Studies have found brands that are intentional about inclusivity and representation can serve the needs of historically underrecognized communities and tap new avenues of business growth. Recent efforts by Mattel's Barbie, Rhianna's Savage X Fenty and Fenty Beauty and Victoria's Secret are spotlighted here.

A letter from 200-plus civil advocacy groups urged leaders of Google, Meta, Reddit, YouTube, TikTok, X and other top technology and social media companies to help clamp down on AI-driven misinformation on their platforms. The organizations requested that the companies identify AI-generated political content and ban deepfakes in political ads, and they encouraged transparent reporting of AI use and content moderation.

New social platform LyraK plans to offer the real-time news and journalism content of what the former Twitter offered while integrating features from the fediverse. The platform will run ads and give creators half the revenue, offer AI tools and provide insights about users via reputation scores.

Made-for-advertising sites get 15% of automated ad spending, the Association of National Advertisers reports, and the organization's study in June found that they're unproductive marketing outlets. The ANA advises brands to pick between 75 and 100 partners that they trust and to be wary of unusually cheap inventory.

In the increasingly polarized political environment, chief marketing officers are walking on pins and needles for concepts like brand purpose, investment in environmental, social and governance and diversity, though executives at the CMO Network Summit stress those initiatives are still ongoing. As businesses' connections with social causes face increased scrutiny, executives say they need to find common or higher ground with consumers to achieve their goals.

This February, 68% of non-secondhand social commerce happened on TikTok Shop, eMarketer reports. Odds of making a purchase go up more than three times for members of Generation Z and existing customers conduct 81% of the platform's shopping.

LinkedIn engagement has risen 44% since last year, Socialinsider reported in March, and both polls and videos can enhance it. PR Daily Editor Allison Carter cautions companies to mix in thought leadership pieces and other audience-specific content rather than depending on the platform's algorithm.

Advertisers need to invest in authentic outreach to members of the Latino community and "#StopLatinoCoating," warns a campaign from the Hispanic Marketing Council, with ads telling marketers "Don't kiss your career goodbye." The HMC provides advice on connecting with the $3.2 trillion market and notes the importance of Latino advisors and campaign members.

As routine tasks are increasingly automated by generative AI, companies are shifting their focus in terms of staffing requirements, training and upskilling, experts say. Improving soft skills and learning to use AI "will empower people to thrive in new hybrid roles, ensuring both the human and technical aspects of work complement and enhance each other," says Pragashini Fox, Thomson Reuters' head of talent and diversity.