From the percentage of consumers who don’t trust influencer marketing to the projected size of the plant-based protein market, these are the data points we’re paying attention to right now.
37.9 million
The number of AI chatbot traffic referrals that YouTube received in May — more than Facebook, Wikipedia, Reddit and GitHub combined — per Similarweb’s latest data report.
26%
The share of U.S. consumers who say they don’t trust influencer advertising, according to new polling from the Better Business Bureau’s National Advertising Division. This compares to just 11% who say they don’t trust general advertising, per to the survey’s findings.
5
The number of major class-action lawsuits targeting influencer marketing practices so far this year, seeking more than $1 billion in combined damages, per the Morgan Lewis law firm. All these suits involve influencers who allegedly violated FTC endorsement rules and, crucially, list the affiliated brand as a co-defendant.
$34.97 billion
The projected market size for plant-based protein by 2030, according to new estimates from MarketsandMarkets. That represents substantial growth from this year’s estimated figure of $23.89 billion, though the potential impacts from regulations targeting “processed foods” — a term without consensus definition that sometimes includes meat alternatives — remain to be seen.
69.4%
The share of retail and e-commerce customer registration attempts that meet the criteria for fraud, per new data analysis from the cybersecurity firm Okta. This far outpaces the average across other industries (44.5%), a delta the study’s authors say might be attributable to signup incentives and loyalty programs, which appear to increase bot attacks and malicious activity.
4
The number of months it took to create and launch Heinz Mustaaaaaard, according to the brand. The rollout for this limited-edition honey chipotle condiment includes a multichannel campaign featuring hip-hop sensation Mustard, the producer behind Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which swept the Grammys earlier this year.
$74.99
The price of a “Flagg Day” t-shirt at NewBalance.com. The crewneck initiates a blockbuster partnership between the brand, which is known for its restrained approach to endorsements, and basketball star Cooper Flagg, the first overall pick in last week’s NBA Draft. (This feature story from The Athletic, detailing how New Balance pitched and secured the deal, serves as a compelling case study for brands engaged in the sports marketing space.)
108
The number of publications that received screener links to preview the fourth season of FX’s buzzy dramedy “The Bear,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. The unconventional rollout for the new season included a critical embargo that lifted 6 hours and 15 minutes (season four’s total runtime) after it dropped on Hulu — meaning that fans could theoretically binge all 10 episodes before encountering reviews from those publications.
48%
The share of people working in the creative industry — per a poll of 300 people employed in advertising, marketing, public relations or media — who identify as neurodivergent, per new research by the nonprofit Understood in partnership with the American Association of Advertising Agencies and Havas. The study concludes that most neurotypical creatives feel workplace processes tend to overvalue speed and undervalue original thought.
$20 million
The 2024 revenue attributed to Kodak’s brand licensing department — an increase of 35% from five years ago, when the company created a dedicated in-house branding division — as The New York Times reports. The company, long synonymous with analog film photography, is enjoying a renaissance through merchandising — particularly overseas, where it’s opened hundreds of retail stores and consigned its iconic logo for everything from apparel to luggage to paint.
