It’s Monday.
→ CMOs are doubling down on sports sponsorships — but 76% say they can’t prove ROI. To fix that, brands like Mobil1 are using Amazon and retail media data to tie brand campaigns to bottom-line impact.
ChatGPT is becoming a storefront
OpenAI is quietly testing native checkout in ChatGPT, letting users buy directly from the chat. Brands fulfill orders, and OpenAI takes a cut.
This flips ChatGPT from a discovery tool into a full-blown sales channel. And it raises some big questions:
→ Who gets surfaced in product recs?
→ Will top spots go to the highest bidder?
→ What kind of copy converts inside a chatbot?
Smaller brands are already adapting — rewriting product pages to be more conversational, testing formats, and surfacing sizing info beyond charts. Others are nervous: “I can’t compete with Amazon,” said one founder.
The big shift: you’re not just optimizing for Google anymore. You’re writing for LLMs. Product pages are becoming prompt responses. And your brand voice might be what tips a sale in — or out — of your favor.
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TikTok search ads are quietly scaling
TikTok is building out its search ad team with 120+ roles and a new GTM lead. One year in, the push to turn search into a core ad product is gaining traction.
Tinuiti says 50% of their clients now use TikTok search. Basis Tech saw 25% more clicks and 38% better CPCs in one campaign when pairing traffic and conversion formats.
Why it matters: TikTok search is starting to eat into mid-funnel budget — sometimes even impacting Google performance when cut. It’s not plug-and-play, and results are mixed. But with Gen Z treating TikTok like a search engine, it’s quickly becoming part of the performance mix.
TalkShopLive adds booze to the cart
Livestream platform TalkShopLive just unlocked alcohol sales — becoming the first in North America to legally support real-time purchases of wine, beer, and spirits.
It’s a bold bet: Pair a celeb (like Kevin Hart or Martha Stewart) with their brand, stream it live, and let viewers buy instantly — all without leaving the video.
Why it works:
→ Fans pay 73% more on average for celeb-backed spirits
→ Livestreaming gives DTC alcohol brands a way around traditional retail
→ TalkShopLive built a full compliance system — covering ID checks at checkout and delivery
Sales of alcohol are dropping, especially with Gen Z. But tying storytelling to checkouts could be the content-commerce unlock this category needs.
