News

Brands Working '9 To 5' For Dolly Day

American Eagle is celebrating "Give Like Dolly Day," created by the Dollywood Foundation. The retailer will donate all proceeds from two products to The Dollywood Foundation.

Data Proves Converse Should Have Known Better

Marketing discipline and common sense both failed the cratering Nike brand. When does neglect turn into marketing malpractice?

Morningstar 'Game On' Ad Navigates Blurred Lines

The campaign, which launched last week and will run into 2027, is intended to help investors see the value in the company's data, research, ratings, benchmarks and other tools.

Consumers Use AI Agents To Deal With Customer Service AI Agents

Businesses using AI agents for customer service are getting a taste of their own medicine, Business Insider reports. Consumers are increasingly using AI Agents to call customer-service lines, wait on hold, negotiate bills or cancel subscriptions. These AI calls represent a small share of total volume, but banks, insurers, retailers and outsourcing firms are bracing themselves for greater growth.

AI Is Presenting A New Model For Ad Infrastructure

Artificial intelligence has expanded beyond individual outputs to running entire processes,  Alex Vasekin, CEO of Adtech holding, writes in TechHQ. That includes launching and managing campaigns, adjusting bids and overseeing analytics, traffic quality and fraud prevention. “What’s emerging isn’t a random collection of AI features but rather a whole new model for how advertising infrastructure works,” Vasekin says.

People Inc. Retracts Proposal To Buy MGM's Remaining Shares

Barry Diller's People Inc. has withdrawn its bid to buy all public shares of MGM Resorts International, sending MGM’s shares tumbling by 8%. Reuters reports. People, the owner of a 27% stake, offered to purchase the remaining shares, worth more than $18 billion, in June. "We didn't feel the mix was coming together in the way we had hoped and have decided not to pursue taking the company private at this time," Diller commented. But People is interested in pursuing a strategic transaction with MGM.

RedBird Capital Partners To Acquire Puck

Investment firm RedBird Capital Partners is acquiring Puck, the five year-old media startup that is valued at $250 million, Variety reports. Redbird is a backer of other media properties, including Paramount Skydance and its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. It could be awkward for Puck, which has been covering Paramount and the merger. But CEO Sarah Personette and Jon Kelly, co-founder and editor in chief, said in a memo to the staff that the merger “does not change our editorial independence, our differentiated business model, or the things that make Puck, Puck.” The deal will close in about a month pending regulatory approval.

Google Launches Conversational Avatar

The "live avatar" feature in the model creates an experience that listens, sees and speaks with a dynamic visual persona, with the goal to give companies "distinct visual identities to fit their brand," Google wrote in a blog post.

Musing About Meta AI

Recent technology shows how Meta Platforms is moving toward search and transactions for brands rather than selling traditional advertising, and monetizing it through Muse, its AI agent.

Local News Watched By Just 10% Of Young Adults, Study Finds

Only 10% of people ages 18-24 watched any local news content within a given week, according to research from a survey commissioned by Ring Digital. This further emphasizes a trend of young media consumers moving to digital media platforms.

Peacock Doc Shocker: O.J. Had An Accomplice!

The idea that there was an accomplice in the Simpson murders stems from the odd memoir Simpson wrote in 2007 - 'If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer.'

'The New York Times' Celebrates History Of Classic Ads

The advertising often foreshadows significant cultural moments.

HBO Max + Paramount+: What Will The Combo Really Become?

Merging the two companies' streaming platforms into one to get greater scale may be challenging. How will consumers judge this possible streaming combination?

AAF Honors Comedian Minhaj With Cultural Force Award

The award honors a public figure outside the industry whose work has shaped how brands advertise, market, and reach new audiences.

As Price Of Fun Rises, Advertisers Are Advised To Follow The Money

Leisure behavior can reveal to marketers not only what consumers buy but where they spend their attention.

Out Of The Frying Pan, Into The Opaque Margin Fire

The agency timesheet is finally dead. What comes in its place are contracts rooted in outcomes incentivizing the quality of results, not hours burned. Before you celebrate, the reality is agencies are evolving their SOW components to avoid losing margin.

Microsoft Adds Agentic Capabilities, Challenges Meta

A redesigned Copilot app, announced Friday, shifts from a standard chatbot to autonomous agent that pulls the entire strategy, budgeting and planning process into one.

Court Should Reject Texas Push To Revive 'Harmful' Content Law, Tech Groups Say

The 5th Circuit should leave in place its prior decision blocking a Texas law that requires social platforms to screen out "harmful" content to minors, the tech groups Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice argued in papers filed Thursday.

Meta To Launch VR Glasses Amid Wearables Backlash

As lawsuits and privacy concerns plague its wearables business, Meta plans to launch a new pair of AI-powered virtual-reality glasses designed to rival similar products from competitors like Apple.

Ad Age CMO Roundtable to tackle how marketing teams can adapt to what they can’t predict

An invite-only, off-the-record Ad Age CMO Roundtable connects senior marketers to share strategies for adaptable teams, hiring models and AI-era resilience.

Watch the newest commercials from JCPenney, Hulu, Meta and more

JCPenney tells the story of a teacher, Coach EJ, who scored a deal on an outfit from the department store chain.

Havas - The pivot point for wellness brands

Ad Age CMO Roundtable

Join Ad Age for a breakfast of conversation among CMOs and senior marketing leaders about building teams that can adapt to what comes next.

Move Over, Taylor Swift. The Brands Are About to Spice Up the VMAs

The 2026 VMAs will have Bacardi, Spotify, and Dunkin' creating moments you donut want to miss.