most advertisers said they're focusing on coronavirus-related reasons — over economic- and industry-related ones — to know when to resume ad spending.

By Robert Williams • April 14, 2020

Why CPG marketers can't afford to go dark despite coronavirus risks

Sales for the category remain strong, but marketers must rethink their strategies now to sustain momentum through a recession and adjust to altered shopper habits.

By Peter Adams • April 14, 2020

Verizon, Honda, Anheuser-Busch have most empowering COVID-19 ads, study says

Among the spots reviewed, 73% had measurable impact around empowerment. Pre-pandemic, just 12.5% of ads typically achieved any empowerment score.

By Dianna Christie • April 14, 2020

During pandemic, consumers prioritize product availability over brand loyalty

With less choice on the shelves, American consumers are opting to try new brands of the same product rather than look elsewhere, studies from Shopkick and BlueYonder found.

By Jessi Devenyns • April 14, 2020

Search ad spending could plunge 29% in Q2 as marketers turn taps off

Typically safe during a recession, the channel faces distinct challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic, eMarketer found.

By Peter Adams • April 13, 2020

Teen spending hits lowest point in nearly a decade as coronavirus concerns grow

Categories like cosmetics experienced a blow from Gen Zers this spring, while some food and apparel brands fortified their lead, Piper Sandler found. 

By Peter Adams • April 8, 2020