It’s a heck of a deal for the buyer. When Chicago closes a street for a festival, it writes a check to cover the revenue lost on its own meters. Chicago thought about buying it back this year when it came up for sale again, but the reason it’s called the Windy City is because of all the hot air generated by the politicians, not because of some weather phenomenon.

And the meters weren’t even the first time the city tried it. Three years earlier, the city leased the Skyway, all 7.8 miles of it, for 99 years and $1.83 billion. That concession, as it’s called, has since been resold twice, meaning the people collecting your toll today are the bridge’s third landlord this century, and Chicago never signed another thing.

But what’s interesting to me as someone who knows full well that I’m handing private equity firms my pocket change to move around the city is that Chicago never actually sold its streets. It still owns every inch of asphalt and every foot of that bridge, and it still has to pave the roads and sweep the streets and tow the cars. What it sold, twice, was the right to decide what they cost. Ownership stayed home. Pricing power moved to whoever saw the value in individual transactions.

If you buy, plan, or measure media for a living, you might have become immune to the fact that our industry has signed a version of that lease about once a year for the last decade.

• 2016 · Dentsu takes majority control of Merkle, at a reported valuation around $1.5 billion

• 2018 · IPG pays $2.3 billion in cash for Acxiom’s marketing business

• 2019 · Publicis pays $4.4 billion for Epsilon

• 2024 · LiveRamp buys clean-room specialist Habu, roughly $200 million

• 2025 · WPP takes InfoSum. Publicis takes Lotame.

• 2025 · Omnicom closes the IPG deal, $13 billion and change, and Acxiom moves into the biggest holding company on earth

• 2026 · Publicis agrees to buy LiveRamp itself, $2.2 billion, Habu included

• 2026 · Nielsen agrees to acquire DoubleVerify, $2.15 billion

If you read that list again and notice what’s on it, you’ll see Identity, data, infrastructure, and verification. Collaboration infrastructure that allows for more frictionless integration of the best resources available to streamline performance media and increase the likelihood of ROI (if you want to be using all the best jargon).

I think a new wave is coming. Let’s use an analogy. Say we’re in a factory. Raw materials go to production and then to quality control.

The first wave, 2016 through 2019, was the raw materials. The holding companies looked at the LUMAscape and converged on the layer that knows who people are. When IPG bought Acxiom, Michael Roth said that they had to take a hard look at the question of renting versus owning. That’s build-borrow-badge, spoken by a holding company CEO, in 2018. And IPG’s conclusion made real financial sense. Owning identity converts non-working spend from a pass-through cost into captured margin.

The ANA later did the arithmetic on how much is available to capture. They found that out of every programmatic dollar an advertiser spends, about 36 cents actually reaches a consumer. If you think about it as cost of goods then, that raw material is actually consolidated infrastructure. The factory now owns the supply lines.

The second wave, 2024 through this spring, is the production line. Clean rooms existed for one reason: two parties who don’t trust each other need a neutral place to compare notes. Three neutral operators mattered. LiveRamp, Habu, InfoSum. LiveRamp bought Habu. WPP bought InfoSum. Publicis is buying LiveRamp. Within three years, every neutral meeting room - every assembly line for data - acquired a landlord with a data product to sell and who controls the rental fees.

And now the third wave is starting. Somebody bought up the quality control. DoubleVerify was one of two independent referees telling advertisers whether their ads ran where they were supposed to, in front of humans, viewably. The other one, IAS, went private in a $1.9 billion buyout. Nielsen’s stated ambition for the DV deal is a “single currency” that grades media on audience delivery and environment quality at once. One grade. One grader. And DV doesn’t arrive alone because it bought Rockerbox, an attribution shop, in early 2025. Meanwhile Nielsen sold its marketing-mix-modeling business to Circana last August, so the most decision-grade discipline in measurement now lives inside a data company most marketers couldn’t place on the LUMAscape.

So here is the prediction: attribution and incrementality consolidate next. The independent bench, the econometrics shops, the incrementality startups, the people looking across channels for effectiveness, they’re on the kind of fragmented, high-margin, credibility-rich shopping list that started when DV got added to Nielsen’s creds deck. The pattern has run three times in ten years, and there is no structural reason it stops at verification. If that bench is still independent in August 2028, I owe you a correction.

And who can blame us? We all know how hard it is to compare the Apple apples to the Meta oranges and Google’s bananas. Why not just buy our way into the game the publishers already walled off in their own gardens as “value-add”? Why not be the one collecting the check when the ref gets hired?

Independence, the thing the whole apparatus is supposed to rest on, turns out not to live in any vendor at all. Independence is a feature of an org chart, and org charts change every time a deal closes — and those deals happen as soon as someone finds more value to extract.

The agency ecosystem spent a decade and billions buying the ability to find people and sort them into neat piles. Nobody has bought the obligation to prove it worked. Somebody will. It’s the cheapest acquisition left on the board.

But there’s one thing here nobody can buy, because it was never for sale. Not the proof. The judgment. Knowing which number would change your mind, and what “worked” actually means for your business. That only exists if somebody bothers to build it.

But remember - sometimes the buyer gets bought. What’s good for our industry might be magic for others. Maybe Nvidia or Anthropic or OpenAI or even SpaceX will take a look at what we’re doing and decide that identity and infrastructure and verification can scale in their favor and find value in consuming our industry bite by byte.

In the meantime, I’ve got to run. Time to feed the meter.

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

I sat through three-plus hours at Wrigley last night and nearly died. Not the baseball – although, as a Cubs fan, that game was rough. The problem was the air. The kind of humidity that makes you question your relationship with Mother Nature.

And the problem, as I understand it is not just my own sweat. It’s Corn Sweat. The actual term is evapotranspiration, where corn plants pull water from the soil and release it through their leaves. A single acre of corn can put 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water into the air per day, according to the National Weather Service. Illinois has roughly eleven million acres of it. Do that math and the Midwest is essentially a very large humidifier that we planted on purpose.

As someone who has been to see an MLB game in Dyersville, Iowa at the Field of Dreams, I felt justified in blaming the corn. It’s a wonderful explanation: local, specific, vividly nameable, and it lets you shake your fist at a row crop while hoping something magical happens that will make it all worthwhile.

Then I looked it up, and corn sweat has an alibi. Ricky Castro, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Romeoville, has been patiently telling Chicago reporters that corn sweat is one contributor among several, and not the main one. The heavy lifting is done by humid air pulled up from the Gulf, wet soil left over from a soggy spring, and a heat dome parked overhead by the jet stream. Corn sweat peaks in midsummer. By September it’s already fading, much like the hope of October baseball after last night

.

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Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

Google Avoids Breakup of Dominant Ad Tech Business
Wall Street Journal • September 2, 2026

A federal judge has rejected the Justice Department’s request to break up Google’s dominant online advertising business, opting instead for a “lighter-touch approach.” This decision comes despite an earlier ruling that Google illegally monopolized online-auction technology. The outcome is significant as it avoids a major structural change to Google’s ad tech operations, potentially setting a precedent for future antitrust cases in the digital sphere.

Political Ad Boom Builds With Billions Still To Come.
Inside Radio • September 2, 2026

The political advertising market is experiencing an unprecedented boom, with spending already significantly ahead of previous election cycles. AdImpact reports $5.75 billion in political ads aired through August 31st, with billions more expected. This surge highlights the increasing financial investment in political campaigns and underscores the critical role advertising plays in shaping public opinion and election outcomes.

A generation of content creators is growing up
Digiday • September 1, 2026

As content creators mature, their focus is shifting from trending topics to real-life issues like parenting and career changes, attracting older, more affluent audiences. This evolution is particularly relevant as a WordPress VIP survey indicates a strong consumer preference for authentic, human-generated content over AI in brand messaging. This trend positions experienced creators as valuable partners for brands seeking genuine connection and engagement with discerning consumers.

Simon said last week it had launched Simon Media Network
Digiday • September 1, 2026

Simon Property Group has launched the Simon Media Network, a new retail media network designed to connect brands with shoppers across its 200+ shopping centers. Leveraging location data from consented Wi-Fi usage, the network offers valuable insights into shopper behavior and preferences. This initiative signifies a growing trend in retail to monetize physical spaces through targeted advertising, creating new opportunities for brands to engage consumers directly at the point of purchase.

Retail Media Can Build Brands—Including Ways Other Media Can’t
Adweek • September 1, 2026

This article challenges the notion that retail media is ineffective for brand building, arguing it’s a powerful, often underestimated channel. While traditional views suggest retail media is solely for performance marketing, it actually offers unique opportunities for brand growth that other media cannot. This perspective is crucial for marketers to reconsider their ad spend allocation, ensuring a balanced approach that leverages retail media’s full potential for both short-term sales and long-term brand equity.

The Other Side of Streaming
TV Tech • September 1, 2026

In the complex world of streaming, consumers often blame the last entity to touch a video stream for any quality issues, regardless of the actual cause. Monitoring streaming quality is incredibly challenging due to diverse distribution paths and a multitude of consumer devices. This highlights the critical need for comprehensive “streaming QC stations” that can simulate various viewing environments to ensure a seamless and high-quality user experience across all platforms.

Cracking The In-Store Attribution Code In Influencer Marketing
AdExchanger • September 1, 2026

Hummingbirds, a creator marketing platform, is cracking the in-store attribution code by focusing on local creators and community-based influence. Their strategy is built on the belief that trusted local individuals are the most effective drivers of recommendations and in-store purchases. This approach highlights the power of authentic, grassroots marketing in an increasingly fragmented media landscape, demonstrating how genuine connections can translate directly into measurable sales.

Amazon Deceived Advertisers, FTC Alleges
MediaPost • August 31, 2026

The Federal Trade Commission and 22 states have filed a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging the company has been overcharging advertisers since 2018 or 2019. The complaint claims Amazon secretly inflated online search ad auction prices, despite representing them as “second price auctions.” This legal action is significant as it challenges the transparency and fairness of Amazon’s advertising practices, potentially leading to substantial financial repercussions and a re-evaluation of ad auction models across the industry.

Live TV launches on PlayStation 5 in US
Advanced Television • August 31, 2026

Sony Pictures Television’s Live TV, a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service, has officially launched on PlayStation 5 consoles in the US. This new offering provides PS5 users with over 100 live channels and a growing library of on-demand content, including news, sports, movies, and anime. The launch signifies the continued expansion of FAST services into gaming consoles, making ad-supported entertainment more accessible to a broader audience and further blurring the lines between gaming and traditional media consumption.

ChatGPT Surpasses $1 Billion in Annualized Ads Revenue
Adweek • August 31, 2026

ChatGPT has achieved an impressive annualized run rate of over $1 billion in advertising revenue, signaling its rapid commercial growth. OpenAI, the company behind the AI chatbot, has ambitious targets, aiming for $2.3 billion by 2026 and a staggering $100 billion by 2030. This financial milestone underscores the immense potential of AI-powered platforms in the advertising landscape and highlights the increasing monetization of conversational AI technologies.

Netflix and GTA 6: When advertising becomes entertainment
Campaign • August 31, 2026

Rockstar Games is blurring the lines between marketing and entertainment by premiering an extended trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) on Netflix. This unconventional strategy, defended by Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, leverages a subscription platform to create scarcity and a premium viewing experience. This move signifies a shift in how major entertainment franchises are approaching their marketing, transforming promotional content into an event in itself and engaging audiences on unexpected platforms.

Radio Deal Market Picks Up As Second Half Gets Underway.
Inside Radio • August 31, 2026

The radio deal market saw a significant acceleration in July 2026, with 26 stations sold for nearly $30 million, pushing the year-to-date total to $141 million. This surge, accounting for over one-fifth of the year’s total dollar value, provides an encouraging start to the second half of the year. The uptick in transactions suggests renewed investor confidence and activity within the radio industry, indicating potential growth and consolidation in the sector.

Google’s Bidding Change Proves Agentic Advertising Has An Agency Problem
AdExchanger • August 30, 2026

Google Ads recently altered its target-based bidding for budget-limited campaigns, now making algorithms bid more aggressively towards set ROAS or CPA targets, regardless of historical overperformance. This change clarifies that the target is a price advertisers are willing to pay, not a ceiling, and highlights a growing “agency problem” where automated systems may not always align with an agency’s strategic optimization goals. This shift demands a re-evaluation of bidding strategies and closer monitoring of campaign performance to ensure desired outcomes.

Media Buying Briefing: Linda Boff on the power of independent agencies, and the need for financial discipline
Digiday • August 30, 2026

Linda Boff, CEO of Said Differently, champions the independent agency model, emphasizing its flexibility and precision over the scale of larger holding companies. Her firm operates as a fully remote, private-equity-owned marketing services group, leveraging a small core staff and a vast network of specialized talent. This approach highlights a growing trend in the industry towards agile, specialized agencies that can offer tailored solutions and greater efficiency for clients.

AI Is Now In Every Marketing Plan While Know-How Is Still Catching Up
MediaPost • August 30, 2026

A new benchmark study by Epsilon for 2026 reveals that AI adoption in marketing has reached 100%, with every surveyed marketer now using AI for preparation or execution. While AI is universally integrated into marketing plans, the article suggests that practical know-how is still catching up with its widespread implementation. This indicates a critical need for marketers to deepen their understanding and expertise in leveraging AI effectively to maximize its potential and avoid pitfalls.

America’s 250th proves heritage marketing is for every brand
Marketing Dive • August 30, 2026

America’s 250th anniversary offers a unique opportunity for brands to engage in heritage marketing, weaving their legacy into the broader American narrative. This strategy, which utilizes nostalgic throwbacks and archival imagery, resonates deeply with today’s audiences seeking authenticity and connection. Heritage marketing allows brands to build trust and emotional bonds by celebrating their history and values, proving its relevance for a wide range of companies looking to connect with consumers on a deeper level.

Netflix will stream five NFL games this season
Morning Brew • August 30, 2026

Netflix has expanded its foray into live sports, securing a four-year deal with the NFL to stream five games this season, a significant increase from the previous year. The streaming giant will feature two Christmas Day games, a Thanksgiving Eve game, and a January game, alongside an international matchup. This move underscores Netflix’s growing commitment to live content and its strategy to attract and retain subscribers by offering exclusive, high-demand sports programming.

Threads experiments with post performance recognition awards
Social Media Today • August 29, 2026

Threads is reportedly experimenting with a new feature that would award virtual gems to users for highly engaging content, as discovered by app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi. This recognition aims to acknowledge user contributions and potentially gamify the posting experience on the platform. Such a system could incentivize content creation, foster a more active community, and provide a new way for Threads to differentiate itself in the competitive social media landscape.

Data Reveals ChatGPT Ads Not Performing
MediaPost • August 27, 2026

Despite OpenAI’s claims of improved targeting, agencies are reporting that ChatGPT Ads campaigns are not meeting performance expectations. Peter Jaffray of Choice OMG, for example, invested $415 in three campaigns that generated nearly 9,000 impressions but yielded a disappointingly low clickthrough rate of 0.05%. This early feedback suggests that while AI-powered advertising holds promise, its current implementation may still require significant refinement to deliver effective results for advertisers.

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In the most recent episode, one of the characters gets grabbed and thrown in the back of a van. Inevitably, he wakes up mid-transport and starts fighting his captors. And of course, the van is doing seventy on a highway. The driver is getting tossed around the cab, the van is drifting across three lanes, cars are careening across the highway and I’m on my couch thinking the thing I have thought during this scene in every movie that has ever contained this scene.

Why doesn’t he just hit the brakes or at a minimum pull over?

I have been filing that under “movies are dumb” for as long as I’ve been watching them. Sitting there Sunday night, it occurred to me that maybe the scene is smarter than I am. The driver has a reason and it’s whatever is driving the plot forward. Pulling over means getting caught or losing time. The speed is not an oversight; it’s the point. He would rather take his chances at seventy with a brawl behind his head than stop on the shoulder and explain himself to whoever is following or whomever is waiting for him.

Which is when I stopped really paying attention to the show and started thinking about work, because that is apparently how my brain works these days.

We are all in that van. Flight dates, quarterly reads, the next pitch, the renewal. There is always something swerving. And we say we don’t have time to slow down, but that isn’t quite it either. We don’t slow down because stopping looks like losing even if there is never a finish line. In twenty-plus years I have never once seen anyone get promoted for spending two weeks figuring out why the thing that worked, worked.

What we do instead is win the fight and create our own trophy.

Now, I do love case studies. Case studies win awards. They get special attention on websites. They come out of the drawer in new business meetings. They represent real successes that real people earned in the back of a speeding van. But we only ever read the survivors, and we read them written by the survivor.

And then, because I am who I am, there’s the measurement question, which is the one I get paid to worry about. Every campaign is different. A lot of them win precisely because they are different. But that also means every case study is measured on its own terms, against a bar its author chose, in whatever units flattered the outcome. Sometimes the innovation was the actual achievement and sales were the side effect. But the sales number ends up above the title, the MacGuffin everyone agreed to chase. Not to mention the featured players of Awareness, Consideration, Share of Search, and special guest star Sentiment.

Each case study has earned its heart-stopping action scene. It’s great cinema in its own context. Internally coherent and compelling. But it’s not the whole movie, and the plot grinds on.

Part of me thinks the case study is doing exactly the job it was built for – selling. But it’s never expected to be a training manual. It’s not built for the real world where you pull over or slam on the brakes.

Part of me thinks that’s too easy, and that an industry this smart with this much data ought to be able to highlight the case studies that scale. And we do have this for the tools that we build. The tools that demonstrate our expertise, consistency, and efficiency. That certainly compounds, but those aren’t case studies – they’re demos.

Somewhere between “here’s a beautiful thing that happened once” and “here’s what we learned,” there is a document nobody writes, and I suspect the reason nobody writes it is that it would have to include the failures so that we have an accurate yardstick to help demonstrate that success. Meanwhile, we barely give ourselves time to recognize the ones worthy of an awards submission.

I don’t have a tidy ending for this one. The van is in the rearview. I’m still on the couch because we’re past that scene and moving into the one where we just learned that someone has a secret and it’s about to change everything we thought we knew. No parallels to our industry in that one…

But I’d like to know if anyone reading this has ever actually seen a case study change how the next campaign got planned. Not inspire one. Change one. I’m sure there are some out there. If you have, I would love to hear about it and learn how that success was measured.

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This Week’s Rabbit Hole

I spent part of this weekend cleaning out my photo library. Mostly concert stuff. The blurry ones, the shots from the back of the house where you can barely make out that there’s anyone on stage at all, and all those thirty-second videos I’ve still never watched. I still don’t know why I take those.

Anyway, I came across a few from Lollapalooza a couple of weeks ago, and there are these flames jumping up off the stage. Which reminded me of a Fall Out Boy show where Pete Wentz played a bass that shot fire out of the end of it. So I started wondering what’s actually going on with the flames at concerts, and I went looking.

It turns out that shooting flame in front of a crowd is governed by the National Fire Protection Association. There’s a written standard for it. It’s called the “Standard for the Use of Pyrotechnics Before a Proximate Audience.”

Every device has to sit at least fifteen feet from the audience, or twice its fallout radius, whichever is bigger. Fallout radius. Which is a considerably scarier term than anything I expected to run into on a Sunday. The building needs sprinklers. The suppression system has to stay live during the show, which sounds obvious until you realize somebody had to write it down, and there’s probably a reason why.

It gets more intense. The person pressing the button has to be licensed. In North Carolina, just to pick a state I ended up reading about: twenty-one or older, a minimum number of training hours, a state exam covering everything from the small stuff up to the big stuff, and proof of at least three prior events where you were the lead operator. Then you renew it, which takes continuing education and a minimum number of “shoots.” In Illinois, where I live, you have to file a “Proximate/Flame Effect Display Report” after every show that stays on file for four years afterwards.

So you can’t hire somebody off the street. You can’t hand it to the guy running the light board because he’s good at pushing buttons. You have to be able to show that you’ve done it. You have to be able to show a permit with your name on it.

The thing that looks like pure spectacle, fifteen or thirty seconds of a two-hour show, is the one element in that entire building where somebody had to be trained, licensed, documented, and named responsible when it goes wrong.

I have never been to a show where I considered the fallout radius of anything.

Next time you’re at a concert and the pyro goes off, know that it’s probably the safest thing you’ll see all night.

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Instead Of The Roundup This Week…

I usually put an industry roundup here. This week I want to talk about something I’ve been building instead, partly because it comes out of the same thing I just spent an essay complaining about.

I read a lot of industry news. I find something that matters, I think “I should remember this,” and then I typically do one of four useless things. I email it to myself. I bookmark it into the void. I screenshot it. Or I just assume I’ll remember. Six months later I know I read something about it and I can’t find it.

So I built somewhere to put it.

You forward an article to an email address. It gets pulled in, read, summarized and tagged. And then you can talk to the whole pile. What have I been reading about retail media this month? What did I save about measurement best practices in the fall, of last year, I think? What was that number that I saw about CTV effectiveness?

It’s a little like Google Reader, if Google Reader could answer questions.

It’s a beta, so some of it will be rough, and honestly that’s the point. I want to hear about it when it is. I’m opening it to a small group early next week. If you read a lot for work and you’ve ever lost an article you needed, reply here or find me on LinkedIn and I’ll get you a test code.

They drilled it. GRP or TRP might equal reach times frequency (and yes, there are still people who will correct you on which one you meant, and they are usually right), but the reality is that those points aren’t “equal” to anything. They’re the sum of a plan, the aggregate of what was purchased.

The lesson underneath the vocabulary never wavered. That number is a unit of currency. A third party produced it. It sat in the middle of a transaction so a buyer could say “I bought this” and a seller had to answer for whether it showed up. If the weight didn’t deliver, you didn’t write a strongly worded email. You got made whole. There was a remedy attached to the number, and the remedy was the reason the number mattered.

Now, I’ve never been a buyer, so I’ve never personally sat in a makegood conversation. But I’ve been part of plenty of performance analysis comparing before and after. It’s one of the most important things I’ve done as an analyst. We have to answer the first question: did we get what we bought? It’s almost nostalgic thinking about it.

Then the analyst in me kicked in, so I went to check whether this was a distant memory or something I could actually count. For the past year, I’ve been aggregating trade and industry articles that come across my inbox. I call it the Wayne Street Digest. I’m going to be beta-testing a public version soon if you’re interested in your own personal news repository.

I searched the Digest, roughly thirty-five hundred trade articles from the past year with full text, for the vocabulary of transaction. “Outcomes” shows up in 157 articles from last quarter alone, and over five hundred in the last year. Just of the articles I’ve catalogued. “GRP” or “TRP,” eighteen. “Reach and frequency,” thirty-three. “Makegood,” or “Under-Deliver,” together, across the entire year, appear in eleven.

Not eleven percent. Eleven articles.

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Remember: a rating point was a promise, not a measurement

What made a GRP a currency was never its accuracy. Five properties did that work.

1. Both sides agreed on the unit before money moved.

2. A third party produced it.

3. It was comparable across sellers, so you could shop.

4. It settled the contract.

5. Under-delivery had a remedy.

Run what we transact on today against that list. Incrementality, ROAS, clicks, site visits — none of them clear a single property. “Outcomes” doesn’t pass any of those tests either. Attention clears one on a good day. The impression clears two, and fails the comparability test, which is the one that let you leave the room.

I might sound like an old fogey, but when I was coming up in this business before this newfangled digital revolution, that meant a pound had to be a pound at every counter or you couldn’t shop on price. If you couldn’t trust you were getting equal weight on both sides of the scale, seller by seller, something was wrong. The “certified scales” of the GRP were never about honesty. They existed so buyers could walk out.

This summer’s upfront closed at $33.7 billion, up nine percent, with streaming taking $17.2 billion of it. The CPMs got published in a single column: broadcast $41.65, cable $17.70, streaming $25.90. Three numbers side by side, presented as a comparison across “channels” that all use the same creative. Theoretically, it’s data a buyer can act on. But remember, there is no currently accredited cross-platform metric that makes those three units the same unit.

The divorce of currency and audit

In July, Nielsen withdrew the Nielsen One Ads component from the Media Rating Council’s accreditation process, saying it had planned material methodological changes. VideoAmp withdrew as well, and plans to reassess in 2027.

But wait a minute. VideoAmp walked away from the MRC audit and still holds a certification from the U.S. joint industry committee organized by OpenAP.

Read that again. A currency vendor declined the audit and kept a stamp of approval.

I read that as a signal that we now have (at least) two legitimacy regimes running in parallel and being treated as interchangeable. MRC accreditation is an audit by all three parties: advertisers, agencies, and publishers. JIC certification, to me, looks more like approval by committee — consensual and “industry”-governed. Both are defensible, but they are not the same product or process.

Audits are expensive. Intense. Adversarial. I remember the years of debate over C3 vs. C7, Live vs. Live Plus, Arbitron People Meter measurements. Really strong opinions and deep research from agencies and advertisers. I’ve been in those meetings. They’re adversarial and thorough and take real time and concentration and heavy participation. And what’s more, accreditation can be revoked. Along the way, as our world got more fragmented and complex and data multiplied exponentially, it’s not surprising that somebody built a second door.

Meanwhile, the field is getting crowded rather than thinner. Nielsen, VideoAmp, Comscore, iSpot, and now Aquila, the cross-media measurement venture owned by the ANA, running Comscore for TV data, Samba for streaming, and a Kantar panel underneath. A January 2026 CIMM assessment holds that the U.S. marketplace can support two currencies. And “streamers” like Amazon and Walmart have their own retail media measurement, inclusive of video.

At minimum, that’s five contenders. Two seats. No agreed referee. And in August, Nielsen agreed to take DoubleVerify private for $2.15 billion, which Adweek, in my opinion, read correctly as a move to control the inputs the models measure rather than a bet on AI

.

We think we’re buying precision, but we’re not auditing that either

The generous version of the last twenty years has us essentially giving up a panel-based sample because addressable delivery gave us something better. More data about audiences and identities than any generation of this business has ever had. In most digital environments, precision beats a projection. I once had a military instructor tell me that the difference between accuracy and precision was that accuracy meant you could get close to the target, but precision meant you could do it repeatedly. Accuracy is good but precision is better. Surely, with all this data, we’ve got precision on our side, right?

And then I read CIMM’s own numbers.

Identity Infrastructure 2.0, published in April with the ARF, put linkage accuracy for hashed email to postal at 51%. A separate CIMM/Go Addressable/Truthset study from November 2025 put IP to email at 16%, and IP to postal at 13%.

Separately, research from Adstra and InterMedia Advertising found that 23% of residential IP addresses reach their intended geographic target. IP-based CTV targeting misses three times out of four. Adstra’s chief data officer Andy Johnson named the pattern plainly: “the same problem keeps showing up: black box matching. Vendors win business on match rate or scale, but the methodology behind it stays opaque.”

AdExchanger put it starkly last month: the industry has produced precise measurement of almost nothing, and clean rooms simply share flawed data more efficiently.

The GRP was a sample and everybody knew it was a sample. That is why it shipped with a confidence interval printed on the side. The identity graphs we use today are perceived as a census, though one of the most common linkages resolves correctly 13% of the time, and they ship with nothing. We did not trade accuracy for precision. We traded disclosed imprecision for undisclosed imprecision, and called it progress because the “opportunity” was something people understood. The “T” in TRPs looked much more savory than the other letters.

But is it possible that a sample that admits it’s a sample beats a census that won’t admit it’s a guess?

The costs faded into infrastructure and verification became a tax on working media

What shows up on your budget?

Under a currency, verification was a shared cost of the market. The MRC audited the vendor. The expense sat in the infrastructure, and no buyer carried a line item for confirming they got what they bought. Yeah, Nielsen might charge extra for its own costs and agencies might pass some of that through to clients, but it’s a fraction of “non-working media” costs that don’t show up nearly as visibly.

Now that cost is private and it comes out of real working budgets. Verification fees. Attention vendors. Clean rooms. Identity resolution. Ad safety. Incrementality tests bolted onto plans vendor by vendor, not audience by audience. They get bolted on or packaged in as “added value” because nobody fully trusts the delivery metrics or the validity of the audiences underneath them, A calculated result feels better when you’re comparing the fruits of two or more walled gardens.

So these days, the buyer pays twice. Once for the media, and once to find out whether the media happened. CIMM and the ARF said as much in May in a different report, Quality Matters: “not all impressions are created equal; we must better align media cost to true value.” Two major trade bodies are saying the unit is mispriced because the unit was never defined. Nothing ever went on the scale, certified or not.

It’s not a technical fix

Think about this. Independent arbitration is not an attractive feature for an industry that has never needed it for digital operations.

Sellers will not fund a metric that can penalize them. Buyers are fragmented, and any one buyer paying for the referee watches most of the benefit leak to competitors who paid nothing. It becomes a case study for research, not implementation. It’s the right thing to do, but it’s not economically justifiable. The GRP escaped that trap because its cost was socialized across the industry rather than justified on somebody’s P&L.

In my experience, in other countries, currency is managed through a joint industry committee, sometimes a government process, funded and governed by advertisers, agencies, and broadcasters together. The U.S. did it differently. It bought its currency from a company instead. The company that measured television bought the company that measured radio. Companies get sold. It’s not wrong; it’s just capitalism. You can’t blame Nielsen or VideoAmp for finding ways to grow and adapt to a rapidly changing industry and create shareholder value.

Every metric we have adopted since the rating point measures something a seller can show you. None of them measures something a seller can be held to. That is not a measurement problem. It is a measurement and trust problem, and we have spent twenty years attacking it with better math. What I was taught in 2006 by Debbie Solomon at MindShare was not a metric. It was an agreement that a number could be used against the party who produced the thing being sold. Nothing in the current stack can be used against anyone in that same way.

Ask your next seller one question: if you miss, what do I get? If the answer is delivered through their dashboard, you didn’t buy media. You bought a subscription to their opinion of whether what’s in the box matched the packaging.

Measurement should help somebody decide something. A currency is the narrowest version of that and the only one with teeth, because it helps two parties decide, before the money moves, what one of them owes the other if the thing doesn’t show up. We have more data about audiences than anyone can rationally use. And we have less ability than any of our predecessors to say “I bought this, I did not get it, make me whole.”

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This Week’s Rabbit Hole

For those of you who know me, you know I love Hawaii. I am known to wear Hawaiian shirts on Fridays. It’s one of my favorite traditions, both because the shirts are comfortable and because I love Hawaii. I get there when I can, since my wife has family on the Big Island. It’s always good to combine a little bit of vacation with a little bit of family time.

Hawaii has been in the news lately.

Hurricane Lala’s eye passed just south of the Big Island on Saturday evening. Parts of the island took more than three feet of rain in 36 hours, and Forbes clocked 43.55 inches at Laupāhoehoe alone. The Kaʻū district on the southern edge took the hardest hit. Naalehu, Waiohinu, and Pahala. Elementary schools flooded. Bridges destroyed. Whole subdivisions cut off. Some rural power outages may last weeks or months.

The Punaluʻu Bake Shop, a place I have visited many times, was basically destroyed. The general manager described the damage as catastrophic. Flood waters ran four feet deep inside and the ovens are ruined. Their own words: “rebuilding will take years. We will be back. We will be stronger.”

A word on where donations go, if you’d like to help. World Central Kitchen is a wonderful organization and I recommend them generally. They put teams on the island ahead of the storm and they have a real history of doing good things across the world. In this particular case, though, WCK does not let you designate donations to a specific effort. If you want your money to move fastest to the people it matters to on the ground, Vibrant Hawaiʻi, the Hawaii Island community network, is running direct distribution right now and has a dedicated Lala storm page. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs also established a Lala Emergency Relief Fund that has already deployed more than $184,000 in emergency aid to Kaʻū households.

A quick digression on Naalehu, because it’s the reason I care about this. It’s a small town, arguably too small to call a town, and its name roughly translates to “volcanic ashes.” It was built as a sugar plantation and became a town when three plantation camps came together sometime in the 1920s. It has a reputation for being the southernmost town in the United States. My wife’s family has roots there. I have eaten at the southernmost restaurant in the United States. I have driven along the southernmost roads. I have shopped at the southernmost convenience store.

To me, this is somewhat of a novelty that I have a personal connection to. To my wife, this is part of her heritage and a place that means family. Her family came over to Hawaii from Spain to work on the sugar plantations. The Spanish were brought in as replacements for the Portuguese, on the theory that the Spanish might stay longer. My wife’s family was one of the slightly more than 1,200 Spanish residents who did stay, out of nearly 9,200 who came. The rest moved on to California or other places. If you want to fall down a similar rabbit hole, the Spanish Hawaiian Heritage Association and the UH Mānoa Hutchinson Sugar Plantation records are the places to start.

The Punaluʻu Bake Shop posted on Instagram today. A full container of breads and pastries rode out the storm inside a shipping container. They were already distributing them to the local community

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Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

Peacock is raising prices by up to $3
The Verge • August 18, 2026

Peacock is implementing a price hike across all its streaming tiers, with the ad-supported Select plan increasing to $8.99/month and the ad-free Premium Plus reaching $19.99/month. These changes take effect for new subscribers on August 18th and for existing customers a month later. This move reflects the ongoing trend of streaming services raising prices to offset content costs and achieve profitability in a competitive market.

How publishers can strengthen connections with advertisers in the AI era
Digiday • August 18, 2026

In the evolving AI era, publishers face the challenge of decentralized consumer behavior and diversified brand spending. To attract advertisers, publishers must effectively articulate the unique contextual value of their content and audience. A recent survey highlights that publishers need to better demonstrate their distinct offerings to maximize ad yield and strengthen connections with brands.

OpenAI launches a safer ChatGPT for teens — years after teens started using it
TechCrunch • August 18, 2026

OpenAI has launched ‘ChatGPT for Teens,’ a version of its AI chatbot specifically designed with enhanced safety features and educational tools. This release comes years after teenagers began using the original platform, addressing growing concerns about the lack of safety measures in AI chatbots. The initiative aims to provide a more secure and age-appropriate AI experience for younger users.

Comcast is putting motion sensing into millions of homes — using its existing Wi-Fi routers
The Verge • August 18, 2026

Comcast is rolling out a new Wi-Fi motion sensing feature, WiFi Motion, to millions of existing Xfinity routers through a software update. This innovative technology, part of the new Xfinity Shield service, detects activity in homes by sensing disturbances in Wi-Fi signals. This marks a significant step in leveraging existing infrastructure for smart home security and monitoring without additional hardware.

Linear TV’s Biggest Barrier Isn’t Audience. It’s Agency Economics
AdExchanger • August 18, 2026

The article posits that the biggest hurdle for linear TV in attracting advertisers isn’t a lack of audience, but rather the complex and costly operational demands placed on agencies. While linear audiences are fragmented, they remain valuable, yet agencies struggle with the economic burden of executing sophisticated campaigns. This highlights a critical disconnect between linear TV’s potential and the practicalities of modern ad buying.

New Research Shows How AM/FM Radio Boosts Media Plans.
Inside Radio • August 18, 2026

New research from prominent sources like Nielsen and Edison Research underscores AM/FM radio’s significant power in boosting media plan reach. According to Cumulus Media/Westwood One, integrating AM/FM radio into a campaign can notably expand its overall audience. This data reaffirms radio’s enduring relevance and effectiveness as a crucial component of a comprehensive media strategy.

TikTok Continues Experiential Music Push With Live Global Competition 08/18/2026
MediaPost • August 17, 2026

TikTok is reigniting its ‘Music On Stage’ competition, a global initiative to champion emerging music creators through its Live platform and SoundOn distribution. Building on the success of the 2025 event, which garnered billions of impressions, this year’s competition promises further engagement and career opportunities for winning artists. It showcases TikTok’s continued commitment to fostering new talent and leveraging its platform for experiential music promotion.

Report: Short drama app downloads surge 95.5%
Advanced Television • August 17, 2026

The first half of 2026 saw a remarkable surge in global non-gaming app downloads, with short drama apps experiencing an astounding 95.5% year-over-year growth. These bite-sized entertainment platforms, particularly popular in emerging markets like Southeast Asia and Latin America, are rapidly capturing user attention. This trend signals a significant shift in content consumption habits and the growing demand for quick, engaging video narratives.

YouTube will now count a view as soon as a video starts playing
TechCrunch • August 17, 2026

YouTube is updating its view counting methodology, now registering a view as soon as a video begins playing or a user enters a live broadcast, effective August 24. This change aligns YouTube with competitors like TikTok and Instagram, and mirrors a similar update made to YouTube Shorts a year ago. The move aims to standardize view metrics across platforms and potentially impact how content performance is perceived.

Only one-quarter of AI customer service use cases produce ROI
CX Dive • August 16, 2026

A Gartner analysis reveals that only a quarter of AI customer service use cases actually yield a positive return on investment, with another 25% showing negative returns. Despite these ambiguous outcomes, a vast majority of leaders still plan to increase their AI investments. This highlights a significant gap between the hype surrounding AI in customer service and its current tangible financial benefits, urging businesses to critically evaluate their AI strategies.

TikTok owner ByteDance signs Motion Picture Association deal
Social Media Today • August 16, 2026

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has entered into an agreement with the Motion Picture Association (MPA) to combat intellectual property infringement stemming from AI-generated content. This collaboration follows the MPA’s previous calls for ByteDance to implement stricter controls on its AI video generation tools. The deal signifies a crucial step towards addressing the complex challenges of copyright protection in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI media.

The secret behind Southwest Airlines’ rapid loyalty program growth
CX Dive • August 16, 2026

Southwest Airlines’ Rapid Rewards loyalty program has experienced impressive growth, boasting a 35% year-over-year increase to nearly 100 million members in Q2 2026. The program’s success is attributed to expanding its appeal beyond frequent flyers and simplifying the path to earning rewards. This strategic shift highlights the importance of inclusivity and ease of use in fostering strong customer loyalty in the competitive airline industry.

Maryland Strikes Digital Ad Tax
MediaPost • August 16, 2026

The Maryland Tax Court has struck down the state’s 2021 digital ad tax, ordering refunds to major companies like Google, Peacock, and Apple who challenged the law. This landmark decision invalidates the first-of-its-kind statute, which imposed taxes on digital ad sales for companies with over $100 million in revenue. The ruling has significant implications for other states considering similar digital advertising taxes and the broader landscape of online commerce regulation.

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This weekend I went to Home Depot looking for some plants to put around a fairly bare spot in my front yard. I noticed the vacant furniture store across the lot has become a Spirit Halloween. A store that sold sectionals and bed frames for years, plastered with vinyl banners and window stickers, reanimated for a few weeks to hawk cheap costumes in a bag, fog machines and animatronic clowns.

Inside Home Depot there were twelve-foot skeletons and orange and purple strings of lights. Costco has the inflatable ghosts out. It is the first week of August.

My garden tomatoes are not in yet. School starts in about two weeks and I have not bought a single notebook for my kids. And I am being asked to make decisions about what my yard will look like on October 31st.

There are two calendars operating in my yard right now. One of them is driven by the Earth’s orbit. The other one has a merchandising committee. I’m not sure whether they’re early or I’m late.

Adding to the confusion is the inconsistent local back-to-school shuffle. My kids don’t start for two weeks, and last weekend my niece went off for her first year of college in Alabama. Retailers know this, and the National Retail Federation put back-to-school and back-to-college spending at a record $146.8 billion this year, with 62% of shoppers already started by early July and 32% started in June. A CPG guide that came through my feed in June from iBotta put it more plainly, under a section titled “Back to School may be the start of the Holiday Season”: if your back-to-school offer launches in August, you are too late (IPN, June 2026).

Amazon might be the canary in the coal mine for holidays now. This year they moved Prime Day from July to June, and U.S. online spend over those four days hit $26.4 billion, up 9.3%. Other brands followed suit. Target launched back-to-school on June 24, directly into it (or because of it). Pinterest is telling brands that festive activity spikes as early as September and to launch accordingly. Meta opened a Holiday Insights Center in the first week of August with a countdown attached. Amazon’s peak fulfillment fees start October 15, which means Amazon decides when peak begins for every third-party seller, whether they agree or not.

None of that is consumer behavior. None of that is on the calendar hanging in my kitchen telling me when sports practice starts or when parent-teacher conferences happen. Those are scheduling decisions made by companies with inventory to sell, and they get read back to us in the news headlines as consumer behavior about six months later.

The scale is enormous. You would be insane to ignore it. Adobe recognized $257.8 billion in U.S. online spend across the 2025 holiday season, up 6.8%. Inside that total were 25 days where spending topped $4 billion, up from 18 days the year before. That is a full extra week of accelerated spend. And there was compression inside the expansion: Black Friday’s online growth (9.1%) outpaced Cyber Monday’s (7.1%). The peak didn’t just get higher; it got wider too.

Mix modeling is more foundational than ever because tracking and multi-touch attribution haven’t caught up to privacy advances and cookie deprecation. Every one of those models, regardless of secret sauce, works the same way. You decompose sales into a baseline, a seasonality term, promotional effects, and media. Seasonality is what you remove so that you can see the media impact underneath it. It is supposed to be like a tidal pattern. Driven by natural forces, indifferent, nobody’s fault, safe to subtract.

But when Amazon moves Prime Day into June, that is not the tide. Somebody is operating a wave pool with competitors, publishers, and consumers all splashing around. Which leaves the biggest decision a marketer makes all year about seasonal spending sitting inside the control variable, where the model cannot evaluate it. There are tricks and tools to accommodate some of this. Dummy out the events you can see, model promotions separately, hold the calendar constant across a test. But how does the model evaluate what happens when Target and Amazon turn on the jets at the same time, and you’re trying to sell widgets inside and outside of their ecosystem?

A five-day Black Friday peak is close to the worst measurement environment ever constructed. Every channel is live and loud, every price has intention, every competitor is shouting their offers, all inside 120 hours. The number comes in at the end of the week, and everybody looks at the bottom line and gets ready to white-knuckle the four weeks till Christmas, and maybe a chance to catch their breath before Valentine’s Day.

Six months of holiday spending is a different animal entirely.

Staggered launches are natural experiments. Regional rollouts give you markets that saw it and markets that didn’t. Control and exposed. But a season that opens in June (or even August) and closes in January has variation built into it, and variation is the condition causal tests need. You cannot measure anything without something to compare it against. The extended season is handing out opportunities to optimize occasion by occasion. Your Christmas campaign can and should learn from what happened at Halloween, and Valentine’s Day should be informed by Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The season got longer, and in getting longer, it got more legible.

And yet most people are going to spend it staring at Tableau dashboards trying to optimize the last penny out of a shopping cart. Daily ROAS pulls, creative rotations, budget shifts against numbers that are moving not because sales are down in Chicago, not because consumers are not seeing ads, but because seven different school districts start at different times while the Cubs and Sox are both hot and Bears training camp just opened. Or Halloween supplies that collect dust because gas prices are too high for people to think about spending on a Mickey Mouse-shaped pumpkin light for their porch. At the end, we will have produced an enormous quantity of reporting and roughly one fact, which is that revenue was up or it was down.

Measurement should help somebody decide something. The decisions in front of a retail marketer right now are specific and answerable. When do we go? What comes off the plan to pay for going early? Should we keep our powder dry in case we really need it later? Does the extra six weeks build demand, or does it move the same purchase to an earlier date and cost us margin for the privilege? Nobody needs a dashboard to answer those. They need a test calendar.

We asked for more time to learn. We got six months of it.

Meanwhile, the sun is running its own schedule. My tomatoes will be ready in about three weeks, and I don’t have any room for new Halloween decorations until I put away the cushions from my patio furniture for the winter.

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

Since we’re already talking about who decides when fall starts, let’s talk about the one place in America where the season is still a real agricultural fact. It’s about 150 miles southwest of me and it is not what you think.

Morton, Illinois. Population around 17,000. Home of the Libby’s plant, which cans about 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin. That equates to about ninety million pies a year out of one town in central Illinois. More than 90% of the crop is grown within a 45-mile radius of the plant, which means the entire nation’s Thanksgiving dessert course is a regional product from a place most people on I-74 drive past without slowing down.

Morton, Illinois used to be known for having a huge kiln pottery industry, the biggest west of New York City. In fact, their high school teams compete as the Potters, and of course their mascot is named “Clay.” But there’s a dirty little secret hidden in this sleepy Illinois town. It’s not pumpkin. Depending on what you think a pumpkin is.

It’s Dickinson squash. Tan, tubular, and dense, it looks more like a butternut than anything you would hollow out to put a candle in. Libby’s has been breeding its own proprietary strain of it for decades. If you have eaten pumpkin pie in your life, you have eaten Dickinson squash, and you have enjoyed it, because field pumpkins (the orange ones on your porch) are stringy and watery and would make a genuinely bad pie.

Now. Libby’s will tell you emphatically that it IS pumpkin. I suppose it could be argued that Dickinson is a pumpkin cultivar, that they’ve used it for a hundred years, and that they do not blend in other squashes. The FDA has long been relaxed about the whole question, on the reasoning that people get what they expect when they open the can. And botanists will cheerfully tell you there is no strict definition separating pumpkins from squash anyway. Not helpful, those botanists.

So I suppose that means that the label is accurate because the product is exactly what you wanted, and the thing in the can has almost nothing to do with the picture in your head. The holidays are a feeling, and so long as nobody tells Linus as he waits in his field on Halloween, we’ll keep this secret and smother it in whipped cream.

A few more things I learned and now you have to know:

Libby’s tests the crop by having employees bake and eat pumpkin pies. Every day during the harvest season for the roughly thirteen weeks of packing season. That means that somewhere in Morton, Illinois, there is a person whose seasonal job responsibility is eating pie on behalf of the American consumer. I can’t imagine they have a hard time filling that role.

The whole thing has failed before. Heavy rains wrecked the harvest in 2009 and again in 2015, and the 2015 one produced an actual canned pumpkin shortage at Christmas. One weather pattern, one county, and the country’s pie supply is in question. No supply chain diversification, no backup vendor, no second market. Just Morton, Illinois.

Here’s the part that ties back: Nobody schedules it. Nobody moves it up to compete with Prime Day. It is the single most honest seasonal calendar left anywhere in this business. It is happening right now while I write this.

And just a reminder for everyone: the pumpkin spice latte has no pumpkin.

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

Winning Halloween: How Gen Z’s spooky summers are driving growth
Retail Dive • August 9, 2026

Halloween is transforming into America’s longest retail shopping season, largely driven by Gen Z’s year-round engagement, according to a new Mars report. The phenomenon of “Summerween,” where Gen Z hosts spooky-themed summer parties, has seen a 63% increase, extending the holiday’s commercial reach. This trend highlights a significant shift in consumer behavior, offering retailers an extended window for seasonal sales and marketing opportunities.

Retailers stocked up for upcoming holiday season
Retail Dive • August 9, 2026

U.S. ports are seeing mixed signals regarding holiday season imports, with June showing a 13.2% year-over-year increase but July projections indicating a 7.6% decrease. While retailers have stocked up, the overall import volume is lower than initially anticipated, suggesting a more cautious approach to inventory. This fluctuating data highlights the ongoing uncertainty in global supply chains and consumer demand as the holiday season approaches.

Holiday Marketing Needs A New Kind Of Flexibility
Rokt • August 9, 2026

The evolving holiday shopping landscape, characterized by a longer, less predictable season and AI’s influence on consumer behavior, demands a new kind of flexibility in marketing strategies. Traditional, fixed campaigns are no longer sufficient as consumers spread their purchases across months and channels. Marketers must adopt real-time adaptation and agile approaches to effectively engage with shoppers throughout the extended holiday period.

College influencers compete for $100K brand deal in Xfinity social reality show US
Campaign • August 11, 2026

Xfinity is tapping into the booming creator economy with ‘Best in Class,’ a new social media reality show where college content creators vie for a $100,000 brand deal. Hosted by sports creator Katie Feeney, the seven-episode series challenges six collegiate influencers with various content creation tasks. This initiative highlights Xfinity’s strategy to engage with younger audiences and leverage the power of authentic, creator-driven marketing.

Spotify will label ‘AI Persona’ profiles and exclude their music from recommendations
TechCrunch • August 11, 2026

Spotify is taking steps to increase transparency around AI-generated music by introducing “AI Persona” profile tags for synthetic artists starting in mid-September 2026. These labels will clearly indicate when an artist’s identity is AI-generated, and their music will be excluded from personalized recommendations. This move aims to differentiate human creativity from AI output and address growing concerns about authenticity in the music industry.

Claude will apply invisible watermarks to AI text and images
The Verge • August 11, 2026

Anthropic is enhancing the transparency of its Claude AI models by implementing invisible, machine-readable watermarks on all generated text and images. This initiative aims to comply with evolving European AI transparency regulations and help platforms identify AI-generated content. While imperceptible to humans, these watermarks will be a crucial tool for distinguishing authentic content from AI creations, fostering greater trust and accountability in the digital landscape.

Marketers Are Being Pushed to Use AI, But Not Taught How
Adweek • August 11, 2026

Despite a strong push for marketers to adopt AI, a significant gap exists in formal training, with 43% receiving no instruction and only 10% finding existing resources adequate. This disconnect is hindering marketers from fully leveraging AI’s potential for advanced applications like workflow automation and data analysis. The lack of proper education is creating a bottleneck, preventing the industry from realizing the transformative benefits of AI.

Digital Leads iHeartMedia’s Transformation: Pittman Sees Upside For Radio.
Inside Radio • August 11, 2026

iHeartMedia’s digital audio operations have now surpassed its broadcast radio stations in earnings for six consecutive quarters, signaling a significant shift in the company’s revenue streams. CEO Bob Pittman attributes this not to a decline in radio listenership, but to a “monetization problem” where advertisers are increasingly favoring digital platforms. This trend underscores the growing importance of digital strategies for traditional media companies to remain competitive and capture advertising spend.

Ad Tech’s Trust Problem Isn’t Going Away. We Just Stopped Talking About It
AdExchanger • August 10, 2026

The ad tech industry’s persistent trust problem, encompassing issues like privacy, sustainability, and ethical AI, is being largely ignored despite its ongoing relevance. Recent lawsuits, such as the FTC’s action against Hims & Hers for alleged medical data sharing, highlight the continued misuse of consumer information. This deliberate silence on critical ethical concerns risks eroding consumer confidence and could lead to more stringent regulatory interventions.

How agentic AI is reshaping media buying at agencies
Digiday • August 10, 2026

Butler/Till is at the forefront of integrating agentic AI into media buying, actively testing programmatic agents across various channels like CTV, online video, and streaming audio. These AI agents are demonstrating the ability to autonomously execute media buys, freeing up human planners for more strategic tasks. This innovative approach signals a significant shift in how media agencies operate, promising increased efficiency and potentially more effective campaign outcomes.

Public markets are becoming an uncomfortable place for ad tech
Digiday • August 10, 2026

Publicly traded ad tech companies are facing increasing scrutiny and pressure in the public markets, as evidenced by recent stock price declines following Q2 earnings reports. Investors are now demanding more than just simple revenue growth, seeking proof of sustainable expansion and adaptability to evolving advertiser needs. This shift indicates a maturing market where ad tech firms must demonstrate robust business models and clear pathways to profitability to maintain investor confidence.

X Replacing Rev-Share Program, Prioritizing Original Content 08/11/2026
MediaPost • August 10, 2026

X is overhauling its Revenue Sharing program, replacing it with a new ‘Original Content Rewards Program’ to specifically incentivize creators for unique and high-quality content. This strategic shift aims to foster a more vibrant and engaging platform by rewarding creators for their time, effort, and expertise in producing original material. The move signals X’s commitment to prioritizing authentic content and potentially attracting a new wave of dedicated creators.

Netflix doubling down on ads innovation
Advanced Television • August 10, 2026

Netflix is significantly ramping up its advertising efforts, nearly doubling its ad commitments in the US during its 2026 Upfront, indicating strong advertiser confidence. The company’s President of Advertising, Amy Reinhard, highlighted the appeal of Netflix’s engaged audience and robust ad tech platform. This aggressive push into advertising underscores Netflix’s commitment to diversifying its revenue streams and capitalizing on its massive subscriber base.

Zuck’s manifesto argues for decentralized AI
Morning Brew • August 10, 2026

Mark Zuckerberg has published a comprehensive essay advocating for a decentralized approach to AI development, pushing back against the concentration of power in a few labs. He envisions AI as a tool for individual empowerment, emphasizing personal values, strong privacy, and free access to technology. This manifesto outlines a future where AI fosters scientific advancement and improves lives through open innovation, rather than being controlled by a select few.

Aptoide becomes the first rival app store to return to Google Play in the US
TechCrunch • August 10, 2026

Aptoide has made a significant return to Google Play in the U.S., becoming the first rival app store to do so after more than a decade. This move follows Google’s loosening of previously criticized anticompetitive restrictions, opening up new avenues for app distribution. U.S. users can now directly install Aptoide from Google Play, marking a notable shift towards a more open and competitive app ecosystem.

YouTube now requires creators to have twice as many watch hours to start earning money
TechCrunch • August 10, 2026

YouTube is significantly raising the bar for new creators to monetize their content, effective February 1, requiring twice as many watch hours or Shorts views. New creators will now need 8,000 qualified watch hours in a year or 20 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days, a substantial increase from previous thresholds. This change aims to ensure a higher standard of engagement and content quality from creators entering the monetization program.

Apple will stream Friday Night Baseball live in Vision Pro
The Verge • August 10, 2026

Apple is set to enhance the immersive sports viewing experience by streaming Friday Night Baseball live in Apple Vision Pro starting August 28th. This innovative feature will include live commentary and graphics anchored within the viewer’s physical space, offering a unique perspective. This initiative marks a significant step in leveraging augmented reality for live sports, potentially transforming how fans engage with their favorite games.

Report: AVOD May Top 50% of North American SVOD Revenue by 2026
TV Tech • August 10, 2026

Ad-supported streaming tiers are rapidly gaining traction, with projections indicating that AVOD could account for 54% of North American subscription streaming revenues by 2026, exceeding $45 billion. This trend highlights North America’s maturity as a streaming market and its increasing reliance on advertising to drive revenue growth. The shift underscores a broader industry movement towards hybrid monetization models, blending subscriptions with advertising to maximize profitability.

CMOs Are the Least Proficient at AI In the Marketing Org, Research Finds
Adweek • August 10, 2026

A new study reveals a significant disconnect in AI proficiency within marketing organizations, with 81% of professionals believing marketers overstate their skills, and CMOs lagging behind other employee levels. This lack of AI literacy at the top could hinder strategic implementation and adoption across the marketing department. The findings underscore an urgent need for senior marketing leaders to invest in their own AI education to effectively guide their teams and leverage the technology’s full potential.

The Identity Crisis: How Publicis’ LiveRamp Acquisition Reshaped Ad Tech Infrastructure
AdExchanger • August 9, 2026

Publicis Groupe’s acquisition of LiveRamp, a previously neutral identity vendor, has sparked an “identity crisis” within the ad tech industry, raising concerns about a competitor owning shared infrastructure. This move has prompted major holding companies like Omnicom and WPP to accelerate their exit from LiveRamp and invest in building their own identity solutions. The shift underscores a broader industry trend towards proprietary identity solutions as companies seek greater control and independence in the evolving privacy landscape.

Phony Deodorant Brand Is Quickly Recommended By AI
MediaPost • August 8, 2026

A recent experiment by marketer Deana Burke exposed the alarming gullibility of AI, as ChatGPT and other LLMs quickly recommended a completely fake deodorant brand she created. Within three weeks, the nonexistent product, based on a simple website and Substack article, was being suggested over established brands. This highlights a critical flaw in AI’s ability to discern factual information, raising concerns about the spread of misinformation and the need for more robust verification mechanisms.

Every large entertainment property runs on canon. It’s not “lore” for its own sake, but a rule about what’s true. Marvel has it. Star Wars has it. Middle-earth has it so thoroughly that people argue about it in journals. Even sitcoms have a loose, weird version: Happy Days spun off Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, and Joanie Loves Chachi before the whole thing eventually literally jumped a shark, which is now the phrase we use for when a canon collapses.

I also watch a lot of sports, and those two passions collided while I was tuning into ESPN last night. Finance and insurance have developed their own kind of canon. The Capital One Guy and Jake from State Farm show up IRL at sporting events. Flo from Progressive has its own crew of characters and even the Dr. Rick spinoff. The Geico Gecko has been around for decades at this point.

Sports itself runs on it too, and sports has already monetized it. Throwback nights. Retro logos. City Connect kits. A franchise can tell you what a 1987 jersey is worth this quarter, down to the SKU. Retired numbers and pennants are part of the lore. We think about how teams have performed against each other over the entire history of a rivalry, even going back to games decades ago.

So what is canon? It’s more than a set of rules or historical events. Canon is what the audience, the customer, and the people who don’t write the story institutionalize about your world, or perhaps your brand. Time and time again, people have told the same story in different ways, subbing in Andrew Garfield for Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland for Andrew Garfield, and success is judged by how the fans feel about it. Adding all three into the last Spider-Man movie was a nod to the canon of that world. Fan service. Easter Eggs exist because they delight fans, but they’re grounded in the feeling they give to the wonkiest of people who willingly enter that world.

Years ago I worked on a beer brand that had a character. Not a spokesperson or a mascot. Character is the only way I can describe it. Focused on younger male drinkers and dripping with the humor millennials emerging as adults just love. A character. He had a name, a look, a signature bit, and a habit of ambling into twisted versions of real-world problems and walking right through them without breaking stride. The TV spots were the visible part. Then content started to emerge around him via short skits, an online video presence in the emerging age of streaming and short content videos. He turned up in places that were arranged but not necessarily “bought.”

Then people started dressing as him for Halloween. That’s the moment that we knew it was a thing. This was a brand that people would actively bring to parties, and inevitably the six packs and cases followed. Human beings were spending their own money and their own time to reproduce a beer commercial.

And then he was gone.

I won’t say that I was in every room and I can’t even pretend to know everything that went into retiring this character, but I do know that I was in multiple conversations around how to be more efficient with that reach. Someone was doing some reach math that proved they could keep the reach for much less cost online if they cut the television ads. TV left the plan, and sales drifted.

No brand can tell you what its 1987 campaign is worth even though advertising isn’t short on long-lived characters. Snap, Crackle and Pop. The Michelin Man, and the aforementioned Jake, Flo and Gecko. Heck, even Santa Claus owes some of his mystique to advertising. But no apparatus in our industry treats them as assets with a response curve.

Part of the problem is that canon isn’t measured. It’s adjudicated. Marvel Studios has no canon KPI. It has Kevin Feige. Lucasfilm has a story group. DC has continuity editors and entire retcon storylines when things get too messy. These are people with veto power and tenure longer than any single project, and their job is to say “No, that isn’t true in our universe.” Brands have brand guidelines that govern the colors, the logo, the voice. Guidelines govern how a brand shows up, not its history or universe. Nothing in their job governs what the brand has said already.

That said, there are archives of what has been done. Previous versions of logos and sometimes stables of mascots. Brand “heritage.” We have untold piles of previous work in this industry, but canon is a pile with rules and lineage. There isn’t a real creative taxonomy that we can lean on. A DAM (digital asset manager) can theoretically hold every asset a brand has ever produced, tagged for rights, expiry, aspect ratio, and usage territory. There is no field for “is this true in our universe?” Nobody has needed one yet.

DCO can assemble a thousand variants against a thousand segments, and each is compliant with the guidelines and unconstrained by the story. CRM knows what a customer bought. It has no memory of what that customer has been told.

Which is fine until you start training generative models on the pile, which is all the rage. A model trained on an archive cannot distinguish canon “truth” from noise, because the archive never encoded the difference. It might produce a perfectly on-brand message or image saying something that will get optimized until it produces the desired sales effect and perhaps in a voice of the brand that never existed, and it will pass every check we’ve built. That means the brand safety problem of the next decade won’t be offensive output. It’s continuity errors that the CMO has ceded control to the machines.

And therein lies the measurement problem. Performance data is observed. It happened, we watched it happen, the log file exists. Brand data is collected. We asked people, and they reported a feeling, a vibe, a relationship. “Yes! I’d love to go to a party with that brand.”

Sure, the top of funnel is not short on numbers: reach, VTR, attention seconds, awareness, consideration, share of voice, sentiment, brand lift. Forty numbers and no real adjudication. Not even Kevin Feige’s compensation moves when a tracker moves, just when the box office does.

So, in every room where a budget gets decided, that customer testimony loses to the eyewitness of the performance log. It loses regardless of which side of the funnel holds more money. That’s not a measurement failure exactly. It’s a practice nobody wrote down, and everybody follows. In our business, canon is a tool we don’t use because a CMO change happens when performance stalls, not when the brand does.

I’m not going to argue that creative should be measured better. That road visits Byron Sharp and Ehrenberg-Bass and plenty of other well-traveled ground about reach and allocation. Creative has its own guardians and defenders. And it’s the wrong road anyway, because entertainment doesn’t measure canon either. It appoints somebody to protect it. In marketing, brand equity has a life longer than the tenure of anyone in a position to defend it.

I’ve said it a million times: measurement should help somebody decide something. Nobody in that room could decide what a Halloween costume was worth, so they decided with the numbers that were in front of them, which is what anybody would have done. The costume was the audience filing a report. There was just no line in the spreadsheet to enter it, and no ROI to give it weight.

So yes, I was sad when that campaign died. And then I moved on, the way the rest of the consumers did. I forgot about the brand, and maybe I smirk now when I pass a six-pack in the aisle. The allocation decision had no foundation for what the impression carried, no matter how many people it reached. One reach point of a beloved character doing his bit, one reach point of a 300x250, entering the same column and summing. The story wasn’t undervalued. There was no benchmark to undervalue it against.

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

Saturday, August 8th, is National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day.

This is a real thing, in the sense that anything is real if enough people agree to it. The premise is that by early August, anyone who planted zucchini has more zucchini than a human being can process, and the only remaining option is redistribution under cover of darkness. You don’t ring the bell. You don’t leave a note. You place the squash, and you walk away. In the morning your neighbor has a problem that used to be your problem.

One zucchini plant can produce for weeks, and a fruit can go from acceptable to zeppelin in about seventy-two hours if you skip a day of looking. The official Guinness World Record for the longest zucchini is 8 feet, 3.3 inches, grown by John Scozzafava in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, in 2014.

Zucchini is botanically a fruit, and more specifically a berry, of the type called a pepo. Squash in the Cucurbita pepo family were domesticated in Mexico (-ish) roughly ten thousand years ago, which puts them among the oldest cultivated plants in the Americas, older than corn.

But zucchini itself is Italian, and it’s young. It was bred in the late 1800s in northern Italy, out of squash that had crossed the Atlantic centuries earlier. The name is a diminutive of zucca, gourd. The little gourd. It arrived in the United States with Italian immigrants and became a garden staple fast, because it grows just as fast.

So the vegetable in this story went from Mexico to Italy, got reinvented there, came back across the ocean under a new name, and now gets abandoned on suburban porches in the dark. Happy National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day for all who celebrate.

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

Google’s Ask Maps Lets You Get More Done Conversationally, Thanks to AI
CNET • August 6, 2026

Google has significantly enhanced its Ask Maps feature with new AI-powered agentic capabilities, allowing users to complete complex, multi-step tasks conversationally. This upgrade includes agentic food ordering through partnerships with Toast and UberEats, alongside streamlined hotel search and booking. These advancements aim to make Google Maps a more comprehensive and intuitive assistant for everyday tasks, moving beyond simple navigation to become a central hub for planning and executing activities.

WPP’s boss looks toward ‘mixed economy’ business model
Digiday • August 6, 2026

WPP CEO Cindy Rose acknowledges that the shift to outcome-based remuneration, a cornerstone of WPP’s turnaround strategy, is progressing slowly, with Jaguar Land Rover being their only client fully adopting it. Rose anticipates a “mixed economy of business models” as the industry evolves, moving away from traditional time-and-materials billing. This indicates a pragmatic approach to industry transformation, recognizing that a full overhaul will take time and a blend of old and new models will likely coexist.

Netflix to Premiere Grand Theft Auto VI Extended Look
The Hollywood Reporter • August 6, 2026

Netflix is set to premiere an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI on August 27th, in a significant partnership with Rockstar Games. This collaboration highlights Netflix’s ambition to expand its platform beyond traditional series and films, embracing ambitious storytelling across various media. By showcasing highly anticipated gaming content, Netflix aims to attract a broader audience and solidify its position as a diverse entertainment hub.

Cloudflare Wants to Tell Brands If AI Is Recommending Them
Adweek • August 6, 2026

Cloudflare is launching the AEO Visibility Dashboard, a new tool designed to inform brands whether AI assistants like ChatGPT and Gemini are citing, mentioning, or recommending their content. This initiative is part of Cloudflare’s broader Answer Engine Optimization Suite, aiming to provide brands with crucial insights into their visibility within the evolving AI landscape. Understanding how AI platforms interact with brand content is becoming essential for digital strategy and maintaining relevance in an AI-driven search environment.

OpenAI brings product carousels to ChatGPT ads
Digiday • August 5, 2026

OpenAI is introducing product carousels for ChatGPT ads, enabling multiple products to be displayed in a single ad placement at the bottom of user conversations. This enhancement follows previous updates aimed at improving retail advertising capabilities, such as bulk product feed campaign creation. The new carousel format offers retailers a more dynamic and effective way to showcase their offerings directly within the AI chat interface, potentially boosting engagement and sales.

A CMO’s guide to machine relations
Marketing Dive • August 5, 2026

CMOs must pivot from traditional media relations to ‘machine relations’ as AI platforms increasingly influence consumer purchasing decisions. Buyers are now relying on tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude for product research and recommendations, making AI visibility paramount. This shift necessitates a new strategic focus on optimizing content for AI consumption, ensuring brands are discoverable and favorably presented by these powerful new gatekeepers of information.

Kraft Heinz pours nearly $100M more into marketing to drive turnaround
Marketing Dive • August 5, 2026

Kraft Heinz is injecting nearly $100 million more into its turnaround plan, with the majority earmarked for marketing, aiming to reach at least 6% of net sales by 2026. This substantial investment underscores the company’s commitment to revitalizing its brands and driving growth. The increased marketing spend is a strategic move to enhance brand visibility and consumer engagement, crucial for a company focused on long-term market leadership.

The Disney Plus App Is Getting TikToks. Is a Free Plan Next?
CNET • August 5, 2026

Disney is exploring a free, ad-supported tier for Disney Plus and has partnered with TikTok to integrate Disney-themed TikToks into a new ‘Verts’ section of its app. These moves signal Disney’s strategy to boost subscriber growth and engage younger audiences amidst a competitive streaming landscape. By embracing both a freemium model and popular short-form content, Disney aims to broaden its appeal and attract new users to its platform.

Reddit is introducing a new moderator: AI
The Verge • August 5, 2026

Reddit is introducing “Rules Hub,” an AI-powered moderation suite that uses LLMs to help moderators evaluate posts and comments with greater nuance against community rules. This new system, tested by over 700 communities, aims to improve the efficiency and accuracy of content moderation beyond the current Automoderator. By leveraging AI, Reddit seeks to create a more consistent and effective moderation environment, addressing the challenges of managing vast online communities.

As Gen Z reconsiders dating apps, Tinder’s IRL events expand to dozens more cities
TechCrunch • August 5, 2026

Tinder is expanding its in-person events to dozens of new cities, a strategic move to re-engage Gen Z users who are increasingly disillusioned with traditional online dating. This expansion comes as Match Group, Tinder’s owner, reported a revenue decline for the app, indicating a need for innovative approaches. By offering real-world social opportunities, Tinder aims to bridge the gap between digital connection and authentic human interaction, appealing to a generation seeking more meaningful experiences.

Myspace owners say they want to relaunch the site
Morning Brew • August 5, 2026

The current owners of Myspace, Chris and Tim Vanderhook, have announced plans to relaunch the original social media platform, though specific details remain scarce. This potential revival follows previous unsuccessful attempts to rebrand Myspace as a music-focused site. The move suggests an ambition to capitalize on nostalgia and potentially carve out a niche in the crowded social media landscape, though the challenges of competing with established giants are significant.

Sony scales up its Playstation advertising ambitions
Digiday • August 4, 2026

Sony is significantly ramping up its advertising ambitions for PlayStation, evidenced by numerous open roles within its Sony Interactive Entertainment Media Solutions team. Key hires, including a global director for client partnerships and a director for ad operations, signal a strategic push to expand its advertising capabilities. This aggressive expansion suggests Sony is looking to leverage its massive gaming audience for new revenue streams and enhance its market presence.

Disney, TikTok partner on content sharing as creators fuel fandom
Marketing Dive • August 4, 2026

The Walt Disney Company and TikTok are collaborating on the Disney Creator Ambassador Program, a content-sharing initiative that grants creators access to assets from Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars franchises. This partnership aims to leverage the power of fan-generated content to fuel fandom and promote Disney’s vast intellectual property. By empowering creators, Disney seeks to expand its reach and engage audiences in new, authentic ways across social media.

Study Finds More Than Half Of CTV Programmatic Served On Large Screens
MediaPost • August 4, 2026

A June 2026 Pixalate report reveals that 57% of U.S. open CTV programmatic ad spending occurs on large-screen devices like smart TVs, with the remaining 43% on smaller screens. This data highlights the dominance of the living room experience for programmatic CTV advertising, despite the prevalence of mobile viewing. The report underscores the growing importance of connected TV in the advertising landscape, with significant investment flowing into this channel.

FuboTV hits record-high subs
Advanced Television • August 4, 2026

FuboTV, the US sports-first streaming service, achieved record-high North American subscribers and strong financial results for its third quarter fiscal 2026. CEO Alisa Bowen attributed this success to robust subscriber acquisition driven by high-profile sports events like the NBA Finals and the UEFA Champions League. This performance indicates a growing appetite for dedicated sports streaming services and FuboTV’s effective strategy in capturing this market.

Can the apps stop AI slop?
Social Media Today • August 4, 2026

Social media platforms are grappling with an influx of AI-generated content, leading to user backlash and a preference for human-created posts. Platforms like Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit are implementing measures to limit or label AI content, recognizing the need to maintain authenticity and user trust. This struggle highlights a critical challenge for social media: balancing technological advancement with the desire for genuine human connection and content integrity.

Moment of Truth in Sports Streaming Sparks Scramble for Better Solutions
TV Tech • August 4, 2026

Despite billions invested in sports streaming, legacy TV outlets still capture approximately 85% of live sports viewing hours in the U.S., raising questions about the ROI for streaming providers. Streaming services are spending vast sums on distribution rights but often lack clear monetization strategies or a cohesive user experience. This “moment of truth” suggests that streaming platforms need to re-evaluate their approach to sports content, focusing on better solutions to convert investment into sustained viewership and profitability.

Hollywood wants to gobble up more and more creator IP.
Digiday • August 3, 2026

Hollywood is increasingly eager to acquire creator-led intellectual property, especially after successful independent projects, but faces complex challenges regarding ownership and community engagement. The case of the ‘Backrooms’ meme, which inspired a successful film, exemplifies the difficulties of tracing IP origins and navigating anonymous online communities. This trend highlights a growing tension between traditional studio models and the decentralized, often collaborative nature of internet-born content.

IAB Unveils Framework For AI Visibility
MediaPost • August 3, 2026

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has introduced “Measuring Visibility in the AI Era,” a new framework to standardize how brands and publishers measure their presence in AI-based search engines like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Developed by an IAB working group, this initiative aims to provide crucial metrics for understanding AI visibility, similar to traditional SEO. This framework is vital for advertisers and publishers to adapt their strategies and ensure their content is discoverable and impactful in the evolving AI search landscape.

Pinterest tells brands to launch holiday campaigns early
Social Media Today • August 3, 2026

Pinterest is advising brands to launch their holiday campaigns as early as September, emphasizing that its users begin planning festive purchases well in advance. The platform highlights its audience as high-intent shoppers actively researching various holiday-related activities. This recommendation underscores Pinterest’s role as a key planning tool for consumers and provides a strategic window for brands to capture early engagement and influence purchasing decisions.

Agencies Eye Token Futures Market Amid Rising AI Costs; OpenAI Expands Ad Offerings
AdExchanger • August 2, 2026

Major advertising agencies are exploring a ‘futures market for tokens’ model to manage rising AI token consumption costs, similar to principal media trading. This involves securing wholesale rates from large language models (LLMs) and reselling them to clients at a markup, as agencies can no longer subsidize these expenses. This innovative approach reflects a significant shift in agency business models, adapting to the economic realities of widespread AI integration and seeking new revenue streams.

Why brands want creators earlier in the marketing process
Digiday • August 2, 2026

Brands are increasingly involving creators earlier in the marketing process, moving beyond simple media buys to leverage their insights for concept shaping, product influence, and idea testing. This evolution reflects a maturing creator economy and a growing respect from CMOs for creators’ authentic connection with their audiences. By integrating creators from the outset, brands aim to develop more resonant and effective campaigns that genuinely connect with target demographics.

AI Market Is Starting To Look Suspiciously Like Streaming Video
MediaPost • August 2, 2026

The AI market has seen a dramatic 80.9% increase in web visits over the past year, reaching 144.5 billion, according to a OneLittleWeb report. However, the article suggests that this rapid growth might not guarantee universal success, drawing parallels to the streaming video market’s eventual consolidation. This implies that despite high participation, the AI industry could face similar challenges of saturation and differentiation, leading to a more concentrated market in the future.

It’s probably a two or three day recovery process and I’ll be going through all my photos looking for great shots (I’ve put some of my favorites from previous years in this article). I’ll have discovered some great new acts, fallen deeper in love with others and the ringing in my ears will hopefully have subsided. My phone probably will have died several times but when I go back through photos, inevitably, I’ll have plenty of name brands and sponsored experiences plastered through my camera roll.

I’ve been to Lolla and RiotFest a few times over the last few years. The one I keep coming back to was by Måneskin. A band I had learned about when they won Eurovision. What an amazing set that was. I can’t even begin to describe how happy it makes me to think that I was there to experience it. I had absolutely nowhere else to be and no way to prove to anyone that I was there other than the pictures I took. I didn’t post it or share it online or write anything about it. Just the thing itself. It felt, and I mean this, like a small miracle of not-choosing. Just being there. Which is the exact opposite of a normal night, where I have infinite choice and no connection and spend half an hour deciding what to not-really-watch. Doechii last year was another one of those “had to be there” moments for me.

At the festival there is no choice. One stage. One moment. And total connection.

Turns out that feeling is now a line item. After all the streaming fragmentation, the ten-plus apps and the five hours a day and the 40% who check multiple apps before deciding what to watch (TiVo Q4 2025 Video Trends Report), the money has started quietly walking toward the few places attention still pools. And attention pools where bodies do. According to EventTrack’s 2026 study, 61% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from a brand after being at one of its events, and 57% of brands are planning to increase how much they show up in person this year. That’s not a rounding error. It’s a full-on migration.

Here in Chicago, you can see it in the sidewalks. I found some data from Placer that shows when Lolla runs, visits to the city jump more than 180% over a normal long weekend, and the biggest surge, this is the part I love, comes from people who live 50 to 100 miles out and got in the car. A 343% bump from the near-suburbs and the cornfield towns. People will drive two hours for the thing they can’t stream. Nobody drives two hours for a banner ad.

So here’s what I think is actually happening. Three things, and they look like three separate trends: an experiential boom, a Gen Z mood swing, a measurement gripe. They’re not separate. They’re one story, and your next budget is not immune to it. It’s probably starting to wrap its arms around it now for 2027.

First: The money is following the crowd

Experiential used to be the fun money. The activation. The thing the brand team did so they’d have something to put in the recap deck and probably the “added value” that a platform could provide as a way to extend its own brand to its own audience on the back of your dollars. It’s not the fun money anymore. That’s where the incremental dollars are going, and the reason is almost embarrassingly simple. It’s the only channel where the audience chose to be there and paid for the privilege.

Think about what a festival crowd actually is, from a measurement standpoint. Nobody’s a bot. Nobody skipped the ad. Nobody scrolled past. Nobody’s viewability is “50% of pixels for one second.” It is a hundred thousand real human beings who spent real money and a real Saturday to stand inside a cultural moment, and if your brand is there in a way that isn’t a gross real-estate grab, but rather integrated into the entire aura of the moment, some meaningful slice of them will feel something about you they did not feel on Friday. That is the most honest focus group in America. It charges admission, and if you’re paying attention, it’ll leave its contact information on the way out.

Second: The most online generation walked out of the feed

Here’s the twist that makes it more than a press release. The generation that basically is the internet is the one leading the walk back to the physical world.

Gen Z is putting up box-office numbers nobody predicted. 61% of 18-to-24s went to a movie in the last six months, above where their age group sat before the pandemic. Radio, of all things, is holding steady while the algorithm-fed platforms show what one report called “habit softening,” meaning people getting quietly worn out by their feed (Crowd React Media, State of the Media 2026, via Inside Radio). And when you look at how Gen Z does fandom, the entry point isn’t the game or even the music, half the time. It’s the parties around it, the fan fest, the being-there. The event is the doorway; the content is the souvenir.

And what are most brands doing about it? Spending more to target them more precisely, inside the feed they’re leaving. Buying sharper and sharper darts for a room the crowd is actively choosing to spend less time in? That’s a missed opportunity and a fundamental misunderstanding of behavior away from screens.

Third: The receipts stayed home

Now the part I actually care about as a measurement guy.

Every other channel is wired to the gills to look for outcomes. Search reports to the query, social to the click, CTV and retail media to the household and the receipt. We got so good at measuring the cheap, low-emotion engagement/transaction/conversion stuff that we track a programmatic impression through six vendors and lose sleep over a misattribution rate on ads nobody remembers seeing.

The festival? The convention? The party? The most emotionally loaded thing a brand can do all year? We measure it like it’s 1996. A post-event survey. A lift study if somebody senior went to bat for it. An “impressions equivalent” for the social reach so it slots into the same column as everything else. Maybe it even gets measured as PR? Advertising equivalency? Hashtag counts? Please.

But here’s what actually gets me, and it isn’t even the affinity side. It’s the data.

Walk the activation footprint at Lolla and count how many times someone tries to hand you their identity. The tent giving away a custom koozie if you scan the QR code. The sunglasses for an email. The “text this number to win a guitar.” The phone-charging locker that costs you nothing but a signup or validation that they are indeed a customer. The wristband on your arm that is, whether you think about it or not, a cashless payment rail quietly logging every taco and every beer. In a world where every brand on earth is spending a fortune trying to rebuild identity after the third-party cookie died, the festival is the one place people will cheerfully hand you a real, consented, first-party identity. A name. An email. A purchase. A yes. In exchange for a tote bag.

And most brands drop it on the floor. M&M’S handed out bucket hats at Lolla a couple of summers back, thousands of them, and as far as anyone ever reported, asked for nothing in return. Not a name, not a scan. The ones who do collect something often dump the emails into a spreadsheet nobody opens and run the giveaway as a giveaway, instead of as the single richest signal-capture moment on their calendar. Either way, they came for the photo of the crowd and forgot to keep the crowd.

To be fair, a few of them get it. T-Mobile builds a shaded VIP deck and only lets you up if you’re a customer. Ulta gates its free glam and gift cards behind a rewards signup. Chase runs the whole footprint as a cardmember perk. And Google set up an AI try-on booth last summer where more than five thousand people cheerfully uploaded a photo of themselves in exchange for a five-dollar festival credit. In every one of those, the swag is the bait and the identity is the catch. The giveaway is the capture. It isn’t hard. It’s just a decision the rest of them didn’t bother to make.

So if you’re considering event activation, make sure you bring the right clipboard. Bring the one that captures a name and a yes, not the one that just counts bodies and hashtags.

Leaving my measurement bucket hat on for one more minute:

Here’s what I can’t get past. We call live events “unmeasurable,” and that word has been doing quiet, load-bearing work for years. It’s what we say about the parts of the plan that we can’t show on the dashboard. But it’s only half true, and the true half is the alibi for the lazy half. The affinity, what the crowd feels about you on Sunday that they didn’t on Friday, that one is genuinely hard. But the data? The email, the scan, the wristband, the receipt? That isn’t unmeasurable. That’s just uncaptured, or minimized. We let “hard to measure the feeling” become permission to not even count the receipts.

Now, the fair objection, because there is one: some things curdle the second you instrument them. Turn the festival into a lead-gen trap, gate the bucket hat behind a fourteen-field form, spam the address you harvested, make the fun feel like a funnel, and you kill the exact affinity you drove two hours and paid a fortune to build. That’s real. But it’s an argument for capturing consented signal genuinely and gracefully, not for refusing to capture it at all. The person happily typing their email to win the guitar is trying to give you something. Letting it hit the floor isn’t principle. It’s just waste with better PR.

We don’t leave live events unmeasured because they don’t work. We leave them unmeasured because they DO work. And because doing it right means doing two hard things at once: honoring a sentiment you can’t fully count, and capturing an identity you absolutely can, without letting the second one poison the first.

Nobody decides next year’s festival budget on data. They decide it on the CMO’s memory of the crowd or how people felt when they mentioned their brand. Which means, by our own definition, we aren’t measuring it, we’re remembering it. And memory is not a methodology, especially when the actual data was sitting in a fishbowl of email signups the whole time.

A hundred thousand people paid to stand inside your brand for four days. A real number of them handed you their name on the way in. And the artifact we carry back to the boardroom is a nice photo of an “activation.”

Measurement is supposed to help somebody decide something. If it can’t, it’s something else, and we should call it something else. A consented email helps you decide something: who to talk to next, what they bought, whether the person you met at the tent ever came back. A photo of the tent helps you decide nothing. Presence became the product, and presence throws off signal; you just have to be set up to catch it, and disciplined enough to catch it without ruining the thing you came for. Decide up front what the event is supposed to do for the business, capture the fair, freely-given signal while you’re there, and measure the whole thing against that one outcome before you sign up for the next one. It’s un-fun and serious work but you might get to see some great bands as the payoff.

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

Lollapalooza started in 1991 as a goodbye. Perry Farrell built it as the farewell tour for Jane’s Addiction, a band breaking up, one last lap. The breakup didn’t take, obviously, and neither did the “farewell.” The goodbye accidentally became one of the most permanent things in American music, which is a very on-brand way for anything in this industry to happen. I remember going to see my first Lollapalooza in July 1994 at what was then the World Music Theater in Tinley Park, Illinois. Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, and George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars. Back when it was still a tour.

And the name. The story goes that Farrell pulled “lollapalooza” out of an old Three Stooges short, and honestly the provenance is fuzzy enough that I’ll let it stay fuzzy. What’s not fuzzy is what the word meant. A lollapalooza, in turn-of-the-last-century American slang, was something outstanding. Extraordinary. A thing so remarkable you couldn’t quite put a number on it. You just knew it when you saw it. It shows up in print as early as the 1890s so it’s not a made up word just for the festival.

So the festival I’ll be standing in this weekend is named after a hundred-year-old word for unquantifiably great. I’m looking forward to seeing Slayyter, Little Simz, Disco Lines, Balu Brigada and I think I’ve gotta choose hometown heroes Smashing Pumpkins over Charli XCX. And inevitably, Chance the Rapper is sure to make an appearance somewhere.

Let me know if you’re going to be there. Would love to meet up!

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

Survey: TV OS becoming front door to streaming in US
Advanced Television • July 27, 2026

Smart TVs are rapidly becoming the primary gateway for content consumption in the US, transforming how viewers discover and engage with streaming services. A recent study by Hub Entertainment Research highlights the critical strategic importance of TV operating systems in this evolving media landscape. This shift means that the smart TV interface is now a crucial battleground for streaming providers vying for consumer attention.

As rivals chase acquisitions, Peacock bets on bundles through a new deal with YouTube
TechCrunch • July 27, 2026

Peacock is strategically expanding its reach through a new multi-year global partnership with YouTube, offering its Premium plan to YouTube Premium subscribers in the U.S. starting in early 2027. This deal allows Peacock to tap into YouTube’s massive subscriber base, providing a significant boost to its content distribution. It reflects a growing trend of streaming services leveraging bundles and partnerships to compete in a crowded market.

Dick’s, LiveRamp, and Adobe Are Building Retail Media’s Creative Future
Adweek • July 27, 2026

Dick’s Sporting Goods, LiveRamp, and Adobe have forged a new partnership aimed at revolutionizing personalized creative messaging within retail media networks. This collaboration seeks to harness customer data and advanced creative tools to deliver more relevant and impactful advertisements. The initiative highlights the increasing sophistication of retail media and the drive towards highly tailored consumer experiences.

Threads users can now chat with Meta AI in their DMs
TechCrunch • July 27, 2026

Meta has integrated its Meta AI chatbot directly into Threads’ direct messages, enabling users to engage in private conversations with the AI assistant. This strategic move aims to keep users within Meta’s ecosystem, discouraging reliance on third-party AI tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini. It signifies Meta’s broader ambition to embed AI deeply across its platforms, enhancing user experience and data retention.

Google’s AI search is rapidly becoming the default, new data shows
TechCrunch • July 27, 2026

Google’s AI Overviews are rapidly becoming a dominant feature in search results, now appearing in 43% of searches, up from 15% within a year. This significant increase, reported by Similarweb, indicates a fundamental shift in how users consume online information. Google’s AI is fundamentally reshaping the search journey, providing direct answers and potentially reducing the need for users to click through to external websites.

Meta ad costs hit five-year low as creative drives performance | Campaign US
Campaign • July 27, 2026

Meta’s cost per acquisition (CPA) reached a five-year low in Q2 2026, falling 22% year-on-year, with impressions also becoming cheaper. Despite these lower ad costs, conversion rates declined by 24%, suggesting softer consumer demand and a strategic shift by brands towards top-of-funnel investments. This trend indicates that while Meta’s ad platform remains cost-effective for reach, advertisers are facing challenges in driving immediate conversions.

Google’s Buyer Direct Threatens Agentic AI in Direct Ad Sales
AdExchanger • July 26, 2026

The article cautions against the uncritical adoption of agentic AI in advertising, drawing parallels to past tech bubbles, and emphasizes the need for robust product management. It identifies direct sales as a prime application for agentic AI, aiming to automate and enhance the current human-driven process. This highlights the potential for AI to revolutionize ad sales while underscoring the importance of strategic implementation to avoid pitfalls.

How AI costs are quietly reshaping principal media deals
Digiday • July 26, 2026

The advertising industry is grappling with how to effectively price AI, leading agencies to embed AI infrastructure costs directly into principal media deals rather than charging separately. This approach, exemplified by a holdco offering to cover AI costs if a significant portion of media budget runs through them, reflects the nascent stage of AI monetization in advertising. It signals a shift towards integrated AI services within broader media agreements, making AI a hidden cost rather than a standalone offering.

Survey: 56% say rising streaming costs hard to justify
Advanced Television • July 26, 2026

A Uswitch survey reveals that 56% of UK adults are finding the rising costs of TV and film streaming increasingly difficult to justify. Many households are spending £21 or more monthly, with a significant portion admitting to having more subscriptions than needed or paying for rarely used services. This trend highlights growing consumer fatigue with escalating streaming expenses and the need for providers to offer better value or more flexible options.

Holiday planning needs a new playbook
Marketing Dive • July 26, 2026

The traditional holiday marketing playbook is no longer effective due to significant shifts in consumer behavior, necessitating a new strategic approach. Today’s holiday shopping season is characterized by its extended duration, non-linear progression, and dynamic nature, with promotions starting earlier and consumers making purchasing decisions fluidly. Marketers must adapt to this evolving landscape by embracing agility and continuous engagement rather than relying on predictable, time-bound campaigns.

Stressed parents turn to BNPL for back-to-school shopping
Retail Dive • July 26, 2026

A recent Omnisend survey indicates that 40% of parents anticipate greater financial stress for the upcoming back-to-school shopping season, leading nearly half (45%) of U.S. households to plan on using buy now, pay later (BNPL) financing. This marks a significant increase in BNPL adoption for essential purchases, highlighting the growing financial strain on families. The trend underscores the increasing reliance on flexible payment options to manage household budgets amidst rising costs.

Google’s ads biz gets boost from World Cup hype, Gemini improvements
Social Media Today • July 26, 2026

Google’s ad revenue surged by 14% year-over-year to $81.6 billion in Q2, with total revenue climbing 24% to $119.8 billion, surpassing market expectations. The Gemini AI assistant is credited with significantly enhancing ad relevance for users and value for advertisers, particularly boosting search revenue by nearly 17%. This strong performance underscores the positive impact of AI integration on Google’s core advertising business and its ability to drive growth.

Meta still has widest social media reach
Social Media Today • July 25, 2026

Meta continues to dominate the social media landscape, with Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp each boasting over 3 billion monthly active users. This widespread reach solidifies Meta’s leading position, despite a slight decline in Facebook’s user growth. The consistent high engagement across its diverse platforms highlights Meta’s enduring influence and ability to maintain a massive global audience.

The End Of Infinite Choice
MediaPost • July 24, 2026

Consumers are increasingly overwhelmed by excessive product choices, with 73% feeling this way and 74% abandoning purchases due to information overload, according to Accenture. The article argues that the focus on “personalization” has been misconstrued, as consumers now desire fewer decisions rather than more tailored options. This suggests a paradigm shift where simplicity and curated offerings may be more effective than endless variety in attracting and retaining customers.

YouTube posts 13% ad revenue growth in Q2, tops $11B | Campaign US
Campaign • July 24, 2026

YouTube’s ad revenue saw a robust 13% year-on-year growth in Q2, reaching US$11.055 billion, significantly contributing to Alphabet’s stronger-than-expected quarterly results. Alphabet’s total revenue for the quarter increased by 24% to US$119.8 billion, with advertising remaining its primary revenue driver. This strong performance underscores YouTube’s continued importance as a major advertising platform and its resilience in a competitive digital landscape.

Google quietly gives ground on PMax controls
Digiday • July 23, 2026

Google is quietly testing a new feature for its Performance Max (PMax) product, allowing media buyers to exclude inventory from third-party search partners and the Google Display Network. This move addresses a long-standing frustration among marketers who desired more control over PMax campaigns. While a small step, this checkbox feature signals Google’s responsiveness to advertiser feedback and a potential shift towards greater transparency and control within its automated ad solutions.

Consumers warm up to streaming ads: Here’s what the numbers say
Marketing Dive • July 23, 2026

Consumers are increasingly receptive to ad-supported streaming, with two-thirds reporting less aversion to ads and 69% willing to watch ads to save money, an 11-point increase since 2021. This growing acceptance is driven by the proliferation of ad-supported tiers and the rising average annual cost of entertainment subscriptions, now at $924. The trend indicates a strategic shift in the streaming industry, where ad-supported models are becoming a viable and popular option for both providers and cost-conscious consumers.

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Then, while I was running other errands, I passed a Target endcap on the way home. Magnolia Home rugs, Magnolia Home candles, Magnolia Home whatever. Chip and Joanna Gaines’ brand extending into products they’d likely never seen and probably couldn’t pick out of a lineup.

Got back to the couch, opened my laptop, poked at LinkedIn to see what was posted this week. And there it was: brand strategy leader, Feastables. MrBeast’s chocolate company. Beast Industries valuation last November: five billion dollars.

Sometimes, I can be a little bit dense, I admit. I started thinking about what I would do if I were a creator. Someone with the on-camera personality and creative vision to build an empire like that. I mean, everyone is doing it, right? What do they have that I don’t…other than the on-camera personality and creative vision? I’d like to say something clicked and it all made sense right there, but it took me one more beat.

While I was reviewing the news the next day, I saw that Edelman had named its first-ever Global Chief Creator Officer in June. His mandate at Edelman is to integrate creator with social, paid, and performance. Two hundred creator specialists globally. This is a real hire at a serious agency, and it’s the kind of announcement that makes the industry press write “creators have arrived.”

But I don’t think that’s what’s actually happening.

Alex Cooper signed a $125 million deal with SiriusXM in 2024, which is a huge check for a podcast. That’s the least interesting thing she’s done. Her Unwell Network now has a hydration line at Target, an energy drink line at Target, and a creative agency she pitched at Cannes Lions. Cooper told the Wall Street Journal her ad agency revenue is nearly on par with her podcast revenue. She’s a podcast host who has built a media network with an ad shop attached and a beverage arm nailed to the side.

The Kelce brothers signed a three-year deal worth over $100 million with Amazon’s Wondery for New Heights. That might be least interesting thing either of them have done recently. They bought into Garage Beer in June 2024, a small Cincinnati-region craft brand that hit a $200 million valuation by late 2025. They aren’t the brand. The beer isn’t called Kelce. They are equity investors with a weekly amplification engine and operational involvement, a different structure than Cooper’s, but the same instinct. Turn cultural cache into ownership of something people buy.

In June 2025, Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett - the SmartLess podcast hosts - launched a phone company. SmartLess Mobile. An MVNO on T-Mobile’s network. Plans between $15 and $30 a month, all three actors as equity investors. Their podcast, they said in the press release, reaches millions of listeners a month, almost all of whom listen on their phones. Extending the SmartLess brand into mobile was, they said, a logical next step. Which is a thing you can only say if the last five years have already happened.

A podcast is now a plausible starting point for a wireless carrier.

And Mel Robbins, who is not a creator in the ring-light-and-niche sense but is definitely the same species, has a top-ten podcast, the #1 bestseller in 2025, corporate speaking, coaching products, and an ecosystem of licensing that turns her personal brand into a business she owns. Different vertical, same shape.

The most extreme version of all this is Feastables. In 2024, MrBeast’s chocolate business did $250 million in revenue and $20 million in profit. His media business (the YouTube channel, the Amazon show, the whole content operation) did roughly the same $246 million in revenue and lost $80 million doing it. The chocolate subsidized the videos. The videos did not pay for themselves. By late 2025, investors were pricing Beast Industries at $5.2 billion. Its CEO is Jeff Housenbold, a former SoftBank Vision Fund managing partner.

That is a corporate structure, not a creator empire, and nobody talks about it that way. Which is the thing worth noticing - the content isn’t the business. The content is the marketing engine for something else that is.

None of this is new. Every generation of American media has produced a version of it. Oprah spent twelve years building The Oprah Winfrey Show before Harpo Productions took ownership of it in 1988. The book club came in 1996. O, The Oprah Magazine launched with Hearst in April 2000. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia went public on the NYSE on October 19, 1999, priced at $18, closed at $38, and hit a $1.73 billion market cap the same day — a company built around one woman’s opinions about linen and lemon zest. The Gaineses started with a home renovation show in 2013 and now have a network, a magazine, a retail line at Target, real estate, and a hotel.

Every one of those empires required something that is not required anymore. Oprah needed syndication. Martha needed a printing press and eventually a Kmart contract. The Gaineses needed HGTV. Distribution was expensive, and the barrier to entry was measured in decades and capital. Today’s version starts on a smartphone. Which is either wonderful or worrying, depending on where you sit.

So what does that mean for me, sitting on my couch with dreams of my own multi-media empire? If the empire-building playbook is now accessible to anyone with a phone and enough cultural cache, then the game isn’t about which agency partners with which creator. The game is about which creators build the layer between attention and commerce before anyone else does.

And this is where measurement stops being an abstraction and starts being the thing that decides who wins.

A 2025 Influencer Marketing Hub survey found that 60% of marketers say measuring ROI is their single biggest challenge with influencer campaigns. Asked how they actually measure creator success, the top responses were engagement and clicks, then content type, then views and reach. Direct sales came in fourth. Two-thirds of marketers select TikTok creators based primarily on follower count. Half of marketers, across every survey on the topic, still cannot prove ROI on creator spend.

This is a strange condition for what the industry now calls performance media. And it means the door is wide open. LTK, ShopMy, and Collective Voice tried to fill this gap from the third-party side (LTK now moves about $6 billion in retail sales a year, ShopMy just raised at a $1.5 billion valuation, Collective Voice wound down in December). Someone else’s infrastructure is available for rent. But the creators who own the platform, the audience, the conversion path, and the story about what happened after can walk into a brand meeting with something no platform will sell honestly: results. That is a decision-ready artifact. That is what a publisher used to bring. That is what Oprah’s producers could bring the day after a book club episode.

Measurement should help somebody decide something. When Oprah put a book on the list, publishers reordered print runs the same week. That was a decision. When today’s creator features a product, the brand gets some views, some engagement, and a feeling. That gap is the whole game. The creators who close it are building the next generation of what Harpo and Omnimedia were. The ones who don’t are…well…they’re “inventory.” Well-known, expensive, and interchangeable.

The garage sale magazines will be there next weekend. The register behind the storefront is what’s up for grabs.

Today’s Rabbit Hole

Well, since I brought up Martha Stewart, I decided to do a little digging and man…what a career.

So, most people might know that Martha Stewart started modeling at 15. She had a Ford Models contract, appeared in TV commercials for Tareyton, Breck, Lifebuoy, and Clairol, and paid her way through Barnard on modeling money while double-majoring in history and architectural history. She modeled for Chanel in the 1960s and says that she still owns the pieces she wore, which is possibly the most Martha Stewart detail available to us.

After Barnard she spent seven years as a stockbroker on Wall Street, the pre-computer, standard puffy-vest version of that job, one of a few women in the room. She left when the market cratered in the mid-1970s, moved to Connecticut, and opened a catering company with an old modeling friend. That catering business became her first cookbook (Entertaining, 1982), which became a syndicated column, which became Martha Stewart Living magazine in 1990, which became MSLO in 1997, which went public on the NYSE in 1999.

Which is only the middle of the story. She served five months at Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia starting October 2004 for lying to investigators about the ImClone trade – again, for lying about it, not for any financial misconduct. Alderson is minimum-security; inmates have historically called it “Camp Cupcake,” which I have to imagine she found…insufficient. She came out and did a version of The Apprentice that didn’t work. A daytime cooking show that did.

And then came friendship with Snoop Dogg. They met on her syndicated show in 2008, sat next to each other at Comedy Central’s Roast of Justin Bieber in 2015, and by 2016 had a VH1 show together, Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party, that ran three seasons and got an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Host. In 2023, at 81, she became the oldest woman ever on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. In 2024, Netflix released a documentary about her. She is currently 84, active on Instagram, prolific in the thirst-trap register, and still shipping product across retail lines that carry her name.

The empire is the same shape it was in 1999. The operator is on her seventh or eighth reinvention. Which is either the whole point, or a warning about what it takes to keep a personal brand alive for sixty years, depending on how you feel about being Martha Stewart for that long.

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Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

4 consumer trends for brands to watch in the second half of the year
Ad Age • July 21, 2026

Consumers are increasingly wary of digital ownership, driven by instances like PlayStation’s plan to delete purchased movies, leading to a resurgence in demand for physical media and collectible goods. This trend signifies a broader shift towards tangible assets and away from the ephemeral nature of digital licenses. Brands should take note of this growing distrust and cater to the desire for physical, collectible, and tactile products to engage with this evolving consumer preference.

Podcast Investment Holds Steady Through First Half As Big Spenders Top $360 Million.
Inside Radio • July 21, 2026

Podcast advertising spending has remained remarkably consistent in the first half of 2026, with top brands investing over $360 million. Monthly expenditures have hovered around the $60 million mark, indicating a stable and sustained commitment from major advertisers. This steady investment underscores the continued confidence in podcasts as an effective advertising channel, even as the market matures.

Ad agencies grapple with AI costs as spending outpaces value
Digiday • July 20, 2026

Ad agencies are grappling with the escalating costs of AI tools, as the initial phase of experimental, unmetered usage gives way to more disciplined and cost-conscious token management. This shift necessitates a strategic approach to AI implementation, where agencies must triage tasks and utilize cheaper tools for simpler processes while reserving more expensive AI for complex, high-value projects. The challenge lies in balancing the transformative potential of AI with the need for cost-effectiveness and demonstrating clear ROI.

How AI is reshaping Omnicom Media’s agency model
Digiday • July 20, 2026

Omnicom Media Group North America is redefining its agency model, viewing itself as a “capability company” rather than a traditional holding company, in response to the transformative power of AI. AI is automating repetitive tasks in media buying, such as execution, optimization, and data analysis, which is fundamentally changing the traditional roles within the agency. This evolution allows Omnicom to focus on higher-value strategic services and leverage AI to enhance efficiency and effectiveness for clients.

Gen Z is apparently boozing after all
Morning Brew • July 20, 2026

Contrary to popular belief, new data reveals that Gen Z is increasingly engaging with alcohol, with 74% having consumed it in the past six months, a significant jump from three years prior. While their participation rates now rival those of the average adult, Gen Z tends to consume fewer drinks per occasion. This nuanced trend suggests a shift in drinking habits, where Gen Z is participating more but potentially in a more moderated fashion than older generations.

News Media Second Only To Congress In Lack Of Public Trust 07/21/2026
MediaPost • July 20, 2026

Public trust in news media has plummeted, with recent Gallup polls showing it to be among the least-trusted institutions in the U.S., second only to Congress. Only 17% of Americans express significant confidence in newspaper reporting, a figure that drops even lower for television news. This persistent decline in trust poses a critical challenge for the media industry, highlighting a deep-seated skepticism among the public regarding the accuracy and impartiality of news coverage.

OpenAI Ad Revenue Is Far Under Its Goal, Analysis States 07/21/2026
MediaPost • July 20, 2026

OpenAI is significantly underperforming its advertising revenue targets, projected to miss its five-year goals by a staggering 90%. An analysis indicates that the combined ad revenue for major AI players like OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon will be less than $1 billion in 2025. This shortfall suggests that the monetization of AI through advertising is proving more challenging than initially anticipated, raising questions about the immediate profitability of AI models in the ad space.

Data: World Cup streaming up 473% compared to 2022
Advanced Television • July 20, 2026

The 2026 FIFA World Cup saw a dramatic 473% increase in streaming viewership among broadband-only homes in the UK compared to the 2022 tournament. This data underscores a significant and rapid shift towards internet-delivered television, highlighting the growing preference for flexible, online viewing options. The surge in streaming indicates a fundamental change in how audiences consume major sporting events, with traditional broadcast methods losing ground to digital platforms.

Netflix Data: A Few Haves and a Lot of Have-Nots
The Hollywood Reporter • July 20, 2026

Netflix’s content library exhibits a stark “haves and have-nots” dynamic, where a small fraction of titles dominate viewership. The top 500 series and films, representing only about 6% of the total available content, accounted for nearly half of all views. This data reveals that despite a vast catalog, subscriber engagement is heavily concentrated on a limited number of popular titles, posing a challenge for discoverability and the long-tail strategy for the majority of content.

YouTube clarifies policies around AI slop and upsetting videos
TechCrunch • July 20, 2026

YouTube is cracking down on “AI slop” and low-quality content, updating its policies to clarify what types of videos are ineligible for monetization through its Partner Program. The new guidelines categorize “inauthentic content” as generic, repetitive, or template-based, aiming to combat the proliferation of AI-generated spam and maintain content quality. This move signals YouTube’s commitment to fostering a valuable creator ecosystem and ensuring a positive experience for viewers and advertisers.

The new creative advantage: How community signals are reshaping creative success in the age of AI
WARC, TikTok, LIONS Advisory • July 20, 2026

While generative AI is revolutionizing creative development, the true advantage in marketing now lies in creating content that is deeply relevant, resonant, and connected to people. Culture is increasingly shaped by community signals, which provide invaluable insights into consumer interests and engagement readiness. Brands that effectively leverage these community insights to inform their AI-driven creative strategies are achieving superior outcomes, demonstrating that human connection remains paramount even in an AI-powered world.

From season to sentiment: How the pace of consumer trends reshapes retail planning
Retail Dive • July 19, 2026

Retail planning is undergoing a fundamental transformation, moving away from traditional seasonal models to a more fragmented and unpredictable landscape driven by digital shifts and social media. The rapid pace of consumer trends now outstrips the ability of conventional planning methods to keep up, leading to reactive decision-making. Retailers are beginning to adopt more agile, data-driven approaches to respond effectively to these fast-evolving consumer demands and maintain relevance.

Spain: World Cup triumph draws record TV audience
Advanced Television • July 19, 2026

Spain’s 2026 World Cup final victory against Argentina shattered television viewing records in the country, drawing an unprecedented average of 15.7 million viewers and an 87.1% audience share. A staggering 20.1 million people tuned in for at least a portion of the match, making it the most-watched World Cup game in Spanish history. This monumental viewership underscores the immense cultural impact of major sporting events and the power of national triumphs to unite and captivate an entire population.

Can social media platforms survive the flood of AI content?
Social Media Today • July 19, 2026

Social media platforms are facing a growing challenge from the flood of AI-generated content, with a recent report indicating that 41% of long-form posts on LinkedIn and approximately one-third on X show signs of AI generation. This surge in AI-generated spam and low-quality content threatens to dilute the authenticity and value of these platforms. As AI tools become more accessible, platforms must develop robust strategies to identify and manage this content to maintain user trust and engagement.

AI Accountability Gap Widens Despite Rapid Adoption, IAB Finds 07/20/2026
MediaPost • July 19, 2026

Despite rapid AI adoption across industries, a significant accountability gap is widening, according to new IAB studies. While 40% of consumers use AI daily and 95% of publishers report its impact, the industry is struggling to establish clear frameworks for responsible AI use. This disparity highlights an urgent need for better governance, ethical guidelines, and transparent practices to ensure that AI’s transformative potential is harnessed responsibly and equitably.

Google Ordered By EU Commission To Share Anonymized Search Data 07/20/2026
MediaPost • July 19, 2026

The EU Commission has mandated Google to share anonymized search data with rival search engines under the Digital Markets Act, aiming to foster a more competitive and innovative search market. This directive also requires Google to enhance interoperability for companies using its Android operating system. The move is a significant step towards curbing Google’s market dominance and promoting a fairer digital ecosystem for smaller players and consumers alike.

TikTok report explores creative AI optimization for brands
Social Media Today • July 18, 2026

A new report by Warc and TikTok explores how marketers can optimize creative AI outputs by integrating human insights to improve campaign performance. The study, based on feedback from 400 marketers, emphasizes that relevance, novelty, and emotional connection are crucial for effective AI-generated content. This research highlights the importance of a hybrid approach, where AI handles efficiency while human creativity ensures resonance and impact in marketing campaigns.

YouTube’s Creative Ecosystem Contributed $60 Billion to U.S. GDP
TV Tech • July 17, 2026

YouTube’s creative ecosystem significantly contributed to the U.S. economy in 2025, generating over $60 billion in GDP and supporting more than 540,000 full-time equivalent jobs. This economic analysis by Oxford Economics demonstrates the platform’s widespread impact, reaching both rural and urban areas across all 50 states. The findings underscore YouTube’s role as a powerful engine for economic growth and job creation, driven by its diverse community of creators and content.

How Measurement is Evolving in Next-Best Action
BCG • July 17, 2026

Value realization remains the most underestimated challenge for Next-Best Action (NBA) programs, as organizations struggle to differentiate between effective and ineffective customer interventions. Rigorous incrementality testing reveals that a significant portion of NBAs either have no impact or even cannibalize other efforts. This highlights the critical need for sophisticated measurement and optimization strategies to ensure that NBA initiatives genuinely drive positive customer behavior and deliver tangible business value.

Nielsen Finds Audio Still Anchors Podcasting.
Inside Radio • July 17, 2026

Nielsen’s report confirms that audio remains the dominant mode of podcast consumption, with 90% of monthly consumers primarily listening, compared to 62% who watch. The study highlights that listening and watching podcasts represent distinct consumer behaviors, attracting different demographics and leading to varied engagement patterns. This distinction is crucial for advertisers and content creators to tailor their strategies effectively, recognizing the unique preferences of audio-first versus video-first podcast audiences.

Walmart saw shopping habits shifted during the World Cup
Digiday • July 16, 2026

Walmart’s study revealed a significant shift in shopping habits during the World Cup, with approximately half of soccer fans anticipating at least a 25% increase in their grocery spending during major match weeks. Fans predominantly planned to purchase salty snacks (78%) and frozen foods/appetizers (68%), indicating a clear trend towards celebratory and convenience-oriented food choices. This data provides valuable insights for retailers to strategically stock and promote products during major sporting events, capitalizing on consumer enthusiasm.

Study: 40% say repeated ads boost brand awareness
Advanced Television • July 16, 2026

Live sports streaming offers a highly engaged environment for advertisers, with a study by DoubleVerify (DV) indicating that consumers pay closer attention during major events like the World Cup. The research found that 52% of World Cup viewers prefer to see ads that are relevant to the event, and 40% believe repeated ads boost brand awareness. This suggests that strategic ad placement and frequency during live sports can significantly enhance brand recall and engagement, leveraging the heightened focus of viewers.

YouTube Podcast Watching Tops 700 Million Hours Monthly.
Inside Radio • July 16, 2026

YouTube has emerged as a dominant platform for podcast consumption, with viewers watching over 700 million hours of podcasts monthly on TV screens, a 70% year-over-year increase. This surge in podcast viewing on YouTube, particularly on larger screens, highlights a significant shift in how audiences engage with audio content. Despite this impressive growth in consumption, YouTube’s overall ad revenue growth is decelerating, posing a challenge for the platform to fully monetize its expanding podcast audience.

That meant that I spent last week surrounded by ideals. Marble busts of emperors who mostly look like the same guy with slightly different hair. Frescoes in Pompeii, where every pose was perfect, and every merchant’s wife was Venus. The dome of the Pantheon stares straight up at a sky that stopped being that particular sky about eighteen hundred years ago. All of it presented, still, as if the cracks and the missing noses and the two millennia of weather were somehow beside the point. This, the stone insists, is what we looked like. This is what we intended.

Which is a very old lie. Augustus wasn’t especially handsome. Julius Caesar was going bald. The frescoes in a Pompeiian brothel weren’t documentary. The whole point of an idealized image was that the viewer already knew the rules: the emperor gets to look like a god because he’s the emperor, and that’s how emperors are drawn. You didn’t confuse the bust with the man. You didn’t need a disclosure label carved into the base saying “this likeness has been enhanced.” The label was the room the bust was in. It was, in its own way, advertising what the good life should be.

I’ve been thinking about the Roman version of that contract because we, in advertising, are quietly writing a much sloppier one. Right now, right this month, three things are happening at once that look like separate stories about AI in marketing. They’re not. They’re the same story, and the story is about who owns the ideal: who makes it, who profits from it, and who eats the loss when the ideal turns out to have two handlebars.

I: The platforms built the disclosure infrastructure they control

In the last five weeks, every major platform shipped an AI label. Google rolled out “How this ad was made” across Search, YouTube, and Discover. Meta updated its AI info tags on Facebook and Instagram. Those tags are applied automatically when advertisers use Meta’s generative tools, and algorithmically added when Meta thinks it can detect AI creative you made somewhere else. TikTok launched AI literacy measures on July 12th. New York State’s synthetic-performer disclosure law took effect June 9th, and California’s version is coming. The taxonomy of “disclosure” is being written in real time and none of it is being written by advertisers.

The label is a creative element you didn’t design, didn’t approve, and can’t A/B test. It ships on every impression. It appears in a placement the platform picks. The consumer’s takeaway from that label (did it soften trust, harden skepticism, do nothing at all) is a piece of your creative treatment now, and the platform is running the study without you.

II: The platforms punted the liability while keeping the tools

Last week, Business Insider reported that Meta’s AI ad tools generated an Instagram ad for REI featuring a bike with two handlebars. Also a campaign for a women’s networking group that centered on a man. REI says Meta auto-enrolled them into the AI feature that produced the mutant bike. When asked, Meta pointed to its terms of service, which read: “AI can make mistakes and it is the advertiser’s responsibility to review the AI outputs.” AdExchanger’s translation was cleaner: sounds like a you problem.

Meta isn’t alone. OpenAI’s updated Ad Tools Terms, published in June, use nearly identical language: advertisers are “responsible” for reviewing AI-generated creatives, and OpenAI is explicitly “not responsible for errors, omissions, outdated information, or inconsistencies.” The disclosure label out front says the platform is being transparent. The terms of service out back say the platform is holding nothing. The bike has two handlebars, the brand eats the coverage, and somewhere a lawyer at Menlo Park closes a laptop.

III: Nobody is actually measuring the treatment effect

Here is the study that ought to be famous and isn’t. MediaScience and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute at Adelaide University ran an “AI Labeling Impact Study” in June (four label conditions across a controlled test) and found that AI disclosure labels didn’t hurt performance. Text labels actually outperformed the unlabeled control on ad memory across all four conditions. The industry read the headline as reassurance. I read it as evidence of a bigger problem: nobody is being punished at the top of the funnel for shipping AI creative without discipline, and now they may even get rewarded for shipping it labeled. That’s not a treatment effect anyone is measuring. Aggregate outcomes cover a lot of individual sins.

Consumers, though, aren’t ambivalent. Sixty percent of US consumers say the word “AI” in brand messaging is a turnoff, per an Automattic-commissioned survey covered by TechCrunch in June. Take the sample with the grain of salt it earns, but you don’t need that number to be exact to know the direction. Eighty-six percent said they distrust AI-generated answers without clear attribution. A Kapwing analysis found over twenty percent of YouTube’s algorithmically recommended videos are AI slop. Sprout’s 2026 pulse survey put the “AI is eroding trust in news on social” agreement at eighty-eight percent.

All this means that consumers are increasingly wired to spot AI content and increasingly suspicious of it. The platforms are auto-enrolling brands into AI creative tools whose outputs they disclaim responsibility for. The one rigorous performance study of AI labels found the label doesn’t matter in aggregate, which is precisely the finding that gives everyone permission to stop asking whether it matters specifically.

That’s a lot of things happening at once. They’re not separate trends. They’re one supply chain, and the supply chain has quietly rearranged itself so that the brand is the only party carrying inventory.

The Romans understood the ideal because they had to commission it. Somebody paid the sculptor. Somebody chose the pose and those poses and symbols took on gravity and authority over time. Somebody had a specific and defensible reason for wanting Augustus to look eighteen forever, and the audience had a specific and defensible reason for playing along. The relationship of an emperor to his subjects tolerates the idealized bust because everyone knows the contract.

But now, in our time, the relationship of a face cream to a twenty-five-year-old woman who is worried about aging long before she should is not that contract. The stakes are asymmetric. The audience isn’t in on it. And the person commissioning the ideal, the advertiser, has quietly outsourced the commissioning to a platform whose contract with them says the outputs are theirs to defend.

The measurement problem here isn’t whether AI content works. It’s whether anyone in the chain still knows what “works” means. Consumers don’t know who’s responsible and likely (correctly) default to the advertiser, who may or may not be aware of their own liability. Right now, none of them line up. The platform owns the label. The advertiser owns the risk. The consumer owns the confusion. And the AI, which had no idea it was making anything at all, gets to be neither god nor emperor nor sculptor: just the thing on the pedestal, missing a nose, that everyone is arguing over.

If a brand can’t decide whether to be in a Meta AI creative product because they can’t measure the specific lift, the specific label effect, the specific reputational cost of the specific mistake, then what we have isn’t measurement or even performance. It’s a receipt printer. And the receipt is being handed to the advertiser.

The Pantheon has stood for nineteen hundred years partly because the Romans knew how to make concrete and partly because they understood who was responsible for what. The person who commissioned it, the architect, the tradesmen, the people who used after completion. Different roles, different contracts, all understood and accepted. Meta’s terms of service are five weeks old and already illegible. That’s not a technology problem. That’s an ownership problem dressed as a labeling one.

If the label is going to survive as part of the creative, somebody has to be measuring it as part of the creative. That’s the advertiser’s job, whether the advertiser was auto-enrolled into it or not. The alternative is a marketplace full of two-handlebar bikes, all of them labeled AI-Generated, all of them getting served, none of them adding up to a decision anyone can defend.

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

Speaking of noses missing from Roman statues: most of them were knocked off on purpose. It’s called damnatio memoriae (the condemnation of memory), the official Roman practice of erasing a fallen emperor from the visual record by defacing his likeness on coins, statues, and monuments. The Senate voted it, the stonemasons carried it out. If Nero fell out of favor, you didn’t need Twitter to cancel him; you sent guys with hammers to the forum.

A few standouts worth knowing:

• The Severan Tondo, around 200 CE, is the most vivid surviving example. Painted on a 30-centimeter wooden panel, it shows Emperor Septimius Severus with his wife Julia Domna and their two sons, Caracalla and Geta. In December 211, Caracalla murdered Geta and ordered his image scraped from the empire’s visual record. In the Tondo, Geta’s face is literally smeared away, a dark blur where a child once stood, framed by three intact faces of family who outlived him. The panel is now in the Altes Museum in Berlin. Nothing else from classical antiquity captures a specific act of state erasure in a single painted object this cleanly.

• Domitian, killed 96 CE. The Senate ordered every statue reworked. Sculptors, being sculptors, took the practical route: they recut the marble rather than starting from scratch. Archaeologists still find Domitian hiding under later emperors’ faces where the recutting was rushed. Ancient recycling with a lawyer’s asterisk.

• Nero (68 CE), Commodus (192 CE), Elagabalus (222 CE) all suffered variations of the same treatment.

• Etymological footnote: the Romans never actually called it “damnatio memoriae.” That’s a Latin phrase coined in 1689 by two linguists. The Romans likely used “memoria damnata” or the specific senatorial decrees themselves.

Of course, not every missing nose came from a Senate vote. Roman statues lose noses for at least four other reasons, and knowing which is which matters more than you’d think:

• Structural fragility. The nose is the thinnest, most projecting part of a marble face. Drop the statue, ship it in a cart with bad suspension, leave it out in eighteen hundred winters, and the nose is the first thing gone. Some Roman noses were also carved as separate pieces and mortared on.

• Iconoclasm. Early Christians decapitated pagan gods with something close to zeal; Byzantines went through two waves of official iconoclasm between 726 and 843 CE; Reformation Protestants smashed Catholic images in the sixteenth century. When iconoclasts came for a statue, they usually took the whole face. Not just the nose.

• Tourism souvenirs. Eighteenth and nineteenth century European tourists sometimes chipped off pieces of antique statues to take home. The nose was portable.

• Lime kilns. Medieval builders occasionally ground up marble statues to make lime plaster. If your statue survives at all, it survived because someone didn’t burn it for mortar.

Modern museum conservation policy is generally to leave the missing noses alone. Renaissance sculptors used to “restore” antique statues by carving replacements. Bernini did many; other seventeenth-century restorers did more. Contemporary museums usually remove those additions and put the statues back in their weathered state. The reasoning: the erosion is now part of the object’s history. The absence of the nose is more authentic than any replacement will ever be.

Which is a metaphor for AI creative in 2026, though we can now name the mechanism more precisely. The nose goes first because it’s the fragile part. In marble that’s structural: thin projection, exposed edge. In AI creative that’s compositional: the small detail the model doesn’t quite know how to render. The hand with six fingers. The bike with two handlebars. The text that reads as language until you actually read it. The rest of the image looks fine at a glance. Zoom in and the nose is gone.

The Romans, at least, kept a written record of who ordered the defacing and why. When Geta was erased, everyone knew Caracalla did it. When Nero was hammered off the coins, the Senate had voted. Even in the cruder forms (the Christian iconoclast, the medieval lime-burner, the tourist with a chisel), you could name the party responsible.

Meta’s terms of service are five weeks old and, as we established up top, already illegible. That’s between you and your lawyer. And the nose. Well. The nose goes first. It always has.

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Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

MRC Clarifies Nielsen One, VideoAmp Accreditation Status 07/16/2026
MediaPost • July 15, 2026

The Media Rating Council (MRC) has provided an update on the accreditation status of Nielsen One and VideoAmp, clarifying their positions in the measurement landscape. VideoAmp’s review is paused until 2027, while only the Nielsen One Ads component is currently under review. This ongoing scrutiny highlights the industry’s demand for transparent and reliable measurement solutions as media consumption continues to evolve.

Parks: Cable Broadband Sub Losses Slow Down
TV Tech • July 15, 2026

Major cable providers saw a notable slowdown in broadband subscriber losses during Q1 2026, an improvement attributed to enhanced customer retention strategies and expanded converged offerings. This positive shift suggests that efforts to bundle broadband with mobile services are helping to stabilize subscriber bases. The trend indicates a strategic pivot by cable companies to compete more effectively in a dynamic market.

Once a Cost-Cutting Move, In-House Agencies Are Now Seen as a Strategic Play
Adweek • July 15, 2026

In-house agencies are increasingly viewed as strategic assets rather than mere cost-cutting measures, according to a new ANA report. Over half of surveyed brands now see their internal teams as crucial for strategic planning and brand building. This shift reflects a growing recognition of the value in-house teams bring to understanding brand DNA and driving integrated marketing efforts.

IP-Based CTV Targeting Fails 3 In Every 4 Times, New Research Finds
Adweek • July 15, 2026

New research reveals that IP-based connected television (CTV) targeting is highly inaccurate, with only 23% of residential IP addresses reaching their intended geographic targets. This significant failure rate raises concerns about the effectiveness of current CTV ad strategies. The study underscores the need for more reliable targeting methods to ensure ad spend is optimized and reaches the right audiences.

First-Party Data Is About More Than Retargeting And Audience Suppression
AdExchanger • July 14, 2026

Brands often underutilize their first-party data, limiting its application to basic retargeting and audience suppression, despite significant investments in customer understanding. This narrow focus overlooks the potential for deeper insights into customer behavior and preferences. By leveraging first-party data more strategically, brands can enhance customer experience, personalize content, and drive more effective marketing campaigns.

Publisher ad supply fell by up to 40% in Q2 as AI search choked the open web
Digiday • July 14, 2026

Publisher ad supply on the open web plummeted by up to 40% in Q2, primarily due to AI-era zero-click search diverting traffic from traditional news and content sites. This drastic reduction in display ad requests signals a significant challenge for publishers reliant on advertising revenue. The shift underscores the disruptive impact of AI on content discovery and the urgent need for publishers to adapt their monetization strategies.

Reddit questions if AI data deals could hurt its ad business
Digiday • July 14, 2026

Reddit executives are grappling with a critical internal debate: whether selling community data to train AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini undermines its own ad-targeting business. This dilemma highlights the tension between immediate revenue generation from AI data deals and the long-term strategic value of proprietary user data for advertising. The outcome of this debate could significantly shape Reddit’s future business model and its competitive position in the ad tech landscape.

As CTV spending grows, buyers raise the bar on transparency
Digiday • July 14, 2026

Despite a projected increase in digital video ad spending, marketers are expressing declining confidence in inventory quality due to fragmentation, lack of transparency, and measurement gaps in the CTV ecosystem. Buyers are demanding greater clarity and accountability, with a significant majority lacking confidence in the quality of CTV inventory. This growing skepticism underscores the urgent need for the industry to address transparency issues and establish more robust measurement standards to maintain advertiser trust.

Sports Is The Last True Mass Medium 07/15/2026
MediaPost • July 14, 2026

In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, sports stands out as the last true mass medium, uniquely capable of uniting diverse audiences across demographics and ideologies. Live sporting events foster a sense of collective participation and shared experience, making them invaluable for advertisers seeking broad reach. This enduring power of sports highlights its critical role in cultural cohesion and as a powerful platform for brand engagement.

Spotify expands its AI push with a ChatGPT-like music assistant
TechCrunch • July 14, 2026

Spotify is expanding its AI capabilities with a new ChatGPT-like music assistant for Premium users, enabling interactive conversations to discover and select audio content. This innovative feature, currently in beta in select regions, aims to personalize the listening experience and enhance user engagement. The move signifies Spotify’s commitment to leveraging AI to redefine music discovery and maintain its competitive edge.

Advertiser Interest In Podcast Advertising Reaches Record High.
Inside Radio • July 14, 2026

Advertiser interest in podcast advertising has reached an all-time high, with 93% of marketers and agencies actively discussing it as a potential investment. A recent study indicates that a significant majority are likely to consider or definitely plan to invest in podcast ads within the next six months. This surge in interest underscores the growing recognition of podcasts as an effective and engaging medium for reaching target audiences.

Meta’s Slop Problem; What’s A Media Buyer To Do?
AdExchanger • July 13, 2026

Meta is facing significant backlash from advertisers over blunders from its AI creative tools, which have generated absurd and misrepresented content. Despite Meta’s stance that advertisers are responsible for reviewing AI outputs, the issues are causing frustration and impacting campaign effectiveness. This “slop problem” highlights the challenges and risks associated with rapidly deploying AI in advertising, prompting media buyers to re-evaluate their strategies on the platform.

Threads adds flair tags for community posts
Social Media Today • July 13, 2026

Threads has introduced flair icons for community posts, allowing users to add themed emojis or icons to categorize and enhance discussions within groups. These visual tags appear under usernames, aiming to streamline engagement and improve content discoverability. This feature is designed to foster more organized and connected communities, making it easier for users to find and participate in relevant conversations.

Harris Poll: America’s Worsening Financial Crisis 07/14/2026
MediaPost • July 13, 2026

A recent Harris Poll reveals a deepening financial crisis in America, with over half of consumers struggling to afford basic necessities like gas and groceries. An overwhelming 95% of Americans perceive an “affordability crisis,” with significant numbers grappling with consumer debt. This stark data underscores widespread economic hardship and highlights the urgent need for solutions to address the rising cost of living.

IAB: 2026 Digital Video Ad Spend +11% 07/14/2026
MediaPost • July 13, 2026

Digital video ad spending is projected to grow by 11% this year, reaching $29.3 billion, with Connected TV (CTV) leading the charge. While the growth rate is slightly down from the previous year, advertiser interest in targeting and content quality continues to rise. This indicates a maturing market where advertisers are increasingly focused on precision and premium environments to maximize their return on investment.

Meta’s AI Ad Tools Are A Nightmare, Some Brands Allege 07/14/2026
MediaPost • July 13, 2026

Meta’s AI advertising tools are reportedly causing significant issues for brands, generating absurd and misrepresented content, according to Business Insider. Advertisers and agency executives are expressing backlash, citing examples like a bike with two handlebars in an REI ad. This highlights the ongoing challenges and potential pitfalls of relying on nascent AI technologies for creative generation, forcing brands to scrutinize AI outputs more closely.

Free trials return to Netflix
Advanced Television • July 13, 2026

Netflix has reintroduced free trials for its streaming service after a six-year hiatus, offering 7, 14, or 30 days of Premium access in various global regions (excluding the UK and US). This strategic move aims to attract new subscribers and allow potential customers to experience the platform’s high-quality offerings. The reintroduction of free trials signals Netflix’s renewed focus on subscriber acquisition in a competitive streaming market.

Brands need more from market research. Here’s how they’re making their budgets work harder | Campaign US
Campaign • July 13, 2026

Marketers are increasingly demanding that consumer research inform big-picture strategy, with a significant rise in organizations where research is essential across all business levels. This shift reflects a desire for deeper insights beyond tactical applications, driving a need for more comprehensive and impactful research. AI alternatives, such as AI Focus Groups, are emerging as cost-effective solutions to meet this growing demand for strategic intelligence.

Why this CEO thinks social-first is a powerful brand-building tool
Marketing Brew • July 13, 2026

PopUp Bagels CEO Tory Bartlett advocates for a “social-first” approach to brand building, emphasizing the importance of understanding a brand’s core DNA and target customers rather than chasing fleeting trends. He stresses the value of leveraging transaction data to gain genuine insights into customer behavior, moving beyond superficial engagement metrics. This strategy highlights the power of authentic connection and data-driven understanding in cultivating a strong brand identity.

When Streaming TV Integrations Don’t Feel Like Ads
Adweek • July 13, 2026

Streaming TV offers brands unique opportunities for authentic integration into shows and live events, moving beyond traditional ad formats. By leveraging logged-in audiences, data, and interactive capabilities, brands can create seamless experiences that resonate with fans. These integrations, like Amazon’s partnership with Liquid I.V., can tap into a show’s fandom, drive brand affinity, and deliver measurable results without feeling overtly commercial.

Meta removes controversial AI feature within days of launch | Campaign US
Campaign • July 13, 2026

Meta swiftly removed its controversial Muse Image AI feature just four days after launch due to widespread criticism over privacy and copyright concerns. The tool, which allowed users to generate images from public Instagram accounts, faced backlash for its default opt-out policy. This rapid retraction underscores the significant challenges and public scrutiny surrounding AI features that impact user data and intellectual property.

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Lately, my newsfeed has been amping up the promises of agentic commerce. TechCrunch reported that Adobe found AI-related traffic to U.S. retail sites has increased by nearly 400%. Digiday is questioning the viability of retail media networks in the face of AI shopping. What seems to some like an incredible new frontier rife with possibilities can also seem like a new tax on smaller brands that want to be involved. That’s the future of commerce, and it is unleashing a huge measurement problem for everyone, not just smaller brands. It’s also, importantly, a tax on your own data. The tax isn’t a fee to enter; it’s the deferred cost of infrastructure you’ll have to build anyway.

The numbers are starting to show scale. A report from ICSC and McKinsey & Company estimates the US agentic commerce market could reach a trillion dollars by 2030. The same report found that 62% of consumers have already used AI to compare brands, models, prices, or reviews. ChatGPT crossed 850 million weekly users by May 2026. Etsy built a full shopping app inside Claude. Google shipped native checkout right into search results. TikTok landed in brand RFPs next to Amazon because the platform itself became a buying surface. The money is real, the velocity is real, and the brands winning right now are the ones that can afford to be there and the agencies that have the scale to experiment and optimize across portfolios. Etsy’s $20 billion market cap. Shopify’s installed base. Amazon’s everything. And the new gatekeepers are OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. Small operators might feel like they are watching from the sidelines.

First, the distribution access gap is real. When the agent is the shopper, the real estate is inside the LLM, not on a shelf. Google’s native checkout lives in Merchant Center. TikTok Shop is TikTok’s inventory. Shopify can integrate, but you’re integrating into someone else’s agent, someone else’s rules, someone else’s algorithm that decides whether your product even gets shown. The brands with data teams, legal, and budget can navigate this. The small agencies and small brands can’t. They’re priced out of experimenting at scale.

Second, the measurement blackout makes the access problem worse. Even brands with access are flying blind. When an agent does the buying, the click disappears. Your session tracking goes dark. Your last-touch attribution is measuring nothing. Your conversion pixel fires somewhere, but you have no idea which message, which channel, which ad impression, if there even was an ad impression, drove the agent to recommend your product. You get a sale you can’t see happen, from a customer you can’t identify, through a journey you can’t trace. The agent is a black box, and your measurement is inside it.

Small operators don’t often have the first-party data infrastructure to solve this. They probably don’t have Epsilon or LiveRamp or a CDP. They don’t have a team of data engineers who can pivot. They have their website, email, and hope. When the agent buys their product, the signal just…vanishes.

Finally, what small operators should actually do right now is the opposite of rushing the door. Take your time. Watch the crowd. Learn from what everyone else is doing. Invest in your own data and let the big guys invest in execution while the agencies, brands, and platforms smooth out the wrinkles. Watch consumer behavior, watch your own commerce patterns change, and come to agentic commerce with fresh eyes and impeccable knowledge of your own business.

The gold rush mentality says “get into agentic commerce before it’s too late.” The honest answer is “you can’t afford to be there yet, so stop chasing the hype and own what you can control.” From where I sit, the data and measurement problem is a much bigger opportunity for smaller brands and agencies than the access problem. Agentic commerce isn’t solving anyone’s data problems. If anything, it’s compounding them, so let those problems get figured out before you start investing real dollars to learn something the platforms will eventually build, fix, or solve for the bigger dogs.

These questions don’t sound sexy next to “AI agents,” but they’re the only ones that matter when the agent finally does show up at your door with solutions you can profit from. And it doesn’t mean you can’t use AI at all. You just don’t need it to sell for you…yet. It’s perfectly capable of speeding up your time to insight inside your own stack.

When agents do democratize, as they inevitably will, the brands that win won’t be the ones that chase every new distribution surface. They’ll be the ones who know their business so well, who understand their customer completely, who have measurement so locked in, that when a new channel does open up, they will plug in and know exactly what it was worth to their marketing plan.

Agents recommend products they can read and trust, things like structured data, clean product info, and review signals. The brand that knows its own margins and best-customer profile knows which products to make agent-legible first. That’s the bridge from “boring fundamentals” to “wins in agentic commerce,” and it’s the most useful thing you could do as a smaller operator. Even if you don’t get specific measurements out of a black box, at a minimum you’ll know the gap that agentic commerce covers in your business, because you know the rest of it well enough to survive without it, and you won’t be dependent on agentic commerce to move the bottom line.

Measurement should help somebody decide something. Right now, agentic commerce is asking small operators to decide something they can’t measure. Don’t. Go the other direction. Get your house in order. Own your data. Measure what you can see. When the agent finally knocks, you’ll be the brand that knows exactly how much you’re worth.

Today’s Rabbit Hole

Here’s something that’s been bugging me all week as the temperature has increased in Chicago - the “feels like” temperature is a real number with a real equation behind it, and almost nobody who quotes it knows what it’s actually measuring. It’s measuring you. Specifically, it’s measuring how badly your sweat is failing.

Your body has exactly one good trick for cooling itself in serious heat: evaporation. You sweat, the sweat evaporates off your skin, and the phase change pulls heat away with it. It’s a beautiful system right up until the air is already so full of water that nothing else will evaporate into it. That’s what humidity does...to you. It doesn’t make the air hotter, it disables your cooling system. The heat index is just a measure of how disabled you are. Ninety degrees at 40% humidity “feels like” ninety. Ninety degrees at 85% humidity “feels like” 113, because your sweat is sitting on your skin doing absolutely nothing, like hosing down a room that’s already underwater.

The equation itself is gloriously specific. It’s called the Rothfusz regression, and it’s a nine-term equation the National Weather Service adopted in 1990: temperature, relative humidity, their squares, their products, all bolted together to approximate a 1979 model by a researcher named Robert Steadman. And Steadman’s original wasn’t some abstract physics exercise. He built it around a reference human: a 5-foot-7, 147-pound person, walking at about 3 mph, in the shade, wearing a specific amount of clothing, with their internal organs at a normal core temperature. The heat index isn’t the temperature of the air. It’s the temperature as experienced by a slightly sweaty imaginary man from 1979 taking a brisk walk. Every time the weather app says “feels like 108,” it’s quietly asserting that you are that man.

Which is both clear and confusing at the same time. It abstracts a messy reality (your actual body, in actual sun, doing actual things) into one clean, quotable number and the “measurement” is so good and so convenient that we forget it was ever an abstraction. We treat “feels like 108” as a fact about the world instead of an estimate about a hypothetical person who isn’t us. Stand in direct sun and the real number is up to 15 degrees worse than what the app shows, because Steadman built his model in the shade. Either way, it’s hot out here.

Anyway. Drink water, find shade, and maybe don’t completely trust a number that thinks you weigh 147 pounds. Stay cool out there.

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

What Marketers Are Asking: What are the most popular sports to reach audiences through streaming?
VAB • June 30, 2026

Live sports streaming is rapidly becoming a cornerstone for audience engagement and new subscription growth in the streaming landscape. Since 2024, major leagues like the NFL, MLB, NBA, and college sports have seen significant audience expansion, attracting diverse demographics. This trend highlights the power of live sports to drive habitual viewing and convert interest into loyal subscribers, making it a crucial area for marketers to focus on.

Can AI Orchestrate Omnichannel Advertising?
AdExchanger • June 30, 2026

While AI in advertising initially focused on optimizing individual campaign elements, the fragmented nature of digital advertising has shifted its primary role to orchestrating complex omnichannel campaigns. The challenge now lies in coordinating diverse activities across multiple platforms to create a cohesive and effective advertising strategy. This evolution underscores AI’s growing importance in managing the intricate web of modern advertising, moving beyond single-task optimization to holistic campaign management.

Dataland, the First AI Museum, Converts Info Into a Multisensory Kaleidoscope
CNET • June 30, 2026

Dataland, the world’s first AI museum, has opened in Los Angeles, offering a groundbreaking multisensory experience that transforms raw data into dynamic visuals and sounds. Created by artist Refik Anadol, the museum showcases a decade of work using algorithms to translate information into an immersive art form. This innovative space provides a unique perspective on how data can be interpreted and experienced, pushing the boundaries of art and technology.

Peacock Brings Starz to the Platform as First-Ever Add-On Subscription
CNET • June 30, 2026

Peacock has expanded its offerings by introducing Starz as its first-ever add-on subscription, allowing subscribers to access Starz content directly within the Peacock app for $12 per month. This strategic move follows Peacock’s own availability as an add-on via YouTube Primetime Channels and aligns with Comcast’s broader restructuring plans. The integration of Starz enhances Peacock’s content library and positions it as a more comprehensive entertainment hub, reflecting the growing trend of bundled streaming services.

Retailers believe shopper data can help prove TV ads lead to sales
Digiday • June 29, 2026

Retailers are increasingly leveraging shopper data to directly link TV advertisements to sales, integrating streaming into their retail media network strategies. Walmart, in particular, is making significant strides in this area, including the acquisition of Vibe.co. This trend signifies a shift towards more measurable advertising outcomes, allowing retailers to demonstrate the tangible impact of their TV ad spending on consumer purchases and optimize their marketing investments.

Media Thumbs Down: Big, Diverse Communications, Content Mergers Are Over 06/30/2026
MediaPost • June 29, 2026

Comcast’s decision to split into two separate entities—Comcast (broadband and distribution) and NBCUniversal (media and entertainment)—signals an end to the era of large, diverse media mergers. This strategic move, following previous industry consolidations, suggests a future where media companies may focus on more specialized operations. The unbundling reflects a broader industry trend of streamlining assets and adapting to evolving market dynamics, potentially leading to a more fragmented media landscape.

Amazon, J.C. Penney dangle gas-related deals ahead of July 4
Retail Dive • June 29, 2026

Amazon and J.C. Penney are offering gas-related deals to entice shoppers ahead of the busy July 4th travel weekend. Amazon Prime members can get 50 cents off a gallon of fuel, while J.C. Penney is providing $10 off a $10 purchase for customers who spend $50 or more on gift cards. These promotions highlight how retailers are using practical incentives to drive sales and attract customers during peak travel periods, capitalizing on consumer needs.

What Walmart’s Vibe.co deal means for CTV, retail media convergence
Retail Dive • June 29, 2026

Walmart’s acquisition of Vibe.co, a connected TV (CTV) ad platform, for $1.2 billion marks a significant investment in expanding its ad business, Walmart Connect. This move aims to bolster Walmart’s competitive position against Amazon by offering more robust CTV advertising solutions for small and mid-sized businesses. The acquisition underscores the growing convergence of retail media and CTV, as retailers seek to leverage their vast shopper data to create powerful advertising ecosystems.

ChatGPT Ads To Compete With Google Maps 06/30/2026
MediaPost • June 29, 2026

OpenAI has removed the “Sponsored” label from its ChatGPT Ads, replacing it with a more prominent “Ad” label, indicating a shift towards clearer advertising disclosure. These ads now appear at the bottom of the output and can be contextually linked to previous queries within a session, even without a direct ad-related prompt. This evolution suggests ChatGPT is enhancing its advertising capabilities, potentially positioning itself as a competitor to established platforms like Google Maps by offering integrated, context-aware promotions.

Less Than Half Of Child Safety Measures On Social Platforms Work 06/30/2026
MediaPost • June 29, 2026

A recent report by the Cybersafety Research Center reveals that less than half of the youth-safety features on major social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snap, and YouTube actually function as advertised. Out of 86 features tested, only 35 were found to be effective, accessible, and user-friendly. This alarming finding highlights significant gaps in child safety measures across these platforms, raising serious concerns about the protection of young users online.

YouTube Shorts Get a Makeover
TV Tech • June 29, 2026

Shorts is rolling out a series of new features and updates designed to enhance the user experience, making it cleaner and more intuitive. Key additions include a “Clear Screen” mode for distraction-free viewing and improved navigation for related content. These changes reflect YouTube’s ongoing efforts to refine its short-form video platform, responding to evolving user preferences and aiming to provide a more engaging and seamless viewing environment.

Comcast to Spin Off NBCUniversal, Sky
TV Tech • June 29, 2026

Comcast is set to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky into two independent, publicly traded companies by mid-2027, fundamentally reshaping its corporate structure. This move will result in current Comcast stockholders owning shares in both a U.S. cable and connectivity focused entity, and a global media and entertainment powerhouse. The strategic separation aims to unlock value and allow each company to pursue distinct growth strategies in their respective markets.

Agentic Advertising Isn’t Reducing Intermediaries. It’s Rebuilding Them
AdExchanger • June 28, 2026

While agentic advertising promises greater efficiency and direct connections, it risks replicating the very issues it aims to solve, particularly the proliferation of intermediaries. Publishers previously adopted numerous SSPs due to buyer incentives, leading to operational complexity and margin erosion. This suggests that without careful design, agentic advertising could simply rebuild the fragmented ecosystem it seeks to streamline, rather than truly simplifying the ad tech landscape.

How Brands Can Finally Measure Incremental Growth 06/29/2026
MediaPost • June 28, 2026

Many marketing leaders struggle to accurately measure incremental growth and campaign effectiveness due to a fragmented view of customer data, despite significant investments in analytics tools. Unlike platforms with complete user journey visibility, most brands lack a holistic understanding of customer interactions across various touchpoints. This data fragmentation prevents brands from truly understanding which marketing efforts drive genuine additional sales and highlights the need for more integrated data solutions.

Amazon’s Prime Day drives online sales in the US up 9.3%
Retail Dive • June 28, 2026

Amazon’s Prime Day event (June 23-26) spurred a significant 9.3% year-over-year increase in U.S. online retail spending, reaching $26.4 billion, according to Adobe data. Discounts across various categories, including electronics and apparel, were consistent with the previous year, peaking at 24% off. This robust performance underscores Prime Day’s continued power to drive substantial e-commerce growth and highlights its importance as a key retail event.

Agentic Commerce Forecast To Reach 1.3B Users By 2031 06/29/2026
MediaPost • June 28, 2026

HP’s personal computing and printing division is partnering with OpenAI’s Frontier to transition from isolated AI chatbots to autonomous “AI coworkers” capable of handling multi-step tasks. This collaboration aims to integrate advanced AI across HP’s organization, focusing on enhancing customer and partner experiences. This move signifies a broader industry shift towards more sophisticated, multi-functional AI applications, with agentic commerce projected to reach 1.3 billion users by 2031.

Nielsen: Streaming Hit Record 46.6% Share of Ad-Supported Viewing in Q1
TV Tech • June 26, 2026

Streaming achieved a record 46.6% share of ad-supported TV viewing in Q1 2026, contributing to ad-supported TV’s overall 73% share of total viewing, according to Nielsen. Major seasonal events like the Super Bowl, Olympics coverage on Peacock, and Amazon’s NFL playoff games, alongside popular series, significantly boosted these numbers. This data highlights the continued dominance of ad-supported television and the accelerating shift of audiences towards streaming platforms for their content consumption.

Kroger lets shoppers redeem loyalty points for grocery savings
CX Dive • June 25, 2026

Kroger has enhanced its loyalty program, allowing shoppers to redeem points for grocery savings in addition to the existing fuel discounts. Customers can now receive $1 off in-store or online purchases for every 100 points redeemed, with a daily maximum of $10. This change offers greater flexibility and value to shoppers, aiming to increase customer loyalty and provide more immediate, tangible benefits for their purchases.

Luminate: U.S. Music Streaming Trends Reflect A More Global Industry.
Inside Radio • June 25, 2026

The U.S. music streaming market is increasingly reflecting a global industry, with non-American artists dominating top charts and a notable decline in English-language music consumption. English-language music’s share of on-demand audio streaming in the U.S. dropped from 88.1% to 86% in Q1 2025. This trend indicates a growing diversification of musical tastes and the rising influence of international artists and genres within the American market.

Brands that amplify customer experience are 2.5x more likely to grow market share
CX Dive • June 24, 2026

Brands that prioritize and amplify customer experience are 2.5 times more likely to grow their market share, according to a report by JKR and Kantar. Customer experience is identified as the primary driver of brand equity, accounting for 71% through direct and indirect interactions, significantly outweighing the impact of paid media. This research underscores the critical importance of investing in customer-centric strategies to foster brand loyalty and achieve sustainable growth.

WPP to pull out of LiveRamp following Publicis takeover move | Campaign US
Campaign • June 24, 2026

WPP has confirmed its withdrawal from LiveRamp following the impending acquisition of the data collaboration platform by rival Publicis Groupe. This move highlights the competitive tensions within the advertising industry, as major agency groups like Omnicom and Stagwell have also expressed concerns about Publicis’ $2.2 billion deal. The decision by WPP underscores the strategic importance of data platforms and the reluctance of competitors to rely on tools owned by rivals.

Hollywood and Big Tech Are Preparing for War
The Hollywood Reporter • June 24, 2026

Hollywood and Big Tech are on a collision course, with the coming years expected to fundamentally reshape the entertainment landscape and how people spend their leisure time. Tech and AI companies are increasingly venturing into entertainment and media, making their content stewardship a significant factor. This impending “war” will determine which platforms dominate the future of entertainment, driven by technological advancements and evolving consumer habits.

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When I was a kid, we didn’t have cable, which meant no MTV or HBO or USA Network. If I wanted to see what everyone at school was talking about, I had to catch it at a friend’s house. And let’s face it, there was always something to watch on TV. We did have a VCR and a Blockbuster membership so, there was really no shortage. I don’t think I actually had a cable subscription until I went to graduate school, really. Then suddenly, there was so much available, but nothing to watch. And now, I find myself on a Monday night drowning in choice. Cable channels devoted to sports, movies, old TV shows, premium programming, home improvement. So naturally, I hit Prime Video, then Netflix, then AppleTV, and finally settled on Hulu to watch something that had originally aired on cable. My VCR is in the attic with my DVD player and my DVR is pretty much for delayed viewing more than anything else. I spent the better part of 30 minutes trying to figure out what I wanted to watch.

Turns out it’s not just me. By late 2025, households were juggling more than ten video services and watching over five hours a day, and a full 40% of people now check multiple apps before they can decide what to watch. Five hours a day! And the bottleneck isn’t supply anymore. We’re drowning in things to watch. The bottleneck is the finding.

First: the ad tier quietly won

Remember when “the version with ads” was the budget option, the thing you apologized for? That ship has sailed. By the end of 2025, more than half of streaming subscribers were on ad-supported plans. Netflix’s ad-tier account share jumped from 32% to 40% in a single year, Prime Video went from 77% all the way to 86%, and by the first quarter of 2026, 54% of Netflix’s brand-new subscribers were picking the ad tier on the way in.

Why? Money, mostly. 58% of people who chose an ad plan did it because it’s cheaper, and here’s the stat that should make every streaming exec sweat: 60% say they’d cancel a service over a five-dollar price hike. Five bucks. That’s the whole loyalty cushion. The ad tier isn’t the compromise anymore. It’s the front door.

Second: everything fragmented, and live became the glue

All that abundance came at a cost, and the cost is coherence. Ten-plus services means your audience is scattered across a dozen front doors, which brings us back to that 40% who can’t decide what to watch. Choice paralysis is now a measurable market condition. How else would we know it is 40%?

So what still pulls a crowd? Live and local. Live sports content on subscription services jumped 52% since the start of 2024, and local programming pulled roughly 30% of all viewing in the last quarter of 2025. As the scripted libraries splinter into a thousand pieces, live events have become the few reliable gathering spots left. Meanwhile TikTok and YouTube keep chipping away at what you might call “traditional” programming. 37% of people say short-form is eating into their streaming time.

Third: the money moved to the middle of the screen

Here’s where it gets interesting for marketers. Connected TV stopped being the experimental line item and became the main event. Streaming brand ad value climbed 9% in just the first three and a half months of 2026, to $458.5 million and 41.1 billion impressions, and 70% of Disney+ and Hulu’s business now runs through ad-supported deals. Retail media spend on CTV grew more than 45% in 2025, and 90% of B2C marketers are now using data clean rooms to connect the dots.

The same performance logic that reshaped search and social? It just walked into your living room and sat down on the couch. It’s not infinite inventory, but your options for advertising over video have a lot more range now than ever before. The campfire’s still burning, but it’s smaller, and there are other fires now.

Put those three issues together with programmatic technology, and you get something ironic. All this precision tooling is arriving at the exact moment the underlying picture got harder to see, not easier.

The numbers here are genuinely startling. 71% of advertisers spending a billion dollars or more describe their own data environment as “chaotic” or “fragmented.” A quarter of programmatic spend, 26%, gets wasted on placements that might be invalid. And a recent CIMM and ARF analysis found an 87% misattribution rate. And when you ask 400-plus senior buyers whether their marketing mix models capture all their paid channels, the number who say yes is zero. Not a few. Zero.

We’ve spent years chasing the demand we can already see, the click, the search, the clearly attributable conversion. But the fragmentation story is really a latent-demand story. Most of the value is happening in places our current measurement can’t cleanly follow, on screens wired for outcomes by tools that 71% of the biggest spenders don’t trust. The investment that actually compounds isn’t another dashboard. It’s the owned experience you control and can measure on your own terms, plus the discipline to triangulate everything else honestly.

Frankly, I think the bigger issue is that we’re expecting video to do more than it is capable of because now it’s all digital and programmatic in the first place. Why do we have different performance expectations for streaming video and CTV, simply because it’s targeted? We need to think about why we’re using video in the first place, what we expect consumers to do, and how important it is to measure the same piece of creative on two different metrics. Why do we expect “traditional” television to drive reach but streaming and CTV to drive ROAS? We can target more efficiently and get back better data signals about who, when, and where that creative ran, but why do we expect consumers to behave differently when it’s literally the same ad?

And that’s the opportunity, not the tragedy. There is clear demand for better measurement. Of course some video is more interactive by nature of the platform it’s seen on and of course the targeting is better and more efficient, but the reality is that most advertisers have no idea how to deal with overlap, duplication, frequency capping and decay. We’re used to “digital” being instant, being a proxy for demand media. But we’re missing the fundamental truth of the matter: It’s the same ad.

It may be a bad analogy, but it’s like frosting two cakes with the same frosting and expecting one to taste better. Until we figure out what metrics actually matter and how to count everything by channel and not just by partner, it’s still the shotgun approach of linear television. Buy eyeballs at scale as efficiently as possible.

By some estimates, buyers believe better measurement could unlock north of $26 billion in incremental investment. The prize is enormous. The toolset is universally distrusted. That space between the two is the whole job. Right now numbers go into models as partner spend, not channel spend. There’s no universal currency for video and optimizations happen on some platforms and not others. Scale, efficiency, frequency, efficacy, performance, precision and even clicks are all mixed together. The frosting never comes together in the first place.

And somehow, in all of this automation and scale and AI-everything, there still needs to be a human at the wheel, the lion tamer of the whole measurement circus (yeah, pun semi-intended). Someone to dedupe the reach, verify the impression actually happened, triangulate the attribution instead of trusting one pretty model, and own the thing end to end. At a minimum someone needs to decide what a streaming, linear, CTV, programmatic or clickable video needs to do to drive the business and how to measure it consistently against that specific outcome. And don’t get me started on streaming audio.

The fracture is the opportunity. You just need to do the un-fun work of making the pieces add up.

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

The Rubber Duck (or: Why I Talk to Billiam Shakespeare)

Sitting on my desk is a rubber duck in the form of William Shakespeare. I like to call him Billiam Shakespeare. Only this is no ordinary rubber duck - this is a container of lip balm. When we visited the Globe in London a couple of years ago, this was one of the souvenirs they sold. Why it is a container of lip balm shaped like a rubber duck, I have no idea. But it’s a nice souvenir of my time there.

And here’s the thing. As I was preparing this week’s newsletter, I was doing my own little version of rubber duck debugging. Billiam and I talked through a couple of issues. The act of articulating a problem out loud — explaining your code line by line — helps surface the bug. It’s a real and widely practiced methodology in programming, with an actual name: rubber duck debugging. It comes from Andy Hunt and Dave Thomas’s 1999 classic The Pragmatic Programmer. So if you see a rubber duck on a programmer’s desk, you know where it comes from.

Of course, once you start noticing, you notice rubber ducks everywhere. There’s the pandemic-era tradition of Jeep owners leaving rubber ducks on each other’s Jeeps as a quiet hello — a Canadian Jeep owner named Allison Parliament started it around 2020, and now millions of ducks are exchanged annually. Some Jeep dealerships sell branded ones.

There are charity duck derbies. A couple of years ago in Vail, my family stumbled upon one. Participants buy a numbered rubber duck, all the ducks get dumped into the river upstream, and the first one across the finish line downstream wins. It’s a fifty-fifty raffle, the proceeds go to charity, and these races happen in cities all over the world now.

And then there’s the rubber-duck-themed store my son walked through in Europe. Thousands of duck designs in one building. Rubber duck Star Wars characters. Rubber duck Muppets. Rubber duck celebrities. Just variations on one bird, in different costumes, for sale.

Which made me wonder: Where does the rubber duck actually come from?

The short answer: not where you’d think. Early rubber animals were chew toys, not bath toys. Most of them couldn’t float. The bird you picture in your head, that hollow, yellow, squeaky toy, came along in 1949, when a Russian-born American sculptor named Peter Ganine patented a floating duck design. It sold more than fifty million units. Almost every rubber duck on the market today is a descendant of that one. (And yet most of them aren’t made of rubber anymore. They’re vinyl. The name is a fossil, (literally and figuratively).

The cultural moment came in February 1970, when Ernie of Sesame Street sang “Rubber Duckie” on national television. The song climbed to #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 by September. A children’s character’s love song for a bath toy was competing with the Jackson 5. Sales of the ducks exploded. The rubber duck stopped being a toy and became a cultural object.

But here’s the strangest chapter, and the reason I can’t stop thinking about Billiam:

In January 1992, a container ship sailing through the North Pacific lost a container overboard. Inside: nearly 30,000 plastic bath toys — yellow ducks, red beavers, blue turtles, green frogs. They’ve been washing ashore for more than thirty years. Oceanographers used the recovered ducks to validate computer models of ocean surface currents. Some are believed to have crossed the Arctic and entered the Atlantic.

So rubber ducks aren’t just for decoding data. Rubber ducks are, in fact, of themselves, data.

Now you know more about rubber ducks than you ever hoped to know.

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Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

Radio Remains Resilient As Americans Pull Back From Algorithm-Driven Media.
Inside Radio • June 23, 2026

Radio is proving to be a remarkably resilient media platform, maintaining its audience stability even as Americans pull back from algorithm-driven and AI-generated content. A new report highlights “habit softening” in other media, suggesting that radio’s consistent, human-curated nature offers a competitive advantage. This trend underscores a potential shift in consumer preference towards reliable, less overwhelming media experiences.

Amazon expands AI advertising with Alexa+ agentic ads
Digiday • June 23, 2026

Amazon is revolutionizing advertising with its new Alexa+ Agentic Ads, unveiled at Cannes Lions. This innovative format allows users to complete purchases directly within the ad experience through natural language conversations with an LLM. Currently in beta with brands like Papa Johns and timed with Prime Day, this development signifies a major leap towards conversational commerce and highly interactive advertising.

Omnicom and Disney to implement a connected TV ad solution
Digiday • June 22, 2026

Omnicom Media and Disney Advertising are joining forces to tackle ad fatigue in connected TV through a dynamic sequential storytelling solution. This partnership aims to deliver more relevant and engaging ad experiences across VOD and live programming. Already live in the U.S., the initiative is set to expand globally, promising a more thoughtful approach to CTV advertising.

Report: Ad-supported streaming now the norm
Advanced Television • June 22, 2026

Ad-supported streaming has officially become the norm, with a new Samsung Ads report revealing that 75% of all streaming minutes are now ad-supported. This marks a significant shift, as ad-free streaming has plummeted by 57% since 2022. The data indicates a strong consumer acceptance of ads in exchange for content, reshaping the streaming landscape.

Healthcare marketing enters a mixed identity world
Digiday • June 22, 2026

Healthcare marketing is navigating a complex “mixed-identity” world, demanding sophisticated coordination of various signal types across activation, privacy, and measurement. As healthcare budgets increasingly flow into diverse channels like CTV, point-of-care, and retail media, marketers must adapt to a fragmented ecosystem. This shift necessitates a holistic strategy to effectively reach and engage audiences while upholding privacy standards.

Netflix Makes Fast Inroads, But Audio Remains Podcasting’s Foundation.
Inside Radio • June 22, 2026

Netflix has made a rapid entry into the podcasting world, with 62% of weekly podcast consumers already aware of its offerings just four months after launch. While audio remains the core of podcast consumption, smart TV usage for podcasts has seen a significant 19% year-over-year increase. This highlights the growing multi-platform nature of podcast consumption and Netflix’s immediate impact.

Homeownership expenses are on a tear
Morning Brew • June 22, 2026

Homeownership expenses have surged dramatically between 2019 and 2025, creating significant financial pressure for both new and existing homeowners. Emergency repairs have skyrocketed by 175%, and general home maintenance costs are up 85%. This escalating cost burden, exacerbated by rising interest rates, is making homeownership increasingly challenging and less affordable.

The AI search boom is fueling content budgets before media buys
Digiday • June 21, 2026

Marketers are currently prioritizing content budgets and creator services to influence how their brands appear in Large Language Models (LLMs), rather than immediately investing heavily in AI search ads. While AI search advertising is predicted to be the fastest-growing channel, brands are first focusing on foundational content strategies. This indicates a strategic shift towards optimizing for generative AI outputs before direct ad placements.

Instagram expands to Samsung Smart TV
Social Media Today • June 21, 2026

Instagram is expanding its reach by launching a TV app on Samsung Smart TVs in the U.S., making it accessible on most connected TV devices. The platform is also testing new features tailored for TV viewing, including personalized channels, Stories for TV, and a dedicated space for horizontal videos. This move signifies Instagram’s commitment to expanding beyond mobile and tapping into the growing CTV audience.

Analysis: Gen Z reshaping the modern box office
Advanced Television • June 21, 2026

Gen Z is significantly reshaping the modern box office, with 61% of US internet users aged 18-24 having attended a movie in the past six months, surpassing pre-pandemic levels for their age group. This demographic’s cinema attendance is heavily influenced by social media and online buzz, demonstrating their power to drive theatrical success. Their engagement highlights the importance of digital marketing and community building for film studios.

Squaring agility and identity to drive long-term success
Retail Dive • June 21, 2026

The digital era has complicated brand identity for retailers, moving from organically developed to rigidly curated images. The rise of retail media networks (RMNs) underscores the immense value of customer attention, allowing retailers to monetize it beyond direct sales. While consistent messaging remains crucial, the ability to adapt and leverage customer data is now paramount for long-term success.

Predictions markets are spoiling reality TV
Morning Brew • June 20, 2026

Prediction markets are increasingly spoiling the outcomes of reality TV shows, prompting the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to consider defining its jurisdiction over such programs. Platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket allow users to bet on show results, frustrating producers and fans alike. This situation highlights the growing intersection of entertainment and financial speculation, raising questions about fairness and intellectual property.

WPP is testing a buyer agent, but it’s bigger bet is on governance
Digiday • June 18, 2026

WPP is tackling the complexities of agentic media buying by launching a Buyer Agent for Video and forming a coalition with major media owners and standards bodies. While testing new buying tools, WPP’s primary focus is on establishing robust governance and shared protocols for AI-driven media transactions. This initiative aims to build trust and transparency in an evolving programmatic landscape.

Omnicom Media rolls out research showing the need for CTV advertising to change its ways
Digiday • June 18, 2026

Omnicom Media is advocating for a significant overhaul in connected TV (CTV) advertising, citing research that highlights issues with ad frequency and contextual relevance. Their report, “Connected Content: The Formula for Attention,” emphasizes the need for advertisers to improve the viewer experience. By addressing these pain points, Omnicom aims to enhance engagement and effectiveness in CTV campaigns.

Why streaming sponsorships are the most efficient buy in TV
Digiday • June 18, 2026

Despite higher CPMs and non-cancellable commitments, streaming sponsorships are emerging as the most efficient buy in TV due to their superior response and conversion rates, leading to lower costs per acquisition. These sponsorships offer invaluable contextual brand alignment with specific shows during peak engagement. This makes them a powerful tool for advertisers seeking deep audience connection and measurable results.

The most complete signal in advertising is hiding in plain sight
Digiday • June 18, 2026

The advertising industry’s intense focus on the demise of cookies has overshadowed the potential of existing, robust data assets like carrier data. This data, derived from mobile device usage, offers a privacy-centric and comprehensive view of audience behavior. Leveraging carrier data could provide a more stable and effective signal for targeting and measurement, moving beyond the limitations of third-party cookies.

What AI is about to expose about programmatic advertising
Digiday • June 18, 2026

While fraud was once blamed for underperforming campaigns, AI-driven automation is now exposing structural waste as the more significant problem within programmatic advertising. The complex, multi-layered programmatic system, built incrementally by various stakeholders, is inherently inefficient. AI’s ability to analyze and optimize is revealing deep-seated inefficiencies that the industry must now confront.

Sociable: Reddit study highlights user purchase behavior
Marketing Dive • June 17, 2026

A new study by Reddit and WPP reveals the platform’s unique and influential role in consumer purchase decisions. Reddit users actively seek information and engage in discussions about brands, significantly impacting their path to purchase. This research underscores Reddit’s importance as a community-driven platform where authentic conversations shape consumer behavior and brand perception.

Illinois Could Be the First State to Ban Wearing Smart Glasses While Driving
CNET • June 17, 2026

Illinois is poised to become the first state to ban the use of smart glasses while driving, with Governor JB Pritzker set to decide on the proposed bill. This legislation would categorize “artificial intelligence smart glasses” similarly to existing laws against phone use behind the wheel. The move highlights growing concerns about distracted driving and the need for new regulations in response to emerging technologies.

3 Misconceptions About Media in Third Spaces
Adweek • June 17, 2026

Marketers often overlook the significant advertising potential of “third spaces” like bars, gyms, and airports, mistakenly believing that TV viewing is confined to the living room. Consumers in these environments are typically more relaxed and receptive to content, offering unique opportunities for contextual and engaging advertising. Dispelling these misconceptions can unlock valuable new avenues for reaching audiences.

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And so the search engine opens. The internet says Carson Kelly, 2025. Before that, Mark Grace, 1993. Before that, Andre Dawson in his MVP year, 1987. I’m reading these names in Google’s AI summary at the top of the page. I don’t click through to anything. The information is just there. Pete Crow-Armstrong is standing at third base.

By the bottom of the seventh, when PCA has completed the cycle (leadoff homer to start the game, then triple, double, single across the next four innings) I will have searched five more times for context. None of those clicks will go to baseball-reference. None of them will go to MLB.com. None of them will go to a single publisher’s website. The information will just be there.

68.01% of US Google searches now end without a single click to the open web. SparkToro and Similarweb published the figure last month, drawn from clickstream data in the first four months of 2026. It’s up from 60.45% in 2024, a pretty steep jump.

You’d think all that AI activity would land somewhere. It doesn’t. Across 6,000 publishers tracked by Raptive’s network, just 0.2% of incoming traffic in early 2026 came from AI search. The other 99.8% did not. And across all web traffic, AI platform referrals account for about 1%. The click was the unit of value for twenty years. It is quietly becoming the exception, not the rule. Two billion people touch AI answers every month. The traffic you can count from them rounds to zero. That gap is a huge story.

What’s actually running in mid-2026 is two parallel systems, and they don’t sum to 100. The first system is the one we’ve optimized for since the beginning of this century (God, I’m old). Google indexes everything. Ranking decides shelf position. You win by getting the patron to pull your book off the shelf. The metric is the click. Google still owns the vast majority of conventional search. Alphabet’s 2025 revenue was $403 billion, up 15% year over year. Q4 2025 alone was $114 billion. The system that delivered the click for twenty years is not going away, and the company that built it is not losing money.

The second system is newer. The librarian who read every book. Google’s AI Overviews launched at I/O in May 2024 and now reaches over two billion monthly users. Google’s AI Mode debuted in March 2025 and was at 75 million daily users by year-end. Roughly one in six AI Mode queries is now non-text - voice or image, not typed. ChatGPT crossed 900 million weekly users by May 2026. Gemini’s referral traffic grew 388% from September to November 2025. The librarian gives the patron a spoken summary, occasionally adding “you can read more in this one.” The customer rarely walks to the shelf and the librarian isn’t necessarily interested in showing them the way there. The metric is whether you got quoted.

Both systems are now running in parallel. Most marketing strategies are still built entirely for the first one, but the behavior change happening is unambiguous.

Pew Research surveyed 900 US adults across 68,879 searches in March 2025. When an AI summary appeared at the top of the results, 8% of users clicked through to a link below it. When no AI summary appeared, 15% clicked through. Just 1% clicked anything inside the summary itself.

Ahrefs studied 300,000 keywords in December 2025. The #1 organic result loses 58% of its clicks when an AI Overview is present — up from 34.5% a year earlier. Both of those studies are point-in-time and worth re-checking before quoting, but the directional finding has been replicated everywhere it’s been tested. Ranking #1 no longer guarantees the visit. Being inside the answer is the new front page.

Mainstream behavior caught up faster than anyone projected. 52% of US adults now use generative AI tools like ChatGPT to search. Over 70% of ChatGPT messages are non-work, everyday personal tasks. 35% of Gen Z and 32% of Millennials have used ChatGPT to search for products. 40% of Google AI Mode shoppers say they now use ChatGPT less, which is the platforms quietly trading shopping intent. Retail and franchise clients especially — the consideration step has moved upstream of your website.

And the part that’s uncomfortable: users aren’t tolerating AI answers. They prefer them. Google’s self-reported data shows 77% making decisions faster with AI Overviews and AI Mode; 75% feeling more confident in those decisions. That stat is vendor-sourced and you should read multipliers cautiously. But the direction is consistent with every independent study: users are voting for the summary.

Right now, publishers are absorbing the cost of zero-click first. Reports across the past year put publisher traffic and revenue losses between 20% and 90%, with the median falling in the 30-50% range depending on category. The AI platforms send back 0.2%. The exchange isn’t close to even. If your client’s strategy depends on publisher referral or open-web SEO traffic, that ground is moving under them. If your client IS the publisher, the ground has already moved.

The category developed a name for the new work: GEO. Generative Engine Optimization. The premise is straightforward — instead of optimizing for ranking on the page, you optimize for being cited inside the answer.

The early empirical research, including a peer-reviewed paper published this spring, found GEO interventions delivered up to 40% visibility lift across AI answer engines. Up to 37% improvement on Perplexity specifically. The levers that worked are exactly what disciplined, data-backed content already does: cite sources, add specific statistics, structure content for retrieval, write summarizable claims. The good news for anyone who has been doing this work seriously is that you don’t have to learn a new craft. You have to apply the one you have to a different surface.

And yet…nobody is losing money. Alphabet’s 2025 revenue was its highest-earning year on record. The search ad business is not shrinking. The clicks per search are. Both of those things are true. The honest read of mid-2026 is that we’re in a transition where the unit economics of what gets monetized are changing while the absolute money continues to grow.

Measurement is moving from counting to inferring. What we used to count: clicks, sessions, keyword rankings. All directly observable. All visible in your analytics platform within 24 hours of a campaign going live. What we now have to infer: did the AI mention us, and how often? How favorably? Did it drive a visit we can’t see? Did the user act on what they read without showing up in any pixel? Probabilistic, not observable.

Every click-based dashboard now measures a shrinking slice of reality. That’s the problem worth solving. There are three metrics every measurement leader needs to figure out how to source by the end of this year – if not sooner:

• Share of Voice: How often your brand appears across a tracked set of AI prompts, versus your competitors. This is the AI-era analogue of share of search. It tells you whether the answer engines know you exist.

• Citation Share: How often your domain is actually cited as a source, distinct from being mentioned by name without a link. Being named matters; being clicked-through-to is the conversion event you’ve lost visibility into; being cited is the closest thing left to the old organic ranking.

• Share of Answer: How much of the answer you own. Ideally we can figure out if this is weighted by prominence, frequency, and sentiment. Not just whether your name appears, but whether you’re the primary source the AI structures its answer around. This is the metric that will become the contested one and I think a lot of new measurement partners will hang their hats on.

None of these are vanity metrics. They are the only way to report progress in a channel where the clicks have gone dark.

The space between what’s happening and what’s measurable isn’t a footnote. It’s the opportunity.

Now - here’s how I would think about approaching this -

First, we have to fix attribution. Stand up an AI-traffic channel in your analytics platform. Tag owned content with UTMs where you can. Report AI traffic as a floor, not a ceiling, and be honest about the visibility you’ve lost. Then, I would recommend defining baseline visibility. Define your top 30-50 buyer questions and measure how often you appear across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and AI Overviews. The list of questions is the strategic artifact and the visibility numbers are the metric. Finally, and most importantly, adopt the right KPI. Report visibility frequency and Share of Voice. Don’t report “AI rank.” That’s likely statistical noise across repeated prompts and it doesn’t survive contact with how these models actually work or how varied consumer versions of the “prompt” can be.

None of this requires new budget. It requires someone whose explicit job is to own this channel. Today, in most marketing organizations, that’s nobody. That’s the opportunity.

The click is no longer the unit of value. Someone has to re-instrument the work. The CMOs already know it; their boards already asked them about it; their measurement systems haven’t caught up. There is a moment for the right kind of operator.

Measurement should help somebody decide something. If the question your client is now trying to decide is “how do we show up in answers we can’t see the click for,” that’s the conversation worth having.

I’ve put together a full deck — 28 pages, every figure sourced, point-in-time and vendor-sourced data flagged — at waynestreetconsulting.com. Come check it out!

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

For this week, this particular baseball nerd went deep on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s cycle Monday night, partly because I was in section 420 with my pencil and scorecard when it happened and partly because the more I looked at it, the rarer it got. There have been only 351 cycles in MLB history, slightly less rare than a no-hitter (327). Only six players have done it multiple times.

Man – that was special. In total, the Cubs have had 13 hitters accomplish the cycle in the past 150 seasons of their existence. Monday was number 13.

Not only did PCA hit for the cycle – he hit for the “Reverse” (or “Unnatural”) cycle. He led off the game with a 434-foot home run, then went triple, double, single across the next four innings, which is the least likely way a cycle can be accomplished, the home run isn’t the problem, it’s the triple that does most hitters in. The leadoff homer is just baseball. Following it with a triple down the right field line is what sets the board up for the rest. The natural cycle (single, double, triple, home run, in order) is statistically marginally more probable. Both are silly-rare. Doing it backwards is rarer still. Crow-Armstrong became just the 11th in baseball history to do it and it’s been 10 years since it’s happened.

He was the first Cubs center fielder to hit for the cycle since: Hack Wilson, June 23, 1930. That is 96 years. The most recent one was hit by catcher Carson Kelly on March 31, 2025. It ended the longest cycle drought in the National League, in a wild 18-3 road win over the Athletics. Catcher. First Cub to hit for the cycle since Mark Grace who had hit one THIRTY-TWO YEARS earlier in 1993. In July 1966, Hall-of-Famer Billy Williams hit for a Natural cycle.

And to cap off the huge accomplishment last night? Pete Crow-Armstrong, young phenom in center, leading the team in batting average, having just hit for the cycle (the first one I’ve ever seen in person) was picked off first base before even one more pitch was thrown. It’s rough being a Cubs fan friends.

The Cubs won on a walk-off walk in the bottom of the ninth, in case you’re wondering. What a beautiful game.

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Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

Arthur Sadoun calls out overblown AI pitch promises as Publicis preps Cannes client blitz
The Drum • June 16, 2026

Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun is urging caution against the advertising industry’s “overpromising” on AI transformation, particularly concerning unsustainable pitch economics. As Publicis prepares for over 60 closed-door client sessions and a flagship event at Cannes Lions, featuring senior marketers, Sadoun’s message highlights a critical need for realistic expectations and practical applications of AI in marketing. This stance aims to steer the industry towards more grounded and effective AI strategies rather than speculative hype.

Half a billion people are using Threads every month
The Verge • June 16, 2026

Threads has achieved a significant milestone, surpassing 500 million monthly active users just shy of its third anniversary. This rapid growth, which saw the platform reach 100 million users faster than ChatGPT, positions Threads as a formidable player in the social media landscape. CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s ambition for Threads to reach 1 billion users underscores Meta’s confidence in its continued expansion and potential to challenge established platforms.

ChatGPT’s market share slips below 50% for first time
TechCrunch • June 16, 2026

ChatGPT’s dominance in the AI market is waning, with its global market share falling below 50% for the first time, now at 46.4%. This shift signals a maturing market where competitors like Google’s Gemini (27.7%) and Anthropic’s Claude (10.3%) are rapidly gaining ground. The “State of AI Report for 2026” highlights a growing user willingness to switch platforms, indicating increased competition and innovation in the AI space.

Britain bans kids and teens from social media
Morning Brew • June 16, 2026

Britain has implemented a groundbreaking ban on social media for individuals under 16, encompassing major platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook, and Instagram. Announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, this highly popular measure reflects a strong public desire to protect children and teens online. The ban signifies a significant governmental intervention in digital consumption, setting a precedent for how nations might regulate social media access for minors.

WPP forecasts AI search to become fastest growing ad channel
Digiday • June 15, 2026

WPP predicts that AI search will become the fastest-growing advertising channel, projecting it to capture nearly 40% of search revenue and generate $100 billion by 2031. While currently a small fraction of search ad revenue, this forecast underscores the immense potential of AI-powered search to transform the advertising landscape. WPP’s estimates highlight a significant shift in how brands will allocate their ad spend, emphasizing the growing importance of AI in reaching consumers.

The agency, ad tech relationshiopp has become more complicated
Digiday • June 15, 2026

The relationship between agency holding companies and ad tech vendors is evolving into a more intricate dynamic, moving beyond traditional divisions of labor towards collaboration and competition. The recent reconciliation between Publicis Groupe and The Trade Desk, following a dispute over alleged data irregularities, exemplifies this complexity. This shift indicates a growing need for transparency and strategic alignment as both parties navigate the complexities of modern advertising technology.

Why data accuracy matters more than data scale amid the rise of AI
Marketing Dive • 15, 2026

In the age of AI and automation, data accuracy has become paramount, eclipsing the importance of mere data scale in modern marketing. Inaccurate data fed into AI systems can lead to a cascade of errors, resulting in wasted media budgets, misidentified consumers, and distorted performance insights. This emphasizes that quality over quantity is crucial for effective AI-driven marketing strategies, ensuring that insights are reliable and actions are impactful.

Report: Trust in news hits record low
Advanced Television • June 15, 2026

Trust in news has plummeted to a record low, according to the Reuters Institute’s fifteenth Digital News Report, alongside a general decrease in interest across many markets. News consumption is increasingly migrating to third-party platforms like social media and video, further fragmenting the audience and challenging traditional news outlets. This trend underscores a critical crisis of confidence in journalism, demanding innovative approaches to regain public trust and engagement.

FIFA World Cup Delivers Record Ratings on Fox
TV Tech • June 15, 2026

The U.S. men’s national team’s 4-1 victory over Paraguay on June 12, 2026, made history as the most-watched English-language FIFA World Cup match in U.S. history, drawing nearly 16 million viewers across Fox platforms. This record-breaking viewership highlights the surging popularity of soccer in the United States and the growing engagement with major international sporting events. The impressive ratings underscore the significant cultural and commercial impact of the World Cup.

Meta’s new ‘AI Mode’ on Facebook pulls from public info across its platforms
TechCrunch • June 15, 2026

Meta is rolling out new AI features on Facebook, including “AI Mode,” designed to enhance user interaction, content creation, and information discovery. “AI Mode” allows users to search Facebook using natural language, synthesizing answers from public posts across the platform, including Instagram and Threads. This integration aims to make information more accessible and personalized, transforming how users engage with content and discover new information within Meta’s ecosystem.

Fox to acquire Roku in $22 billion deal
TechCrunch • June 15, 2026

Fox has announced a monumental acquisition of streaming company Roku for approximately $22 billion in a stock and cash deal. This strategic move aims to forge a media and technology powerhouse focused on live sports, news, and the burgeoning streaming market. The acquisition positions Fox as the third-largest television company, signaling a significant consolidation in the media landscape and a strong push into the future of digital entertainment.

A satellite just learned to find things on its own — here’s what that means
TechCrunch • June 15, 2026

For the first time, an Earth observation satellite, Yam-9, has autonomously identified areas of interest using a vision-language model (VLM) in orbit, marking a significant leap in space-based AI. This groundbreaking achievement, integrating Google DeepMind’s Gemma 3 into NASA’s NAVI-Orbital software, allows satellites to process and prioritize data independently. This advancement promises to revolutionize Earth observation, enabling more efficient and targeted data collection for critical applications.

Father’s Day Spending Expected To Set New Mark At $27.9B.
Inside Radio • June 15, 2026

Americans are projected to spend a record $27.9 billion on Father’s Day this year, surpassing last year’s record by a significant margin. The average spending per person is expected to reach $226.58, indicating a strong consumer willingness to celebrate despite economic pressures. This surge in spending highlights the enduring cultural significance of Father’s Day and suggests a robust consumer market for gifts and experiences.

TikTok turns discovery into a performance pitch
Digiday • June 14, 2026

TikTok is strategically repositioning itself from a future search engine to a dynamic discovery platform, emphasizing its ability to drive conversions through a “collapsed funnel.” This approach allows discovery, consideration, and purchase to occur seamlessly within a single app session, leveraging a 40% year-on-year increase in daily searches. By focusing on immediate action and integrated shopping experiences, TikTok aims to solidify its value proposition for advertisers seeking direct sales impact.

Meta continues to deflect concerns about facial recognition features
Social Media Today • June 14, 2026

Meta continues to sidestep concerns regarding the potential integration of facial recognition features into its AI glasses, despite reports suggesting active exploration of such capabilities. Wired’s investigation revealed Meta’s discussions with facial recognition software developer Rank One, whose board includes former CIA and FBI officials. This ongoing deflection raises privacy alarms and underscores the tension between technological advancement and user data protection in emerging AI products.

The customer signals hiding in your ecommerce data — and what to do with them
Retail Dive • June 14, 2026

High-retention brands are revolutionizing customer marketing by shifting from broad demographic targeting to real-time behavioral signals derived from e-commerce data. This involves sending highly personalized follow-ups for viewed products or proactive restock reminders, fostering a more engaging customer journey. Successful brands prioritize restraint and build systems that respond intelligently to customer actions, ultimately enhancing loyalty and driving repeat business.

90% of retailers are using AI. Far fewer are ready to run it at scale
Retail Dive • June 14, 2026

Despite nearly 90% of retailers using or piloting AI and reporting positive revenue impacts, only about 25% have successfully operationalized it at scale. Breakdowns often occur in critical areas like stores and distribution centers, highlighting significant challenges in integrating AI into complex physical operations. This gap between adoption and full-scale implementation suggests that while AI’s potential is recognized, practical execution remains a major hurdle for many retailers.

Consumer sentiment rises from 4-month slump as gas prices fall
Retail Dive • June 14, 2026

Consumer sentiment has rebounded by 9% this month, recovering from a four-month slump, primarily driven by a significant drop in gasoline prices following the war with Iran. This improvement was observed across all demographics, including age, education level, and political affiliation, with lower-income households experiencing the most substantial gains. The data suggests that economic relief, particularly in essential spending areas, can quickly restore public confidence and spending intentions.

Publicis and The Trade Desk make up, but tell no why
Digiday • June 12, 2026

Publicis and The Trade Desk have officially resolved their months-long public dispute, issuing a joint statement on June 12, though without disclosing the specific terms or reasons behind the reconciliation. The conflict began in March when Publicis removed The Trade Desk from its recommended DSP list, citing alleged irregularities in data handling. While the immediate cause of the truce remains unclear, it signals a renewed, albeit potentially cautious, collaboration between two major players in the ad tech ecosystem.

Drivers Still Choose Broadcast Radio Over Streaming In The Car, Study Finds.
Inside Radio • June 12, 2026

A new international study reveals that broadcast radio remains the dominant in-car audio choice, with 83% of recent car buyers tuning in while driving. Half of respondents use radio most often, significantly outperforming music streaming services (20%) and personal music libraries (12%). This enduring preference for traditional radio highlights its continued relevance and accessibility in the automotive environment, despite the proliferation of digital alternatives.

AI disclosure labels don’t hurt ad performance: Here’s what the numbers say
Marketing Dive • June 11, 2026

A study by MediaScience and Adelaide University found that AI disclosure labels do not negatively impact ad performance across key metrics like brand recognition, consumer sentiment, and brand attitude. Consumers generally accept AI in advertising when they are aware of its use, suggesting transparency can build trust without hindering effectiveness. This research provides valuable insights for advertisers navigating the ethical and practical considerations of integrating AI into their campaigns.

Consumers are worried about a recession. How should brands respond?
CX Dive • June 11, 2026

Nearly two-thirds of consumers anticipate a recession, leading to increased choosiness in spending and heightened competition among businesses. Financial confidence has dropped significantly, prompting consumers to reallocate budgets and reduce discretionary spending. Brands must respond by emphasizing value, transparency, and personalized experiences to retain customer loyalty and navigate a challenging economic landscape.

Forecast: 2026 US election cycle to hit $11.6bn in ad spend
Advanced Television • June 11, 2026

The 2026 US election cycle is projected to be the most expensive on record, with an estimated $11.6 billion in ad spending, surpassing previous cycles. Broadcast television is expected to remain the dominant platform for political advertising, highlighting its enduring reach and influence. This forecast underscores the escalating financial investment in political campaigns and the critical role of traditional media in shaping public opinion.

Google partners with Walmart Connect, updates real estate listings
Social Media Today • June 10, 2026

Google has partnered with Walmart Connect, enabling advertisers to measure the sales lift in Walmart stores directly attributable to their Google campaigns. This collaboration allows brands to leverage Walmart’s extensive audience insights and reach its 150 million weekly U.S. customers through YouTube campaigns. The partnership signifies a powerful integration of online advertising with offline retail, offering unprecedented attribution capabilities for marketers.

Sociable: Pinterest adds Amazon Storefront linking
Marketing Dive • June 10, 2026

Pinterest has introduced a new feature allowing eligible creators to directly link their Amazon Storefronts to their Pins, streamlining in-app affiliate marketing. This update empowers creators to showcase recommended products from their Amazon shops on Pinterest, earning commissions from sales. The integration enhances the shopping experience for users and provides a significant monetization opportunity for creators, further solidifying Pinterest’s role as a visual commerce platform.

OpenAI’s ads get their first measurement partner in LiveRamp
Digiday • June 10, 2026

OpenAI has partnered with LiveRamp, making LiveRamp the first independent ad tech company to integrate conversion data into OpenAI’s conversion API. This groundbreaking collaboration allows brands to connect chatbot interactions directly to real-world purchases, providing unprecedented measurement capabilities for AI-driven advertising. While currently limited to select mutual clients in the U.S., this partnership marks a significant step towards proving the ROI of AI in marketing.

I don’t remember nearly any of the results from that marathon - memory does what it does - but I remember the feeling. Sports were everywhere, and you couldn’t avoid them. The weekend wasn’t a marathon I’d planned. It was a current I’d stepped into.

We’re in one of those weekends now. The Spurs and the Knicks are locked into a gritty NBA Finals. The Stanley Cup is on the line. The French Open just wrapped. Wimbledon is waiting. The 2026 World Cup is starting, and the MLB All-Star fan vote just opened. The College World Series field is set. The weather just turned, and people are about to spill out of their living rooms into bars, backyards, and rooftops to watch other people they don’t know decide things.

Which is what this post is actually about. Not “live sports are big.” You know that. Sports are 96 of the top 100 most-watched telecasts in 2025. Sports TV ad spending will clear $20 billion in 2027. Tentpole event CPMs are touching $100. Forrester has decks about this. CES had a panel about this. Live sports are the last reliable mass audience on American television, and everybody knows it.

The more interesting question is “why?” And once you answer that, the much more interesting question is, “What else gets to be sports?” The instinct is to say sports sell because they’re live. That’s wrong, or at least incomplete. Plenty of live programming attracts almost no one: local news, C-SPAN, and awards shows whose interesting moments leak in real time and get watched the next morning on TikTok. Live, by itself, is not the asset.

What sports sell is stakes. Something is being decided in front of you. The audience cares about the outcome before they know what it is. The reason you can’t tab away from a tied basketball game in the fourth quarter isn’t technical, and it isn’t habit. It’s that the entire premise of why you tuned in hasn’t been resolved yet. If you leave, you’re skipping over the moment that justified your showing up.

This is the part advertisers actually pay for. A live sports viewer isn’t just present, they’re invested. They have an outcome in mind. They have an emotional position on the result. The thirty-second spot in the corner of the screen during a timeout is being seen by someone whose neural circuitry is in a particular state. They are alert, attached, primed. That state is rare in modern media. It is the most expensive condition in the building.

So when people talk about “the live premium,” they’re using shorthand for something more specific. The product is uncertainty-with-consequences. Live is just the delivery vehicle.

If you accept that frame, the streaming companies’ behavior in the last 24 months stops looking like a content land-grab and starts looking like a stakes-acquisition strategy. They might just not know it yet.

Apple has F1 and MLS. Amazon has NFL, NBA, NHL, NASCAR. YouTube has NFL Sunday Ticket and is positioning itself as the discovery layer for the 2026 World Cup. Two of the moves I find most informative, because they’re the least obvious: Netflix is now live-streaming boxing and MMA, a category they had no reason to enter except that boxing is among the highest-stakes-per-minute formats ever invented; and TikTok is broadcasting parts of 2026 World Cup matches, the first time the platform has crossed from clip distribution into live sports rights. Neither move makes sense as a “content” play. Both make complete sense as a stakes play. Kind of like Netflix’s evening game show hosted by Howie Mandel has real cash at stake for live players, ala HQ Trivia.

The CTV home screen is becoming the new front door to live sports, a.k.a. the thing you turn on Saturday morning to find what’s on. That matters because it means the discovery layer is being rebuilt around live events specifically. Not “shows.” Not “movies.” Events. Things with results.

Here is where it gets interesting.

Kalshi and Polymarket are not, in any conventional sense, sports companies. Kalshi is a regulated event contracts exchange. Polymarket is a crypto-native prediction market. What they actually sell is the ability to take a position on the outcome of a future event - a hurricane making landfall, an election getting called, a fed rate cut, an awards show winner, a contract negotiation going past a deadline. Anything with a result you don’t know yet.

Read the product specs and these are just financial exchanges. Read the user behavior and these are becoming infrastructure for converting any future event into something that watches like a sports game. They manufacture stakes. They give a viewer who would otherwise have no skin in the outcome a position. And once you have a position, the event becomes live in the way that matters — uncertainty-with-consequences, played out in front of you, with you in it.

The 2024 election was a demonstration of the power of this. Election night ratings were strong for cable news, but the more interesting number was traffic on Polymarket and Kalshi. Hundreds of thousands of people watching maps resolve in real time, not because CNN told a better story, but because they had real money on individual states. That’s a sports broadcast. The thing being decided just happened to be a presidency.

Prediction markets are still tiny relative to sports betting, and they have regulatory drama to live through. But the product idea of stakes-as-a-service for anything with a future result is not going back in the bottle.

Now think about reality television. The dominant reality formats - Top Chef, Real Housewives, Survivor, Love Island, The Bachelor and my favorite - The Traitors - all already have stakes. Eliminations, rose ceremonies, immunity, betrayals, alliances. The whole point of the format is “something is being decided.” But the stakes get resolved on tape, in a controlled production environment, then sliced up by editors and packaged into seven-week arcs that air months later. By the time the season finale runs, large portions of the audience already know who wins from spoilers, leaks, or a paparazzi photo of the winner walking through the airport with a ring on their finger or a new wardrobe.

The formats have stakes. The delivery model strips out the real-time version of those stakes. Which means the formats are leaving most of the sports-premium value on the table. A few things have to happen for that gap to start closing, and most of them already are.

First, the production infrastructure for live elimination television exists. Live competition has been doing this for twenty years — Idol, The Voice, Dancing With the Stars, Eurovision, Strictly Come Dancing in the UK. The model isn’t new. It’s just been confined to performance formats.

Second, the audience signal is changing. The success of live shopping streams, of Twitch’s outsized engagement on competitive non-sports formats (chess tournaments, speedrun events, MrBeast challenges, even just two people arguing about politics in real time), of live podcast recordings selling out theaters - none of these are sports. All of them are stakes-resolution-in-real-time. All of them are growing.

Third, prediction-market infrastructure is the missing component that makes the unit economics work. A live-bettable reality format multiplies its monetization. The viewer isn’t just watching, they have a position. The audience isn’t a passive ratings number, it’s a real-time market. Sponsors don’t just buy a midroll ad, they buy presence inside the contest itself.

None of which is a prediction about a specific show. I’m not naming the first one or pretending I know who builds it. I’m saying the conditions are converging. The formats are ready, the audience signal is there, the stakes infrastructure is being built, and content executives who decide they don’t need to pay attention to this are the same people who decided ten years ago they didn’t need to pay attention to TikTok.

The expansion of “sports” into “anything with stakes that resolves in front of you” is not a sports story. It’s a content story. And it’s a measurement story, which is where this post lives.

If the stakes are the product, then “engagement” is too coarse a metric to capture what’s actually happening.

Engagement, as we use it today, mostly means time spent plus some weak form of attention. It doesn’t distinguish between someone passively co-watching a soap opera while they fold laundry and someone leaning forward at the end of regulation with five or five hundred dollars on the over. Both are technically engaged. One is worth ten times the other to whoever is buying the ad break.

The next generation of live-content measurement has to capture “stakeholder intensity.” How invested is this viewer in the outcome of the thing they’re watching? What’s their position? When the outcome resolves, what do they do? Celebrate, complain, log off, bet again? Those signals exist. They’re just not in any agency dashboard I’ve ever seen (or built - I’m guilty too).

The opportunity isn’t only for the platforms and the formats. It’s for the measurement layer that figures out how to instrument it. If you can credibly tell an advertiser, “this viewer wasn’t just watching. They were invested at a measurable intensity, and your brand was in front of them at the moment of resolution,” you’ve moved the conversation from CPM to something closer to what live sports have been getting away with charging for years.

That’s the open season I think we’re walking into. Not just for marketers, though it’ll be that too. Open season for what counts as a contest. Open season for who gets to manufacture stakes. Open season for which formats inherit the sports premium next.

Sports were everywhere that weekend in my twenties. They still are. But the weekend after this one is going to look different in ways we can’t quite see yet, because the underlying asset — uncertainty-with-consequences, watched together, resolved live — turns out to be much bigger than the games it was first built around.

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

In lieu of the usual Rabbit Hole this week, I went back and looked up that weekend. For this week’s rabbit hole, I wanted to revisit everything that happened from noon Friday to noon Sunday — June 7-9, 2002 — that entered my media diet. Chicago Baseball. NBA. Boxing. World Cup. French Open. Belmont. Stanley Cup. Here’s what was actually on:

Boxing — Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson (Saturday night, the Pyramid in Memphis)

• Lewis defended his unified heavyweight title (WBC, IBF, IBO, The Ring) with an 8th-round knockout

• Named The Ring‘s Knockout of the Year for 2002

• Originally scheduled for Las Vegas, but Nevada denied Tyson a license after a press-conference brawl; Memphis paid $12 million to host

• The defining heavyweight title fight of the era

Belmont Stakes — 134th running (Saturday afternoon, Belmont Park)

• Sarava won at 70-to-1, the biggest long shot in Belmont history

• Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado, beat Medaglia D’Oro by a half-length

• $142.50 on a $2 ticket — highest payout in Belmont history

• War Emblem (winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness) stumbled out of the gate, briefly took the lead with half a mile to go, and finished 8th

• End of the 2002 Triple Crown bid. First Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 would have to wait another decade

• Record crowd: 103,222

Stanley Cup Final, Game 3 — Detroit at Carolina (Saturday night, Raleigh)

• Red Wings 3, Hurricanes 2

• Detroit took a 2-1 series lead on the road

• The Red Wings went on to win the Cup in five games — Steve Yzerman’s third.

• This game went into TRIPLE OVERTIME seeing Igor Larionov scoring the winner with 5:13 left in the final OT.

NBA Finals, Game 2 — Lakers vs. Nets (Friday night, Los Angeles)

• Lakers 106, Nets 83

• Lakers took a 2-0 series lead on the way to the three-peat sweep

• Shaq, Kobe, Phil Jackson at peak

French Open

• Women’s Final (Saturday) — Serena Williams def. Venus Williams 7-5, 6-3. Serena’s first French Open title. Beginning of the “Serena Slam.”

• Men’s Final (Sunday morning Chicago time) — Albert Costa def. Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-1, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. Costa’s only career Grand Slam. All-Spanish final.

FIFA World Cup, Korea/Japan

• Friday June 7, Group B — Spain vs. Paraguay

• Saturday June 8, Group A — South Africa vs. Slovenia

• Saturday June 8, Group C — Brazil 4, China 0 (China’s World Cup debut)

• Sunday June 9, Group G — Mexico 2, Ecuador 1 — Kickoff 6:30 AM Central from Miyagi Stadium. Mexico’s tournament opener. The bar that opened at five was packed for this one.

MLB — Cubs at Seattle Mariners (interleague, Safeco Field)

• Friday: Cubs 2, Mariners 0

• Saturday: Mariners 4, Cubs 2

What a weekend, huh?

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Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

How CTV Home Screens Will Shape World Cup Discovery
TV Tech • June 9, 2026

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will serve as a critical test for the evolving streaming landscape, as viewers navigate a complex array of connected TV platforms to find content. The TV home screen is rapidly becoming the primary gateway for live sports discovery, with factors like app placement and hero banners playing a crucial role in how audiences engage with major events. This shift highlights the growing importance of intuitive user interfaces and effective content promotion in the fragmented world of streaming.

Hackers Conned a Chatbot to Hijack 20,000 Instagram Accounts
CNET • June 9, 2026

Hackers successfully exploited a vulnerability in Meta’s AI-powered chat assistant, gaining unauthorized access to over 20,000 Instagram accounts, including those of high-profile entities like Sephora and Barack Obama’s White House. The sophisticated attack involved tricking the AI bot into changing the email addresses associated with these accounts, demonstrating a concerning new vector for cybercrime. This incident underscores the critical need for robust security measures in AI systems, especially as they become more integrated into user authentication processes.

Apple’s AI pitch will live or die by its privacy promise
The Verge • June 9, 2026

Apple’s recent WWDC keynote heavily emphasized AI, with the company strategically positioning its late entry into the AI race as a deliberate move to prioritize user privacy. The new Apple Intelligence features and an updated Siri AI are designed to operate primarily on-device, leveraging on-device processing to minimize data sharing. This approach aims to differentiate Apple in a competitive AI market by promising enhanced security and control over personal data, making its privacy pledge central to its AI adoption strategy.

Comcast Advertising Adds Purchasing Data from Affinity Solutions
TV Tech • June 9, 2026

Comcast Advertising has announced a strategic partnership with Affinity Solutions, integrating consumer purchasing insights into its LENS audience discovery engine. This collaboration will allow advertisers to leverage credit and debit card transaction data to identify and target previously untapped audiences, enhancing the precision of their campaigns. The move signifies a growing trend towards data-driven advertising, enabling more effective audience segmentation and improved campaign outcomes for marketers.

The Discipline Behind Enduring Brands
Adweek • June 9, 2026

In today’s saturated media and e-commerce landscape, genuine brands struggle to stand out amidst a sea of imitations. Enduring brands differentiate themselves by fostering deep closeness to customers, which involves actively listening and understanding their experiences. This focus on authentic connection and responsiveness to customer needs is crucial for building lasting trust and loyalty in a market where credibility is often superficial.

Publicis’ purchase of LiveRamp will be a key theme at Cannes
Digiday • June 8, 2026

Publicis Groupe’s $2.2 billion acquisition of LiveRamp has sent ripples across the ad tech industry, sparking significant concerns about LiveRamp’s neutrality as an identity provider. Rival agency holding companies and marketers are particularly worried about potential conflicts of interest, given LiveRamp’s crucial role in data collaboration. This deal is accelerating industry-wide discussions about data privacy, interoperability, and the future of independent identity solutions within the advertising ecosystem.

How automation and AI is reshaping the upfront marketplace
Digiday • June 8, 2026

Automation and AI are profoundly transforming the upfront marketplace, with programmatic spend increasingly being counted towards upfront commitments. Major players like Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery are at the forefront of this shift, with a significant portion of their biddable inventory demand now driven by upfront deals. This evolution signifies a move towards more efficient and data-driven advertising transactions, blurring the lines between traditional upfronts and programmatic buying.

Media spend on customer acquisition accelerates amid rush to AI: Gartner
Marketing Dive • June 8, 2026

According to Gartner’s CMO Spend Survey, media spending on customer acquisition and awareness has surged by 10% from 2024, now projected to account for 62.6% of total media spend by 2026. Despite the industry’s push for AI adoption to reduce labor costs, CMOs are simultaneously increasing investment in human talent. This indicates a dual strategy where AI enhances efficiency, but human expertise remains critical for strategic initiatives and creative execution in a competitive market.

B’way brought in record bucks, but struggles remain
Morning Brew • June 8, 2026

Broadway achieved a record-breaking season, bringing in over $1.9 billion in ticket sales by May 24, largely propelled by the star power of big-name movie actors. Despite this financial success, the industry faces significant challenges, with only three out of more than 24 productions managing to recoup their initial investments. This highlights a growing disparity where blockbuster shows thrive, but many new productions struggle to find commercial viability, pointing to underlying economic pressures within the theater world.

TikTok now has a seat next to Amazon and Walmart in RFPs
Digiday • June 7, 2026

TikTok Shop is rapidly gaining prominence in the marketing and advertising landscape, now frequently included in formal agency RFPs alongside established giants like Amazon and Walmart. This inclusion signifies a major shift in its status, reflecting its growing influence as a key e-commerce platform. Brands with annual revenues of $30 million or more are showing substantial growth on TikTok Shop, underscoring its increasing importance for direct-to-consumer sales and brand visibility.

Agentic commerce: AI is now your shopper’s first stop. Showing up is just the beginning.
Retail Dive • June 7, 2026

AI-powered assistants are rapidly becoming the primary starting point for product discovery, with AI-referred traffic to U.S. retail sites skyrocketing by 393% year-over-year in Q1 2026 and converting at a 42% higher rate. This shift to “agentic commerce” means retailers must optimize their product catalog content and detail pages to be AI-friendly, ensuring their products are discoverable and compelling to AI shoppers. Simply showing up is no longer enough; brands must actively engage with AI to capture consumer attention and drive sales.

Why the time is now for experiential marketing — and how to get it right
Marketing Dive • June 7, 2026

Experiential marketing is experiencing a significant resurgence, driven by consumers’ desire for in-person events, the virality of visual content on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and a post-pandemic yearning for human connection. Research indicates that live events substantially increase consumer likelihood to purchase, demonstrating their powerful impact on brand engagement and loyalty. To succeed, brands must create authentic, shareable experiences that resonate deeply with their target audiences.

Don’t confuse loyalty program engagement for lasting allegiance
CX Dive • June 7, 2026

A recent AnswerLab survey reveals a significant disconnect between loyalty program engagement and genuine brand allegiance, with only a quarter of consumers truly loyal to most programs they join. While 90% of consumers value convenience, value, and ease from their favorite brands, a smaller percentage feel a strong emotional connection. This highlights that simply offering rewards isn’t enough; brands must cultivate deeper relationships and deliver consistent value to foster lasting loyalty beyond transactional benefits.

Why this year’s broadcast deals are so chaotic
Morning Brew • June 7, 2026

FIFA’s global media rights negotiations for the 2026 World Cup are facing unprecedented chaos, marked by slow progress and lower-than-expected revenues in crucial markets. In regions like India and China, FIFA has been compelled to reduce its asking price for broadcast rights due to factors such as unfavorable time zones and a lack of local star power. This challenging environment underscores a shift in the global sports media landscape, where traditional broadcast deals are becoming harder to secure at premium prices.

What The Trade Desk’s investment strategy reveals about ad tech’s next era
Ad Age • June 5, 2026

The Trade Desk’s investment arm, TD7, recently backed Hightouch, signaling a strategic focus on AI-powered data activation tools and a move towards more flexible, modular ad tech ecosystems. Hightouch’s platform acts as a “warehouse of warehouses,” automating data activation by integrating with existing information infrastructure. This investment reveals The Trade Desk’s vision for an ad tech future where data is seamlessly activated across various platforms, enhancing efficiency and precision for advertisers.

Nielsen Announces New Integrations for Improved Measurement
TV Tech • June 4, 2026

Nielsen has announced new integrations with Mediaocean, MRI-Simmons, and S&P Global Mobility, aiming to significantly enhance audience measurement and campaign performance. The integration with Mediaocean’s Prisma platform will allow marketers to maintain consistent audience definitions throughout the entire campaign lifecycle, from planning to execution. These partnerships underscore Nielsen’s commitment to providing more comprehensive and accurate measurement solutions in an increasingly complex media landscape.

TiVo: TV Viewing Hits Post-Pandemic Peak
TV Tech • June 4, 2026

Video consumption has reached a post-pandemic peak, with viewers now using more services and spending an average of $161 per month, demonstrating the resilience of video despite increasing media fragmentation. Live sports and local programming remain critical anchors for engagement, with consumers showing a strong preference for these content types. This trend highlights the enduring appeal of video and the importance of diverse content offerings in retaining audience attention.

Report: Fragmented Connected TV viewing is the new norm
Advanced Television • June 3, 2026

Connected TV (CTV) viewing has become highly fragmented, with households typically using an average of five different apps and actively spreading their attention across various platforms. The CTV home screen has emerged as a crucial point of influence and content discovery, accessed over five times daily and used by 70% of viewers to find new content. This fragmentation underscores the challenge and opportunity for content providers to capture and retain audience attention in a crowded ecosystem.

TikTok launches microdrama development program
Social Media Today • June 3, 2026

TikTok has launched a microdrama development program in collaboration with the Sundance Institute, aiming to train creators in writing short, episodic narratives. This four-week online course will focus on scriptwriting for micro-series, providing participants with essential tools and industry guidance for developing serialized, story-driven content. The initiative highlights TikTok’s strategic move to cultivate original, high-quality content and further establish itself as a platform for narrative storytelling.

TikTok launches separate event-based app
Social Media Today • June 2, 2026

TikTok has introduced a new standalone app, “TikTok Pro Events,” designed to foster event-based engagement and deeper community immersion around significant cultural milestones. The app features daily challenges where users can earn stars, which are redeemable for exclusive merchandise and can be used to direct platform-funded donations to various causes. This initiative marks TikTok’s expansion into dedicated event experiences, aiming to create more interactive and rewarding opportunities for its user base.

YouTube Shorts is awarded Media Rating Council accreditation
Social Media Today • June 2, 2026

YouTube Shorts has achieved Media Rating Council (MRC) brand safety accreditation, making it the first short-form video platform to receive this certification. This significant milestone provides advertisers with crucial assurance regarding the safety and suitability of their campaigns on the platform. Additionally, YouTube earned its sixth consecutive overall MRC approval rating for in-stream ads, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining high standards for brand safety and measurement across its diverse content offerings.

Here’s why: Measurement doesn’t just tell you how well you performed. As a discipline, it forces you to recognize your goals before you do anything. How do you know where you are if you don’t know where you started? Measurement is the thing that makes you say out loud what you were trying to accomplish in the first place.

As I’ve been compiling my summaries for this week (see below!) I came across an opinion piece from Doug Rozen of Cadent in AdWeek about the importance of transparency in ad tech, about the increasing “tax” of technology on media spending that goes beyond cost, but also bleeds into sophistication and how it’s watering down our ability to understand where and why performance happens. I noticed a parallel that I can’t shake.

As measurement gets more sophisticated, we get better tools: stronger and faster econometric modeling, more granular attribution. And as performance marketing takes on more and more importance, not only because of the vast amounts of data available to us, but in some ways in spite of it, something has become obvious to me. As an industry, we are completely comfortable paying a data tax, or a marketing technology tax. But we have not advanced to the point where we even understand what a measurement tax is.

Think about how it shows up in our workflows. When we put together a campaign, a brand lift study, a sales lift study, an incrementality read, these often get tucked in as “added value,” or automated quietly in the background of a campaign. A lot of the time, when they’re not there, we have to ask for incremental funding or change scopes of work. And as media fragments, it gets harder and harder to find appropriate ways to understand cross-media effects. The smart marketer who wants to roll all of this up into a comprehensive measurement solution discovers it’s not only an additional expense to a marketing team, to an agency, to a publisher operating across a dozen channels at once, but it’s also an administrative and time expense as well.

We have no problem, as an industry, accepting that a significant portion of marketing dollars (in some estimates, more than fifty percent) goes toward non-working media. We say it constantly. But we don’t think about the additional cost of the measurement required to evaluate that performance in the first place, the measurement we need in order to make decisions and optimize toward better outcomes.

That’s the thing we need to sit with. Not just as marketers, not just as agencies, but as true practitioners in the field. Right now, there is a genuine inability to fully understand what we’re accomplishing across channels. Sure, maybe there’s an MMM we’ll look at six months after the campaign wraps, or more and more often, a frequently updated model that we sip from for immediate optimization and never fully take in. And it’s getting harder, not easier, to understand what’s happening and why. We know a channel is working now, so we pivot immediately. As the industry leans further into the creator economy, influencers, and emerging channels, as everything gets more interactive and more virtual, and as AI makes more and more decisions for us and with us, measurement keeps getting treated as an afterthought. We are relying on the machines to do the measuring. We are assuming… no, that’s not right. We’re demanding that data be instant, and that data is insight and decision-making.

It isn’t. The concept of measurement needs a dramatic overhaul. More importantly, it needs to be integrated into the financial ecosystem of the business.

One of the oldest problems in marketing is aligning what the CMO and the CFO believe about the business. The word “investment” very often means something very different to a chief marketing officer than it does to a chief financial officer. And measurement, done right, is one of the few things that can tie a marketing objective and a financial objective together, which is exactly where they should be tied. Ultimately, what we’re trying to achieve as marketers are the things that matter most to the CEO, the CFO, and the shareholder: an increase in business, in brand, in return business. An increase in results. An increase in relevance. An increase in return on that investment.

And that last word is the whole point. We throw “investment” around constantly, but an investment is a promise that you’ll get more back than you put in. That’s the entire reason to do it. Why would we commit the dollars if we didn’t expect a return? Yet we’ve built an industry that uses the language of investment without building the structural integrity to prove the return is real. Measurement is that structural integrity. Without it, “investment” is just a more comfortable word for “spend.”

Our ability to plan for measurement and to integrate measurement technology and tools into that process deliberately rather than bolting them on as an afterthought should be a benefit to both sides of the house.

It will be genuinely interesting to see what AI, machine learning, and automation do to the measurement ecosystem as the paid, earned, shared, and owned landscape keeps fragmenting and growing. My worry is that we are increasingly allowing the machines to convince us that measurement is handled because we have performance data. My hope is that we finally start treating it as the line item and the discipline it has always deserved to be.

Today’s Rabbit Hole

So it turns out that today, June 3rd, the very day this hits your inbox, is National Egg Day. And given that the humble egg has spent the last couple of years moonlighting as one of America’s favorite economic indicators, I figured it earned a tangent.

Let’s start with the obvious. For a while there, the price of a dozen eggs became almost as politically loaded as the price of a gallon of gas. It peaked at a genuinely absurd average of $6.22 a dozen in March 2025, after bird flu wiped out tens of millions of laying hens and grocery chains started rationing cartons. The whiplash since has been just as dramatic. By April 2026 the average was back down to $2.25, and wholesale prices have actually collapsed into a genuine oversupply glut, the result of producers aggressively restocking flocks and a surge of imports all landing at once while shoppers, scarred by the spike, bought fewer eggs. We went from “how much?!” to “please, somebody eat these” in about a year. There may be no better small-scale lesson in supply, demand, and panic than the egg.

But the egg’s importance goes back a lot further than the CPI. It’s one of humanity’s oldest symbols, a near-universal stand-in for life, fertility, and rebirth long before it was a breakfast staple or a campaign talking point. Cultures from ancient Persia to Egypt to Greece used eggs in spring rituals and creation myths, and that symbolism is why we still dye them every spring. As an actual food, the egg is a marvel of natural engineering: a self-contained, shelf-stable package of protein that arrives in its own biodegradable container and keeps for weeks. It’s also the original Swiss Army knife of the kitchen. It leavens, it binds, it emulsifies, it thickens, it clarifies, it glazes. Mayonnaise, custard, meringue, hollandaise, and the entire concept of cake more or less depend on it.

Which brings me to a personal favorite piece of egg trivia: the chef’s toque, that tall pleated white hat, is traditionally said to carry exactly 100 folds, one for each of the ways a truly accomplished cook should be able to prepare an egg. Whether any chef has actually pulled off all hundred is beside the point. The egg became the benchmark of mastery itself.

And we eat a staggering number of them. The undisputed per-capita champion is Mexico, where the average person now eats somewhere north of 390 eggs a year, comfortably more than one a day, with one regional producers’ association pegging it as high as 409. (For comparison, Americans eat around 280.) But on sheer volume, nobody touches China, which produced more than 600 billion eggs in a recent year, nearly half the entire world’s supply and more than the next six countries combined. One country, half the planet’s eggs. So whether you measure by the person or by the nation, the egg is doing some serious heavy lifting.

Not bad for something that costs about two bucks a dozen again. Happy National Egg Day. Crack one in celebration.

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

Radio And Brand Advertising May Benefit From The Rise Of AI Search.
Insideradio.com • June 2, 2026

Google’s AI Overviews are dramatically reducing search clicks, forcing a fundamental re-evaluation of traditional online advertising effectiveness. This shift minimizes the impact of paid search and highlights the critical importance of robust brand recognition and direct consumer relationships. Consequently, brand advertising, including radio, may experience a resurgence as companies seek to build stronger, more memorable connections that bypass AI search intermediaries. This development underscores a future where direct brand loyalty becomes paramount for consumer engagement.

Coalition Seeks Universal Podcast Definitions As Confusion Costs $1 Billion In Lost Ads.
Insideradio.com • June 2, 2026

The podcast industry is reportedly losing a staggering $1 billion in potential advertising revenue annually due to a critical lack of universal definitions and standardized measurement practices. The rise of video podcasting has further complicated this issue, creating confusion for advertisers and limiting investment. In response, the Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting (AMP) has formed, aiming to establish clear guidelines that will help unlock this lost ad spend and foster greater confidence in the rapidly expanding market.

How publishers are modeling a future with less Google traffic
Digiday • June 1, 2026

Publishers are actively preparing for a “zero-click future,” anticipating significantly reduced referral traffic from Google’s evolving search algorithms and AI Overviews. They are modeling various scenarios and stress-testing strategies to mitigate this uncertain impact, focusing on diversifying revenue streams beyond traditional ad impressions. Key tactics include strengthening direct reader relationships and prioritizing first-party data to maintain audience engagement and financial stability in this shifting digital landscape.

Higher gas prices could benefit Amazon’s e-commerce business
Digiday • June 1, 2026

Rising gasoline prices are proving to be an unexpected boon for Amazon’s e-commerce business, as consumers increasingly opt for online shopping to avoid driving and consolidate purchases. This trend is particularly evident in household essentials and groceries, where Amazon’s strategic investments in rapid delivery options—from 30 minutes to 3 hours—are paying off. As economic pressures mount, Amazon’s convenience and expanding reach solidify its position as a go-to platform for cost-conscious shoppers.

DuckDuckGo’s Popular ‘No AI’ Search Engine Is Now Easier to Access
CNET • June 1, 2026

DuckDuckGo is making its popular AI-free search experience significantly more accessible through new browser extensions, directly responding to user demand for alternatives to AI-integrated search engines. The company reported a substantial increase in browser installations following Google’s introduction of AI Overviews, indicating a clear user preference for traditional search results. This move allows DuckDuckGo to capitalize on privacy concerns and the desire for non-AI-generated information, strengthening its position in the competitive search market.

The Live Moment Effect: How emotional context drives advertising effectiveness in live sports
Genius Sports & MediaScience • June 1, 2026

New research reveals that emotional context significantly enhances advertising effectiveness, particularly within live sports broadcasts. High-intensity, in-game moments are shown to boost brand recall, as viewers’ heightened emotional states immediately before an ad break improve ad processing and memory. This “Live Moment Effect” suggests that advertisers can strategically place their spots during peak emotional periods in live events to achieve greater impact and connect more deeply with an engaged audience.

Why the Industry Needs to Stop Talking About Neutrality
Adweek • June 1, 2026

The ad industry’s preoccupation with “neutrality” is misguided, with “transparency” identified as the truly critical factor in today’s complex, AI-driven ad tech landscape. Neutrality fails to address fundamental issues like data usage insights, money flow visibility, and stack efficiency, contributing to significant wasted ad spend—estimated at 38 cents on every dollar. Embracing transparency would foster greater trust, optimize spending, and ultimately lead to a more effective and accountable advertising ecosystem.

Political Ad Spending Nears $4 Billion As California Governor’s Race Sets Record
Insideradio.com • June 1, 2026

Political ad spending for the 2026 cycle is rapidly approaching $4 billion, tracking an astonishing 47% higher than four years prior and poised to make it the most expensive midterm election in U.S. history, potentially exceeding $10.8 billion. California’s gubernatorial primary race is a significant driver, setting a new record for spending in a state-level primary. This unprecedented financial outlay highlights the escalating intensity and cost of political campaigns, with substantial implications for media markets nationwide.

Data: Online video subscriptions reached 2.2bn in 2025
advanced-television.com • May 31, 2026

Global online video subscriptions soared to an impressive 2.24 billion in 2025, marking a significant 17.6% year-on-year increase and now commanding 68.4% of the combined TV and video market. For the first time, online video revenue also surpassed traditional pay-TV revenue, reaching $176 billion compared to $170 billion. This data unequivocally confirms the complete dominance of online video over traditional television, solidifying its position as the primary mode of content consumption worldwide.

Meta plans to introduce a wearable AI pendant
Social Media Today • May 30, 2026

Meta is set to introduce a wearable AI pendant and new models of AI-powered glasses, signaling its ambitious strategy to embed artificial intelligence more deeply into daily life. The AI pendant, based on the acquisition of Limitless, is designed to record conversations, generate summaries, and capture ambient information, offering a constant AI companion. These devices represent Meta’s next frontier in monetizing its vast AI investments, aiming to create seamless, hands-free interactions and gather rich contextual data.

Instagram introduces teleprompter tool
Social Media Today • May 30, 2026

Instagram is enhancing its platform for creators by integrating a teleprompter tool directly into its main camera app, making it easier to produce polished video content. This feature, which was previously available within the ‘Edits’ section, allows users to display scrolling scripts while recording, helping them stay on message and deliver more natural-looking presentations. The addition underscores Instagram’s commitment to empowering creators with professional tools, ultimately fostering higher quality and more consistent content on the platform.

IAB Tech Lab Releases Guidance for Managing AI Crawlers and Bots
TV Tech • May 29, 2026

IAB Tech Lab has issued new guidance aimed at assisting media companies and content owners in effectively managing the burgeoning presence of AI bots and crawlers accessing their content. This framework, which complements the existing CoMP API, offers practical strategies and outlines trade-offs for publishers to make informed decisions about AI’s interaction with their intellectual property. The initiative is crucial for helping content creators protect their assets, control data usage, and navigate the complex landscape of AI content consumption.

The Experience Is Now the Product
Adweek • May 29, 2026

Consumers are increasingly prioritizing real-world, live experiences over delayed or virtual consumption, driven by a powerful blend of FOMO and a desire for immediate, emotional engagement. This shift demands that organizations fundamentally rethink their offerings, moving beyond mere products or events to design truly immersive and memorable experiences. The new paradigm emphasizes blending tangible and intangible elements to create rich, impactful moments that resonate deeply with audiences.

Would you pay for Instagram and Facebook?
Morning Brew • May 29, 2026

Meta is introducing a tiered subscription model for its core platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Meta AI, with prices ranging from $2.99 to $49.99 per month. These new premium features appear to be specifically designed to attract and monetize influencers, power users, and businesses, offering benefits like detailed story analytics and extended story durations. This move signifies Meta’s push to diversify revenue beyond advertising, professionalize its social ecosystems, and potentially create a more segmented user experience.

Study: YouTube leads streaming ad investment growth
advanced-television.com • May 28, 2026

A new study reveals that YouTube is significantly leading the growth in streaming ad investment, with an impressive 70% of marketers reporting increased spending on the platform over the past year. While other major streaming services like Netflix (65%) and Prime Video (59%) also saw substantial boosts, YouTube’s dominance underscores its critical role in advertising strategies. This trend highlights YouTube’s enduring power as a primary destination for marketers seeking to reach engaged audiences across the streaming landscape.

Consumers feel the economic squeeze, pull back on spending
CX Dive • May 28, 2026

Consumer confidence is experiencing a notable decline, with two-thirds of consumers actively cutting back on spending as rising prices, particularly for gasoline, and inflation outpacing wage growth create significant economic pressure. Surveys indicate widespread pessimism, prompting consumers to purchase fewer non-essential items and be more judicious with their finances. This pervasive economic squeeze is directly impacting retail and service industries, signaling a period of cautious consumer behavior and reduced discretionary spending.

A Guide to the New, Wide World of Agentic Advertising and Commerce Protocols
Adweek • May 28, 2026

The advertising and commerce industry is undergoing a profound transformation with the rapid emergence of ‘agentic advertising and commerce,’ driven by highly sophisticated AI agents. These agents are capable of autonomously executing multi-step processes, fundamentally changing how marketing tasks are performed. This paradigm shift necessitates a complex new ecosystem of technical standards and protocols to facilitate seamless communication and operation among AI agents, promising unprecedented levels of automation and efficiency across the ad tech landscape.

How to lock in your ad tech stack before the Publicis-LiveRamp deal closes
Ad Age • May 28, 2026

Marketers and agencies are proactively preparing for the anticipated Publicis-LiveRamp acquisition by rigorously auditing their identity dependencies and testing alternative ID systems, rather than waiting for the deal’s closure. This strategic foresight involves building more flexible, composable ad tech stacks that can adapt to evolving industry standards and partnerships. Such preparation is crucial for mitigating potential disruptions, maintaining control over first-party data strategies, and ensuring business continuity in a rapidly consolidating ad tech landscape.

Competitive Info: The Online News Audience Eroded In April.
Insideradio.com • May 28, 2026

The online news audience experienced a significant erosion in April, with nearly half of the 50 largest U.S. news websites reporting year-over-year traffic declines of 20% or more, and Newsweek notably dropping by 69%. While the broader trend points to a challenging environment for digital news, a few outlets like Al Jazeera bucked the trend with a 160% surge, driven by increased interest in conflict coverage. This data highlights the precarious and volatile nature of online news consumption, influenced by both general fatigue and specific global events.

An update on US consumer sentiment: Gloomier outlook ahead of sunnier days
McKinsey & Company • May 27, 2026

U.S. consumer optimism significantly declined in Q2 2026, reaching a two-year low, driven primarily by persistent concerns over the rising cost of living, uneven hiring patterns, and geopolitical tensions. This widespread pessimism has led to a notable pullback in discretionary spending, particularly among lower-income and younger consumers who feel the economic squeeze most acutely. While some early 2026 indicators showed promise, the current sentiment reflects deep-seated anxieties that are shaping consumer behavior and impacting economic recovery efforts.

Marketers Keep Conflating Gen X With Boomers—And It’s Costing Them
Adweek • May 27, 2026

Marketers are making a critical error by conflating Generation X with Boomers, resulting in a significant disconnect where 93% of Gen Xers feel completely overlooked by brand messaging. This oversight is costly, as adults aged 50 and up, encompassing both Gen X and Boomers, are often the primary household decision-makers across major product categories and collectively possess trillions in spending power. Failing to understand and target Gen X specifically means brands are missing out on a powerful and distinct consumer demographic.

ACR data is invaluable, but only if it lives within DSPs
Digiday • May 27, 2026

The TV advertising industry frequently struggles with effective campaign execution, despite possessing rich data signals, largely due to constrained or siloed data preventing strategic implementation. Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) data is identified as the foundational and most invaluable signal for TV advertising, offering unparalleled insights into viewership. However, its full potential can only be realized if this critical ACR data is directly integrated within Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs), enabling more precise targeting, optimization, and measurement across campaigns.

Highest Quality Streaming Service Found by Analyst
The Hollywood Reporter • May 27, 2026

The streaming industry is undergoing a significant strategic pivot, moving away from a sole focus on subscriber growth towards prioritizing profitability, ‘quality engagement,’ and subscriber retention. Industry leaders from companies like Disney and Netflix are emphasizing that not all engagement is equal, highlighting the importance of content that deeply resonates and keeps users invested. This shift signifies a new metric of success for streaming services, impacting future content strategies, business models, and the overall competitive landscape.

Ever since the iPhone redefined what a phone could do, our relationship with video has been fundamentally rewiring itself. Today, a clear generational shift is underway: according to recent Adtaxi data, over 80% of adults under 45 now choose digital-first video over traditional linear options. I find myself watching as much video on my phone as I do on any other device—if not more. Granted, the content is often shorter, but brevity doesn’t mean it lacks substance or serialization. We watch full-length movies on airplanes, catch up on prestige series on the train, or stream documentaries while working out.

What we are witnessing isn’t the death of storytelling; it’s the evolution of the canvas.

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History shows us that art has always adapted to its medium. We’ve gone from cave walls to canvas, and from physical galleries to digital landscapes. Moving pictures are no different. For a long time, a physical movie theater was the only viable option for premium viewing. That changed with the rise of home video in the ’70s and ’80s, the golden era of Blockbuster, and the eventual transition to streaming. Each shift made storytelling more varied, personal, and native to our lifestyles.

We recently lived through the “Golden Age of Television” with cinematic masterpieces like Mad Men and Breaking Bad, followed by a massive surge in limited, high-production prestige series. These stories were cinematic in scope but intentionally scripted and shot for the at-home viewer with all the quality you’d expect from a full-length movie. Now, that same prestige is inevitably creeping toward the personal screen that lives in our pockets every single day.

Admittedly, the early industry experiments with this format famously crashed and burned. Platforms like Quibi and Go360 launched with massive war chests, blue-chip Hollywood talent, and immense hype, only to vanish into the ether. The world simply wasn’t ready yet. But over the last few years, consumers did something organic: they flipped their screens vertically and stayed there.

Today, vertical microdramas have evolved from a mobile-first novelty into a powerhouse economy. According to research firm Omdia, vertical microdramas grew into an $11 billion global industry by the end of 2025, with standard engagement levels on dominant micro-apps like ReelShort (averaging over 35 minutes per day per user) actively surpassing the mobile engagement times of legacy streamers like Netflix and Disney+. Sensor Tower data further underscores this behavioral lock, revealing that consumers spent an astonishing 5.78 billion more hours watching microdramas year-over-year, driving short-drama app downloads up by 1.66 billion.

The medium native to the next generation of storytellers is completely vertical, and legacy players are scrambling to adapt. ESPN is actively re-architecting its core mobile app to natively pull in successful vertical creator content. Media platforms are aggressively validating this behavior; Roku launched a dedicated Creator Hub to monetize YouTube talent, Amazon Prime Video integrated a vertical, scrollable “Clips” feed for its mainstream movies, and Netflix rolled out a mobile redesign centered entirely around vertical content streams.

Even traditional consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands are ditching the standard 30-second horizontal spot to build native IP. Dr Pepper just launched a multi-episode, social-native vertical micro-drama called “It’s a Pepper Fling” to capture this exact style of serialized mobile viewing, using cliffhangers and romance-fueled storylines to market a seasonal flavor.

This isn’t just a trend; it’s a structural fragmentation of the video landscape. It’s not quite CTV, it’s not standard online video (OLV), and it’s quickly outgrowing the casual definition of “social video.” The money is following the eyeballs at a historic clip: the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) reports that digital video ad spend will surpass $80 billion this year, with social video spending growing by 13%—notably outpacing the growth of CTV for the first time. Driven by AI personalization and creator economies, platforms like Meta are seeing 71% of consumers make purchases within days of viewing creator content.

At some point, it seems completely inevitable that someone will launch a fully dedicated, premium vertical storytelling platform. They will back it with real studio budgets, high-caliber stars, and exceptional writing, but they will build it natively for the vertical grid. And when they do, they will need advertising to support it.

As an industry, we are deeply accustomed to commercial disruption in our viewing experiences. In fact, when done well, advertising becomes native to the behavior itself. For marketers, this new genre of vertical storytelling represents an unprecedented opportunity to meet consumers at the right place and the right time. But to win, we have to start applying traditional media metrics—reach, frequency, and strict brand safety—to a brand-new format.

The vertical storytelling revolution is coming. It is something we should be actively anticipating, planning for, and collecting data on right now. Because whoever masters the mechanics of the pocket-sized canvas will dictate the next century of advertising.

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

Folks. Let me introduce you to Dungeon Crawler Carl. If you haven’t heard of the adventures of the Coast Guard Vet who enters a world-ending dungeon with his ex-girlfriend’s show cat Princess Donut (full name - Grand Champion, Breed Winner, Regional, National Winner Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk), boy do I have a book series recommendation for you.

What’s most interesting is that just as we’ve spent years listening to the traditional publishing house eulogy - fiction is dying, attention spans are gone, and the novel is a relic - a similar transformation was quietly taking place on our bookshelves (and kindles and audiobooks). Enter Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl, the poster child for a powerhouse genre known as LitRPG (Literary Role-Playing Game).

The basic setup is delightfully unhinged: an alien corporation flattens Earth to build a subterranean, 18-level reality TV gameshow. The remaining humans are forced into the labyrinth managed by an AI as “crawlers,” fighting monsters, leveling up their stats, and hunting for loot boxes—all to entertain a bloodthirsty galactic audience of trillions.

What makes Dungeon Crawler Carl a perfect mirror to the rise of vertical microdramas isn’t just its chaotic premise; it’s how Dinniman leveraged the evolution of the publishing canvas. Instead of spending two years writing in a coffee shop, submitting manuscripts and praying for a marketing budget from a legacy publisher, Dinniman bypassed the gatekeepers entirely. He published the series serially, chapter by chapter, on Royal Road—a web-novel platform built for instant fan feedback and micro-monetization.

Once the digital foundation was laid, the monetization followed the eyeballs. Dinniman migrated his rabid fanbase to Patreon, allowing readers to pay a subscription premium just to read chapters a few weeks early—a model that perfectly mimics the pay-per-episode monetization of modern short-drama apps. From there, the IP exploded outward, dominating Amazon’s self-publishing charts and redefining the audiobook market.

The audio version functions less like a standard book reading and more like a high-production cinematic experience with full sound effects and voice acting. Seriously, Jeff Hays, who reads the audiobooks and does all the voices, deserves some kind of EGOT-level award - It is premium storytelling engineered directly for the headphones that live in our ears every day.

Ultimately, Dinniman proves that the novel isn’t dead; it just changed its aspect ratio. By combining the dopamine loops of video games with the ancient art of serialized cliffhangers, he didn’t just write a best-selling series—he engineered the blueprint for the next century of independent IP.

If you ever see anyone walking through town wearing a leather jacket and boxers with hearts on them (maybe with a stuffed cat on their shoulder) and you don’t know what’s going on, you clearly need to pick up a book. It’s a wild ride, and I can’t recommend it more. I’ve already read the 8th book (A Parade Of Horribles) and am excited to see what’s next for Carl, Donut, and their companions, including the detached head of a sex-doll named Samantha who may or may not be a god. Glorp! Glorp! (IYKYK)

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

Spotify is narrating magazine articles now

The Verge • May 26, 2026

Spotify is venturing beyond music and podcasts by launching a new format: narrated long-form articles. Premium users can now access over 650 articles from major publications like Rolling Stone and Vogue, which count towards their audiobook allowance. This expansion positions Spotify as a more comprehensive audio platform, offering a fresh way for consumers to engage with premium journalism and diversifying its content offerings. It signifies a strategic move to capture more user listening time across various audio formats.

What Brands Are Actually Worried About Behind Closed Doors, According to Ad Leaders

Adweek • May 26, 2026

Ad leaders reveal that brands are deeply concerned about declining linear TV reach and increasing audience fragmentation due to cord-cutting. This shift forces publishers to innovate, combining traditional strengths like sports and news with emerging streaming platforms to maintain comprehensive reach. A critical challenge for marketers remains proving the actual return on investment for their campaigns, pushing for more robust measurement solutions in a complex media environment. Effectively navigating these changes is crucial for advertising success moving forward.

Inside the great digital media reckoning

Digiday • May 25, 2026

The digital media landscape is undergoing a significant reckoning, with once-dominant players like BuzzFeed and Vox Media experiencing drastic valuation drops and business model collapses. The industry is now pivoting away from its heavy reliance on social and search traffic, recognizing the need for distinctive media assets and direct audience relationships. This shift emphasizes diversified revenue streams, including subscriptions and commerce, as publishers seek more sustainable pathways in a post-platform era. It marks a crucial move towards quality and direct engagement over traffic volume.

Cox Media fined after bragging it spied on users through their phones

The Verge • May 25, 2026

Cox Media, along with MindSift and 1010 Digital Works, has been fined $930,000 by the Federal Trade Commission for falsely claiming to spy on users’ conversations via their phones for ad targeting. The companies explicitly boasted about a “Voice Data” system, marketing it with dystopian claims that exploited consumer privacy fears. This penalty highlights the FTC’s resolve in combating deceptive advertising, particularly when it involves sensitive data and privacy assertions. It serves as a stern warning against making unsubstantiated and ethically questionable marketing boasts.

ABC News Radio Gains Affiliates As CBS News Radio Closes.

Insideradio.com • May 22, 2026

CBS News Radio, an influential brand in broadcast journalism for nearly a century, is ceasing operations due to “challenging economic realities.” This closure leaves approximately 700 affiliates searching for new news content providers, impacting numerous major-market news/talk stations across the country. In response, ABC News Radio is reportedly gaining new affiliates, underscoring a consolidation in the traditional radio news landscape. The shutdown marks the end of an era and reflects broader economic pressures within traditional media.

Sports TV Ad Spending to Top $20 Billion in 2027

Adweek • May 22, 2026

Live sports TV ad spending is projected for significant growth, expected to exceed $20 billion by 2027 and nearly $25 billion by 2030. This growth rate, at 27% from 2026-2030, substantially outpaces the overall converged TV ad market. Despite the rise of Connected TV, linear television is anticipated to maintain the dominant share of this robust advertising sector, underscoring the enduring appeal and value of live sports for advertisers. Its ability to command live, engaged audiences makes it a prime target for ad dollars.

You can no longer Google the word ‘disregard’

techcrunch.com • May 22, 2026

Google’s new AI-first Search experience is drawing significant criticism for producing broken and unhelpful results, exemplified by searches for simple words like ‘disregard’ yielding largely empty AI summaries. This new interface pushes the familiar “10 blue links” far down the page, making it difficult for users to access basic information. The issue highlights concerns about the reliability and utility of AI Overviews, challenging Google’s rollout of its generative AI features. It underscores the challenges of integrating AI into core search functionality.

Google’s AI search is so broken it can ‘disregard’ what you’re looking for

The Verge • May 22, 2026

Google’s new AI Overviews are malfunctioning for specific action-related search terms such as “disregard,” “ignore,” and “skip,” providing conversational chatbot-like responses instead of concise summaries. This issue prevents users from easily finding traditional web results or receiving direct answers to their queries. Google has acknowledged this “misinterpretation” bug, indicating that while AI search is advancing, its reliability and precision for certain common tasks still require significant refinement. It reflects the ongoing teething problems of generative AI in practical application.

How loyalty programs power lifecycle marketing strategies

digiday.com • May 22, 2026

Traditional loyalty programs, often reliant on generic discounts and points, are becoming stale and ineffective, particularly with younger generations like Gen Z who prioritize value, relevance, and trust. The future lies in evolving these programs into sophisticated, data-driven lifecycle marketing strategies. By leveraging permissioned zero- and first-party data, brands can deliver personalized experiences that foster genuine engagement and build lasting customer relationships. This shift is crucial for improving customer retention and driving long-term brand loyalty.

WPP’s chief AI officer says agentic AI is in the ‘teenage sex’ phase

Digiday • May 21, 2026

WPP’s chief AI officer likens agentic AI to being in a “teenage sex phase,” characterized by abundant industry announcements and perceived adoption that significantly outpaces actual large-scale deployment. A primary challenge to its implementation, particularly in marketing, is the extensive and complex testing required for these models. This realistic assessment cautions against overhyping agentic AI’s current capabilities, emphasizing the substantial developmental hurdles that remain before widespread, impactful application. It highlights the gap between AI hype and practical integration.

Study: Digital entertainment becoming interconnected

advanced-television.com • May 21, 2026

The global entertainment market is transforming into an interconnected content ecosystem, moving beyond siloed platform competition. Audiences are increasingly engaging across various formats, including cinema, streaming, and transactional purchases, blurring traditional boundaries. Cinema attendance, driven particularly by the 26-45 age group, is recovering and reinforcing its role as a crucial launchpad for content across the wider digital entertainment landscape. This signifies a more holistic approach to content consumption, where different formats complement each other.

Study: 80% Marketers optimise without verified purchase data

advanced-television.com • May 21, 2026

A recent study reveals that a staggering 80% of marketers optimize their campaigns using proxy metrics instead of verified purchase data, leading to significant inefficiencies. This reliance means 35% of in-flight decisions do not align with actual sales outcomes, resulting in billions of dollars in wasted media budgets annually. Over two-thirds of marketers estimate at least 11% of their budget is wasted, underscoring an urgent need for better data integration to ensure true return on investment. The findings highlight a critical gap in marketing accountability and effectiveness.

Study: Sports Content Is Fastest-Growing Portion of Top Global SVOD Catalogs

TV Tech • May 21, 2026

Sports content is rapidly becoming the fastest-growing portion of top global SVOD catalogs, now comprising 5% of overall programming, a significant jump from 1.4% just 18 months prior. HBO Max currently leads major global streamers in this area, accounting for 35% of available sports and 42% of individual games and events. This aggressive expansion, fueled by upcoming major deals for the NFL and NBA, highlights how streaming services are strategically leveraging live sports to attract and retain subscribers. It signifies a major shift in the streaming content landscape.

How mobile’s measurement playbook is solving the web’s fragmentation problem

Digiday • May 21, 2026

Web marketing measurement is currently facing significant challenges due to unreliable cookies, contradictory platform data, and fragmented signals in an AI-driven discovery landscape. The mobile industry, having grappled with similar issues earlier, developed a robust measurement playbook that could offer solutions. This includes focusing on independent attribution, structured data, and stringent privacy compliance, which are crucial for navigating the web’s increasing fragmentation. Adopting these mobile strategies could help web marketers achieve more accurate attribution and better campaign optimization.

Walmart’s Ad Growth Holds Steady, up 37% in Q1

Adweek • May 21, 2026

Walmart’s global advertising revenue surged by an impressive 37% in Q1, significantly contributing to the company’s overall total revenue increase of 7.3% to $177.8 billion. This strong performance highlights Walmart’s growing presence as a retail media giant. Furthermore, their AI shopping assistant, Sparky, demonstrated remarkable user growth and impact, with users exhibiting over 100% weekly growth and a significantly higher average order value. Walmart is successfully leveraging its customer base and AI technology to drive substantial new revenue streams.

Love in the Time of Microdrama: The Sexy Mini-Movies Taking Over Hollywood

The Hollywood Reporter • May 21, 2026

Microdramas, or sexy mini-movies, represent a booming, multi-billion dollar global industry projected to reach $14 billion by 2026. Leading apps like ReelShort and NetShort are already surpassing traditional streaming giants such as Netflix and Disney+ in daily mobile watch time, indicating a significant shift in entertainment consumption. This format has also become a critical training ground for new talent, demonstrating its disruptive power and influence on Hollywood. The rapid growth of microdramas reflects changing audience preferences for short-form, high-intensity narratives.

Google’s AI search is here, and publishers look elsewhere for traffic

Digiday • May 20, 2026

Publishers are increasingly resigned to the permanent decline of traditional search referral traffic as Google fully rolls out its AI-powered search overhauls. Faced with new features like AI Overviews and forthcoming AI agents consolidating information, publishers are strategically shifting their focus towards building direct audience relationships. This pivotal moment forces a re-evaluation of traffic acquisition, pushing publishers to diversify away from Google dependency and cultivate proprietary audiences. It marks a significant disruption to the traditional publisher-search engine relationship.

OpenAI gives ChatGPT ads a visual upgrade

Digiday • May 20, 2026

OpenAI is significantly upgrading ChatGPT ads with new visual formats, moving beyond a single basic unit to offer advertisers greater creative control and direct response capabilities. These enhancements include larger images, customizable calls-to-action, and dedicated e-commerce layouts. The introduction of an upcoming self-serve ads manager further signals OpenAI’s strategic move to scale its advertising business, making it easier for brands to leverage ChatGPT’s growing user base. This marks a crucial step in commercializing its popular AI platform.

What customers consider when using AI to shop

CX Dive • May 20, 2026

When using AI for shopping, price remains the main factor influencing customer decisions, yet traditional trust signals like brand recognition and customer reviews are still critical for making final purchases. Consumers are generally comfortable using AI for product discovery and shortlisting options. However, they rely on familiar human-validated signals to ultimately confirm and trust AI’s recommendations, indicating a hybrid approach where AI assists but doesn’t fully replace established purchasing behaviors. Brands must integrate AI with these traditional trust signals for successful conversion.

LinkedIn wants to limit the reach of AI-generated content

Social Media Today • May 20, 2026

LinkedIn is implementing new measures to significantly limit the reach of AI-generated content, automated comments, and AI bot profiles, aiming to prioritize genuine human insights over “AI slop.” This move reflects the platform’s commitment to maintaining the authenticity and value of its professional community. However, it presents a paradox, as LinkedIn simultaneously encourages extensive use of its own AI assistant tools, highlighting the delicate balance platforms face in managing AI innovation and content quality. The challenge lies in distinguishing valuable AI assistance from spam.

AI search startups are blowing up | TechCrunch

techcrunch.com • May 20, 2026

AI search has rapidly emerged as a highly attractive sector in consumer AI, with startups raising significant capital to challenge traditional search paradigms. Companies like Exa Labs secured $250 million at a $2.2 billion valuation, while Parallel Web Systems raised $100 million at a $2 billion valuation. This wave of investment signals strong confidence in the potential of AI-native search experiences, indicating a substantial disruption to the existing search engine landscape. Venture capitalists are betting big on a new era of search technology.

Numerator: 94% Of Holiday Celebrators Expect To Make Purchases.

Insideradio.com • May 20, 2026

Despite rising food and gasoline prices, a significant 94% of Memorial Day celebrators anticipate making purchases, with 52% of U.S. consumers overall planning to observe the holiday. Older consumers, particularly baby boomers, are more likely to celebrate than younger generations like Gen Z. Grilling and barbecuing remain the top planned activity, offering key insights for retailers and marketers targeting holiday spending on food and related products. This demonstrates consumer resilience and consistent holiday spending habits.

Publicis’ LiveRamp deal accelerated Omnicom’s exit

Digiday • May 19, 2026

Publicis’ acquisition of LiveRamp significantly accelerated Omnicom’s planned exit from its partnership, driven by CEO John Wren’s conviction that LiveRamp lost its crucial neutrality under a rival’s ownership. This strategic maneuver underscores the intense competition within the advertising industry for control over data and identity solutions. Consequently, Omnicom has been actively building its own independent identity solution, leveraging its acquired Acxiom data business to safeguard its clients’ interests and maintain autonomy. It highlights the growing importance of proprietary data solutions for agencies.

Report: Podcast ad spending up 28% in Q1 2026

Editor and Publisher • May 19, 2026

Podcast advertising spending experienced robust growth, increasing by 28% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026, according to a recent report. While Q1 saw a modest 7% decline from the holiday-boosted Q4 2025, the market demonstrated strong performance compared to the previous year. A sharp rebound in March 2026 indicates sustained advertiser confidence and growing investment in podcasts as an effective marketing channel. This trend solidifies podcasts as a rapidly expanding and valuable platform for advertisers.

Triton Sees Podcast Listening Expand Into More ‘Everyday Moments.’

Insideradio.com • May 19, 2026

Podcast listening is increasingly integrating into consumers’ daily routines, driven by new formats and evolving engagement habits, expanding into more “everyday moments” across all times of day. While stalwart genres like Comedy continue to dominate, emerging categories such as Kids & Family and Health & Fitness are also seeing significant growth. This trend signifies the growing mainstream adoption of podcasts, presenting new opportunities for content creators and advertisers to connect with audiences throughout their day. Podcasts are evolving beyond niche entertainment to become a daily habit.

So… I’ve been working up to this for a few weeks. I’ve been checking headlines and observing trends, and I even had a few great candidates lined up for this week. I’ve been toying with an exploration of how essential sports are becoming to video—and live-viewing in particular. I was thinking of a deep dive into the emergence of vertical video and micro-dramas. I was even thinking of dipping my toe into the impact of AI—and let’s face it, that’s probably going to be a subject that comes up all over the place.

But then on Sunday, I saw a newsletter in my inbox announcing the acquisition of LiveRamp by Publicis. (Full disclosure: I am a Publicis alum).

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There’s quite a lot to unpack here if we wanted to. This is an aggressive investment at a time when agencies are cutting spending and staffing. There are immediate competitive angles, from how this enhances Publicis’s current technology stack after purchasing Lotame and Epsilon, to how non-Publicis clients of LiveRamp are going to react. Let’s think about what these large holding companies have really done, Publicis chief among them: they’ve built out scaled solutions that drive revenue from data, its application, and its servicing. And they’re pairing it with their own principal media offerings. But what I think deserves the most focus here is the clear bet that Publicis is making in identity as leverage for more revenue.

Even though the cookie may never fully crumble, the marketing industry has been trying to get away from it for what seems like forever. Publicis itself made a big splash when it bought RUN back in 2014 and tried desperately to integrate it into its media planning and buying units to enhance cross-channel advertising and data management capabilities. At the time, this was in line with their goal of driving 50% of their revenue from digital investments by 2018. Then in 2019, they added Epsilon, following up with Lotame, and now LiveRamp. In the meantime, the industry has gone from DMPs to CDPs to identity solutions, all of which power dynamic ad creative delivery using digital asset managers that support targeting by day, date, and time. Throw in the rapid emergence of programmatic capabilities in CTV, podcasting, digital out-of-home, social media, and every other conceivable digital platform, and there’s one thing that every single one of those capabilities requires: scalable, flexible, and readily available identity data.

That’s not why Publicis is buying LiveRamp, though. Publicis already had a powerful identity foundation through Epsilon and Lotame (RUN was just a great set of training wheels). What LiveRamp adds is not just more data, but more connective power. Epsilon and Lotame provide the holding company and its clients with all of the raw material they can handle. LiveRamp is the connective tissue that binds it all together and makes it actionable because it provides the deterministic translation layer—the connective tissue that the rest of the advertising ecosystem uses to talk to each other.

By taking ownership of the plumbing, they gain a unique form of leverage. The “RampID” that the rest of the advertising universe relies on now has Publicis sitting at the identity tollbooth. In our effort to use identity to wring out as much efficiency and effectiveness as possible, we’ve come to rely on first-party data and data clean rooms as the only compliance-safe path forward.

Now, Publicis is not only collecting the toll; they are providing themselves with the opportunity to create their own unique edge for their own clients. In doing so, they automatically expose Publicis capabilities to anyone else who uses LiveRamp—and they are doing it when their primary competitors are still healing from their own expansions and contractions. Wow.

Of course, you could say that the next obvious implication is that by owning the “referee,” LiveRamp loses its perceived neutrality and the ecosystem of agencies, clients, and publishers will start to look for less centralized solutions. The question is not whether everyone leaves LiveRamp tomorrow. They probably won’t. The question is whether every major agency, platform, publisher, and enterprise client now has to reassess how comfortable they are relying on an identity layer owned by one of the world’s largest agency holding companies, which will inevitably lead to increased fragmentation and diversification of identity.

Or, you could say that the next obvious implication is the massive potential for automation and scale that Publicis now has available at its fingertips. It’s even possible to think that there are serious implications around the creative aspect of what these large holding companies are doing. By owning the identity, they have better assets to create messages and meaning that will entice customers to buy more, and buy more often. All of those things are true.

What’s interesting to me is how this transforms the true role of media planning and investment over time. When the product is data and automation, where are the people? I mean, yes, there will be less of a “need” to have teams of planners, strategists, and investment leads. The machines will tell us what to do, right? And fortunately Publicis, WPP, and Omnicom all have their own principal media solutions to fill the orders.

This isn’t about the automation of process; this is about the automation of revenue. You’re not buying a team of people who work on your business anymore. You’re buying data, discounts, bundles, and toolsets—the team that translates what the machines do is basically just added value. Not to mention that the concept of “working media” is going to require some serious examination when, inevitably, spending power becomes the sole unlock to better inventory, better rates, better tools, and better data.

Yes, this is a huge deal, and it’s going to provide a lot of value to Publicis, their clients, and their shareholders. But the bigger story here is that this is the clearest signal yet that we are making a huge shift from human strategy to financial and algorithmic leverage. If I had a crystal ball, I would expect to see three distinct pieces of fallout:

1. A battle for the middle class of advertisers. The biggest brands have the money to make this happen, and this is a clear advantage for anyone who spends enough to absorb the investment—the pain will be more than worth the gain in effectiveness and efficiency. But advertisers who lack that scale are going to have to learn a lot of hard lessons and spend money on untested, emerging solutions.

2. The inevitable rise of an Identity 2.0 solution. This could look like synthetic audiences, regulatory reform and standardization, or something completely different from what we think of as identity right now—perhaps a predictive algorithm that matches context, content, and consumer knowledge to find impressions rather than just serve them.

3. The dramatic evolution of media PLANNING. I can see planning-only agencies evolving into consumer insights and strategy “sherpas” that exist as translation and safety layers. That will come with a renewed focus on brand research and data, alongside a re-examination of both the consumer funnel and the differentiation of consumer data that drives decision-making throughout the brand-to-performance cycle. Somehow, there will be a continued need to have a human at the wheel who can be the lion tamer of this whole circus (yeah, pun semi-intended).

Either way, kind of a big deal, huh?

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

Nebraska. What a wild and unexpected place. With the current global focus on managing Hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks, it’s worth remembering that Nebraska houses the nation’s only federally funded National Quarantine Unit, located at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) campus in Omaha. This is the elite facility that safely treated patients during the 2014 Ebola outbreak and cared for some of the first Americans diagnosed with COVID-19 back in 2020.

But the state’s role in national security goes even deeper: on September 11, 2001, President Bush was flown straight to Nebraska’s Offutt Air Force Base. Offutt is home to the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), which effectively serves as central command for the nation’s nuclear arsenal.

On a completely different note, Nebraska is also home to Carhenge. Located in Alliance on the western end of the state, it is a full-scale, quirky replica of Stonehenge built entirely out of vintage cars.

If you’ve never tried a Runza—a regional delicacy of yeast dough bread pockets stuffed with beef and cabbage—please do yourself a favor and order one on your next trip through the Cornhusker State. You can wash it down with some Kool-Aid, which was invented in Hastings, Nebraska, in 1927 and stands proud as the official state soft drink.

Finally, despite all the corn and beef the state is famous for, don’t forget that it features the Western Hemisphere’s largest sand dune formation. The Nebraska Sandhills cover over 20,000 square miles—nearly a quarter of the entire state.

Oh, there’s plenty more, but I’m married to a native Nebraskan, so I’ll leave it to her to fill you in on the rest.

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week. Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week. In full disclosure, I use AI to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles. Some articles may require a subscription.

Publicis pays $2.2 billion for LiveRamp in bet on data over models

Digiday • May 18, 2026

Publicis’s $2.2 billion acquisition of LiveRamp marks a strategic bet on data and identity as the key competitive differentiator for clients in the evolving AI agent era. This move shifts the focus from traditional media buying to proprietary data co-creation, significantly enhancing Publicis’s existing data stack, which includes Epsilon and Lotame. The acquisition underscores the agency’s commitment to leveraging robust data capabilities to provide advanced, client-centric solutions.

Kiri Masters: LiveRamp’s new owner raises harder questions for retail media

The Drum • May 19, 2026

Publicis’s acquisition of LiveRamp for $2.2 billion is forcing Retail Media Networks (RMNs) to critically evaluate their foundational identity strategies. The move highlights a broader industry trend where agency holding companies are securing proprietary data and identity platforms. This prompts RMNs to determine whether their identity layer is a core, owned asset or a dependent, rented solution. The acquisition underscores the escalating importance of data ownership and robust identity solutions in the competitive retail media landscape.

Can retail media networks survive the shift to agentic commerce?

Digiday • May 18, 2026

Agentic commerce, driven by AI, poses a significant threat to Retail Media Networks (RMNs) by diverting consumer attention and search traffic away from retailer websites. As AI platforms become central to shopping, on-site ad inventory visibility for RMNs is expected to diminish. In response, RMNs are strategically expanding their reach into off-site channels. This shift necessitates RMNs to adapt their strategies and embrace broader advertising ecosystems to remain relevant in an AI-dominated retail environment.

NFL Pushes Back Against Critics of Games on Streaming

TV Tech • May 18, 2026

The NFL is actively defending its media rights distribution model amidst increasing scrutiny from regulatory bodies, including the White House and Congress, regarding the cost and complexity of accessing games. NFL executives maintain that their current model provides fans with more choices and competitive pricing options than ever before. This pushback highlights the ongoing tension between traditional broadcast expectations and the league’s evolving strategy to distribute premium content across diverse streaming platforms. The NFL asserts its model offers flexibility rather than increased burden.

How Big Tech Took Over the Upfronts

The Hollywood Reporter • May 18, 2026

Big Tech companies, including YouTube, Amazon, and Netflix, have decisively taken over the traditional TV Upfronts, surpassing legacy media in scale, celebrity presence, and technological sophistication. While traditional media companies are consolidating and shrinking, these digital giants are expanding their influence and setting new industry standards. This shift signifies a fundamental transformation in the advertising landscape, with streaming platforms now dictating the future direction of media buying and content presentation.

The Trade Desk is using Claude to build campaigns.

Digiday • May 17, 2026

The Trade Desk (TTD) is integrating Anthropic’s Claude AI into its Koa AI, launching Koa Agents to automate significant parts of the programmatic workflow. These new agentic AI capabilities are designed to streamline everything from media plan ingestion and campaign setup to troubleshooting and recommendations. Leveraging an interoperability layer, this innovation aims to boost efficiency and optimize media buying processes for advertisers. The initiative marks a significant advancement in applying AI to programmatic advertising.

9 national TV publishers join initiative to address industry fragmentation

Marketing Dive • May 17, 2026

Nine major national TV publishers, including Paramount and NBCUniversal, have joined forces with OpenAP to launch a critical industry initiative addressing fragmentation in TV advertising. This collaborative effort aims to establish a standardized framework for connecting first-party data outcomes directly with campaign exposure data across both linear and Connected TV. The initiative seeks to simplify audience buying and enhance measurement capabilities, offering advertisers a more unified and efficient approach to their TV campaigns.

Nearly 91% of marketers believe their platform results are overstated. Here’s what it’s costing them. | Marketing Dive

Marketing Dive • May 17, 2026

A staggering 91% of marketers believe that platform-reported results are overstated, leading to substantial budget waste, with two-thirds losing over 11% and one-third over 26% due to optimization lag. The industry is currently grappling with a “speed versus truth” paradox, where quick, proxy-based metrics often override accurate, comprehensive measurement. This widespread distrust highlights an urgent need for greater transparency and more reliable measurement solutions to ensure effective allocation of marketing budgets.

YouTube and Netflix Are Starting to Sound a Lot Like Normal TV

Bloomberg.com • May 17, 2026

YouTube and Netflix are increasingly adopting strategies traditionally associated with linear television, blurring the lines between digital and broadcast media. YouTube is now branding its digital talent’s content as “shows” and selling direct ad placements to attract traditional TV advertising budgets. Meanwhile, Netflix is significantly investing in live sports events, like NFL games, as part of a phased expansion strategy. This convergence signals a shift as streaming giants aim to capture larger audiences and advertising revenues traditionally dominated by television.

IAB Eyes New Standards To Clean Up Digital Advertising’s Data.

Insideradio.com • May 15, 2026

The IAB has proposed new Campaign Data Standards, under its Project Eidos initiative, to combat the significant problem of inconsistent and fragmented data within digital advertising. These standards aim to establish a common framework for structuring, classifying, and sharing crucial campaign information, thereby reducing errors and improving interoperability. This critical effort seeks to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accuracy across the complex digital advertising ecosystem. The goal is to standardize data collection and reporting for all stakeholders.

Analysts: `Streaming Is Actually Lowering the Cost of Watching the NFL’ | TV Tech

TV Tech • May 15, 2026

Contrary to claims by political figures, analysts from LightShed Partners argue that streaming is actively lowering the overall cost of watching NFL games. Their data indicates that by unbundling traditional pay TV packages, streaming offers more affordable, a la carte options for fans. For as little as approximately $600, fans can access all 272 NFL games, providing greater choice and flexibility compared to expensive cable subscriptions. This reframes the debate, suggesting streaming provides a more economical solution for dedicated football enthusiasts.

One Quarter of North American Agencies Have Shifted to Fixed-Free Pricing

Adweek • May 15, 2026

A significant shift is occurring within the agency landscape, with one quarter of North American agencies now exclusively adopting fixed-fee pricing models. This change, accelerating due to AI’s impact on efficiency, is driven by benefits such as improved budgeting for clients (70%) and enhanced campaign efficiency (56%). A majority of agencies (63%) are satisfied with this model, and over half of those not yet adopting it express interest. This trend signals a fundamental evolution in agency-client relationships, favoring transparency and predictable costs.

Brands winning Gen Z loyalty are proving their quality through marketing

Adage • May 15, 2026

Gen Z, facing early career stages and economic uncertainty, are highly judicious with their spending, effectively “voting with their wallets” based on perceived value. Contrary to popular assumptions, product quality is the top factor influencing their loyalty, not just low prices or social causes. Brands must therefore adapt their marketing strategies to genuinely prove product quality through authentic messaging. Demonstrating tangible value and reliability is key to earning and retaining the trust of this discerning demographic.

NRF: Consumer Spending Continued To Rise In April.

Insideradio.com • May 15, 2026

Consumer spending continued its upward trend in April 2026, marking the seventh consecutive month of increases, according to the NRF. Total retail sales, excluding auto and gas, rose 0.34% month-over-month and an impressive 5.73% year-over-year. This sustained growth is buoyed by a steady labor market and consistent wage growth, despite ongoing concerns about inflation and higher gas prices. The figures indicate resilient consumer confidence and a positive outlook for the retail sector.

Social insights fail to reach decision-makers: Here’s what the numbers say | Marketing Dive

Marketing Dive • May 14, 2026

Despite 93% of industry professionals recognizing the importance of social media data, a concerning disparity exists where only 36% utilize it for broader business decisions beyond marketing. This failure to integrate social intelligence across departments leads to significant data silos and causes organizations to miss crucial cultural shifts (33%) and early market signals. Effectively leveraging social insights is critical for holistic business strategy, innovation, and staying ahead of emerging trends.

Report: CTV’s data gap holding back bigger ad budgets | Advanced Television

advanced-television.com • May 14, 2026

A new report by Gracenote (Nielsen) highlights a critical ‘CTV Data Gap,’ where the absence of granular, show-level targeting and reporting is preventing advertisers from confidently shifting larger budgets to Connected TV. The study reveals that a staggering 86% of US media planners would reallocate more linear TV budget to CTV if such detailed data were available. This limitation underscores the urgent need for enhanced measurement and attribution capabilities to unlock CTV’s full advertising potential.

Study: Data and Measurement Problems Reduce CTV Ad Budgets | TV Tech

TV Tech • May 14, 2026

A new Gracenote study reveals that persistent data and measurement challenges, particularly the lack of show-level targeting and comprehensive reporting, are significantly impeding the shift of ad budgets from linear TV to Connected TV (CTV). The research indicates that 86% of U.S. media planners would reallocate more linear TV budgets to CTV if show-level data were readily available. This highlights a critical need for more granular measurement capabilities to instill advertiser confidence and accelerate CTV’s growth.

Video: Can Microdramas Save Hollywood?

Nytimes • May 14, 2026

Microdramas have rapidly emerged as an $11 billion global industry, offering a much-needed lifeline for Hollywood’s creative workforce amidst traditional production cutbacks. These low-budget, vertical, and minute-long soap operas are specifically designed for the phone generation, with the U.S. now ranking as the second-largest market. This innovative format presents new avenues for content creation and distribution, adapting to evolving consumer habits and providing fresh opportunities for industry professionals.

Marketers add guardrails to AI-powered programmatic buying

Digiday • May 13, 2026

Marketers are cautiously adopting AI agents for programmatic ad buying, establishing guardrails due to trust concerns, fear of budget mismanagement, and the imperative for human oversight. Instances like AI ‘hallucinations’ leading to incorrect CPMs necessitate active human involvement, exemplified by KSM Media’s ‘temperature gauge’ for monitoring AI autonomy. This balanced approach underscores that while AI offers powerful automation, human expertise and strategic supervision remain crucial for effective and responsible advertising execution.

Meta opens up Display AI glasses to third-party developers | Social Media Today

Social Media Today • May 13, 2026

Meta is expanding the utility of its Display AI glasses by opening them up to third-party developers, allowing for the creation of new mobile and web applications. This initiative aims to foster innovative gesture-driven interactions through Meta’s Neural Band, bypassing the need for touchscreens or voice commands. The move is expected to significantly broaden the device’s ecosystem and potential use cases, advancing the integration of augmented reality into daily life.

YouTube is courting creators — and sponsors — with streaming shows | The Verge

The Verge • May 13, 2026

YouTube is aggressively positioning itself as the pivotal connector between creators and advertisers, emphasizing creators as the future across social media, advertising, TV, and entertainment. The platform is strategically investing in new exclusive shows featuring prominent creators and directly pitching these “YouTube shows” to sponsors. This initiative aims to solidify YouTube’s standing as a premium content destination and a powerful advertising platform, directly competing with traditional television.

How CMOs Should Actually Think About ROI

Adweek • May 13, 2026

CMOs often struggle to articulate the long-term ROI of crucial brand-building efforts in commercially credible terms, frequently defaulting to easily measurable, short-term tactics. This overemphasis distorts marketing budgets, diminishes the CMO’s strategic influence, and leads to misallocated resources. To secure their strategic leadership, CMOs must adopt a more holistic approach to ROI, balancing immediate gains with the enduring value of brand equity.

Anthropic’s Cat Wu says that, in the future, AI will anticipate your needs before you know what they are | TechCrunch

techcrunch.com • May 13, 2026

Anthropic is experiencing rapid growth, potentially surpassing OpenAI in valuation and market share among business customers, driven by its unique product strategy. Cat Wu, Anthropic’s head of product for Claude Code and Cowork, emphasizes the company’s focus on continuous, exponential AI improvement rather than reacting to competitors. This highlights Anthropic’s ambitious vision for advanced, predictive AI, aiming for a future where AI anticipates user needs proactively and seamlessly integrates into daily life.

AI Agents Are Coming to Netflix to Grow Its $3 Billion Ad Business

Adweek • May 13, 2026

Netflix is making a significant push into AI to bolster its $3 billion advertising business, introducing advanced tools for automated media planning, ad optimization, purchasing, and creative adaptation. These innovations are designed to streamline the ad buying process and attract a wider array of advertisers. Concurrently, Netflix is dramatically expanding its ad-supported tier geographically, planning to launch in 15 new countries by 2027. This strategic investment aims to scale its advertising revenue globally and enhance its competitive edge.

Parks: Tubi, Roku Channel Are Top U.S. FAST Platforms | TV Tech

TV Tech • May 13, 2026

Tubi, The Roku Channel, and Pluto TV are the leading U.S. free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platforms by monthly users, with Tubi significantly outpacing its competitors. Nearly half (46%) of U.S. internet households regularly utilize FAST services, cementing their role as a central component of the streaming landscape. This indicates the strong and growing consumer demand for free, ad-supported content, offering valuable opportunities for advertisers in this expanding ecosystem.

Gen Z Digital Audio Habits 2026

EMARKETER • May 12, 2026

Gen Z demonstrates robust engagement with digital audio, displaying clear preferences for specific platforms and content, with Spotify leading significantly. Spotify surpasses YouTube in mobile app usage among this demographic, highlighting its dominance in audio consumption. Multitasking is a prevalent habit among Gen Z listeners, indicating that audio often accompanies other activities. Marketers must strategically target these preferred platforms and understand these behavioral patterns to effectively reach Gen Z audiences.

US TV giants form cross-publisher initiative with OpenAP | Advanced Television

advanced-television.com • May 12, 2026

Major U.S. TV giants, including Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, Fox, and Paramount, have partnered with OpenAP to launch a cross-publisher initiative aimed at standardizing audience buying and measurement. This collaborative effort will introduce a Unified Conversion API (CAPI) designed to simplify the connection of first-party outcome data with campaign exposure across various platforms. The initiative is crucial for creating a more unified, efficient, and measurable advertising ecosystem across linear and digital television.

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We like to think of the U.S. as a leader in all things, including our sophisticated marketing technology, best-in-class data sets, enormous budgets, and thriving economy. Yet, it seems that so much of what we are subject to that limits growth or flexibility is driven by perspective, regulation, and governments outside of our borders.   The U.S. has a patchwork of state-level regulations including privacy acts in California, Vermont, and others, as well as biometric laws in Illinois and other places.  And yet, despite the long tail of local advertisers and small businesses who are only concerned with doing business in their own small towns, it’s entirely possible that a law in Europe could cause big trouble for a small entrepreneur trying to grow their businesses in the U.S.

Tech is global in terms of hardware, software, data, and code, yet we’ve struggled to reconcile what’s consistently best for both consumer protection and business growth on a global scale.  I could hear the collective eyes of the marketing industry rolling when Google’s news came out last week, but the reality is that Google can’t just do things by fiat because of how global its reach truly is. Tech giants like Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and more are truly global in nature.  And because consumers everywhere live under different governments, there is no consensus on how global businesses should behave. 

Hardware is manufactured abroad for use across the globe.  Code works regardless of where devices are used.  Math is math. Satellites that orbit the entire planet are providing connectivity in war zones, scientific exploration, and government operations.  Artificial Intelligence is scraping every word ever written, typed, or spoken to create flexible solutions to global problems.

And yet, people are different everywhere.  Governments are not all democracies, populations have different cultural norms, religious ideals, and even different moral standards that make standardization difficult. Not to mention different date formats, currencies, and even physical measurement systems. I mean, if we can’t agree on the metric system, then…

When we think of non-working media, we often think of the pipes and the infrastructure.  Ad servicing costs, targeting costs, fraud prevention, and tagging solutions, but what about the hidden costs of compliance and the financial hits that companies can take from not being compliant because they weren’t thinking about the ramifications of different local privacy laws? 

I am not saying that the U.S. needs to take the lead on standardizing data and privacy. Still, right now, there is an opportunity to think about global consensus on basic privacy infrastructure and consistency.  There are different standards for creative advertising, ratings, and currency, and media buying all across the globe, which is an advantage for global agencies who want to service global advertisers. But it seems like now is the time for those advertisers and agencies to band together to create standards that eliminate compliance fragmentation for the sake of efficiency and effectiveness. 

There is no chance that every government, advertiser, agency or consumer will be happy with a universal solution, and local solutions might work best for local companies or consumers, but governments are building digital walled gardens around their populations as fast as some platforms are.  While good fences tend to make good neighbors, the pending TikTok ban shows how politics can interfere with commerce on a global scale and Google’s announcement demonstrates that local governments can have a global impact.  And it’s not new.  No matter your politics, watching governments shut down access to social media during political upheavals or plead for satellite internet access like the war in Ukraine, impacts the people as much as it does the politics. 

If technology is global and politics are local, then what’s the best way to reconcile the two?

Today’s Rabbit Hole

This week, I read that two companies, Chptr, and Grey Television are launching a service that will allow people to create digital video obituaries that can be shared on television and websites.  While obituaries themselves are nothing new, the opportunity to broadcast one on local television for up to $900 seems like something novel.  Obviously, Grey Television is a group of local television stations, but what is Chptr?  Turns out it’s a “mobile-first memorialization and celebrations platform that aims to gather, share, and hold memories of lives well lived for generations to come.”  I guess it’s true that anything that can be digital will be digital.

And that reminded me of a different story that I had read recently about the “digital afterlife industry.”  Essentially, companies are starting to digitize services including internationally streamed funeral services, remote storage of cremated remains and even digitally delivering messages from the deceased after their departure.  But then it gets even more creepy.

What about services that will encode your DNA digitally so that you can be brought back to life, potentially have memories encoded in storage and either reprinted into clones or live eternally as a digital being?  “Cybernetic Avatar Capitalism” is a real thing companies across the globe are looking at extending life to some extent using digital techniques.  It may seem outlandish in broad scope, but admit it, you could see Elon Musk or Peter Theil or Jeff Bezos trying to live virtually forever and ruling their empires eternally from the Metaverse.  Just like the Amazon Prime series Upload.

And finally, scientists are trying to turn the tables.  Over the last few years, there has been considerable progress in trying to store data in strands of DNA. Digital storage solutions today consist of huge buildings filled with machines that cost tons of money to build and maintain.  But, according to Scientific American, “DNA can archive a staggering amount of information in an almost inconceivably small volume. Consider this: humanity will generate an estimated 33 zettabytes of data by 2025—that’s 3.3 followed by 22 zeroes. DNA storage can squeeze all that information into a ping-pong ball, with room to spare. The 74 million million bytes of information in the Library of Congress could be crammed into a DNA archive the size of a poppy seed—6,000 times over. Split the seed in half, and you could store all of Facebook’s data.”

Now think about the reverse – what would happen if you could biologically link a poppy seed-sized volume of information full of every book ever written into a human being and then connect them all virtually?  Think about what we could accomplish with a comparable increase in computing power.

So it turns out that everything that can be digital will be digital, but the lines between digital and biological are increasingly blurring…Unless we’re already living in a simulation…

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week.  Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week.  In full disclosure, I use ChatGPT to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles.  Some articles may require a subscription.

KEY ISSUES AND TRENDS

CURRENT EVENTS
Guess what AdAge is reporting: “Google delays post-cookie plan again amid pressure from ad tech industry.” Google has delayed its cookie deprecation timeline due to hurdles encountered while testing programmatic ad markets without cookies. The delay is partly influenced by the need to address feedback from U.K. regulators overseeing the transition away from cookies, impacting Google's plan to shut down cookies on the Chrome browser by the end of this year. This delay may also be linked to concerns about how Privacy Sandbox, Google's proposed alternative to cookies, could give Google undue influence over ad tech markets. Google's ongoing testing with 1% of cookieless traffic on Chrome will continue, but further changes will be paused until the company can address industry and regulatory concerns, ensuring a smoother transition. (The Drum) (Search Engine Journal) (eMarketer)

TechCrunch reports: “FCC officially votes to reinstate net neutrality.” The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has officially voted to reinstate net neutrality, reversing the rollback of the 2015 rules that occurred in 2017. This move prevents broadband providers from slowing or blocking internet traffic to some sites while giving preferential treatment to others that pay extra fees. Although expected, this decision comes after a long period of gridlock due to Senate blocks on the nomination of a fifth commissioner, which prevented the FCC from functioning effectively. The new rules will face court challenges and could be affected by future political shifts, but they signal a renewed commitment to keeping the internet open and fair.

ECONOMIC IMPACT AND TRENDS
In The Financial Times: “JPMorgan’s pivot to advertising means all companies are adtechs now.” JPMorgan's new venture, Chase Media Solutions, is an advertising unit that helps brands target the bank's customers based on their spending history. This move reflects a growing trend where non-traditional players like JPMorgan, Walmart, and Uber are entering the digital advertising market, seeking new revenue streams from user data. With the digital advertising industry shifting due to privacy changes and the decline of third-party cookies, first-party data has become increasingly valuable, giving companies with significant customer data like JPMorgan a competitive edge. While JPMorgan's new advertising unit is not expected to rival its core banking and investment operations, the high margins in the ad business suggest it could become a profitable side venture.

BEST PRACTICES
Digiday finds: “Speculation continues to swirl over a possible WPP breakup.”  WPP, the global marketing communications agency, reported first-quarter revenues of £3.4 billion ($4.27 billion), marking a 1.4% year-over-year decrease, or a 5% drop in "revenue less pass-through." Despite this decline, WPP highlighted client wins and investments in AI and portfolio integration as steps toward future growth. Speculation has arisen about WPP's potential breakup or sale to private equity due to its stagnant revenue performance, with internal and external sources suggesting that the company may need a more extensive restructuring to compete with rivals like Publicis Groupe and Omnicom.

MEDIA CONSUMPTION
The New York Times reports: “Americans’ New TV Habit: Subscribe. Watch. Cancel. Repeat.” Streaming services are experiencing a shift in consumer behavior, with more viewers canceling and resubscribing based on the shows they want to watch. This trend, known as "churn," indicates that many consumers are no longer committed to maintaining long-term subscriptions and are willing to cancel once they've finished watching specific content. According to a study by Antenna, about a quarter of domestic paying streaming subscribers have canceled three or more services over the past two years, signaling a move away from the stability of the traditional cable era. The increasing flexibility of monthly subscriptions allows users to hopscotch between services, and this poses a challenge for streaming platforms that rely on consistent subscribers.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
Indie Wire finds: “Nearly 1 in 4 Americans Say Netflix Has Gotten Worse in the Last Year — Study.” A recent CableTV.com poll of 1,000 U.S. streaming users found that nearly a quarter (24 percent) believe Netflix has gotten worse over the past year, but it remains the most favored streamer, with 33 percent choosing it over other services. Despite its growing subscriber base, Netflix faces criticism, while other streamers like Apple TV+ and Max also have significant negative views, with 47 percent and 41 percent, respectively. The survey revealed general dissatisfaction with streaming services, with 15 percent of respondents expressing outright dislike for them and a substantial portion expressing discontent over value for money and password-sharing crackdowns. While some streaming services maintain stable quality, there's a notable perception of declining value across the industry. Link to Study Here

And Marketing Charts shares: “Viewers Are Less Satisfied with Their Pay-TV and SVOD Services.” TiVo's latest research reveals that the number of video services used by consumers in the US and Canada has leveled off, with an average of 11.1 total services in Q4 2023, down slightly from 11.5 in Q4 2022, after almost doubling from 6.4 in Q4 2020. The year-over-year decline is due to a drop in the number of paid services, from 7.6 to 7.1, while the number of non-paid services slightly increased from 3.9 to 4.0. This shift may be due to the growing popularity of free streaming services, potentially impacting paid platforms, as more consumers are likely to reduce their use of paid streaming in favor of free ad-supported services.

KIDS AND TEENS
TV Technology shares: “Mattel to Launch First FAST Channels on Samsung TV Plus.” Mattel is set to launch its first three 24/7 free ad-supported streaming (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus, Samsung’s free TV streaming service. The Barbie and Friends, Hot Wheels Action, and Mattel Jr. channels will go live later this year, offering free content to Samsung Smart TV users, Galaxy Device owners, and through the web at www.samsungtvplus.com. These channels will feature content inspired by popular Mattel brands, including American Girl, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Masters of the Universe, and more.  The partnership with Samsung TV Plus marks Mattel's initial foray into the growing FAST market. It aims to provide premium content to fans while introducing their iconic characters to a broader audience.

UPFRONTS
In AdAge: “Predictions for NewFronts—TikTok, Google, Meta and Snap battle for ad dollars.” The NewFronts event, set for next week, is where digital platforms like Google, Meta, TikTok, and Snap will present their yearly deal-making proposals to advertisers. This year's negotiations will focus on key themes such as ad technology, retail media, creators, and content. TikTok faces political pressure due to the recent U.S. legislation that might ban the platform if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, doesn't divest, while Google must address its delay in transitioning away from third-party cookies. Retail media is gaining a stronger presence in connected TV, and Meta and Snap are competing for short-form video dominance, aiming to outpace TikTok in this arena.

CHANNEL INSIGHTS

CONNECTED TELEVISION
In TV Tech: “DV Earns MRC Accreditation for CTV Viewability.” DoubleVerify, a digital media measurement and analytics firm, has received Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation for Video Viewable Impressions and related viewability metrics in Connected TV (CTV) environments. This new accreditation is significant for DoubleVerify's leadership in CTV measurement, expanding its MRC accreditations to include property-level brand suitability, contextual and Fully On-screen segments. The accreditation addresses the misconception that CTV ads are inherently viewable; DoubleVerify's research shows that over one in three impressions can serve when the TV is off, leading to an estimated $1 billion in wasted advertising spend annually. The achievement underscores DoubleVerify's commitment to high-quality measurement and data accuracy, as noted by MRC Executive Director George W. Ivie.

STREAMING VIDEO
From NextTV: “Peacock's $110 Million NFL Playoff Gamble Pays Off, Tripled Subscriber Growth in Q1 While Still Cutting Losses.” Comcast's decision to pay $110 million for exclusive rights to an NFL playoff game on Peacock seems to have paid off, with a significant increase in signups and reduced first-quarter losses for the streaming platform. Peacock gained 3 million subscribers from January to March, reaching a total of 34 million, tripling its first-quarter signups compared to 2023. Despite the costly outlay, Peacock's EBITDA loss for Q1 decreased from $704 million last year to $639 million this year, with revenue growing by 54% year over year to $1.054 billion. While Peacock's current scale and profitability are still in question, Comcast has the financial stability to continue investing in the platform's growth over time, unlike some of its streaming competitors.

Media Play News says: “Prime Video Lost 3% of U.S. Subscribers After Adding Commercials.” A Kantar report revealed that Prime Video lost 3% of its U.S. subscribers after introducing commercials in January, making it the only SVOD service with a significant decline in market share. Despite this drop, Prime Video's overall growth continued, and its Net Promoter Score (NPS) rose, now second only to Netflix among paid competitors. Apple TV+ and Peacock saw the most substantial growth, driven by new movies and live sports, with Prime Video's "Reacher" being the most-watched title among paid streamers in the first quarter. The report noted a trend of long-running TV dramas gaining popularity over streaming originals, with genres like sci-fi and fantasy, thrillers, and action and adventure experiencing decreased interest.

Broadcasting & Cable reports: “Streaming Became a Mature Business in Q1, Analyst Says.” Streaming video seems to have reached a point of maturity, with penetration dipping slightly from 85% in Q4 2023 to 84% in Q1 2024, according to a report by MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson, based on HarrisX data. This decline raises questions about whether streaming has plateaued or has room for growth. The average number of streaming services per household remained flat at 3.8, suggesting that consumers might be churning on and off services, making it difficult to significantly grow the number of subscriptions. The report also highlighted a general decrease in content output in Q1, driven partly by the Hollywood strikes and a broader pullback in spending. Despite this, Peacock and Max were the only platforms to increase content output year over year.

SEARCH
Search Engine Journal digs in: “Google’s New Infini-Attention And SEO.” Google has developed a new technology called Infini-attention that enables processing of massive data amounts with "infinitely long contexts," making it suitable for handling extensive data sequences. This plug-and-play technology can be inserted into other models, potentially enhancing Google’s core algorithm's capacity for contextual processing. Infini-attention addresses the constraints of large language models (LLMs), such as limited memory and computational demands, by using compressive memory, long-term linear attention, and local masked attention to maintain efficiency. The technology's ability to scale with large data contexts could be valuable for Google's search systems, providing a way to analyze extensive information while ensuring no context is left behind.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Reuters notes: “ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in US if legal options fail, sources say.” ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, would prefer to shut down TikTok in the U.S. rather than sell it if legislation forces a ban on the app from U.S. app stores. The decision is influenced by the fact that TikTok’s core algorithms are integral to ByteDance's overall operations and cannot be sold, according to insiders. ByteDance believes that if it is forced to sell TikTok, it would need to include these algorithms, which are licensed in China and are difficult to disentangle from the parent company. The company has faced ongoing scrutiny and partial bans in the U.S. over concerns about data security and Chinese surveillance, with the U.S. Senate recently passing a bill to potentially ban TikTok.

eMarketer reports: “TikTok outperforms YouTube Shorts and Reels viewership.” TikTok leads in average video views across various industries and account sizes, outperforming Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, according to Dash Hudson's Industry KPI data. In Q4 2023, TikTok's "overall" average view count was 143,912, while Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts had 120,917 and 54,428, respectively. Among accounts with "large" followings (110,000 or more), Instagram Reels edged ahead of TikTok, with average views of 239,548 compared to TikTok's 202,828. However, YouTube Shorts lagged behind with 91,973 views. These insights come as TikTok's potential ban in the US looms, which could cause advertisers to shift focus to Instagram and YouTube Shorts. If TikTok is removed, Instagram, given its large reach, could attract the most ad spending, while YouTube Shorts could still appeal to advertisers looking for higher engagement through smaller, targeted influencers.

In Digiday: “As TikTok ban threatens stability in social media ecosystem, some brands settle into the fediverse.” The potential TikTok ban has created uncertainty in the social media landscape, leading some brands to consider alternative platforms like the fediverse. The fediverse allows users to interact across platforms without creating individual accounts, potentially providing a solution to the instability and unpredictability of traditional social media. While some publishers, such as Meta's Threads and Flipboard, have embraced the fediverse, marketers are hesitant due to its unfamiliarity and lack of immediate business benefits. Meta's Threads recently joined the fediverse, allowing users to share posts across compliant servers, while platforms like Ghost and The Verge are also exploring this decentralized approach. Although marketers are wary, preferring platforms with clear ROI like Instagram and TikTok, a ban on TikTok could drive brands to explore the fediverse and other emerging platforms.

THE METAVERSE
In BNN Bloomberg: “Meta Is ‘Opening Up’ Quest Headset Operating System to Rivals.” Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, is allowing other technology companies to build augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets using its Meta Quest operating system, aiming to establish a stronger position in the AR/VR market. This move is part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's strategy to reduce Meta's dependence on other operating system makers like Apple and Google, whose privacy and fee policies have affected Meta's business. To avoid these constraints with future AR and VR technologies, Meta is investing heavily in its Reality Labs division, despite the division incurring significant losses totaling $16 billion in 2023.

DATA AND PRIVACY

And in eMarketer: “Cookie deprecation delay doesn’t surprise marketers, but they’re glad Google did it.” The delay in Google's third-party cookie deprecation is not a reprieve, but a chance for the industry to reach the finish line without squandering time, warns analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf. The announcement of the delay wasn't a surprise, with marketers preparing for this moment for almost five years. The extended timeline is seen as a positive move, allowing more time to test and adapt, and ensuring a smooth transition without rushed errors. Despite the delay, cookies will still be phased out, and privacy-compliant data strategies are more crucial than ever.

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I could write about the video landscape.  Since we’re headed into Upfront season, that would be interesting because we still have no reasonable resolution on currency for linear television and even less clarity on video in general as Nielsen, comScore, iSpot, VideoAmp, and more still vie for customers.  Which also means that we’re still trying to figure out how to measure video in general and how to account for reach and frequency across multiple video platforms with no clear source of truth.  And with the rise of streaming television, and the lack of a clear definition of what CTV really is relative to OTT, VOD, SVOD, AVOD, or FEP, it becomes harder and harder to think of video as one thing and more as a series of interconnected, data-informed targeting solutions designed to spread the same creative that runs on linear television into performance channels.

I could write about the startling lack of coverage that I’ve seen in the press about the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA) which could remake the advertising technology landscape and institute a sweeping set of regulations that would throw a screeching halt on audience targeting, handing anyone who collects user information a curveball and leave many advertisers and agencies no recourse but to revert to standard advertising practices like reach and frequency optimization which, see above, might not be the best idea.

Or we could talk about the fact that cookies, are starting to actually get deprecated and there are likely to be lots of haves and have-nots in the world of first-party data.  Whether or not the potential impact APRA has any restrictions on the ability to execute on targeting data is likely to be up in the air and even if you could execute on it, then how would you determine the impact of reach and frequency holistically when you’re matching your own data to other companies’ data for targeting, which again, you may or may not be able to do.

And then there’s the merger and consolidation of content happening with Walmart’s purchase of Vizio, the potential purchase of Paramount by Sony, the creation of “Spulu” partnerships to create a live streaming sports service, not to mention the folding of Hulu content onto Disney+, the potential purchase of ESPN by the NFL, the blur of content folded into Max and the increasing number of hardware devices blended into platform offerings from Echoes by Amazon, Pixels by Google, Oculus by Meta and more.  Large data companies are getting larger and more hungry for user data while smaller companies are still navigating deprecation, blurred currencies, reach and frequency blindspots, and new privacy regulations.

Maybe I could talk about how all of that represents a huge opportunity for agencies and expert networks to help exploit the huge long tail of small and mid-sized companies that are too overwhelmed with regulations, complex data architecture, targeted media optimization, and a bazaar of currency options for reaching their customers. 

Or maybe I’ll just not write about anything and hope I think of something good next week...

Today’s Rabbit Hole

On April 23^, 1564, William Shakespeare was born.  On April 23, 1616 he died.  It’s quite a significant day for fans of the Bard from Stratford-on-Avon.

But it’s also one of my favorite days because it’s the day that Weeghman Park opened in 1914 to host the Chicago Whales of the Federal League and two years later, after the Federal League collapsed, the Chicago Cubs moved in and transformed it into Wrigley Field.  And in more baseball news, Hank Aaron hit the very first home run of his illustrious career on April 23, 1954

And also the day that the Ramones released their first album.

And the day that the very first YouTube video was posted.

And Shakespeare shares a birthday with former U.S. president James Buchanan, physicist Max Planck, and Roy Orbison. And John Cena.

So there are plenty of reasons to celebrate tomorrow, just in case you were looking for an excuse.

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week.  Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week.  In full disclosure, I use ChatGPT to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles.  Some articles may require a subscription.

KEY ISSUES AND TRENDS

BEST PRACTICES
In AdAge: “New Made for Advertising rules—what marketers need to know following online controversy.”  The Media Rating Council (MRC) is updating its standards for detecting and preventing domain spoofing and addressing “made for advertising” sites after a recent Adalytics report highlighted issues with Forbes's www3 subdomain. The subdomain was operating for seven years, serving a heavy ad load and paid traffic, but was mis-declared as regular Forbes.com ads in programmatic auctions. This raised concerns about the effectiveness of verification vendors like DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science, and Human, who failed to detect or report the misdirection, resulting in potential revenue loss for advertisers and agencies. The updated MRC standards aim to clarify what qualifies as invalid traffic and provide stricter guidelines for verification vendors, ensuring such issues are identified and addressed promptly.

MEDIA CONSUMPTION
TV Tech notes: “March Madness Lifts Cable’s Share of TV Viewing.” In March 2024, TV usage dropped by 3% compared to February, with cable gaining a larger share due to March Madness, accounting for 28.3% of total TV viewing. The NCAA college basketball tournaments, especially women's games, along with State of the Union coverage, were major contributors to this increase in cable viewership. Despite the drop in TV usage, streaming continued its upward trend, achieving a 38.5% share, driven by platforms like YouTube and Netflix, which accounted for 9.7% and 8.1% of total TV usage, respectively.

The Drum publishes Threads and Fables’ Rebecca Roberts article: “I studied Gen Z news habits and can say without a doubt, it’s not them, it’s you!” Engaging youth audiences, especially those under 25, is challenging because they're often treated as a single homogenous group, leading to ineffective strategies. Brand relationships have shifted due to declining print media and an increase in online content, making Gen Z less likely to have strong brand affiliations with traditional news outlets. Social media plays a crucial role in engaging this demographic, but it also exposes them to misinformation and unreliable sources. Successful engagement with Gen Z requires being present in the platforms they use, employing relatable and trustworthy journalists, and redefining news to encompass a broader range of topics that entertain, inform, and educate.

ADVERTISING SPENDING
Digiday finds: “Q1 ad rundown: there’s cautious optimism amid impending changes.” The outlook for the ad market is cautiously optimistic, with growing online ad spending and upward-adjusted forecasts offset by concerns over changing dynamics, like the decline in detailed tracking and plateaued growth in connected TV (CTV). While some analysts predict growth in ad spending, others warn of challenges, particularly around retail media transparency and a potential decline in third-party addressability. Holding companies are experiencing mixed results; Publicis Groupe reports a rebound in ad spending from tech clients, partly driven by Chinese startups investing heavily to establish a presence in Western markets. As marketers navigate these changes, they are rebalancing their strategies to focus on tangible business outcomes, moving away from traditional budgeting to zero-based approaches, while broader industry transformations may bring significant shifts, influenced by factors such as the U.S. presidential election and the impact of Google’s plans to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome.

MULTICULTURAL
In The Conversation: “Deepfake detection improves when using algorithms that are more aware of demographic diversity.” Researchers have developed new methods to improve deepfake detection algorithms' fairness and accuracy, focusing on demographic diversity and feature-based approaches. They found that by using labeled datasets that emphasize demographic diversity, they could increase the accuracy of the detection algorithm from 91.5% to 94.17%, reducing errors among underrepresented groups. This work underscores the importance of fairness in AI technology and addresses the risks of demographic bias in deepfake detection, contributing to more equitable and reliable AI systems.

TV Tech shares: “LGBTQIA+ TV Visibility Drives Viewership Among Young Americans.” A new report from Horowitz Research indicates that TV content with LGBTQIA+ representation attracts a larger viewership among young Americans aged 18-34. The 'State of Media, Entertainment, and Tech: FOCUS LGBTQIA+' report shows that one in three of those surveyed are more likely to watch a show with LGBTQIA+ characters and stories, while two-thirds of LGBTQIA+ viewers prefer inclusive shows focusing on their culture and communities. This openness to LGBTQIA+ themes extends to advertising, with seven in ten LGBTQIA+ consumers and almost half of younger consumers resonating with ads featuring diverse people and lifestyles. The report suggests that broader inclusivity, including the portrayal of characters with disabilities and bilingual characters, is becoming increasingly important for both TV content and advertising to connect with younger audiences and LGBTQIA+ viewers.

CHANNEL INSIGHTS

CONNECTED TELEVISION
eMarketer asks: “CTV ad dollars are going to waste—advertisers need to know where their money is going.” Digital ad fraud cost advertisers about $84 billion last year, with losses expected to reach $172 billion by 2028, according to Juniper Research. Despite connected TV (CTV) being considered relatively less prone to fraud compared to other digital formats, inefficiencies and intermediaries in the CTV supply chain can still lead to significant waste. Dave Helmreich from Innovid emphasizes the need for advertisers to focus on real-time ad optimization, culling underperforming campaigns, and reducing unnecessary intermediaries to cut down on waste and fraud risks. Innovid's Harmony Direct aims to streamline the CTV ad process, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and a reduced carbon footprint, while ultimately helping to fund premium content and improve advertiser ROI.

In MediaPost: “Analysis Finds Linear Represents 85% Of CTV Inventory.” Connected TV (CTV) platforms are seeing a surge in linear TV programming, accounting for about 85% of CTV ad inventory for long-form content, according to Bernstein Research. While CTV ad inventory is expected to grow by 3% in the first quarter, linear inventory is anticipated to decline by 6% year-over-year, driven by consistent cord-cutting and a shift towards streaming platforms. The broader CTV category is expanding due to rising advertising video-on-demand (AVOD) platforms and Free Ad-Supported Television (FAST) channels, with streaming ad inventory projected to grow by 60% in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the decline in linear TV is accelerated by legacy media's efforts to move popular sports content to in-house direct-to-consumer platforms, contributing to an 8% expected drop in linear TV ad revenue and a 27% decrease in linear TV commercials compared to the first quarter of 2021.

STREAMING VIDEO
The New York Times reports: “Netflix Added More Than 9 Million Subscribers in First Quarter.” Netflix surpassed expectations by adding 9.3 million subscribers in the first quarter of 2024, resulting in a total of nearly 270 million subscribers worldwide. The company's revenue for the quarter reached $9.3 billion, a 15% increase from the same period last year, with a net income of $2.3 billion. Its ad-tier business, which offers a lower-priced subscription, grew by 65% from the last quarter, with 40% of new sign-ups in markets where it is available opting for this tier. Netflix credits its success to popular shows like "Griselda," "3 Body Problem," and "Avatar: The Last Airbender," as well as efforts to reduce password sharing among households.

Reuters shares: “Sony, Apollo discuss joint bid for Paramount, says source.” Sony Pictures Entertainment and Apollo Global Management are considering a joint bid to acquire Paramount Global, aiming to purchase all outstanding Paramount shares and take the company private. The joint venture would see Sony holding a majority stake and operating the media company, while Apollo would manage the CBS broadcast network and local television stations due to foreign ownership restrictions. Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman Tony Vinciquerra is expected to lead the studio and leverage Sony's marketing and distribution expertise. Despite these discussions, Paramount is currently in exclusive deal talks with Skydance Media, with a special committee of Paramount's board deciding to continue with Skydance rather than pursue uncertain bids.

SEARCH
In Digiday: “With a new ‘answer engine,’ Brave browser adds another generative AI tool for search.” Brave, a privacy-oriented browser, has introduced a new generative AI tool called "AI Answer Engine," providing real-time information from multiple sources and generating synthesized summaries with source citations. This tool uses Brave's independent search index, avoiding reliance on Google or Bing, and is designed to offer a more privacy-preserving approach to AI-driven search. Although the current focus is on maintaining user privacy without collecting data for ad-retargeting, Brave does not rule out incorporating ads into the tool in the future, with transparency and clear labeling. Brave's new feature arrives amid a growing landscape of generative AI-driven search tools from startups like The Browser Company and Perplexity, raising questions about the impact of AI on search results and advertising, with ongoing concerns about misinformation and ad-driven bias in search.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Digiday reports: “Meta's Threads expected to have ads this year.” Meta is gearing up to introduce ads on its new platform Threads, with the rollout expected in the second half of this year. The company has begun informing advertising executives about its plans to integrate advertising into Threads, though specific details on how these ads will be presented remain unclear. It's anticipated that ads will eventually be available through Meta's ad platform, Advantage+, alongside other Meta offerings like Facebook and Instagram. Meta aims to attract one billion regular users to Threads, a goal set as a prerequisite for introducing advertisements, but with only 130 million monthly users reported in February, the platform still has a long way to go.

VIDEO GAMES
AdAge investigates: “Why video game platforms are adopting programmatic ad buying.”  Roblox's recent move to sell ad inventory programmatically indicates a shift in how video game publishers cater to brands. This new system, facilitated by a partnership with ad tech firm PubMatic, allows for more automated and scalable ad buying, addressing the growing demand for reaching gaming audiences. The programmatic marketplace will initially focus on in-game video ads, offering brands a less intrusive way to reach players, contrasting with the traditional "portal ads" that take players to new realms. As the programmatic trend gains traction, it brings opportunities and challenges, including the need for new ad formats, proper metrics to measure efficacy, and a potential confusion for brands exploring these novel advertising options.

RETAIL MEDIA
AdAge digs in: “ How Walmart is helping brands and agencies use its first-party data in retail media.”

Walmart is connecting its Luminate data platform to its retail media network through a new self-service tool, allowing suppliers and agencies to shape display buys on Walmart’s properties using its extensive data warehouse. This tool, called Walmart Luminate Insights Activation, will be available to select suppliers and agencies by the end of the year, enabling them to capture holiday data and plan for 2025. The initiative aims to leverage Walmart's first-party data to offset the impending "signal loss" caused by the expected phase-out of cookies from Google's Chrome browser.

DATA AND PRIVACY

AdAge investigates: “Ad targeting may be banned—inside the US privacy proposal that could jeopardize the marketing tactic.”  The American Privacy Rights Act (APRA), a new U.S. privacy and data protection law, may ban targeted advertising, causing concern among ad industry leaders due to its potential impact on digital ad markets. The proposal could require opt-in consent for online tracking, similar to Apple's App Tracking Transparency, which disrupted major apps' advertising services. APRA's definition of "sensitive data" includes online browsing activity, raising concerns about a potential ban on sharing this information for targeted advertising. The bill's ambiguity about opt-in versus opt-out could lead to significant changes in how companies use and share data for advertising, potentially affecting the entire online ad ecosystem.

Digiday asks: “WTF is the American Privacy Rights Act.” The proposed American Privacy Rights Act (APRA) is a federal privacy law designed to unify data protection rules across the U.S., impacting the advertising industry by limiting data collection and giving individuals more control over their personal information. It allows people to manage, correct, and even export their data, with the power to opt out of targeted ads and certain algorithmic decisions. APRA also introduces stricter security measures and bans "dark patterns," manipulative tactics used to steer users' choices.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

From TV Tech: “NAB Show: The Data-Fueled AI Revolution in Media.” At the 2024 NAB Show, artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI, is gaining unprecedented prominence, with industry leaders highlighting its transformative potential across media and entertainment. AI's integration with extensive consumer data and metadata-rich content libraries presents vast opportunities for media companies, offering improved workflows, content production, and personalized user experiences. Companies such as Interra Systems, AWS, and Veritone are demonstrating AI-powered tools for video, audio, and graphics, showcasing advancements in quality control, captioning, and content monetization. Despite these innovations, challenges remain, including legal issues surrounding generative AI and content rights, emphasizing the need for careful human oversight and proper training to maximize AI's benefits.

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It almost seems as if what’s happening in technology is happening in reverse.  Software and social media companies are making hardware like Facebook’s Oculus or Google’s Pixel phones.  Hardware companies that aren’t iOS are dependent on Google’s operating system.  Retailers like Walmart are buying hardware (and software) companies like Vizio. You have major sports leagues and broadcasters working closely together with some speculation about the NFL buying into ESPN.

There are two things that I can think of that I can think of that is driving this unification of interests from software through applications through hardware: Content and Search.

All of the above are involved in creating advertising space within original content and their own video formats available to stream on their own platform, and sometimes their own hardware.  Most of that content is video, although podcasts have mushroomed, and streaming audio, in general, remains popular.  Platforms like Facebook are built on user-generated content and offer space to creators and influencers while platforms like Amazon have professionally produced content with plenty of space for advertisers. 

Search is the key to uniting those interests.  Search is considered a basic utility by consumers, but it’s a magic revenue source for these companies that aggregate consumer data within walled gardens that they can then sell to advertisers at a premium for their own inventory.  Search signals interest, enables conversion, and provides a wealth of data that can be used to target consumers with ever-increasingly relevant advertising within content streams.

Now with Walmart, Home Depot, Target and more solidifying their retail media networks into more formal offerings, I wonder how long it will be before they start to invest in original content as well.  Of course, they’ve had search capabilities for a very long time native to their platforms, but will digital store shelves be enough to supply the impressions they are offering to the market or do we see content coming into the mix?

And of course much of the focus on AI these days has been about generative AI, relying on AI to make content.  Today’s news roundup includes a story about electronics manufacturer TCL making an AI-generated show for viewers to watch.  And yet, the models that we are training are running out of content to learn from online, which means that both for the benefit of the models and the content that they create, we’ll need to find more content to fit the bill. So what’s to stop large companies from buying up publishers, transcribing libraries full of data, or outright purchasing each other to get to walled content to increase the value, accuracy, and context of their AI models, further consolidating industry to create more content they can monetize across more software and hardware.

We live in an interesting time at the intersection of hardware, software, content, search and business. Is it evolution? Maybe. Is it progress? Probably. Is it a good thing? Who knows.

Today’s Rabbit Hole

I did manage to sneak outside in Chicago last week to watch the eclipse, but it wasn’t until after I returned that I found out an interesting fact. Did you know that Helium was first identified because of an eclipse?  Back in 1868, during a total solar eclipse, astronomers Norman Lockyer and Pierre Janssen pointed their telescopes at the Sun.  Janssen used an instrument called a spectroscope to split the faint light of the corona into the individual wavelengths that made it up.  He noticed that one specific wavelength of light that was missing couldn’t be accounted for by other elements in the sun’s atmosphere and determined that it represented a new element, which he named Helium, after the Greek sun god Helios.

But that’s not all.  A few years later, in 1882, physicist Luigi Palmieri noticed the same signal in observing emissions from lava from Mount Vesuvius in Italy, meaning that Helium was discovered thanks to a huge volcano and a solar eclipse.

Even though Helium is abundant in the universe, folks thought that it was pretty rare at the time.  There were efforts to isolate it using uranium and other techniques, but in the early 1900s, it turned out that an oil drilling operation in Kansas produced a gas geyser that was pretty epic. 9 million cubic feet of gas escaped each day until they could cap it.  They thought it was natural gas and planned a big public event where they would light the geyser by slowly approaching it with a bale of burning hay.  But the hay was extinguished as it came into contact with the well.  So they tried again and again.  Nearly a year later, they figured out it was full of helium. 

It turns out that Helium is a pretty useful element.  In addition to blimps and party balloons, it’s used to cool MRI machines, detect gas leaks in critical infrastructure, and help as a gas shield for arc welders.  It’s even useful in Space exploration as NASA uses helium to keep hot gases and ultra-cold liquid fuel separated during the lift-off of rockets.

The Bureau of Land Management operates and maintains a helium storage reservoir, enrichment plant, and pipeline system near Amarillo, Texas, that supplies over 20% of the domestic and 9% of the global demand for helium.  The BLM supplies crude helium to private helium refining companies which in turn refine the helium and market it to consumers.

The BLM is also responsible for evaluating the Nation’s helium-bearing gas fields and providing responsible access to Federal land for managed recovery and disposal of helium.

And in January, the U.S. just sold off its Helium reserves, something forced by the Helium Stewardship Act of 2013.  Despite some concern that there would be disruptions, especially for medical use, the sale raised funds from the reserve which included 425 miles of pipelines to move the gas from place to place.

But what you all really want to know is why your voice gets higher when you breathe in helium.  Well, because the gas is so low in density, it means that sound travels faster than it does through regular air, meaning that your voice travels so much more quickly across your vocal cords and lots of funny voices.

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week.  Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week.  In full disclosure, I use ChatGPT to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles.  Some articles may require a subscription.

KEY ISSUES AND TRENDS

CURRENT EVENTS
According to CBS News: “South Carolina-Iowa championship game draws in nearly 19 million viewers, breaking rating records.” The national championship game between South Carolina and Iowa set a new viewership record, attracting nearly 19 million viewers, making it the most-watched women's college basketball game ever. Viewership increased significantly compared to previous years, with a peak of 24.1 million viewers in the final 15 minutes. Much attention was drawn to the game due to Iowa's Caitlin Clark, who broke scoring records and is expected to be the top WNBA draft pick. South Carolina celebrated their victory led by coach Dawn Staley, who praised Clark's impact on the sport.

BEST PRACTICES
In AdAge: “How advertising and journalists can save each other.” Journalists are facing job losses in significant numbers, creating an unexpected opportunity for them in the advertising industry. While traditionally separate, the convergence of journalism and advertising could offer solutions for both fields. Journalists possess skills in storytelling, speed, and digital content creation that are increasingly valuable in the advertising world. To facilitate this transition, journalists need to gain an understanding of the advertising industry, while HR departments and hiring managers in advertising agencies need to broaden their talent search. Finally, recruitment efforts must bridge the gap between journalists seeking new opportunities and the advertising industry.

MEDIA CONSUMPTION
TV Technology reports: “SVOD Crackdowns on Password Sharing, Price Hikes Boost Churn.” Horowitz Research's latest report reveals that crackdowns on password sharing and price increases by streaming services are prompting many consumers to cancel their subscriptions. About half of TV content viewers have canceled or lost access to at least one streaming service in the past year, citing cost-cutting efforts, price hikes, and perceived lack of value. Rising prices have led to increased spending on streaming services, with many consumers expressing willingness to tolerate ads for lower subscription costs. Additionally, a significant portion of streamers plan to cancel one or more subscriptions in the coming months, with Netflix being the most frequently mentioned service on the chopping block. This trend underscores the importance for streaming companies to implement smart strategies to retain subscribers and adapt to changing consumer preferences.

ADVERTISING SPENDING
In MediaPost: “Serial Entrepreneur Releases Data On Real Cost Of Programmatic TV Ad Buys.” Philip Inghelbrecht, CEO of Tatari, revealed data indicating substantial cost savings for brands buying television media direct rather than programmatically. Hidden fees in programmatic advertising platforms can inflate costs significantly, with a hypothetical $10 inventory CPM reaching $20.56 when factoring in various fees. By bypassing supply side platforms (SSPs) and reducing data and service fees, direct buying can lower the full-cost CPM to $13.95, fostering transparency, reducing fraud, and strengthening partnerships between advertisers and content providers.

OLYMPICS
In Broadcasting & Cable: “NBCUniversal Is Going for Gold With $1.2 Billion in Olympic Ad Sales.”  NBCUniversal has secured $1.2 billion in advertising revenue for the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, including $350 million from new advertisers, putting it on track to surpass previous Olympic Games in ad revenue. Digital ad revenue has already set a record, and all ad inventory for the opening and closing ceremonies is sold out, along with NBCU’s Prime Pods and 95% of custom primetime marketing integrations.

UPFRONTS
Broadcast & Cable shares: “27% of Advertisers To Spend More in Upfronts: iSpot Survey.” The TV advertising landscape remains largely unchanged from last year's upfront, with only 27% of advertisers planning to increase spending, according to an iSpot.tv survey. Surprisingly, despite the rise of streaming, there's not a significant shift in ad dollars toward streaming platforms. Fragmentation, cross-platform reach, and frequency management are major challenges, with 58% of advertisers lacking data on linear and streaming overlap. However, there's interest in new currencies among advertisers spending over $250 million, aiming to eliminate inefficiencies and make more precise audience targeting decisions.

CHANNEL INSIGHTS

TELEVISION
NextTV reports: “Broadcasters Invest in Run3TV To Bolster Over–the-Air Audience Measurement.” Several local television station owners, including Gray Television, Sinclair Broadcast Group, and others, have invested in the ATSC 3.0 Framework Authority's Run3TV platform, which offers detailed data on over-the-air broadcast viewership and enhances the viewer experience. This investment aims to provide more choices for viewers and improve over-the-air viewership measurement. Comscore and Nielsen are also collaborating with Pearl TV on local media measurement, aiming to enhance audience measurement precision with big data capabilities for over-the-air broadcasting. The partnership anticipates advancements in local TV measurement and the harnessing of ATSC 3.0 technology for more accurate viewership capture.

AdAge investigates: “Inside Nielsen’s push to incorporate streamers’ first-party data into measurement.”  Nielsen is aiming to incorporate first-party data from streaming networks into audience measurement, particularly for live sports, but faces challenges in gaining widespread agreement on the approach. The shift to digital marketing and the rise of social media have intensified the need for more accurate measurement methods. Despite efforts to integrate first-party streaming data, debates persist, highlighting the complexities in reconciling different measurement approaches in the streaming landscape.

STREAMING VIDEO
Variety shares: “Prime Video Now Reaches More Than 200 Million Monthly Viewers, TV Ads ‘Off to a Strong Start,’ Amazon CEO Says.” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy revealed in the company's annual shareholder letter that Prime Video has surpassed 200 million monthly viewers, signaling a growing audience for the premium video service. Jassy emphasized the potential of streaming TV advertising, highlighting its rapid growth and strong initial performance. The letter also underscored Amazon's confidence in Prime Video as a standalone business, fueled by compelling exclusive content, marketplace programs, and the recent addition of advertising. Additionally, Jassy discussed Amazon's significant investments in generative AI, foreseeing its transformative potential and its integration into various Amazon consumer businesses.

RADIO/AUDIO
Inside Radio reports: “IAB Sets May 9 For 2024 Podcast Upfront.” The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) will host the 2024 IAB Podcast Upfront next month in New York, featuring 18 podcast companies showcasing their lineups and new projects to brands and media buyers. The event will offer both in-person and virtual options, with presentations, panel discussions, and the release of the eighth annual IAB U.S. Podcast Advertising Revenue study. Podcasting's growth and engagement are highlighted, with over 135 million Americans tuning in monthly, making it an attractive platform for brands aiming to tap into streaming audio and podcasting for future growth opportunities.

OUT OF HOME
AdAge notes: “Samba TV to measure deduplicated reach at gas stations.” GSTV and Samba TV have partnered to extend cross-platform video measurement to thousands of fuel retailers, aiming to capture audiences beyond traditional linear TV. Through proof-of-concept studies with brands, they've found double-digit increases in reach by matching GSTV exposure data with Samba's household panel. This collaboration seeks to unlock the elusive deduplicated reach sought after by marketers in today's fragmented media landscape.

SOCIAL MEDIA
In AdWeek: “Creators and Strategists Say These Are the Social Trends to Watch.” At ADWEEK’s Social Media Week event, experts discussed the evolving landscape of social media management, focusing on Instagram's declining reach, emerging platforms like Spill, and the role of X (formerly Twitter) in content testing. Creators expressed frustration with Instagram's algorithms, while platforms like X provided opportunities for community building and content experimentation. Brands are exploring niche community-driven platforms such as Substack and Discord to engage with audiences beyond mainstream social media. Slack communities are also becoming valuable channels for brand engagement and connection with audiences.

THE METAVERSE
NextTV relates: “While More Than Half of Americans Are Interested in Apple's $3,500 Vision Pro, 76% Say They Have No Intention of Buying One.” Apple's Vision Pro virtual reality headset has garnered significant consumer awareness and interest, with 49% of Americans aware of the device and 53% expressing some level of interest, according to Hub Entertainment Research. However, despite the attention, 76% of U.S. consumers are unlikely to purchase the headset, with only 10% considering it probable. Even with interest-free financing options, priced at $3,499.99, the headset may remain out of reach for many, especially considering the widespread adoption of more affordable and high-quality smart TVs, which currently penetrate 79% of U.S. households, according to Hub.

CATEGORY INSIGHTS

CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY
TV Technology finds: “Smart TVs Now in Nearly 8 of 10 Homes.” Hub Entertainment Research's latest data indicates that smart TV ownership surged in Q1 2024, reaching nearly 8 in 10 households as consumers embraced streaming and upgraded their living room setups. While separate streaming devices like Roku and FireTV are still prevalent, growth has slowed compared to the integration offered by smart TVs. The study also highlights the rising popularity of affordable sound bars, enhancing audio experiences for consumers hesitant to invest in higher-resolution TV sets. Additionally, Apple's Vision Pro headset garnered significant awareness and interest upon its debut, but its high price remains a barrier to widespread adoption, with gaming being the primary use case for now.

9to5 Google publishes: “Walmart may soon launch a ‘Pro’ Google TV streaming device.” Walmart is reportedly gearing up to launch a new "Pro" Google TV streaming device, as revealed by a listing at the Bluetooth SIG. While details on features and design are scarce, the "Pro" designation suggests it will offer enhanced capabilities compared to existing models. This potential release fills a gap in the Google TV market for a device with multiple input ports, a stronger processor, and more storage, catering to consumers seeking higher-end options at an affordable price. While the exact release date remains uncertain, Walmart's current FHD and 4K Google TV streamers are already available for $15 and $20, respectively.

CREATIVE AND CONTENT
Broadcasting & Cable says: “Smart TV Maker TCL Using AI To Create Original Content For TLCtvPlus Streaming Platform.”  TCL is leveraging generative artificial intelligence to produce original content for its streaming platform TCLtvPlus, with the first AI-powered program, "Next Stop Paris," set to debut this summer. Despite late entry into the streaming market, TCL aims to draw viewers and build its brand image through original programming, tapping into Hollywood talent for future projects. While utilizing AI for content creation, TCL emphasizes collaboration with human writers and actors, with plans for shoppable and branded content alongside traditional productions.

DATA AND PRIVACY

Digiday notes: “Interpublic Group duo sued in a case alleging ‘misappropriation’ of ID data.” Interpublic Group subsidiaries Kinesso and Acxiom are facing legal action from Adstra, alleging conspiracy and unfair competition in the development of an identity-resolution product. Adstra claims that Kinesso and Acxiom breached a data licensing agreement and misappropriated trade secrets to create a competing product, despite Adstra's refusal to transfer the agreement to Acxiom. The dispute involves allegations of improper use of Adstra's data and attempts to terminate agreements without consent, with Adstra seeking injunctive relief and damages. The case is notable for its timing, coinciding with IPG's acquisition of Acxiom and involving former executives from both companies.

MediaPost relays: “Nebraska Passes Opt-Out Privacy Bill.” Nebraska lawmakers have passed the Data Privacy Act (LB 1074), which would grant residents the right to opt out of targeted online advertising and require businesses to honor universal opt-out tools, provided they do so in other states. The bill defines "targeted advertising" and excludes certain types of ads from the opt-out requirement, while also allowing consumers to request deletion of their collected non-pseudonymous data and requiring consent for processing sensitive data. However, advocacy group Consumer Reports criticizes the bill for not imposing stricter default restrictions on data collection and usage, arguing that it places too much responsibility on consumers to protect their privacy. If approved by Governor Jim Pillen, Nebraska would join over a dozen other states with comprehensive privacy laws.

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But then I did that thing, where you look for the definition of commerce.  And what I found is that most definitions of commerce have an element of scale involved.  Commerce is not just a different word for transaction.  Commerce is all about the practice of executing transactions of goods or services for value.  It’s an economic term that deals with the collective practice of facilitating individual transactions.  Commerce is all about scale. Transaction is all about singular actions.

So isn’t advertising and marketing a subset of commerce? All of the people who work in marketing are engaged in the practice of facilitating transactions at scale.  There are tons of transactions that happen to make consumers aware of a product and more and more, the mechanisms of an individual transaction are being brought into the scope of an individual advertisement. Performance media is essentially a refinement and streamlining of the transactional process that allows an individual consumer to complete that transaction closer to the point of exposure. An advertiser buys an audience, pays for tagging, pays for placement, and does a thousand other things we currently think of as “non-working” dollars, before buying an impression, often incurring those charges in microseconds.

We have had “Social commerce” for quite some time now.  Social media platforms have tools that take people directly to another platform that allows them to purchase on demand.  I can include links to places to complete a transaction on demand, or now, as with TikTok, I have the ability to make transactions without driving consumers outside of their social media experience all within one seamless shopping process inside of a single platform. 

I can’t help but wonder though, if social commerce is the evolutionary equivalent of the dinosaur. One day we will look back at the TikTok shop as the T-Rex of commerce.

On the flip side of that, isn’t modern advertising also commerce in reverse?  As advertisers, we gain valuable information about consumers in exchange for being able to observe, record, codify, and then target consumers based on their behavior.  Don’t we gain “currency” in exchange for the attention of those people we are trying to target?  We are engaging in a different, more invisible form of commerce just by advertising to consumers in the first place in digital environments or using digital tools that we can use to gain information that has value in multiple different marketplaces.

Inevitably with the rise of automation, artificial intelligence, and the increasing digitization of entertainment, shopping, browsing, and transactions, commerce should evolve into something that is fairly self-sustaining and incredibly more sophisticated and targeted.  Commerce will turn into something that is nuanced, responsive, and contextually informed based on time, place, and platform and informed by individual history and relationship, right?

Here is where my brain starts to hurt:  If commerce is about transactions at scale, but there are inevitably hundreds or thousands, or perhaps millions of micro-transactions that facilitate individual transactions for everything from automobiles to bars of soap, doesn’t each transaction that results in an individual handing over money for goods or services qualify as commerce?  And commerce collectively is represented as what?  Does that make marketing the “new commerce?”

And if the commerce of today is what we will soon think of as a dinosaur, what is the asteroid coming to wipe us all out?

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

I recently visited New Orleans, and visited Jackson Square.  (Yes, I did go to Café Du Monde for beignets) In that historic plaza is a statue of former U.S. president, Andrew Jackson.  Andrew Jackson and New Orleans have an interesting history related to the War of 1812, where he led the U.S. in the Battle of New Orleans, which happened several days after the war had officially ended, because, well… the telephone had not been invented yet and word of the war’s end hadn’t reached either side.

The statue of Jackson is of him riding a horse reared up on two legs.  Theoretically, that means that the rider of the horse was killed in battle, which Jackson was not.   It’s an urban legend.  if the statue shows the horse posed with both front hooves up in the air, the rider died in battle. If the horse is posed with one front leg up, it means the rider was wounded in battle or died of battle wounds.          

But there are all kinds of supposed rules in art for symbolism.  Grapes may symbolize lust because of their association with Bacchus, the god of pleasure.  Skulls, of course, represent death or mortality. Seashells may represent femininity or good luck, or perhaps baptism or rebirth as an association with John the Baptist.

And of course, there’s a ton of room for symbolism in literature.  I’ve spent hours with people arguing about the symbolism of the green light at the end of The Great Gatsby.

Now, with photography, digital art, and even AI-generated art, and even within advertising and design, do we have the same level of symbolism, or do we even recognize it?  For example, what might our descendants think if they find a picture of someone with a cigarette in their hands, or a mobile phone at their ear instead of in front of them?

I do wonder if there’s room in modern art for consistency of symbolism and imagery.  Can we instill some of those subtle signals in AI or design and are they already there?  Hearts represent love, dollar signs represent greed, etc.  Is there an enterprising AI out there that can catalog and analyze imagery for hidden meaning that becomes the subtle subtext of design?  It might not be too long before we’re being subtly influenced by specific objects in AI-generated images with their own coded meaning.

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week.  Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week.  In full disclosure, I use ChatGPT to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles.  Some articles may require a subscription.

KEY ISSUES AND TRENDS

CURRENT EVENTS
TV Technology says: “FCC to Vote on Restoring Net Neutrality.”  FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced plans to restore Net Neutrality through FCC oversight under Title II authority, aiming to ensure broadband reliability, security, and consumer protection. The proposal, to be voted on during the April 25 Open Meeting, would prevent broadband providers from blocking or slowing down internet access and enhance oversight of broadband outages and security. Despite opposition from industry stakeholders, the FCC argues that reinstating Net Neutrality will uphold a widely accepted national standard and empower the agency to protect consumers and address evolving digital threats. The proposal will be circulated among Commissioners for review before the meeting, with a public draft expected to be available on FCC.gov prior to the vote.

BEST PRACTICES
In McKinsey: “Members only: Delivering greater value through loyalty and pricing.”  Consumer-facing companies in 2024 face challenges amid strong consumer spending and shifting habits, requiring them to stand out while delivering value and driving profit margins. Integrating loyalty tactics and pricing strategies can enhance customer value but requires a unified approach and personalized experiences. Companies can unlock value across tiers—bronze, silver, and gold—by expanding loyalty programs with price-based benefits, influencing customer behavior, and offering personalized experiences. However, challenges such as organizational silos, analytical limitations, and simplifying complex strategies for customers remain significant hurdles to realizing the full potential of integrated loyalty and pricing strategies.

MEDIA CONSUMPTION
Morning Brew shares: “More than half of US TV watchers are cordless, according to report.” The Video Advertising Bureau's report highlights a significant shift towards cord-cutting and streaming among US adults. Over half of adults are now cordless viewers, with streaming accounting for 38% of monthly TV viewing time. The popularity of ad-supported streaming services is also on the rise, with over 75% of streaming audiences using at least one ad-supported platform. This trend aligns with forecasts projecting streaming ad sales to reach $10 billion this year, indicating a significant opportunity for advertisers in the streaming space.

ADVERTISING SPENDING
TV Tech relays: “Magna: Local TV/Video Ad Sales to Spike by 26% to $23B in 2024.”  Magna forecasts a strong growth trajectory for the advertising market in 2024, with non-cyclical revenues rising by 9.1% in Q4 2023, marking the highest quarterly growth in nearly two years. The improving macro-economic outlook, digital media strength, and cyclical events like political advertising are cited as key drivers of this growth, totaling a +5.7% increase for the full year 2023. Projections indicate further growth in 2024, with U.S. ad revenues expected to reach $369 billion, up by 9.2% from previous forecasts. Notable increases are anticipated in local TV/video ad sales (26%), long-form streaming advertising (13%), and social media advertising (14%), while non-cyclical national TV ad sales are predicted to decline by nearly 5% to $44 billion.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
Marketing Brew reports: “For the New York Times, attention metrics find new applications.”  The New York Times has partnered with Adelaide, a company specializing in attention metrics, to gauge reader engagement with ads. This collaboration marks the Times' first use of an external attention metric, aiming to go beyond industry standards like viewability and impressions. Adelaide, using signals like eye-tracking data, assesses ad quality and has previously worked with major brands like Coca-Cola and Microsoft. The Times seeks to enhance campaign performance by tying attention metrics to advertisers' efforts, aiming for a comprehensive offering by summer.

MULTICULTURAL
An Audit from AdAge: “Inside the multicultural marketing debate—how the ad world is clashing over culture.” Gilbert Dávila recalls the origins of multicultural marketing, which emerged about two decades ago as a more inclusive term compared to ethnic marketing. However, there's now a debate over its relevance, with some arguing that it may perpetuate exclusion rather than inclusion. While the term remains widely recognized, there's a push for alternatives like "cross-cultural" or "inclusive marketing." Agencies and brands are exploring these shifts in terminology to better reflect the evolving landscape of diverse audiences and cultural nuances, with some emphasizing the importance of cultural fluency and authenticity in marketing efforts. Additionally, there's a growing recognition of the need to empower diverse voices within the industry to ensure genuine representation and understanding.
 
KIDS AND TEENS
eMarketer offers: “Meta Fights Proposed Restrictions On Teens' Data.”  Meta Platforms argues that the Federal Trade Commission's attempt to modify its 2019 privacy settlement by prohibiting the monetization of teens' data is legally flawed. Meta contends that the FTC's proposed new terms would essentially amount to rewriting the settlement agreement, which is not permissible under the law. The original settlement, which followed allegations of data misuse involving Cambridge Analytica, required Meta to pay a fine, implement privacy oversight, and undergo independent assessment. Meta asserts that the alleged violations cited by the FTC are minor technical errors that were promptly addressed and disclosed, and they do not warrant reopening the settlement. Additionally, Meta argues that the FTC lacks the authority to unilaterally revise an agreement that was previously approved by a federal judge and entered into with Meta's consent.

UPFRONTS
AdAge wonders: “How cable TV will compete for ad dollars in a difficult upfront.”  The shifting landscape of media budgets, driven by the rise of streaming platforms like TikTok, poses challenges for traditional cable networks in securing upfront ad dollars. With a market predicted to remain sluggish, media buyers express reluctance to allocate significant budgets to cable TV, questioning its competitiveness against streaming and tech rivals. AMC Networks, A+E Networks, and Hallmark Media are each strategizing differently to navigate this evolving market, with approaches ranging from embracing programmatic sales and cross-platform solutions to reinforcing their appeal as a last bastion of cable TV. Despite the challenges, cable networks like Hallmark continue to find relevance by emphasizing their wholesome content and audience aggregation capabilities, albeit facing pressure from the incremental shift toward programmatic transactions.

CHANNEL INSIGHTS

TELEVISION
Also in AdAge: “Comscore and VideoAmp get JIC certification, while iSpot.tv will have to wait.”  The U.S. Joint Industry Committee has certified Comscore and VideoAmp as currencies for the upcoming upfront for advanced audiences and household measurement, with iSpot.tv awaiting full certification in the next cycle. However, both Comscore and VideoAmp need to enhance their person-level measurement capabilities to better count individuals and analyze viewing demographics. Nielsen, a key player, is currently focused on obtaining Media Rating Council accreditation for incorporating big data measurement from set-top boxes and smart TVs. The certification process involved extensive testing by JIC members to ensure data accuracy and suitability for cross-platform use, with ongoing evaluations planned for iSpot.tv's methodology updates. Comscore has recently improved its person-based measurement features, addressing feedback from the evaluation process.   

THE METAVERSE
The Drum offers this opinion: “Apple’s Vision Pro isn’t just a headset; it heralds a new era of spatial commerce.”  The fashion and luxury industries are embracing mixed-reality (MR) technologies, with Apple's Vision Pro leading the way as a mainstream market test for MR headsets. Over 600 curated apps have been released with the Vision Pro, offering new shopping experiences for brands like J. Crew and Mytheresa. Mytheresa, for example, offers customers virtual shopping experiences in photorealistic 3D environments like Paris at night or a beach in Capri, allowing for immersive interactions and purchases using eye and hand movements and Apple Pay. This transformative technology offers brands new revenue streams and cost-saving opportunities while revolutionizing the customer experience.

RETAIL MEDIA
Digiday finds: “'There’s not enough money to go around': Agency execs sound off on promises of burgeoning retail media landscape.”  The retail media network landscape is expanding rapidly, with major players like Walmart and Chase Bank entering the fray to leverage first-party data. Despite concerns about sustainability and competition diluting offerings, retail media is expected to comprise one-fifth of global digital ad spend this year, reaching $140 billion. Retailers are enhancing their media offerings to attract ad dollars, with initiatives like The Home Depot's InFronts event and Walmart's acquisition of Vizio for streaming capabilities. While Amazon remains dominant, competitors like Walmart and Target are gaining traction, leading to a more diverse distribution of ad spend.

CATEGORY INSIGHTS

BEAUTY AND PERSONAL CARE
Investopedia notes: “Ulta Beauty Warns of a Business Slowdown, and Stock Tanks.” Ulta Beauty warned it is seeing a slowdown in business in the first two months of its fiscal first quarter, and shares tumbled nearly 15% in intraday trading Wednesday. The beauty products retailer said if that slowdown continued, it expects current-quarter comparable store sales to be at the low end of its forecast. CEO Dave Kimbell explained the pullback was "across price points and segments."

DATA AND PRIVACY

eMarketer digs in: “CTV, identity consolidation, and more: Ad trends that cookie deprecation will—and won’t—change.”  Cookie deprecation is a significant change that will compel advertisers to adjust targeting strategies and measurement methods. While historical benchmarks lose relevance, advertisers are turning to first-party data from publishers and seeing a consolidation of identity providers. However, trends like the decline of open auctions in programmatic transactions and the rise of connected TV (CTV) in ad spend are expected to continue. CTV is predicted to claim a larger share of programmatic spend, reflecting consumer behavior shifts away from traditional devices like desktops and laptops.

Digiday excavates: “Four months in, here's the rundown of Google's Chrome cookie conundrum so far.” Google's efforts to manage tracking chaos in Chrome have led to only one percent of browser traffic being free from third-party cookies, prompting a mixed bag of reactions and uncertainties among advertisers and industry players. While this one percent marks progress after years of speculation, there are lingering questions about what it means and when the remaining 99% will follow suit. Google's promises and the scrutiny from regulators add layers of complexity to an already intricate situation, with the UK's Competitions and Markets Authority holding considerable influence over the fate of third-party cookies. Amidst ongoing tests and evaluations, concerns persist about the functionality of Google's Privacy Sandbox and its ability to replicate the capabilities of third-party cookies while addressing concerns about ad fraud and data breaches.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

AdAge explores: “AI washing—what it is and what the crackdown means for brands.” The prevalence of "AI washing" poses a significant risk for advertisers, as regulatory bodies crack down on exaggerated or false claims regarding AI technology. Recent fines from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission highlight the consequences of deceptive marketing practices in this realm. Companies in the advertising industry, including agencies and martech firms, are particularly susceptible to this scrutiny as they navigate the complexities of AI terminology and implementation. Clear communication and transparency about AI usage are crucial to avoid misleading consumers and potential legal repercussions, emphasizing the need for diligence and accountability in advertising practices.

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So I asked myself how we accounted for time in our measurement and evaluation of performance.

For years, I have been asked by colleagues, clients, and co-workers about the concept of wearout.  Having worked mainly in media rather than creative, I always found it more convenient to suggest that wearout was a creative concern and not a media concern, but I’ve browsed enough research and written enough decks to understand that it is a media problem as well.  The idea is that people just get tired of messages and they don’t resonate.  I’ve always thought wearout is a neat concept, but it allowed us to pick either media or creative as a scapegoat for underperformance. At least, the idea of exposure over time is built into the concept.

Then there’s the recency theory – the idea that it doesn’t matter how many times you see an ad, so long as you see it close to when you want to, or need to, make a purchase.  And, vast oversimplification aside, the concepts in “How Brands Grow” are a fleshing out of recency – the idea that continuity is important, brands with greater penetration have higher loyalty and that mental and physical availability are key to driving conversion.  Essentially, it’s recency theory writ large – making your brand available to people who are interested or invested in it whether on a shelf or on air.  Yes, it’s common sense, but it’s hard to execute at scale, especially across large portfolios or complex messaging and products.  There’s only so much money to spend on marketing and splitting it appropriately between both physical and advertising penetration might be asking too much. But again, time is a factor here. “When” is important in thinking about recency.

Finally, there’s MTA and MMM, continuously evolving to try and figure out how the right mix of spend across channels strategically and tactically to help brands achieve higher effectiveness and efficiency.  Advanced mathematical calculations that are backward-looking, frank assessments of all the factors that go into driving conversion are important and foundational measurement requirements.  Again, these are very useful tools for providing guidance and measurement, but they are not prescriptive, no matter how much we want them to be. They account for build and decay with time as an aspect, sure, but pacing, not so much yet.

But none of them have adequately captured for me the idea that advertising still takes time to work.  Yes, we are so much better at getting the right message to the right person at the right time in the right place, but that still may not be enough to seal the deal.  And with so much pressure on performance media to convert these days, and so much necessary investment in data to squeeze out more conversions, are we just simply training ourselves to go for the lowest-hanging fruit because it’s the cheapest?  It takes more time – and therefore more money – to look after all the apples on the tree, and I think that there is an expectation that more data is going to provide enough fertilizer to increase the harvest. When we spend and how much we spend is a budgeting exercise in making dollars last rather than attempting to speed consumers through the funnel, as it probably should be.

But cultivation is about more than the harvest, isn’t it?  We have to plant the seed, make sure the soil has enough nutrients, monitor the water and the sunlight, and wait for it to ripen.  I’m sure we’ll find some way to increase the speed at which consumers mature through the funnel, but I’m not sure that we’ve given ourselves enough data, tools, or machinery to think about the entire growing season and have just focused on the harvest for now. At some point, we have to start thinking about what data we use to account for growth and maturation in our measurement and how brand tracking and brand lift can become more actionable than static. Isn’t ROI really a measure of patience and persistence, not just tactical spending decisions, and how do we account for time when we’re optimizing towards specific actions more often than business and brand outcomes?

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Today’s Rabbit Hole

Baseball is back!   And with that comes bobbleheads.  The first bobbleheads were likely German toys in the late 1800’s.  Then, in the 1920’s the New York Knicks produced a basketball player head, the first known affiliation with sports.  It didn’t catch on again until the 1960s, when according to Bobbleheads.com, in 1960, Major League Baseball produced a series of papier-mache bobblehead dolls, for each baseball team, all with the same angel-like face. Player-specific dolls for Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Roger Maris, and Roberto Clemente, were produced for the first time and sold during the 1960 World Series.

Now, nearly every team produces some kind of bobblehead, and you can even visit the National Bobblehead Museum in Milwaukee.  Teams give away specialized bobbleheads like Mr. Met in a British Phone Booth to commemorate this year’s games in London between the Mets and Phillies.  The Boston Red Sox are giving away a bobblehead of one of their players, Triston Casas, doing yoga…because he does yoga. Last year in Kansas City there was a sasquatch that -- quietly, blink-and-you-miss-him, -- would roam around the left-field stands after the Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino homered. It was a nod to Pasquantino’s “Pasquatch” nickname, so this year on June 1, there’s a bobblehead for that.

All kinds of teams do all kinds of bobbleheads, but sometimes…things happen.  You guessed it! Bobblhead Heist!

Just a few weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL had scheduled a bobblehead giveaway of team legend Jaromir Jagr, who had just had his jersey retired by the team. But the merchandise never showed up.  19,000 toys that had been scheduled for delivery were stolen!  Fans attending the game were given vouchers to redeem once they had been re-made, but who steals a truck load of collectible Bobbleheads?

Even crazier?  Apparently a “Special Cargo Recovery Team” tracked down the stolen shipment.  The Penguins website details how fans can redeem their vouchers after the team “negotiated the return” of the lucre to a “secure warehouse” in Ontario, California. How can I get that job?

I can’t wait for Stephen Soderberg to make this movie as the latest adventure of Ocean’s 11.

Industry News Roundup

And now to the news of the week.  Below you’ll find a few stories that came into my inbox that caught my eye over the last week.  In full disclosure, I use ChatGPT to help me summarize articles and have included a link to the article in every headline so you can click through and see the original articles.  Some articles may require a subscription.

KEY ISSUES AND TRENDS

MEDIA CONSUMPTION
New from GWI: “The global media landscape.” Despite the ever-changing media landscape, broadcast TV still commands the greatest share of total TV time and is a trusted advertising channel for reaching certain audiences. Social media platforms, particularly short-form video content, are increasingly being used for entertainment and driving powerful brand engagement. AI chatbots like ChatGPT are quickly becoming one of the top ways Gen Z searches for information online, highlighting the importance for brands to future-proof their strategies by investing in AI. Brands don't need to be on every media channel to be effective, as there is significant overlap in usage across channels; instead, they should select a mix of platforms based on their specific goals, such as raising brand awareness or driving conversions.

In eMarketer: “Where and how Gen Alpha consumes content: From YouTube to Netflix to Roblox.” Gen Alpha, the digitally native generation born between the early 2010s and 2024, is heavily engaged in media consumption, with YouTube being a primary platform. Despite restrictions on platforms like TikTok, kids under 12 are active consumers of linear TV and podcasts, alongside digital video content. While YouTube dominates, other platforms like Netflix and Disney+ also hold significant sway. Gaming, particularly titles like Minecraft and Roblox, is another major area of engagement for Gen Alpha, with a notable portion having access to VR headsets.

MediaPost reports: “CTV Ad Frequency Soars 80% In 2 Years” Innovid's analysis reveals a significant increase in connected TV (CTV) advertising frequency, rising by 80% over the past two years to an average of 7.42 messages per household in 2023. Campaigns with higher impressions tend to have a greater ad frequency, with those surpassing 200 million impressions reaching an average of 12.14 messages. However, striking a balance between multiple ad views and avoiding consumer irritation remains a challenge for brands. Despite this, advancements in technology offer better frequency controls, particularly with the transition to a fully digital TV era. Home and garden advertisers lead in frequency, while pharmaceuticals exhibit the lowest rates. Consumer packaged goods campaigns boast the highest average reach, followed by technology and services, with CTV comprising a majority of impressions delivered by Innovid's ad server in 2023.

ADVERTISING SPENDING
Inside Radio notes: “U.S. Ad Spend Up For An 11th Consecutive Month, With First Double-Digit Gain Since 2022.” In February 2024, U.S. ad spending continued its upward trajectory with a growth rate of 10.4%, doubling that of January's increase, according to Guideline's Ad Market Tracker powered by Standard Media Index. This marks the 11th consecutive month of year-over-year growth, with digital media's share increasing to 65% while traditional media's share decreased to 35%. The surge in ad spending, particularly in product categories outside the top 10, suggests ongoing growth for the industry, driven by factors like political advertising and major events such as the Paris Summer Olympics.

Digiday notes: “Agency spending on TikTok sees a sharp decline.” Agency spending on TikTok has sharply declined in recent months, with just over half of agencies actively using the platform for their clients, according to a survey by Digiday. While engagement is the primary measure of success, commerce and sales metrics are also significant. However, agencies remain hesitant about TikTok's effectiveness in driving conversions and branding compared to other social channels like Instagram and Facebook. Only a small percentage of agencies believe TikTok is the best platform for either conversions or branding, indicating a lack of confidence in its marketing potential among agency professionals.

Morning Brew finds: “X ad costs and engagement continue to fall, per report.” Ad prices on X have experienced a significant decline, with cost per impressions (CPMs) dropping by 38% compared to the previous year, according to a report by Tracer. Click-through rates (CTR) on the platform also fell by 54% over the same period, suggesting a decrease in demand. In contrast, Pinterest saw a notable increase in CTR, soaring by 426%, likely due to new advertising inventory. Google's Performance Max tool witnessed a significant CPM increase of 261%, possibly driven by advertisers' increased adoption of its AI-powered technology. Despite fluctuations in ad platform performance, overall advertising spending in the US is predicted to grow by 5.6% this year, according to advertising analyst Brian Wieser.

MULTICULTURAL
From Yahoo! News: “The Biden administration revises race and ethnicity categories for the census. Here's what that means.” The U.S. government announced revisions to its race and ethnicity categories, including adding "Middle Eastern or North African" and consolidating "Hispanic or Latino" into a single category with subcategories. These changes aim to better reflect the country's diverse population and improve data collection across federal agencies. Federal surveys like the census will now offer seven updated categories, allowing respondents to select more than one option. While some groups expressed concerns, such as Afro-Latinos feeling their experiences may be overlooked, others welcomed the updates for providing more accurate representation, like individuals from Middle Eastern or North African backgrounds.

UPFRONTS
Digiday forecasts: “Ad buyers, sellers ‘don’t anticipate a major currency shift’ in this year’s upfront.” This year was anticipated to mark a significant shift in TV ad measurement currency, yet with upfront negotiations looming, stakeholders doubt a major transition will occur. Delays in Nielsen's legacy system phase-out and uncertainties about newer measurement providers hinder the currency transition. Despite advancements in methodologies, including Nielsen's big data testing and VideoAmp's updates, concerns persist about the reliability and readiness of alternative measurements for negotiation purposes. The landscape remains dynamic, with Nielsen, VideoAmp, Comscore, and iSpot.tv vying for prominence, reflecting ongoing flux in TV measurement practices.

CHANNEL INSIGHTS

CONNECTED TELEVISION
In NextTV: “Fast-Growing YouTube TV Seen Breaking Even In 2024.” YouTube TV is projected to achieve profitability for the first time in 2024, with an estimated operating income of $200 million, according to analyst Michael Nathanson. Despite a loss of $300 million in 2023, Nathanson foresees a steady rise in net income, reaching $600 million by 2026. With 8 million subscribers reported in February, YouTube TV is positioned as the third-largest pay-TV distributor, following major cable companies. Nathanson anticipates continued subscriber growth, forecasting 12 million subscribers by 2026, generating nearly $11 billion in revenues. Despite facing pressure from traditional pay-TV providers, YouTube TV's rapid expansion suggests it may become the largest pay-TV provider in the U.S., signaling its increasing importance in the linear TV ecosystem.

STREAMING VIDEO
In AdAge: “Why streaming TV’s future will depend on marketing strategies.”  The entertainment landscape, once dominated by culturally defining brands, now faces confusion and fragmentation due to binge-watching and the proliferation of streaming apps. Network groups struggle to establish stable audiences for their streamers amid this chaos, often neglecting branding in the race for subscribers. However, investment in branding could align consumer wants with investor needs, with Netflix standing out as a success story due to its original content. Streamers must transition from mere awareness-building to fostering relationships and loyalty with consumers to thrive in the evolving media landscape.

SOCIAL MEDIA
AdAge wonders: “TikTok ban threat—what Gen Z, millennials, Gen X and boomers really think of the app.” Gen Z shows strong support for TikTok, with 64% of adult-age Gen Zers using the platform daily, contrasting sharply with lower usage among older generations. Additionally, 57% of 18-to-24-year-olds opposed a bill that could ban TikTok, highlighting their dedication to the app. Despite widespread support for the bill among other age groups, the findings underline the generational divide regarding TikTok's future. Brands increasingly rely on TikTok to reach younger consumers, and the app's influence extends to e-commerce with a significant portion of Gen Z shopping through TikTok Shop. However, concerns persist, with many respondents viewing TikTok as a national security threat due to its ownership, even as Gen Zers tend to trust information on the platform more than on other social media sites. The Ad Age-Harris Poll reveals varying platform usage across generations, with YouTube and TikTok topping the list for daily visits among Gen Z.

THE METAVERSE
AdAge shares: “Marketing VR—3 virtual reality trends brands should know about as it gains popularity.” Virtual reality (VR) technology is gaining traction, evidenced by Apple's recent launch of its Vision Pro headset, marking a significant milestone. The VR market, valued at over $67 billion, is projected to triple in the next five years, indicating substantial growth potential. While only 18% of Americans currently use VR, a majority are either interested or have yet to try it, with positive experiences reported by users. Marketers should note demographic disparities in VR usage, with men and younger generations showing higher adoption rates. Additionally, understanding consumer preferences for gaming, immersive content, and travel experiences can inform VR content development and adoption strategies. However, price remains a significant barrier to widespread VR adoption, emphasizing the need for affordable solutions to drive market growth.

RETAIL MEDIA
Marketing Dive explores: “How Home Depot is renovating its retail media network to reach more advertisers.” Retail media is set to become a focal point in advertising for 2024, with projections indicating a 30% growth in ad spending and a significant share of digital advertising in the U.S. The Home Depot recently hosted its inaugural InFronts event, aiming to provide insights and strategies to its suppliers through beta tests of its offerings with non-endemic brands. Renaming its Retail Media+ offering as Orange Apron Media, Home Depot seeks to differentiate itself in the retail media landscape by emphasizing supplier experience and technological capabilities, while also forging partnerships with Univision to reach diverse consumer segments. Beta tests with non-endemic brands like financial services and insurance indicate potential expansion beyond the home improvement sector.

Digiday reports: “Why Georgia-Pacific consolidated most retail media spending with seven networks after testing over 25 options.” The growth of retail media networks continues amid the demise of third-party cookies, leading marketers to test various networks like Amazon Advertising and Walmart Connect. Georgia-Pacific, for example, has consolidated its retail media spending with seven networks after vetting nearly 40 options over two years. Marketers emphasize the importance of data quality, transparency, and incrementality in selecting networks, especially as the shift towards first-party data strategies accelerates in the face of the cookie-less future. While Georgia-Pacific's approach may not be replicable for smaller brands, adapting strategies for the cookie-less era is imperative for all marketers.

CATEGORY INSIGHTS

SPORTS
In NextTV: “The Opening Day Carriage Bonanza Continues: Hulu + Live TV Adds MLB Network.” Hulu + Live TV has expanded its sports programming by adding MLB Network to its channel lineup, coinciding with Major League Baseball's Opening Day, providing subscribers access to over 100 nationally televised MLB games along with preview and post-game shows starting Thursday, complementing the platform's existing coverage from FOX, Turner Sports, and ESPN. This announcement aligns with the kickoff of the 2024 MLB season for most teams. Additionally, Fubo announced a new carriage deal with the Yes Network, while MLB introduced local TV access for Colorado Rockies games via DTC streaming and established linear channels locally with Charter Communications, Comcast, DirecTV, and Fubo after the team was removed from the RSN system following the closure of AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain by Warner Bros. Discovery last fall.

AdAge rounds up: “Inside the rise of agencies dedicated to women’s sports marketing.” GroupM, among other agencies, is launching dedicated divisions for women's sports, responding to increased interest and investment in this sector. Brands are recognizing the potential of women's sports and seeking specialized expertise to navigate challenges in advertising effectively within this space. Despite systemic challenges like limited inventory and confusing deal structures, agencies like Rain the Growth Agency and Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment are aiming to provide comprehensive solutions for brands looking to capitalize on the momentum in women's sports. As brands flock to invest in this space, agencies pioneering these divisions stand to establish themselves as leaders in a rapidly growing market.

AUTOMOTIVE
The Wall Street Journal Shares: “Tesla Dives Into Advertising After Years of Resistance.”  Tesla, traditionally averse to advertising, has recently increased spending on various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and its CEO Elon Musk's X, promoting the Model Y as "the #1 most American-made car." This shift contrasts with Musk's past stance on advertising, previously stating it unnecessary if Tesla's product was good enough. The majority of Tesla's ad spending has gone to YouTube, with recent expansions into Google search ads and Meta's platforms, signaling a potential shift in marketing strategy to appeal to mass-market consumers as Tesla faces increased competition in the electric vehicle market.

DATA AND PRIVACY

AdWeek says: “The CMA Is Prepared to Delay Google's Cookie Deprecation Plans.” The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) may extend the deadline on cookie deprecation if Google Chrome fails to address its concerns, potentially delaying implementation. The CMA plans to start a formal review of Google's plan once a 60-day standstill period is triggered, during which it will work to resolve objections. Concerns revolve around Google's potential market dominance through privacy sandbox replacements and user privacy control. The CMA's stance reflects industry anxieties over cookie deprecation and the need for rigorous evaluation of Google's proposals.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Reuters reports: “US requiring new AI safeguards for government use, transparency.” The White House has mandated federal agencies to implement concrete safeguards by December 1 to protect Americans' rights and ensure safety as AI use expands across government functions. These safeguards include monitoring, assessing, and testing AI impacts, mitigating risks of algorithmic discrimination, and providing transparency into AI usage. Agencies must conduct risk assessments, set operational metrics, and ensure public disclosure of AI usage details. President Biden's executive order in October emphasized sharing AI safety test results before public release. Additionally, safeguards ensure air travelers can opt out of facial recognition screening and mandate human oversight in federal healthcare AI applications. The administration plans to hire 100 AI professionals and require agencies to designate chief AI officers to promote safe AI use.