Vercara, a leader in cloud-based services that secure the online experience, has released the findings of its second-annual Consumer Trust & Risk Report. This year’s report shows a significant shift in how consumers perceive data breaches and the role they play in cybersecurity incidents. While breaches had less impact on consumer trust compared to 2023, there is a continued lack of awareness regarding the dangers posed by insider threats.

As organizations prepare for an increased volume of online shopping during the holiday season, the report offers valuable insights into consumer behavior, expectations, and the steps brands must take to protect sensitive data.

Key Findings from the 2024 Report

1. Decreased Impact of Data Breaches on Consumer Trust:

   • 58% of consumers still consider brands that experience data breaches to be untrustworthy. However, this figure represents a decrease from 62% in 2023.
   • 70% of consumers would stop shopping with a brand that suffers a security incident, highlighting the critical importance of maintaining consumer trust.
   • Generation Z is the least impacted by data breaches, while Baby Boomers are more likely to change their shopping habits in response to security issues.

2. The Unseen Threat: Insider Risks:

   • 5% of consumers associate insider threats with data breaches, despite human error being the primary cause of data loss in most cases.
   • Generation Z is the most aware of insider threats, with 36% of them citing this as a potential cause of data breaches, compared to only 5% of the broader population.
   • 30% of consumers have reported having their data exposed after shopping online, indicating a need for heightened awareness and security measures.

3. Consumers’ Role in Cybersecurity:

   • 21% of consumers reuse passwords across work and personal accounts, and 57% use their work devices for personal shopping, which increases organizational risks.
   • These behaviors underscore the need for both companies and consumers to adopt better security practices, including stronger password management and device usage protocols.

4. Trust Rebuilding Strategies for Brands:

   • To rebuild consumer trust after a breach, 44% of consumers want brands to detail the measures they will take to prevent future attacks.
   • The report also stresses the importance of proactive cybersecurity, especially during peak shopping seasons like the holidays.

Insights on Consumer Behavior and Holiday Shopping Risks

As the holiday shopping season approaches, the risks associated with consumer data exposure intensify. The report highlights that brands must take proactive steps to ensure the security of sensitive data, as only 1% of enterprises report the ability to respond extremely quickly to security incidents. This gap in preparedness presents significant risks, especially with increased consumer activity online during the holidays.

Vercara’s 2024 Consumer Trust & Risk Report paints a picture of a market where breaches are still a significant concern but their impact on consumer trust is waning, possibly due to “breach fatigue” or apathy. However, the report underscores the importance of educating consumers about the role they play in cybersecurity and the necessity for stronger internal security measures. With more consumers using work devices for personal shopping and reusing passwords, both organizations and consumers must take more responsibility in securing online interactions to avoid costly breaches.

By acting proactively, brands can ensure a safe and secure experience for their customers, particularly during the high-stakes holiday season.

Trinity Life Sciences, a leader in strategy and analytics for the life sciences sector, has introduced the Marketing Communications Insights (MarCom Insights) Center of Excellence (COE). This initiative focuses on optimizing pre- and post-launch educational and marketing materials targeted at healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients. By integrating behavioral science and artificial intelligence (AI), Trinity offers a data-driven approach to delivering personalized, precise, and effective communications across various channels.

The MarCom Insights COE aims to improve marketing communication effectiveness by testing, refining, and delivering more engaging messaging. With an emphasis on omnichannel strategies, this new COE ensures that the right message reaches the right audience, fostering improved engagement and behavior change.

Key Features and Benefits of the MarCom Insights COE

1. Agile, AI-Powered Market Research
   The COE blends behavioral science with AI technology to drive faster, more accurate insights into how messages are perceived and acted upon. By assessing messaging through AI and behavioral insights, marketing teams can adapt strategies quickly and optimize customer engagement campaigns.

2. Improved Messaging Clarity
   The COE helps brands craft concise, impactful messaging that resonates with their target audiences. By testing what works best in short-form communications and identifying behavioral triggers, brands can ensure their messaging is engaging and effective, whether for digital platforms or HCP interactions.

3. Personalization through Behavioral Science
   Behavioral science is at the core of Trinity’s approach, helping identify the subconscious factors that drive decision-making. By integrating this methodology into message testing, Trinity uncovers deeper insights that go beyond rational explanations, providing brands with a better understanding of why messages succeed or fail.

4. Omnichannel Expertise
   The MarCom Insights COE focuses on delivering communications that are tailored for multiple channels, such as digital media, sales representatives, and direct-to-patient communications. This integrated approach ensures that brands can adjust their messaging strategies based on the specific requirements of each platform.

5. Data-Driven Strategic Recommendations
   By using AI to analyze market data and behavioral science insights, Trinity enables healthcare marketing teams to make informed decisions. The insights gained can be applied across the commercial ecosystem to optimize communication strategies, ensuring a more seamless connection with audiences.

The Role of Behavioral Science in Marketing Communications

Behavioral science is a key differentiator for the MarCom Insights COE. This field focuses on understanding the unconscious factors that influence decision-making, which traditional research methods often miss. Trinity uses behavioral science to deepen its research framework, uncovering true motivators of consumer behavior and identifying which messaging elements resonate most effectively with audiences.

By embedding heuristics and biases into the research process, Trinity can deliver more authentic insights, allowing brands to connect with their target audiences on a deeper level. This approach helps refine marketing messages and strategies for greater impact and engagement.

The launch of Trinity Life Sciences’ MarCom Insights Center of Excellence (COE) marks a significant step forward in transforming healthcare marketing communications. By combining behavioral science, AI, and omnichannel expertise, the COE empowers brands to deliver more personalized, effective, and impactful messaging. This innovative approach not only enhances customer engagement but also drives behavioral change, ensuring that healthcare brands remain competitive and connected with their audiences.

With a focus on research-driven insights, Trinity’s MarCom Insights COE enables life sciences marketers to make data-backed decisions that lead to successful communication strategies and improved outcomes across the healthcare industry.

BrightEdge, the global leader in AI-driven organic search and digital marketing automation, has released its latest report on AI-driven search. The report highlights the accelerating impact of AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity, while Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) continue to evolve and dominate the search landscape. The report also emphasizes the increasing importance of adapting to AI-driven search to stay competitive in an ever-changing market.

As AI reshapes the search environment, BrightEdge’s CEO, Jim Yu, stressed the critical need for marketers and brands to understand how AI-powered search engines are changing the rules.

Key Findings from the BrightEdge Report

1. AI-First Search Engines Gaining Momentum
   The popularity of AI-first search engines is skyrocketing. In November alone, OpenAI's search engine experienced a 44% month-over-month growth in referrals, while Perplexity saw a 71% increase. The data shows a growing demand for AI-driven search experiences that provide sophisticated, personalized responses.

   ChatGPT, which launched SearchGPT in August, now commands 6 times the referral clicks compared to Perplexity. BrightEdge forecasts that ChatGPT could capture 1% of the search market by 2025, potentially generating $1.2 billion+ in revenue.

2. Google's AI Overviews (AIOs) Maintain Market Leadership
   Despite the rise of new AI search engines, Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) continue to dominate the search market. With 92.4% market share, Google’s AI-powered search engine remains unchallenged. Its AIOs are expanding globally, reaching over 1 billion users and incorporating multimodal capabilities, such as text, video, and audio content, to improve the user experience.

   The report highlights how Google’s advancements in its Gemini 2.0 engine have made AIOs more stable, with day-to-day fluctuations decreasing by 4.22%. This increased stability helps marketers refine their strategies for better content optimization.

3. Google AIOs Favor Authoritative and Technical Content
   Google’s AIOs have increasingly focused on expert sources and authoritative content. This is particularly beneficial for industries like B2B tech and healthcare, which can leverage their technical expertise to increase their visibility in AIOs. In November, the B2B tech sector saw a 32% increase in AIO presence, with keywords related to security, data, and DevOps rising in search rankings.

   Healthcare content also saw an uptick, with 15% more AIO citations for expert-driven content from medical institutions and research organizations.

4. AI-Driven Search Changes Content Strategy Landscape
   Marketers must adapt their content strategies to succeed in an AI-driven search ecosystem. BrightEdge’s AI-powered tools provide marketers with the ability to track their content’s presence in AIOs and optimize their search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. The data-driven insights from BrightEdge enable brands to enhance their AIO visibility, improve user engagement, and attract high-quality web traffic.

BrightEdge’s latest report underscores the inevitable rise of AI-driven search and the continuing evolution of Google’s AI-powered capabilities. The emergence of AI-first search engines, combined with Google’s dominant position, creates a dynamic landscape where marketers must refine their content strategies to stay relevant.

With AI's growing influence on search behavior and content consumption, the upcoming year presents significant opportunities for brands to enhance their presence in AI-driven search and AIOs. By leveraging BrightEdge's AI-powered tools, marketers can optimize their content strategies, maximize SEO performance, and ensure their brands thrive in the competitive digital space.

As 2025 approaches, the advertising landscape is rapidly evolving, driven by a confluence of technology, shifting audience behaviors, and cultural and political movements. In this context, Teads, a global media platform, introduces its Tech Themes 2025 report. This comprehensive guide highlights five major themes that will redefine how brands approach advertising in the coming year. Derived from Teads' Global Tech Themes Survey, trusted industry data, and expert insights from global media and marketing leaders, the report outlines the strategies marketers must adopt to stay ahead in this dynamic environment.

According to Natalie Bastian, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Teads, the advertising industry has already responded to the fragmented media landscape in 2024, embracing opportunities like CTV (Connected TV), AI-driven solutions, and new shoppable formats. Heading into 2025, these themes will guide brands toward delivering highly relevant and impactful customer experiences.

Key Insights from Tech Themes 2025

1. Transform Engagement Through Omnichannel Video Excellence
   Omnichannel video strategies are emerging as a critical component of successful advertising campaigns. By combining lean-back formats (like CTV) with lean-in experiences (such as mobile), brands can create cohesive, impactful storytelling that resonates across devices. Teads' omnichannel attention approach has been shown to improve video campaign performance, with 42% of media professionals citing CTV and omnichannel formats as the top advertising theme for 2025. Attention-driven strategies are expected to dominate the advertising landscape in the coming year.

2. Balance Personalization and Privacy to Drive Impact
   Privacy regulations are reshaping the digital advertising environment, pushing brands to deliver personalized experiences without compromising consumer privacy. Contextual targeting offers an effective solution by aligning ads with real-time content in a non-invasive manner. Research reveals that 1 in 3 consumers recall contextually relevant ads, and 17% are more likely to purchase from brands that use this strategy. Teads leads the charge with 80% cookieless inventory, enabling brands to scale their campaigns while ensuring privacy compliance.

3. Build Trust and Relevance in Premium Environments
   The importance of brand safety and content quality continues to grow. 70% of consumers report that the quality of content adjacent to ads directly impacts their perception of the brand. Campaigns in premium environments are shown to drive 25% higher ROI, making them essential for advertisers seeking to enhance both reach and reputation.

4. Deepen Audience Connections With Meaningful Moments
   Aligning advertising campaigns with cultural and global events—such as the Olympics or other major occasions—helps brands stay relevant and memorable. Ads tied to these meaningful moments see 25% higher engagement. By crafting campaigns that speak to consumers' emotional connections during key cultural events, brands can unlock a 15-20% ROI lift, with 33% increased purchase intent. Teads Contextual Reachcasts allow brands to engage audiences with highly relevant messaging during these pivotal moments.

5. Master Attention at Every Touchpoint With Creative Excellence
   Creative innovation is key to engaging audiences and delivering measurable results. By leveraging AI-driven tools and formats like shoppable CTV, dynamic inRead units, and AI-powered voiceovers, brands can create seamless, personalized experiences across the consumer journey. Teads empowers advertisers with cutting-edge solutions, including Personalized AI Voiceovers for customized ads across languages and AudioStack, which integrates high-quality AI-generated audio into campaigns.

The Tech Themes 2025 report from Teads outlines the strategies and technologies that will define advertising in the coming year. From omnichannel video and contextual targeting to creative excellence and leveraging cultural moments, the report emphasizes the importance of adapting to an evolving media landscape. With new tools and insights, brands can enhance their audience engagement, boost ROI, and ensure that their campaigns remain relevant and effective in an increasingly dynamic world.

By embracing these emerging trends, marketers will be better equipped to navigate the complexities of 2025 and beyond. Teads’ latest ebook offers a comprehensive roadmap for brands looking to stay ahead of the curve and capitalize on the future of advertising.

Koddi, a leader in retail and commerce media technology, has teamed up with Skai, an omnichannel advertising platform specializing in commerce media, to launch a groundbreaking demand-side integration. This collaboration is set to transform retail media by addressing challenges in a fragmented ecosystem and offering new growth opportunities for advertisers and retailers.

Key Highlights of the Partnership

1. Transforming Retail Media Landscape

• Retail Media Growth: Expected to account for 25% of all media spend by 2028.
• Challenges in Retail Media: Fragmented ecosystem with over 200 RMNs, diverse ad formats, and varying reporting standards.
• Solution Offered: A seamless integration enabling faster retailer onboarding and access to premium inventory via Skai’s platform.

2. Benefits for Advertisers

• Faster Time-to-Market: The integration streamlines the addition of new retailers to advertising programs without extra development.
• Access to Premium Inventory: Accelerates growth with unmatched speed.
• Enhanced Tools: Leverage Skai’s advanced capabilities in media planning, optimization, and measurement.

3. Benefits for Retailers

• Improved Demand Generation: Attracts advertisers through a robust demand network.
• Scalable Operations: Koddi’s infrastructure supports enterprise-level efficiency.
• Strengthened Supplier Relationships: Simplifies collaboration with advertisers to monetize media assets effectively.

4. Future-Proofing Retail Media

• Expanding Offsite Strategies: Includes connections with walled garden publishers and CTV platforms.
• Holistic Marketing Alignment: Ensures retailers’ advertising efforts integrate seamlessly with broader marketing strategies.

Leadership Insights

• Nicholas Ward, Co-Founder and President, Koddi: Emphasized how the integration empowers advertisers with advanced targeting capabilities and helps retailers monetize assets efficiently.
• Gil Sadeh, President, Skai: Highlighted the need for a unified solution that simplifies retail media buying and drives growth for both advertisers and retailers.

Koddi and Skai’s partnership represents a significant leap forward in the retail media space. By addressing critical challenges in a fragmented ecosystem and offering tools for faster growth, this collaboration empowers advertisers and retailers to thrive in the fast-evolving commerce media landscape.

Message Broadcast, a leading customer engagement software provider for the electric utility sector, has announced the appointment of Raed Adhami as its Chief Innovation Officer. In this pivotal role, Adhami will spearhead the company’s innovation strategy, focusing on enhancing its platform for customer engagement and modernizing critical workflows.

Key Highlights of Raed Adhami’s Appointment

1. A Proven Leader in Technology Innovation

• Background in Innovation: Adhami co-founded AGENT511, where he served as Chief Technology Officer, and two other successful technology companies.
• Patent Holder: Recognized for multiple groundbreaking patents in enterprise software innovation.
• Track Record: Brings extensive experience in building industry-leading platforms.

2. Vision for Enhanced Customer Engagement

• Driving Platform Development: Will lead efforts to develop a more comprehensive and differentiated customer engagement platform.
• Focus on Usability: Plans to improve usability and architecture for existing products.
• Adoption of Emerging Technologies: Aims to integrate advanced technologies for new product and feature development.

3. Alignment with Message Broadcast’s Mission

• CEO’s Perspective: Maulik Datanwala, CEO, highlighted Adhami’s entrepreneurial background and expertise, noting that his vision aligns with the company’s goal to deliver exceptional customer experiences.
• Customer-Centric Solutions: Under Adhami’s leadership, the company seeks to empower organizations to create more impactful customer engagements.

Leadership Insights

• Raed Adhami’s Commitment: “I’m honored to step into this new role during such a transformative time. I look forward to enhancing our solutions and driving strong outcomes for our customers.”

With Raed Adhami as Chief Innovation Officer, Message Broadcast is poised to continue its leadership in customer engagement innovation. His expertise and vision will play a critical role in modernizing the company’s platform and ensuring it meets the evolving needs of its customers in the electric utility industry.

Evinced, a leader in web and mobile accessibility solutions, has secured $55 million in Series C funding, bringing its total funding to $112 million. This funding round, led by Insight Partners with participation from investors like M12, Capital One Ventures, and new partner Vertex Ventures, underscores the growing importance of integrating accessibility into every stage of digital development.

Key Highlights of the Funding Announcement

1. The Growing Need for Digital Accessibility

• Regulatory Pressures: Increasing global mandates, including European requirements by June 2025 and ADA interpretations in the US, highlight the urgency of accessibility.
• Business Imperative: Accessibility is no longer optional; it’s essential for creating inclusive digital experiences.

2. Evinced’s Innovative AI-Driven Solutions

• Defect Detection & Fix Suggestions: Best-in-class tools for designers, developers, QA engineers, and managers.
• Generative AI Accessibility: Reliable, scalable, and a pioneer in replacing manual audits with automated solutions.

3. Funding Allocation for Strategic Growth

• European Expansion: Strengthening presence and customer base in Europe.
• Global Sales & Customer Success: Scaling teams to meet increasing demand.
• Generative AI R&D: Enhancing capabilities to stay at the forefront of accessibility innovation.
• New Products & Services: Meeting evolving market needs with cutting-edge solutions.

4. Evinced’s Rapid Adoption and Market Impact

• Trusted by major players:
  • Financial institutions managing $26 trillion in assets.
  • Five of the ten largest media companies in the US and UK.
  • Leading B2B SaaS, healthcare, and retail enterprises.

Leadership Insights

• Navin Thadani, CEO and Co-Founder, Evinced:
  • Highlighted accessibility as a "business imperative" and shared plans to expand in Europe while advancing generative AI capabilities.
• Michael Yamnitsky, Managing Director, Insight Partners:
  • Praised Evinced's AI-driven approach for replacing tedious manual audits and embedding accessibility into the software development lifecycle.

Evinced’s $55 million Series C funding is a testament to its leadership in digital accessibility. By expanding its global reach, advancing AI solutions, and meeting increasing regulatory demands, Evinced is set to redefine how companies create inclusive and accessible digital experiences at scale.

Anoki AI, a trailblazer in AI solutions for Connected TV (CTV), has announced the appointment of Abbey Thomas as its Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). With over 20 years of experience in CTV and video advertising, Thomas’s addition comes at a time of rapid growth for the company, which has been doubling its revenue quarter-over-quarter since its inception earlier this year.

1. Abbey Thomas's Industry Expertise:

• Thomas has a rich history of scaling advanced TV advertising platforms.
• As Chief Revenue Officer at OpenAP, she established a robust revenue practice, resulting in over $1 billion in total platform sales.
• Her previous roles include Chief Marketing Officer at Tremor Video and leadership positions at Entertainment Weekly and MTV.

2. Vision for Anoki AI:

• Thomas is enthusiastic about joining Anoki AI during a transformative period in the CTV industry.
• She highlights Anoki AI's unique multimodal approach that addresses challenges like content discovery and advertiser transparency.
• The company’s technology focuses on hyper-personalized viewer experiences using scene-level metadata, eliminating the need for personal identifiable information (PII).

3. Leadership Endorsement:

• Raghu Kodige, Co-Founder and CEO of Anoki AI, praised Thomas’s strategic expertise, calling her the ideal leader to scale the company's commercial operations.
• Her skills in building partnerships and driving platform adoption are expected to accelerate the company’s global expansion.

4. Momentum for Anoki AI:

• The company has gained traction through strategic alliances, including a groundbreaking partnership with Amagi.
• It has secured major advertisers across industries like CPG, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and entertainment.
• Partnerships with premium content providers such as Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and PBS strengthen Anoki AI’s position as an innovator in content discovery and advertising effectiveness.

Abbey Thomas’s appointment signifies Anoki AI’s commitment to scaling operations and revolutionizing the CTV industry. With innovative AI-powered solutions, strategic partnerships, and a growing list of major advertisers, Anoki AI is set to redefine content discovery and advertising effectiveness in the streaming ecosystem.