News

Marketing winners and losers of the week

Le Labo strikes deal with Equinox and Nike tops 'cool' list—plus, Meta Ray-Ban glasses targeted in user privacy investigation

Agency Brief—Gartner warns on agency AI, Geico CMO signals no pitch

This week, we’re digging into Gartner’s new warning on agencies’ AI platforms, plus Geico’s chief marketing officer provides an update on agency relationships.

AI ad of the week: ‘Energym’ is humanity’s dystopian fate in the age of artificial intelligence

A fake ad ponders a future in which human gym rats power AI and serve their tech bro overlords.

How to police your media agency’s spending—4 tactics marketers are using

A renewed focus on media transparency has increased the need for brands to check their agency partners.

Agencies’ new business playbook—tips for winning reviews in 2026

Actionable plays to win 2026 reviews: lead with social-first ideas, monetize AI integration, answer transparency on principal media buying and prove full-funnel impact.

How to keep fighting in advertising’s new era of disempowerment

We may have lost decades of progress in the industry, but there is still a path forward.

Ads of the Week: 13 Campaigns That Caught Our Eye, From NPR to Mr. Clean

NPR, Mr. Clean, Heineken, Brooks Brothers, and more are behind the week's most notable ads.

Dame Annette King, Pioneering Ad Executive, Dies at 57

Tributes ring out for ‘irrefutable giant,’ who held leadership roles at Accenture Song, Publicis, and Ogilvy.

Rude Health reviews creative account

The brand has previously worked with Who Wot Why and BMB.

The Future of Marketing Briefing: Epsilon’s quiet bet against the LLM goldrush

In advertising’s AI race, Epsilon says the winners won’t pick one mode. They’ll orchestrate many.

Why a Gen Alpha–focused skin-care brand is giving equity to teen creators

Brands are looking for new ways to build relationships that last, and go deeper than a hashtag-sponsored post.

‘Nobody’s asking the question’: WPP’s biggest restructure in years means nothing until CMOs say it does

WPP declared itself transformed. CMOs will decide if that’s true.

As brands respond to AI search, walls crumble between paid and organic

Agencies are knitting SEO and PPC teams closer together as they adapt to the new rules of search that are driven by the use of generative AI.

The Rundown: Ad tech’s performance in 2025 was overshadowed by AI concerns and Big Tech

Despite revenue increases, the markets were brutal but reports over talks with OpenAI proved later upside.

Skate Where The Puck Is Going; Malware, Malware, Everywhere

The NHL develops new revenue streams; malware makes its way into the programmatic ecosystem; and Target plans to open 30 new locations this year, along with revamping existing ones. The post Skate Where The Puck Is Going; Malware, Malware, Everywhere appeared first on AdExchanger.

Comic: CTV Tracking

Enjoy this weekly comic strip from AdExchanger.com that highlights the digital advertising ecosystem …  The post Comic: CTV Tracking appeared first on AdExchanger.

Inside Life360’s Plan To Build An Ad Platform On Top Of Nativo

Family-safety app Life360 has been quietly building an ad tech stack. Last year, it made two acquisitions: Fantix’s advertising unit in February, then publisher-focused ad platform Nativo in November for $120 million. Fantix, an AI platform for privacy-safe targeting and measurement, helped Life360 take its first steps into advertising. Life360 is applying the tech to understand […] The post Inside Life360’s Plan To Build An Ad Platform On Top Of Nativo appeared first on AdExchanger.

Paramount Skydance Is Trying To Buy WBD. Now What?

Late last week, Netflix walked away from plans to acquire Warner Bros., clearing the way for Paramount Skydance to scoop up the whole company with its hostile takeover bid. But if his merger really does happen, what would it mean on a practical level for the TV advertising industry writ large? The post Paramount Skydance Is Trying To Buy WBD. Now What? appeared first on AdExchanger.

NanoClaw Creator Loses SEO Battle To Impostor Website via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

NanoClaw's creator says Google ranks a fake website above his project's real site despite 18K GitHub stars, press coverage, and structured data setup. The post NanoClaw Creator Loses SEO Battle To Impostor Website appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

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The X’s and O’s of Advertising During the Big Game

Industry leaders talk about why the Super Bowl is still the ultimate advertising stage, even though strategies are changing.

ADWEEK Commerce Advantage: Amazon and Walmart at the Top, While the Rest Battle for Scraps

The bigger are getting bigger in advertising and technology.

Exclusive: Beehiiv Taps Former Calendly Exec as Its First CMO

Darren Chait, who built and sold Hugo to Calendly, joins the newsletter platform as it eyes $50M in revenue and a broader identity.

What SMEC’s Data Reveals About AI Max Performance via @sejournal, @brookeosmundson

New SMEC study analyzes AI Max in Google Ads Search campaigns, showing a 13% conversion value lift but higher CPA and unpredictable ROAS results. The post What SMEC’s Data Reveals About AI Max Performance appeared first on Search Engine Journal.