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Martech Stack Overhauls & Retail Budget Surge Drive Sept 24 AdTech Agenda

AI
Sep 23 — Sep 24, 2026

Major brands are ditching legacy martech for 1:1 personalization capabilities while retailers boost holiday budgets, even as publishers openly question whether personalization investments actually deliver ROI. Meanwhile, new entrants like McDonald's and Citi are launching ad networks, signaling continued platform diversification.

Category Spotlights

Catalyst Brands' migration off legacy stacks and Liquibase's Snowflake integration highlight the ongoing modernization wave, though publisher skepticism about personalization payoff suggests ROI validation remains a critical gap.

Mentioned:Catalyst BrandsLiquibaseSnowflake

McDonald's media network launch and Citi's purchase-based ad targeting expand the ad ecosystem beyond traditional players, while over half of retail marketers increase holiday budgets—signaling confidence despite broader economic headwinds.

Mentioned:McDonald'sCitiRetail Marketers