News

Salesforce Teams Up with MrBeast to Give Away $1 Million at Super Bowl 60

Salesforce partnered with MrBeast for a game of puzzles with the prize being a million dollars.

Omnicom Completes $13.25 Billion Acquisition of Interpublic Group

Omnicom Group has finalized its acquisition of Interpublic Group in a $13.25 billion all-stock transaction, creating the world's largest advertising holding company. The combined entity will have approximately $25 billion in annual revenue and enhanced capabilities in digital advertising, data analytics, and programmatic media buying.

Adobe Announces Real-Time CDP Integration with Major Retail Media Networks

Adobe has unveiled integrations connecting its Real-Time Customer Data Platform with retail media networks including Kroger Precision Marketing, CVS Media Exchange, and Albertsons Media Collective. The integrations enable brands to activate first-party data across retail media environments with improved targeting and measurement capabilities.

China's ByteDance Launches Global Ad Exchange Competing with Google and Amazon

ByteDance has launched a global programmatic advertising exchange through its Pangle platform, offering advertisers access to inventory beyond TikTok including third-party apps and websites. The move positions ByteDance as a direct competitor to Google's Ad Manager and Amazon's advertising infrastructure in the open web advertising market.

Australian Competition Regulator Mandates Ad Tech Transparency Requirements

Australia's ACCC has introduced mandatory transparency requirements for ad tech intermediaries, requiring disclosure of all fees, take rates, and algorithmic decision-making processes. The regulations also mandate independent audits of ad tech supply chains and give publishers access to detailed reporting on how their inventory is monetized.

Creatives React: Dunkin’ Bets Big on Nostalgia, Not Meaning

Dunkin’s Super Bowl spot rejected the night’s earnest tone in favor of a loud, nostalgia-soaked sitcom parody—prompting creatives to debate whether its maximalist celebrity overload was a smart swing or too much indulgence.

Perplexity AI Launches Advertising Platform with First Brand Partners

Perplexity AI announced the launch of its advertising platform, introducing sponsored follow-up questions and paid media placements within its AI-powered search interface. Initial brand partners include Indeed, Whole Foods, Universal McCann, and PMG, marking a significant entry of AI search engines into the advertising marketplace.

Australian Competition Regulator Files Lawsuit Against Meta Over Fraudulent Ads

Australia's competition regulator filed legal action against Meta, alleging the company failed to prevent scam advertisements featuring fake celebrity endorsements from appearing on Facebook and Instagram. The lawsuit seeks penalties and injunctions requiring Meta to implement stronger ad verification systems.

Reddit Reports Q4 2024 Revenue Up 68% to $385M, Driven by Ad Platform Improvements

Reddit reported fourth-quarter revenue of $385 million, up 68% year-over-year, driven by significant improvements to its advertising platform and machine learning-based ad targeting. The company highlighted growth in its self-serve ad platform and expansion of advertiser demand across multiple verticals.

FCC Proposes New Rules Requiring Disclosure of AI-Generated Content in Political Ads

The Federal Communications Commission proposed new regulations that would require political advertisers to disclose when campaign ads contain AI-generated content, including synthetic voices, deepfakes, or algorithmically created imagery. The rules would apply to broadcast, cable, and satellite providers, with potential implications for digital platforms.

Super Bowl Hot Take: Microsoft Shows Copilot’s Power, But Not Its Personality

Microsoft zooms in on technical use cases for Copilot, but misses the opportunity to define its brand in more grounded terms.

Yahoo Acquires Artifact News App, Plans Integration with Ad Platform

Yahoo announced the acquisition of Artifact, the AI-powered news aggregation app founded by Instagram co-founders, for an undisclosed sum. Yahoo plans to integrate Artifact's personalization technology into its content platforms and leverage the app's engagement data to enhance ad targeting capabilities.

Super Bowl Hot Take: Salesforce Turns the Game Night Into a MrBeast Game Show

The enterprise giant turned its Big Game spot into a $1 million puzzle, betting on participation.

Red Bull Features Flirtatious Dogs In Super Bowl Ad

Red Bull sticks to its signature playful animation style during the biggest ad event of the year.

TikTok Introduces First-Party Data Clean Room for Advertisers

TikTok launched a privacy-preserving data clean room allowing advertisers to match their first-party data with TikTok's user data for measurement and targeting. The tool addresses privacy concerns while enabling more sophisticated campaign optimization.

GroupM Forecasts Global Ad Spend to Reach $1.1 Trillion in 2025

GroupM released its latest advertising expenditure forecast predicting global ad spend will reach $1.1 trillion in 2025, with digital advertising accounting for 72% of total spend. Retail media is expected to grow 25% while traditional media continues to decline.

European Commission Proposes New Rules for Targeted Advertising Transparency

The European Commission unveiled draft legislation requiring platforms to provide users with detailed information about how their data is used for ad targeting. The proposal includes mandatory disclosures about data brokers and real-time bidding practices.

Publicis Groupe Acquires Influential for $500 Million to Bolster Influencer Marketing

Publicis Groupe announced the acquisition of Influential, one of the largest influencer marketing platforms, for approximately $500 million. The deal strengthens Publicis's data-driven marketing capabilities and adds AI-powered influencer matching technology to its portfolio.

SB2026 - Final - DraftKings - Live-ish Super Bowl LX - 30s

Post-Taylor Swift Effect, Most Super Bowl Ads Still Don’t Pass the Bechdel Test

Years before Taylor Swift attended that first storied NFL game in Kansas City in 2023, female viewership of the game was growing. But despite the uptick in female fandom and […]

Boehringer Ingelheim Uses the Super Bowl to Boost Public Health Awareness

Boehringer Ingleheim's Super Bowl ad targets Americans living with high blood pressure and diabetes.

Creatives React: Adrien Brody’s TurboTax Ad Gets Five Stars from Industry Insiders

Advertising creatives praised TurboTax's casting of Adrien Brody and the delivery of the brand's core message.

Super Bowl LX Live Blog

Follow ADWEEK’s Super Bowl live blog for play-by-play takes on every commercial. From winners, whiffs, surprises, and the business moves behind them.

‘Trump Accounts’ Super Bowl Spot Anchors a High-Profile Policy Push

The pregame ad, paid for by advocacy group Invest America, is part of a broader campaign to drive awareness for the new child investment program.