Disney

What Gen Z Wants From Brands Amid Self-Management

An Ad Age opinion piece by Reid Litman argues that to remain relevant with Gen Z, brands should build ecosystems — experiences, communities, rituals and moments — that help this cohort manage constant self-management pressures. The article highlights Gen Z tensions such as financial anxiety, large shopping habits, and simultaneous AI adoption and distrust, and suggests brands should design offerings people genuinely want to join. The piece appears on Ad Age (Crain Communications) and was published on August 6, 2026.

MLS Appoints Larry Berg as Next Commissioner

Major League Soccer announced Larry Berg, longtime LAFC co-managing owner, will become the league’s next commissioner on January 1, 2027, with current commissioner Don Garber moving into the role of chairman. Berg inherits a critical upcoming media-rights decision: what follows MLS’s Apple TV agreement when it expires after the 2028–29 season (shortened to 2029). Reports suggest MLS could target $400M–$500M annually in the next cycle, up from the Apple deal that was valued at roughly $2.5 billion over 10 years (~$250M/year). Berg’s LAFC experience — including a 2018 local-broadcast partnership with YouTube TV — gives him exposure to streaming-first distribution as the league evaluates options ranging from continued streaming focus to hybrid or broader traditional-TV distribution.

Prime Video Germany Loses Third Senior Executive in Nine Months

Prime Video's German operation has seen three senior departures within nine months, raising questions about the service's future local strategy. Country Manager Christoph Schneider left amid Amazon's re-centralization, Head of German Originals Philip Pratt has departed earlier, and Andreas Hartmann — Head of Content for the German-speaking region — confirmed he left last week. The article notes Prime Video had moved toward a more mainstream slate and established partnerships and measurement practices in Germany, but the loss of familiar contacts and the absence of named replacements create uncertainty for coproductions, licensing and programming decisions going forward.