What to Expect in 2026: The Year Without a Marketing Playbook

Consumer Behavior is Changing — Shoppers Are Smarter, More Active, and More Digital

BNPL spending is surging this holiday season, and the big-box retailer is installing an Anthropologie shop inside its headquarters.

The ads and stories that sparked the biggest reactions this year

Special Investigation Series Deep Dive — The Data Behind BNPL Debt

The "Buy Now, Pay Later" Trap Turning America's "Smart Shoppers" Into Debt Creators

Headlines that shaped the industry—from AI upheaval to platform wars, agency shakeups, and the brands that fumbled the bag in 2025.

The Generation “On the Fence” Became Retail’s Power Player

The Emotional Drivers Behind the Holiday Spending Surge, And the Retail Reality Coming Next

The thrill of Black Friday is gone. This year, shoppers aren't chasing deals; they're defending their wallets.

AI Isn’t Search. And Retailers Still Don’t Get the Difference.

Why TV Still Works: Marketers Are Misreading the Most Powerful, Evolved Media Channel

As prices rise and confidence falls, shoppers are trading excitement for strategy—protecting budgets instead of chasing deals.

As users seek sleep, pain, and stress relief, brands selling “vibes” are missing the truth.

Americans are replacing therapy with self-built mental health systems—apps, activism, and spirituality—reshaping how a generation defines and treats wellness

As layoff fears surge, Sooth’s ELI shows most workers are frozen in fear—while a rising few turn to entrepreneurship for security

The gap between what cannabis consumers feel and what brands keep saying has become a significant growth problem for the industry.

What will determine who wins in the fast-food market?

Ian Bear explains why marketing must lead with empathy, not just data.

A new, agentic AI chatbot is helping advertisers find actionable, targeted audiences on connected TV (CTV) within minutes

Rising prices and tariffs are transforming coffee from a daily comfort into a measure of control and consumer confidence.

Awards feel great. But if your campaigns don’t drive sales, you’re targeting judges—not customers.

With 95% of artificial intelligence pilots failing, new playbooks are emerging

Not taking a side is still taking a side.

Reach is vanity. Relevance is profit.

ELI's analysis reveals the advanced user behaviors and trends that will drive TikTok's next stage of growth in the U.S.

Sooth finds that politics, sports, and saturation are rewriting streaming’s future

Targeting without intent signals is the costliest decision you can make.

As subscription fatigue peaks and churn becomes the norm, Sooth’s ELI reveals the seven emotional mindsets redefining how — and why — America streams.

84% of brand sharing happens in private. Not in likes. Not in comments. In texts, DMs, WhatsApp groups, and emails.

Sooth’s ELI shows how emotion—not just economics—is reshaping back-to-school spending and redefining what “prepared” means for parents.

Most brands waste 75% of their influencer budget on creators who don't actually influence.

Engagement is a vanity metric. Conversions from hidden social are 3–4x higher than public engagement.

84% of social media conversations about your brand happen where you can’t see them.

Sooth’s ELI reveals six emotional mindsets redefining DIY — where comfort, creativity, and convenience now drive remodeling more than price or product.

How the restaurant chain mishandled the narrative around their design change

Outrage might grab headlines, but it rarely drives growth.

As younger adults drink less, Sooth's ELI reveals how emotion and identity are reshaping the $300B alcohol market and defining the next era of moderation.

Leaders who recognize the shift from an innovation agenda to one driven by emotionally intelligent leadership and decision-making will define the next generation of business success.

Can smart casting and emotional storytelling make luggage aspirational?

Valuing the 93% of buyer data that is emotionally driven will redefine your marketing advantage

Content Misfires Burn Budgets

Most brands are wasting up to 80% of their marketing budget — and don’t even know where it’s going

Misleading metrics are killing good strategy.

Consumers aren't as pleased with Southwest's newest changes as the company thinks they are

Every single brand is underperforming because Signal Waste is sabotaging all aspects of modern marketing

If you’re still relying on what people were, not what they need, your strategy is stuck in the past.

Despite fears that micro-influencers are losing their charm, their ability to drive ROI remains strong if brands are willing to adapt.

Figure out what else your customer is considering — or keep losing them without knowing why.

Southwest Airlines celebrated the change in their key perks — how do customers feel?

Stay up to date with the most recent marketing technologies, including Sooth's ELI

Whether you’re a CMO, strategist, media buyer, or creative leader, this talk will reframe how you define value, measure clarity, and evaluate performance in a post-precision world.

Gain valuable insights regarding brands and marketing from Sooth found Ian Baer

The collapse of a market-leading brand stems from decisions made in the dark, without emotional clarity

Is short term revenue strategies worth the risk of losing brand trust?

Sooth is among the most recent media tech news

Emotional connection isn’t fluff

emotional drivers — not data points — fuel consumer decisions

Sooth's ELI among the top AI developments in marketing

A Proprietary AI System That Decodes Human Behavior and Purchasing Decisions, ELI Directs Brands on Who to Prioritize, What to Say and Where to Invest

A Proprietary AI System That Decodes Human Behavior and Purchasing Decisions, Eli Directs Brands on Who to Prioritize, What to Say, and Where to Invest

With a looming shift in pharma advertising regulations, social media is looked at as the possible solution

It’s not a creative problem. It’s a targeting problem.

It’s time to stop targeting what’s easy, and start connecting with what actually drives decisions.

Most brands are flying blind—guessing, assuming, hoping

There are two very different approaches among consumers who are leveraging debt to navigate today's economic reality

How to predict consumer behavior the right way

Shopping experiences has evolved from brick-and-mortar to 'clicks-and-mortar'

Capstone Network hospitals and health organizations—past and present—are now equipped with a new AI-driven tool from marketing insights leader Sooth

Hear more about our predictive intelligence firm's data-driven approach to emotional insights

Hyper-personalization can increase ROI 8x and create 60% more conversions

How an unexpected partnership is redefining men's grooming

Empathy is the solution to todays evolved marketing landscape

Establishing consumer trust on social media is difficult, especially when misinformation makes people skeptical of brands.

Marketing isn't just data—it's emotion. Ian Baer reveals how empathy-driven insights can double your ROI

57% of customers are less loyal than in 2020. Loyalty programs aren’t saving them. It’s time to rethink what brand loyalty really means

Stop marketing to stereotypes. Learn why brands must ditch generational labels and embrace data-driven personalization to better engage today’s diverse consumers

H&M's White Lotus collab shows fashion's new power move: partnering with hit TV shows to drive sales and cultural buzz

93% of behavior is driven by real-life needs—yet most brands ignore it. That’s how budgets get wasted and customers walk away

Pharma’s trust problem is growing. Ian Baer explains why patients trust influencers over brands—and how “dark social” could be the fix

TikTok’s back—but it’s not the whole game. To reach Gen Z and drive ROI, brands need to look beyond the algorithm and into real communities

Pharma's trust crisis deepens as AI, misinformation, and politics fuel social media skepticism. Ian Baer reveals how to rebuild credibility

Misinformation and AI-generated content are eroding trust in pharma marketing. Discover how companies can rebuild credibility in the digital age

A Bold and Playful Twist on Valentine’s Day Gifting

Discover which Super Bowl 2025 ads scored big with audiences and why, featuring top brands like Stella Artois, GoDaddy, and Nerds

Pharma's trust crisis deepens as AI, misinformation, and politics fuel social media skepticism. Ian Baer reveals how to rebuild credibility

Pharma's trust crisis deepens as AI, misinformation, and politics fuel social media skepticism. Ian Baer reveals how to rebuild credibility

Ian Baer applauds OpenAI’s Super Bowl spot for making AI feel accessible—proving that demystifying tech is key to winning average Joes

Super Bowl ads cost more than ever—but the real impact starts after the 30 seconds. Pair it with second-screen strategy to drive ROI

Super Bowl ads cost $8M, but without emotional connection and second-screen engagement, brands risk losing ROI to competitors

Ian Baer joins BeanCast 769 to unpack AI's role in marketing, shifting consumer behaviors, and the future of brand trust

Advertisers brace for a potential TikTok ban, seeking alternatives while hoping for a political solution to keep the platform active in the US

AI won’t save your brand. Smart strategy will. See what actually separates leaders from the pack.

Post-election, consumers crave authenticity over ads. Is your brand keeping up or stuck in the past?

Brand loyalty isn't what it used to be. Ian Baer of Sooth unpacks how shifting consumer behaviors and fragmented media are reshaping loyalty in today's market

Dunkin and Sabrina Carpenter shake things up with a cheeky espresso ad that proves Gen Z still loves a good laugh—with their caffeine

Ian Baer reveals how Gen Z is reshaping pharma—from brand trust to M&A decisions

Most purchases, whether by consumers or companies, are driven by emotion and impulse—not logic—making emotional clarity essential to effective marketing