WJR Business Beat

The list highlights, purpose-driven startups and tech companies that create consistently positive employee experiences through strong leadership, thoughtful policies, and genuine care for people. The companies on the list provide workplaces where values show up in day-to-day decisions. Employees feel supported and included. And flexibility, wellbeing and growth are treated as essentials, not extras. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A new study from Tabula makes it clear AI generated ads during the Super Bowl broadcast performed at the same level as those created by humans. AI generated ads in some cases were deemed even more effective than ads created by actual human designers according to the study which was done by researchers from Columbia and Harvard universities. How did AI compete so effectively? One key factor was that they did it by appearing more human, by including certain trust signals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Brands are a lot like people nowadays, they all have personalities. We talk about them, and there's a variety of different factors that make brands appealing to different generations of consumers, and that level of appeal can change quickly. When it comes to brand momentum the more established your brand is and the more trusted that is, the more brand equity your brand has the less difficult it is to achieve positive brand momentum while the less likely it is to experience random negative momentum. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Threads is part of the Meta family of platforms, the app benefits from being constantly promoted across Facebook and Instagram, along with a strong focus on creators and a steady rollout of new features such as communities, direct messages, long form posts, and experimental tools like games. It's time to add threads to the list of social media platforms you simply must establish a presence on. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The biggest challenge in video production isn't in the production process itself it's in the creative process, the ideation. 63% site coming up with ideas as their top obstacle, and that's an area where AI tools are proving especially useful. AI is also helping marketers save time in editing and in finding relevant content. It's also being used heavily when it comes to writing scripts. Now, despite widespread adoption, marketers overwhelmingly agree on one thing. AI should assist, not replace, human creativity and nearly all emphasize the importance of maintaining creative control and brand integrity 90% say it's essential. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As tracking and retargeting become more complex, the opt-in stands out as one of the few moments when a brand can earn a direct relationship with permission. Signups are the first signal that someone is willing to engage, and what a brand does in that moment sets expectations for everything that comes next. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Consumers indicated that in most cases, influencer content serves as a trigger that sends shoppers into the research mode to do a deeper investigation. That leads to them getting on that purchase journey. Within that consumers check reviews, compare prices, and look for confirmation elsewhere before opening their wallets. It all starts with the influence made by an influencer. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What are we buying for Valentine's Day? Chocolate and candles are the most popular gifts, 59% of people say that's what they're buying. Followed by 36% focusing their spend on restaurants and bar experiences. 33% are buying gift cards. 31% are purchasing clothing and accessories. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The MCSB is launching Michigan's next big idea pitch competition, and they're looking for innovative, high-potential companies to take the stage at the MCSB summit for a shot at a $10,000 prize and statewide visibility. To apply, go to Michigancelebrates.org. You'll need to complete an application online and provide certain key business documents as the application process takes about 30 minutes to complete. Applications close February 27th Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What's the biggest driver of sales on the platform? It's price. Price is more important than influencer culture when it comes to driving sales in the TikTok shop, the data shows that over half of TikTok shoppers are primarily motivated by discounts. Now of those making purchases from the shop, two in five spent less than $50 and just 2% reported spending more than 500. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Local broadcasting supports approximately 2.46 million jobs nationwide. Including about 909,000 jobs in radio alone. The study identified some $1.19 trillion in gross domestic product from local broadcasting, including approximately $437 billion from radio. In total, radio and TV stations directly employ approximately 310,000 Americans and generate around $54 billion in GDP through journalism, programming, engineering, and advertising, advertising on local TV and radio stations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Email newsletters is just so effective, simple, and relatively low cost to execute, so the process is basically plug and play and email marketing and newsletter tools are also abundant. And the most powerful aspect of it is that customers opt in, they enter into a value exchange in which they are giving you permission to contact them. So you can do just that. They wanna hear from you because they are interested in what it is that you sell. One tip that enhances email usage across all types of usage. Well, that's personalization. Personalization is key. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

E-commerce purchases across all channels in the United States increased significantly in 2025, rising by 147% year over year. The top 5% of brands generated 54% of that total growth. Gains were concentrated among a relatively small group of higher-performing businesses rather than the increase being uniform across a broader set of brands, in which everyone in the space saw some meaningful level of increase. Why?Shoppers engaged with marketing less often, but bought more when they did. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As podcasts rapidly gain traction with global audiences, brands and platforms that embrace the medium's immersive shareable format stand to benefit from deeper engagement, stronger communities, and expanded monetization opportunities. The biggest change to the podcasting sector is the move from pure audio content to podcasts using the video format. Deloitte forecasts that an increasing share of popular podcasts will offer video, and consumers will gravitate toward platforms that support robust video experiences. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Annual Freelancer Economic Impact Report was recently released by Fiverr International Limited, the company behind the popular Freelance Finder app, known as Fiverr. The report was based on data from millions of tax returns and non employer statistics compiled by the US Census Bureau. The report, estimates the size, growth and earnings of the independent professional workforce in various top markets in the US, which has an estimated 6.9 million independent professionals and nearly 4 million freelancers concentrated in the top 30 US cities, and that's an annual increase of 4.3%. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

National Federation of Independent Business Bureau reports that in December, a seasonally adjusted net 31% of small businesses reports raising compensation. That's up five points from November and a seasonally adjusted net 24% plan to raise compensation in the next three months even further, and that's unchanged from November. Moreover, the latest report from the NFIB also finds that US small companies continue to report more job openings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

70% saying loyalty programs help manage their costs and the power of a good loyalty program goes even further as loyalty perks can inspire a shift in dining choices by consumers with 25% saying that they would switch to a less preferred restaurant for better loyalty perks with 50% comparing loyalty offers before deciding where to eat. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

85% say they saw clear speed improvements from AI in customer service. According to the survey, nearly one third said benefits from AI include 24 7 support availability, and 20% said AI support was faster than waiting for a human. Now while most of the feedback was positive, consumers also made clear though that they do not desire AI to replace human interactions such as support services. 54% of respondents say humans provided better customer service compared to just 11% who say AI provided better support. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A UGC gaming report, examining brand presence on popular sandbox platform, Roblox, and other user generated content gaming platforms like Fortnite. The report highlights how 2025 was a banner year for brand engagement on Roblox. With now more than 210 brands present on the platform, according to Game FAMs Report, gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences spend more time on Roblox and Fortnite than they do on social media, including 39% more time on TikTok and YouTube. Toys, media and entertainment brands were particularly active on Fortnite and Roblox, comprising around half of brand activations in 2025, according to the report. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

November 2nd to December 12th, that according to data just released by Adobe and in the critical seven days following Cyber week, returns fell by a 10th of a percent. It's not clear exactly why returns are down. Some believe that consumer use of AI to guide much of their shopping this year has helped streamline the process and the purchase selections as well. Which means, of course, that items are kept more likely rather than returned. Other studies have shown that consumers are simply spending more carefully this year because they're concerned about the economy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AAA is projecting that just over 8 million people will fly, while 110 million people will be driving. This year. Close to 5 million people will take other forms of travel, like buses or trains, during the holiday period. And of course, we know one traveler will be taking to the skies in his own unique form of travel. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While Gen Z loves shopping at brick and mortar stores, they still demand shopping experiences that reflect their digital-first mindset, even when shopping in a store that provides them with an effortless and convenient experience. And retailers that align with these expectations, we'll define the next era of commerce. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Brands need to understand their consumers and their different segments that exist within their diverse target audiences and ensure that they are meeting them where they are with regard to their own individual economic conditions. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The options for gift cards can be limitless, but most shoppers say they'll pick up a restaurant or bank issued, or even department store gift card as a primary choice. So look, if you haven't purchased a gift for that, hard to shop for someone on your list this season, go with a gift card. And if you're a retailer who wants to not miss any opportunity to make a sale. Make sure you offer gift cards in order to get a piece of one of the hottest selling gifts this season. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Marketers and media agencies continue to significantly overestimate audience shares to Pandora and Spotify, while massively underestimating AM/FMs. Audience Advertiser Perceptions August, 2025 study of more than 300 agencies and marketers found that AM/FMs perceived audience daily share was just 26% versus the actual 64%. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The power of influencers and creators today is now proven to be traditional advertising, messaging, and calls to action in driving sales. Particularly those from Gen Z shoppers. It's no surprise these days that social media platform shops are selling so effectively. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What's the key to increased sales in spite of all the challenges? It's AI, having a huge impact on consumer shopping. As reported by Reuters, the data shows that AI powered shopping tools help drive a surge in US online spending on Black Friday, in particular as shoppers bypass, crowded stores, and turn to chatbots to compare prices and secure discounts amid concerns about tariff driven price hikes. AI driven traffic to US retail sites soared 805% compared to last year. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Demographics continue to shape platform preferences. Women are more likely than men to use Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok while men report higher usage of Reddit and X. Age differences are significant as well when it comes to defining platform preferences. Nearly half of adults ages 18 to 29 use TikTok daily compared with 5% of those 65 and older daily. YouTube use is also highest among youngest adults. While Facebook sees its strongest daily engagement across those ages 30 to 64. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

National Retail Federation reports that a record 202.9 million people shopped between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday this year, easily topping last year's 197 million, and beating the national retail federation's forecast by about 16 million people. This keeps sales growth projections on track for a 3.7. To 4.2% increase over the 2024 numbers totaling overall spend at over $1 trillion for the first time ever. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What are the hottest sectors based on wage growth for young workers as we head into 2026? Healthcare jobs are the most in demand roles with rising pay for young workers. Glassdoor lead researcher Chris Martin, told CNBC make it another hot sector. Private education jobs. Overall healthcare, along with those private education jobs have propped up the economy for some time. They make up about 17% of the jobs nationally, but accounted for 56% of job growth between July, 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Consumer Predictions for 2025 Holiday Shopping Season Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While the actual overall savings on the Thanksgiving dinner might amount to just a few dollars, the reality is that the psychology behind knowing that you are buying this year's dinner for less is something that just really feels good, especially amidst all the other rising prices we're experiencing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chief Marketing Officer at Constant Contact noted that small businesses are under pressure to deliver positive marketing results, but feel they are doing more without getting more in return. They're working harder than ever, but without the time, expertise, or data to guide them, many are still guessing about what will resonate with their customers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Influencer marketing is a form of social media marketing involving endorsements and product placement from influencers, individuals, and organizations who have expert level of knowledge or social influence in their field. Influencers are those that can affect the buying habits of potential buyers by uploading some form of original content to social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok, for example. The use of influencers to drive important marketing outcomes will continue to grow in 2026 as 67% of marketers indicate that they're planning to boost their influencer budgets with brand awareness being the primary benefit and measure of success from those campaigns. Now, one of the most impactful factors underlying the success of influencer marketing is that consumers say that relatable content drives their purchasing behaviors. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In order to be competitive in courting businesses to locate in the state of Michigan as opposed to other states, something critical to our state's economy. Of course, one of the major factors is how Michigan ranks versus the others with respect to how taxation impacts both residents personally as well as at the business level. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One of the biggest industry sectors in the advertising business is the auto industry and new data provides insight into just what the auto industry is up to with their advertising spend these days. Where are they spending their ad dollars? What can we learn from the data? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Want to keep from getting replaced at your job by AI? Well, to do that, remember that AI can't replace creativity, and that may be the biggest differentiator when it comes to whether or not your job's really in jeopardy. No one knows that more acutely today than chief marketing officers CMOs, who are hoping to keep their jobs rather than lose them to AI. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As consumers across the economy segments of the population are increasingly dealing with tighter financial conditions, and while that's certainly true for federal workers, for example, and people dependent on food assistance from the federal government, the reality is that it's also now likely increasingly true for middle income Americans as well, and that is certainly impacting how we feel as consumers these days. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Morning Consult is out with their annual report on the fastest growing brands 2025. DoorDash topped the list of fastest growing brands with a 6.39 percentage point increase in purchasing consideration from Q1 to Q3 of this year. In part by growing its consumer base among Gen X, baby boomers and middle income households. The delivery service ranked number one with men and consumers from households with annual incomes between $50,000 and $100,000, and while first overall, it was the second fastest growing brand with boomers and came in six with Gen X. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mascots are proving to have high value at little cost when it comes to establishing brand traction. How about all the insurance brands clearly benefiting from having a brand mascot like Liberty Mutual's, limu, imu, and Doug, which dominated in ad breakthrough messaging and branding in a market cast study. While All State, Mayhem, ranked first in likability and memorability, Progressives, Flo, excelled in message recall. While Geico's Gecko has maintained a 94% recognition rate and is a driving force in Geico becoming a leading US insurer. Research from Ipso shows that ads with brand characters perform six times better on brand recall than ads without double the attention of celebrity ambassadors. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Elizabeth Renter, senior Economist at Consumer Finance site, NerdWallet, has this to say about the survey's results and about how Americans are feeling these days. As consumers across the economy segments of the population are increasingly dealing with tighter financial conditions, and while that's certainly true for federal workers, for example, and people dependent on food assistance from the federal government, the reality is that it's also now likely increasingly true. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What is amazingly working for many brands these days? Getting a mascot. That's right, a mascot. Duolingo's Unhinged Owl has 16.8 million TikTok followers and turns language into a social phenomenon without spending a dollar on traditional advertising and it's not an unusual one-off outcome. Mascots are proving to have high value at little cost when it comes to establishing brand traction. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you're a retailer, make sure you're optimizing for discovery, not only for traditional search, and for AI search optimization as well. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Marketers often idealize loyalty as a form of emotional devotion, but research shows it's driven by far more practical factors, like providing that level of convenience, product performance, and situational needs. Says Nick Chidiac, chief Strategy Officer at Razorfish. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Millennials and Gen Z shoppers are leading the way in using AI to support their shopping this holiday season with 44% of millennials and 42% of Gen Z respondents saying they are likely to use chatbots and other AI tools for holiday purchase inspiration That compared to 23% of the overall population. How are they using AI? 72% said they plan to use AI for gift discovery ideas, followed by price comparison, then receiving product recommendations, meal ideas, and even clothing suggestions for holiday events. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Gen Xers appreciate product and services that enhance convenience. For example, 80% use self-checkout kiosks regularly, and two thirds rely on mobile apps and social platforms to discover and purchase products. Now we tend to view apps and social media as platforms, as those utilized by younger demographics, but as a result, this very powerful purchasing demo can easily be overlooked and beyond running ads on social media to push product discovery. 92% of Gen Xers use social media daily. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A holy grail in business is to secure repeat business from loyal customers. And while nearly two thirds of marketers still believe that brand love motivates these repeat purchases, the reality is that more pragmatic considerations, like convenience for example, has a bigger impact on driving those repeat purchases. Marketers often idealize loyalty as a form of emotional devotion, but research shows it's driven by far more practical factors, like providing that level of convenience, product performance, and situational needs. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The small business holiday Outlook study says this, 77% of small business owners are confident that they will meet their targets this year and that certainly welcome news given all the economic challenges both consumers and retailers are facing these days. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Consumers born between 1965 - 1980 generate the highest revenue per shopper across almost every category at just 19% of the US population. They drive 31% of all in-store and online spending. Gen Xers appreciate product and services that enhance convenience for example, 80% use self-checkout kiosks regularly, and 2/3 rely on mobile apps and social platforms to discover and purchase products. 92% of Gen Xers use social media daily. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Report from Constant Contact: The small business holiday Outlook study says this, 77% of small business owners are confident that they will meet their targets this year and certainly welcome news given all the economic challenges both consumers and retailers are facing these days. The report cites that 60% of small business owners attribute half of their annual sales to this period, and a third of retailers feel the highest revenue pressure of the year during Q4. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Shoppers won't just be chasing discounts this year. They're making strategic financial decisions with respect to their purchases. Even though many Americans are facing higher living costs, credit card debt, and tighter budgets, they're choosing to lean into sales this year, in particular, black Friday and Cyber Monday, as the best time to make their money go further. What's driving the spend this year? Predictably, 68% say it's discounts as their main priority. Free shipping also influences 52% of shoppers. What will we be shopping for? 53% of us will be looking for clothing and accessories. 47% for tech and electronics, 33% for toys and games, 28% beauty and self-care, and 24% home decor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.