HONG KONG, July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Taboola (NASDAQ: TBLA) today announced deepened partnerships with OPPO and its subsidiary realme, two of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world.

Since 2023, OPPO and realme have chosen Taboola News to power recommendations on millions of mobile devices globally across the United Kingdom, Philippines, Singapore, Argentina and more. With today’s news, Taboola expands its work with these leading device manufacturers, expanding Taboola News to millions of additional devices across India and Thailand.

OPPO and realme will continue to integrate Taboola recommendations into the lockscreen of its smartphones, providing users a positive user experience with its devices and offering quality content from publishers that keep users engaged.

Taboola News brings recommendations from Taboola’s large publisher network directly into offerings from mobile carriers and device manufacturers, including smartphone screens and web browsers.

Taboola News creates new opportunities for engagement and revenue for mobile carriers, device manufacturers, publishers, and brands. Carriers and manufacturers use Taboola News to deliver personalized, relevant content to their users from Taboola’s global network of publishers, while tapping into new revenue streams. Publishers receive increased user traffic at no additional cost and advertisers have more opportunities to tap into Taboola’s massive reader scale to reach the right audiences.

“OPPO and realme have always been at the forefront of delivering great experiences for their customers and Taboola News is part of that effort,” said Adam Singolda, CEO at Taboola. “During our longstanding partnership, we have seen their commitment to innovation. We are pleased to see Taboola News play a role in giving their smartphone users more access to relevant content, now in millions of additional devices worldwide.”

“Our focus continues to be on providing users with experiences that provide value to users,” said Tank Zeng, Director of OPPO Overseas Business. “We have benefitted from Taboola News because it taps into Taboola’s long history of providing access to trusted publishers all around the world. With our deepened partners, we are excited to take this ability even further.”

About OPPO
OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone – “Smiley Face” – in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO also provides its users with ColorOS operating system and internet services. OPPO has footprints in more than 70 countries and regions, with more than 40,000 employees dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.

About Taboola 

Taboola empowers businesses to grow through performance advertising technology that goes beyond search and social and delivers measurable outcomes at scale.

Taboola works with thousands of businesses who advertise directly on Realize, Taboola’s powerful ad platform, reaching approximately 600M daily active users across some of the best publishers in the world. Publishers like NBC News, Yahoo, and OEMs such as Samsung, Xiaomi and others use Taboola’s technology to grow audience and revenue, enabling Realize to offer unique data, specialized algorithms, and unmatched scale.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/oppo-and-realme-extend-and-expand-partnership-with-taboola-bringing-taboola-news-to-millions-more-smartphones-globally-302820952.html

SOURCE Taboola

SEATTLE, July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — One in four consumers purchased beauty or cosmetics during Amazon Prime Day 2026, and most of them compared prices with Walmart. Market Defense’s Annual “THE BEAUTY POWER PLAYERS: Amazon Prime Day June 2026 Report” uncovers what drove shoppers to Amazon’s earliest Prime Day in five years, and how strategic deal shopping reshaped how beauty brands competed for the cart.

“Prime Day 2026 had a clear message for the beauty industry: shoppers arrive knowing exactly what they want — and increasingly, what they want is prestige. The Power Players this year rewrote the rules — prestige won big, with Armani Beauty claiming the top fragrance spot and Tarte unseating Maybelline in makeup. K-beauty dominated skin care, with medicube commanding nearly 16% share.  This report gives you the power players, the category shifts, and the moves behind the brands that made Prime Day their biggest moment of the year.” —Vanessa Kuykendall, Chief Engagement Officer, Market Defense

A record event, with a new rhythm

This year, Prime Day ran June 23 to 26, the earliest start in the event’s history and the first June Prime Day since 2021. The numbers tell the story:

The four days surrounding Prime Day 2026 shattered U.S. e-commerce records, reaching $26.4 billion — surpassing the combined Black Friday and Cyber Monday total of $26.05 billion from November 2025.Prime Day posted 9.3% YoY growth in 2026, a significant deceleration from last year’s 30.3% surge — a sign the event is maturing. As more retailers run competing sales events during the same window, Amazon’s dominance is steady but no longer explosive.Beauty ranked 4th in cart share at 26%, up from 25% in 2025.Prime Day drove a +71% surge in beauty search volume during the event week, rising from 102.4M to 174.8M searches.The Beauty shopper was harder to impress this Prime Day. Search was roughly flat YoY (-4%), click rate dropped from 34.7% to 30.4%, and purchase rate fell from 5.0% to 4.5%.Prestige beauty is winning on Amazon. Tarte unseated Maybelline at #1 in makeup brand share of sales for the first time, Armani Beauty claimed #1 in fragrance, and professional brands swept the hair care ranks. Categories that were once dominated by mass brands are now battlegrounds for prestige.

Who shopped? Seasoned consumers showed up with a plan

Prime Day 2026 was a low-ticket, high-volume event, and the shopper had a Walmart tab open.

Suburban high-income women over 45 made up 51% of all buyers, with the 65+ group alone at 31%, up from 29% last year.Deal satisfaction dropped to 59%, down from 68% last year. Shoppers came in with sharper expectations and left with a more critical eye.69% of items sold for under $20, while just 3% were priced above $100.Average spend per item: $23.23, down from $24.59 last year. Average household spend: approximately $143, with the average order at roughly $47.Shoppers came armed with a price comparison. 41% placed 3 or more separate orders, and 53% compared prices at Walmart and Target before buying on Amazon — while 49-50% cross-shopped Walmart throughout the entire event.

Fierce competition fueled the frenzy

Prime Day was not the only game in town. Nearly every major retailer ran a parallel event, creating the most concentrated deal week in recent retail history:

Walmart: the weeklong Walmart Deals event (June 22 to 28) pulled roughly half of Prime Day shoppers (49 to 50%) into cross shopping.Target: Target Circle Deal Days ran head to head with Prime Day (June 23 to 26) and engaged 32% of Prime Day shoppers.TikTok Shop: Deals For You Days stretched June 17 through July 2, its longest summer event yet, with discounts up to 65% on peak days that landed squarely on Prime Day.Ulta Beauty: the Big Summer Beauty Sale ran June 19 through July 11 with up to 40% off across makeup, skin care, hair, and fragrance. The beauty retailer cheekily titled their promo code “PrimeTime.”

Beauty’s winners were built on search

Branded search is gaining ground. One in five estimated beauty purchases on Prime Day 2026 started with a brand name search — up from 17.4% a year earlier. Shoppers increasingly arrive knowing exactly what they want.

For beauty brands, that shift in Search behavior changes everything about how deals are planned, paced, and promoted.

“The single most searched beauty term on Prime Day was the brand name “medicube”. Not sunscreen, not mascara, a brand. For as long as I’ve done this work, generic terms owned the top of search and brands fought for position underneath them. That flipped this year, and I don’t believe it flips back. Put that next to growth cooling from 30% to 9% and the message is uncomfortable but clear: Amazon is done growing your business for you. The meaningful growth is now share you take from a competitor, by name, because the shopper typed yours instead of theirs.” —Dave Karlsven, SVP, Partnerships & Growth at Market Defense.

This Year’s Beauty Power Players:

Medicube held the #1 overall beauty spot for the second consecutive Prime Day, growing share from 9.3% in 2025 to 13.23% in 2026.Medicube is also the #1 branded search term in skincare YTD at 1.99 million monthly searches, up 47.6% from last year.K-beauty is no longer a niche win, it’s a search-wide movement. Korean beauty brands captured 10.5% of all beauty search during Prime Day 2026, up from 6.5% in 2025, and drove nearly 19% of the entire Prime Day beauty search lift.Two ingredient-led skincare brands broke into the overall top 10 best-selling beauty brands for the first time at Prime Day 2026: Anua and The Ordinary.Value beauty found an opening in hair care. Native Coconut & Vanilla Shampoo and Conditioner Set claimed the #1 spot, displacing Olaplex, which held the position last year.Men’s hair health is now a dominant search story. Minoxidil for men was the #1 branded search term in hair care during Prime Day 2026, pulling 1.21 million monthly Amazon searches YTD, up 23.5% from last year.Eyes led makeup this Prime Day. Six of the top 10 best-selling makeup products were eye products, with mascara the #1 non-branded search term and lash clusters the #2, pulling 1.4 million and 1.79 million monthly Amazon searches respectively.Tarte Cosmetics placed two mascaras in the overall beauty top 10 and a concealer in the makeup top 10 — three products across two top 10s in two different formats, the broadest single-brand product presence of any makeup brand this Prime Day.Sol de Janeiro’s Cheirosa 62 claimed the #1 best-selling fragrance on Amazon for the third consecutive Prime Day, placing two products in both the fragrance and overall beauty top 10 simultaneously.Men’s fragrance owned the Prime Day leaderboard. Nautica, Afnan, and RASASI claimed 3 of the top 10 fragrance best sellers, up from just 1 in 2025, a shift that tracks a global category growing nearly 9% annually, with 62% of men aged 25-40 now calling fragrance a daily essential.

Why did some brands win while others watched?

Prime Day 2026 was harvest time, not planting time. The winners planted in the weeks and months before the event, building demand off Amazon and investing in search visibility, then harvested on day one when traffic peaked.

Bidding wars got brutal: some category cost per click rates hit $60 during the event.AI-referred traffic jumped 89% YoY and converted 40% better than email or paid search.Brands that waited for traffic to come to them watched it go somewhere else.

“Prime Day 2026 reinforced that the cost of growth on Amazon continues to rise. With U.S. e-commerce sales surpassing $26 billion during the event, brands faced higher advertising costs, greater promotional intensity, and increased pressure on margins. The opportunity for the rest of 2026 isn’t simply to spend more, it’s to spend smarter, allocating capital toward highest-return products and operating Amazon as an integrated business rather than a collection of disconnected functions. Efficiency has become one of the most durable competitive advantages in today’s marketplace.” —Karan Raturi, Chief Operating Officer at Market Defense

Some brands already found that balance during Prime Day 2026.

“A big takeaway from this Prime Day was that momentum compounds — brands that came into June having built consistent growth through Spring translated that baseline into something remarkable: doubling or even tripling their pre-event growth rate.  That kind of amplification doesn’t happen by accident.  What separated the winning brands was how they prioritized the event, focused discounts on hero skus at the same depth or deeper than last year — at a minimum of 25% off — and leveraged an omni-channel approach prior and during the event.  At Market Defense, we worked with our brands on TikTok shop, influencer and affiliate marketing programs that delivered 7-10X ROAS, email, social and PR tactics that drive discovery and demand in the run up to and during Prime Day.  60% of our entire portfolio activated some form of off-Amazon marketing for the event.  Building the right omni-channel strategy is the right foundation for our ads team to build upon – delivering a boost in ad sales, more efficiently, without overbidding and keeping TACOS in check on par with last year.” — Amy Rudgard, SVP, Client Strategy at Market Defense

The full findings, category by category, are available now in Market Defense’s complete “THE BEAUTY POWER PLAYERS: Amazon Prime Day June 2026 Report”: Amazon Prime Day June 2026 Report“

About Market Defense

Market Defense is a leading digital commerce platform and commerce media agency, helping the world’s most ambitious consumer brands accelerate growth across today’s most important marketplaces and digital commerce channels. As a strategic growth partner, the company delivers seamlessly connected marketplace operations, retail media, paid media, social commerce, influencer marketing, and full-funnel growth solutions across Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, Google, Meta, and other leading commerce platforms. With a global operating model spanning every major commerce region, Market Defense enables brands to launch, scale, and optimize their marketplace businesses through a single, integrated partner.

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Seattle, Market Defense and its subsidiaries partner with over 100 of the industry’s most recognized and fastest-growing brands, including SLIP, Guthy-Renker, Davines, Lattafa, Phlur, Neal’s Yard Remedies, Donnamax, Warner Bros., Grown Alchemist, and Viking Culinary. By combining deep marketplace expertise, proprietary technology, and data-driven execution, Market Defense enables brands to unlock sustainable, profitable growth while delivering a seamless consumer experience across every stage of the digital commerce journey.

Commerce, seamlessly connected.

For more information about Market Defense and its suite of services, visit https://marketdefense.com/

Media Contact: Kayla Clayton
Director, Enterprise Marketing
Kayla.Clayton@marketdefense.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/search-not-discounts-decided-amazon-prime-day-2026s-beauty-winners-market-defense-report-302821416.html

SOURCE Market Defense LLC

Expanded Program Provides Practical Framework for Professionals Seeking to Build AI Automation Consulting Businesses Serving Small and Medium-Sized Companies

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AI Profit Consulting, a business coaching and training company focused on AI-powered automation consulting, has announced the expansion of its AI Automation Consulting Training Program designed to help experienced professionals build recurring-revenue consulting businesses that serve small and medium-sized companies. The expanded program provides participants with practical training, implementation strategies, and ongoing support for launching and scaling AI automation consulting services across multiple industries.

Founded by entrepreneur Paul Bocco, AI Profit Consulting has developed a structured educational platform that helps professionals identify opportunities within the growing automation sector while providing guidance on client acquisition, service delivery, pricing strategies, compliance considerations, and operational systems. The program is specifically designed to support individuals interested in delivering AI-powered business solutions to owner-operated service businesses such as HVAC contractors, roofers, electricians, plumbers, landscapers, and other local service providers.

The expansion reflects increasing demand among business owners seeking practical ways to leverage artificial intelligence and automation technologies to improve efficiency, streamline operations, and enhance customer engagement. Through its updated curriculum and support resources, AI Profit Consulting aims to equip participants with the knowledge and systems needed to enter the AI consulting marketplace with a structured approach.

Responding to Growing Demand for AI-Powered Business Solutions

As artificial intelligence continues to become more accessible to organizations of all sizes, many small and medium-sized businesses are actively exploring opportunities to improve operational performance through automation. However, business owners often face challenges when evaluating technology solutions, selecting implementation strategies, and integrating new systems into existing workflows.

AI Profit Consulting was established to help bridge that gap by training professionals to become trusted advisors who can assist businesses with identifying, implementing, and managing automation solutions that address real-world operational challenges.

The expanded training program focuses on practical business applications rather than theoretical concepts. Participants learn how AI-powered tools can support lead management, customer communications, appointment scheduling, workflow automation, follow-up systems, and other operational processes that are critical to service-based businesses.

According to the company, the goal is to help participants develop consulting businesses that provide measurable value to clients while creating recurring revenue opportunities through ongoing service relationships.

The program incorporates structured guidance across multiple business disciplines, including sales methodology, prospecting, lead generation, pricing models, fulfillment systems, client onboarding, and service delivery processes. Participants also gain access to technology resources designed to simplify implementation and support long-term client success.

By focusing on practical execution and business outcomes, AI Profit Consulting seeks to prepare participants to serve organizations that may not have internal technology teams but still require modern automation capabilities to remain competitive in evolving markets.

Building on Decades of Entrepreneurial and Business Development Experience

The expansion of the training program builds upon the extensive business experience of founder Paul Bocco, who has spent more than twenty-five years building companies and helping entrepreneurs grow their operations.

Since launching his first business in 2000, Bocco has built six companies that achieved multi-seven-figure revenues while working with more than 1,000 business owners across a variety of industries. His background includes direct-response marketing, sales systems development, operational strategy, business coaching, and customer acquisition methodologies.

Prior to founding AI Profit Consulting, Bocco established a reputation for helping business owners implement scalable growth systems designed to improve revenue generation and operational efficiency. His work has supported organizations in sectors including marketing services, e-commerce, coaching, and consumer financial services.

The company’s educational model reflects this entrepreneurial foundation by emphasizing implementation over theory. Rather than focusing solely on technology, the program teaches participants how to package, position, market, and deliver consulting services that address common operational challenges faced by small business owners.

The expanded training curriculum includes step-by-step frameworks that help participants understand how to identify target markets, communicate value propositions, structure service offerings, and create sustainable business models around AI-powered automation services.

In addition to technical instruction, members receive access to ongoing coaching, peer collaboration opportunities, and mastermind-style support designed to encourage continued growth beyond the initial training period.

The company believes this combination of practical business education and implementation support provides participants with a comprehensive pathway into the rapidly growing automation consulting sector.

Supporting Long-Term Growth Through Education, Community, and Implementation

A key component of AI Profit Consulting’s expanded program is its focus on long-term business development rather than short-term training outcomes.

Participants receive access to an eight-week coaching framework that combines education, implementation guidance, and community support. The program is designed to help members move from initial business planning through client acquisition and service delivery while developing repeatable systems that support ongoing growth.

The company also maintains a collaborative community environment where participants can exchange insights, discuss implementation strategies, and learn from the experiences of other consultants operating in different markets.

According to AI Profit Consulting, the expansion represents a broader commitment to helping professionals capitalize on opportunities created by advances in artificial intelligence while maintaining a practical, client-focused approach to business development.

As organizations continue to evaluate how automation technologies can improve efficiency and productivity, demand for knowledgeable consultants capable of guiding implementation efforts is expected to remain strong. Through its expanded training platform, AI Profit Consulting aims to help professionals develop the skills, systems, and confidence required to meet that demand.

The company plans to continue enhancing its educational resources, implementation tools, and community support offerings as the automation marketplace evolves, providing members with ongoing access to current strategies and emerging business opportunities.

By combining entrepreneurial experience, structured training, and practical implementation methodologies, AI Profit Consulting seeks to support a new generation of consultants helping businesses navigate the growing role of artificial intelligence in everyday operations.

About AI Profit Consulting

AI Profit Consulting is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based business coaching and training company founded by Paul Bocco. The company helps experienced professionals build recurring-revenue consulting businesses focused on AI-powered automation solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Through structured training programs, coaching, implementation frameworks, and community support, AI Profit Consulting equips members with practical strategies for launching and scaling automation consulting services across a variety of industries.

Contact

Paul Bocco
Founder, AI Profit Consulting
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Email: bocco@aiprofitconsulting.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ai-profit-consulting-founded-by-paul-bocco-expands-ai-automation-consulting-training-program-for-service-based-business-professionals-302821333.html