As digital avenues have become more popular among today’s consumers (and as a result among marketers and advertisers), an interesting trend has emerged over the last few years. Direct mail – flyers, coupons, postcards, catalogs, etc. – has seen a resurgence in its effectiveness and its ability to connect brands with consumers, grab their attention, and drive purchases and engagements. Recent research has shown that consumers are engaging with direct mail marketing materials at much higher rates than with digital marketing assets, and that those engagements are leading to higher response rates and purchases. Mail catalogs in particular have seen a huge boost in their overall response rate, reportedly increasing by 170% from 2004 to 2018 according to the Association of National Advertisers. And rather surprisingly, mail catalogs seem to be popular with Millennials despite their digital upbringings. Perhaps it’s because there were nearly 294 billion emails sent per day in 2019, with that number projected to steadily grow over the next several years. Or maybe it’s because consumers are starting to feel a little creeped out by the hyper-personalized digital ads they’re receiving as they visit their favorite websites and social media platforms. Regardless of why consumers continue to embrace physical catalogs, (digital fatigue, privacy concerns, nostalgia, or something else entirely), an increasing number of retailers are taking notice and taking action.

The next wave of AI is moving beyond the screen and into the physical world, onto factory floors, into warehouses, and on roads. Physical AI is one of the fastest-growing frontiers in technology, and the companies building it need infrastructure that can keep up. Unlike traditional AI, which processes data and generates text on screens, physical AI enables machines to perceive, understand, and act in the real world. Where conventional machines follow fixed instructions and repeat the same task regardless of what's happening around them, physically intelligent machines sense their environment, reason using cloud-trained AI models, and adapt in real time. “Physical AI is going to touch every industry that moves, builds, or makes things, and our customers are moving fast to capture that opportunity,” said Uwem Ukpong, vice president, AWS Industries.

From gold cans in India and Spain to a new, global visual strategy, Coke ends its 2026 World Cup festivities another year, and millions of cans, wiser. Coca-Cola Company has had a busy year, from its global FIFA World Cup 2026 support to promotions during and since the event. These include its FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola, which includes 75 stops in 30 countries and a dizzying number of product and packaging promotions. Coke's latest packaging promo news its “Own a Piece of History” campaign, which began this month and features limited-edition gold-colored cans to celebrate the end of its Trophy Tour and Spain’s trophy win. The cans bear images of the tournament trophy and the date of Spain’s 2026 World Cup victory.