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Whatnot raises $265M amid TikTok ban fears: ByteDance pushes Lemon8, but the US-based livestream shipping platform gains investor confidence and market traction.

The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Big Show closed earlier this week, bringing together retailers, tech companies, and industry experts to discuss the future of retail. Key takeaways included Gen Z’s influence on shopping, which will last even if TikTok goes away, the accelerating trend cycle, hesitation to adopt new payment technologies, and the transformation of digital grocery. Here are four takeaways from the event.

This year's Sundance Film Festival featured Creator Day, a full day of programming dedicated to the creator economy and innovations in branded content. The unique event, crafted by Sundance's BrandStorytelling and sponsored by YouTube, aimed to highlight the creator industry’s development beyond sales-driven social posts into long-term brand partnerships.

With Flashes and a video app in the works, Bluesky is positioning itself as the go-to alternative for users abandoning Meta’s ad-heavy platforms.

On today’s podcast, we discuss the Ä¢¹½AV report, 9 Pivotal Shifts in AI, Regulation, and Advertising That Will Change the Business Landscape. Our analysts will compete in the Great Behind The Numbers Take Off – Top Trends edition, borrowing from the television show, The Great British Bake Off. In the Take Off, we will talk in-depth about how retail media, social and AI will undercut traditional search and will governments protect children from digital ad giants. Listen to the conversation with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf, and Analyst Bill Fisher. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Brands can’t run ads within DMs, but they’re getting close, and TikTok is experimenting with conversational ads.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how DeepSeek pulled the rug from under the established AI giants, how it stacks up against other chatbot models, and why it has changed the AI conversation moving forward. Tune in to the conversation with Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Analyst Grace Harmon, and Senior Analyst Gadjo Sevilla. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Spotify and UMG expand their partnership: Companies offer new subscription tiers, premium content bundles, and artist-first royalty reforms.