JULY FOURTH WILL BE RED, WHITE, BLUE, AND GREEN FOR RETAILERS
Another holiday means more big consumer spending. Just weeks after Father’s Day set a new record, it’s Independence Day’s turn. Average per-person spending on food items will hit a new high of nearly $95 for the Fourth, with 62% of consumers planning to make cookouts, barbecues, and picnics part of their celebrations. In total, 87% say they will celebrate Independence Day, and one-third plan to purchase additional patriotic items. As for other events, 44% say they will take in a fireworks display, 12% will attend a parade, and 13% are getting the heck out of town for a vacation. (NRF: June, 2026)
TV ADVERTISING IMPACTS BACK-TO-SCHOOL PURCHASES
Summer just started, but it’s time to talk about back-to-school media. Nearly one-third of consumers begin their shopping at least two months before school starts, and television remains the best way to steer those purchases. Whether online or in-store, 8 out of 10 shoppers say they’re influenced by television ads. At least 40% cite it as the most important influence, and 68% of that group identified broadcast TV specifically. With school starting as early as August 3rd in some cities and as late as Sept 10th in others, local TV advertising stands out as the best way to reach shoppers when it matters most. (TVB Back to School and College Report: June 30, 2026)
A CLASSIC TV SHOW TAKES THE TOP SPOT ON FAST CHANNELS
In a town where the law is fragile, one marshal stands between order and chaos. The tagline for a new procedural debuting this fall? No, it’s Gunsmoke. Despite ending its 20-season run in 1975, Gunsmoke was the number one show among FAST viewers in a recent study. From last October to April of this year, 22.5 billion minutes of the show were streamed on PlutoTV. The rest of the list was mostly comprised of newer shows like NCIS and Grey’s Anatomy, which placed #2 and #3 with 18.2 billion and 14.8 billion minutes streamed, respectively. Keep an eye on the Ingalls family, though—Little House on the Prairie came in ninth with 7.2 billion heartwarmingly wholesome minutes streamed. (MediaPost: June 25, 2026)
THIS WEEK IN VIDEO HISTORY
July 5, 1989 – The “Show About Nothing” Is Really Something
Thirty-seven years ago at 9:30 PM, NBC aired a pilot that scored poorly in test screenings. The Seinfeld Chronicles, as it was then called, introduced viewers to Jerry, George, and… Kessler? That was Kramer’s original name. And don’t bother looking for Elaine; she hadn’t been added to the show yet. The pilot performed well enough with critics and viewers to get the show greenlit for a four-episode first season. And yadda yadda yadda, it went on to be a smash hit. Fun fact: This was the only episode of Seinfeld to air in the 1980s. Watch the opening scene.
