Today's Advertising Pulse
X’s ad revenue plummets to $2.3 bn, far below Twitter’s peak
X reported advertising revenue of $2.3 bn in 2023 and projects $1.7 bn for 2024 and $1.8 bn for 2025, a sharp decline from the $4.7 bn generated in Twitter’s final public year. Its share of the U.S. digital‑ad market slipped to roughly 1% in Q1 2026, down from a near‑10% peak in 2016, and former NBCUniversal sales chief Linda Yaccarino exited the CEO role in July 2025 after modest performance.
Lamar Launches $2M Ronald McDonald House DOOH Partnership
Lamar Advertising has pledged more than $2 million in donated digital out‑of‑home (DOOH) inventory for a year‑long partnership with Ronald McDonald House, launching on May 15 for International Family Day. The initiative will run across Lamar’s 5,500 digital billboards nationwide, aiming to raise awareness, recruit volunteers, and boost donor contributions. Lamar’s digital screens now account for roughly one‑third of its OOH revenue, reflecting the growing demand for flexible, programmatic media. The partnership continues Lamar’s annual in‑kind media collaborations with leading nonprofits.
Influencer Marketing Spend Nears Tipping Point, Creators Brace
The way advertisers spend money on influencer marketing is heading toward a tipping point. @dwhate & I break down what it means for creators: https://t.co/Iq6mouafEU
Comparative Advertising: How To Use Comparative Ads
Comparative advertising lets brands pit their products against rivals, highlighting differences in features, price, or performance to accelerate purchase decisions. When executed well—such as Dixie’s side‑by‑side plate test, Apple’s “Get a Mac” campaign (which drove about a 39 % sales lift),...
Nostalgic for Transparent Website Traffic Sources
I miss the days when you could see where your website traffic came from... https://t.co/jr9lsumvYk
The Influencers That Make Men Shop for Beauty
Male beauty consumption is accelerating as Gen‑Z influencers like TikTok star Bach Buquen and Dwayne Johnson’s Papatui brand normalize makeup and premium skincare for men. Wellness clubs such as Remedy Place are rebranding spa experiences to attract male members, while...
Anchor ‘Absolutely Buttered’ for Havas London Ad Debut
Anchor, the butter brand owned by Arla Foods, has unveiled a new brand platform titled “Let’s Get Absolutely Buttered,” rolled out by its creative partner Havas London. The launch centers on a 30‑second film that humorously depicts a woman oblivious...
TripleLift Names Timothy Jasionowski CPTO, Adds Benjamin Felix as CMO to Push Unified Ad Tech
TripleLift announced the appointment of Timothy Jasionowski as Chief Product and Technology Officer and Benjamin Felix as Chief Marketing Officer. The hires are intended to accelerate the company’s TL Spark platform and deliver a more integrated advertising stack across the open...
Blue Bite’s Matthew Shay on Connecting Real-World Signals to Digital Engagement: A Demand Gen Report Q&A
Blue Bite’s Director of Media Matthew Shay explains that B2B buyers now interact across a web of channels, devices, and real‑world moments before speaking with sales, forcing marketers to adopt contextual, connected, and measurable omnichannel strategies. He highlights the company’s...
IAB Tech Lab Seeks Public Comment On Standardized Signals For CTV Ad Portfolio
IAB Tech Lab has updated its technical specifications to create a standardized signaling framework for the Connected TV (CTV) Ad Portfolio, covering emerging formats such as Pause, Menu, Overlay, and Squeeze Back ads. The proposal, developed with industry working groups,...
OpenAI Opens ChatGPT Ads Manager to U.S. Advertisers, Drops $50K Minimum Spend
OpenAI has launched a beta self‑serve Ads Manager for ChatGPT in the United States, removing the $50,000 minimum spend and introducing cost‑per‑click bidding, a conversion pixel and a conversions API. The company also signaled that third‑party measurement and cost‑per‑action bidding...
Advertisers Spent $1 Billion on Criteo in Q1, Up 8% Year-Over-Year
Criteo processed $1 billion in media spend during Q1 2026, marking an 8% year‑over‑year increase and the first time the company crossed the billion‑dollar threshold. Despite the higher spend, total revenue fell 9% to $425 million, reflecting a broader decline in its core...
When Digital’s Trackability Breaks Down, Radio Has an Opening
A tech‑savvy client shifted Q1 spend from digital to radio after confronting rising Google Ads costs and opaque attribution. The digital model’s auction‑driven pricing forced higher bids merely to maintain market share, while multi‑channel data became fragmented and unreliable. In...
Podcasting Has Already Overtaken TV. Here’s the Proof
The 2026 UK Advertising Landscape Study, funded by Sounds Profitable with a multi‑million‑pound (≈$2.5 million) investment, reveals that podcasting now reaches more 18‑34‑year‑olds (60%) than broadcast TV (57%). While TV still dominates older viewers, podcast reach among 35‑54‑year‑olds is strong, with...
The ‘Hair-On-Your-Pillow’ Theory of Contextual Advertising
Shirley Marschall’s column revisits contextual advertising, arguing that the same ad can feel premium in one setting and intrusive in another, much like a stray hair on a pillow. The piece traces how contextual buying fell out of favor as...
It’s Time To Stop Letting Platforms Grade Their Own Ad Fraud Homework
Ad fraud has become a multi‑billion‑dollar problem, with scammers exploiting automated bots to flood platforms with fake engagement. Meta disclosed that roughly 10% of its 2024 revenue stems from scams and banned goods, and its internal data suggest 15 billion scam...
VIOOH Partners with Abode Media to Expand Programmatic DOOH Footprint
VIOOH, a leading global digital out‑of‑home supply‑side platform, announced a programmatic partnership with Abode Media, the UK’s premium residential DOOH network. The collaboration adds more than 250 screens across 230 high‑value residential buildings in London, Manchester and Birmingham, delivering over...
AB InBev Wins Cannes Lions Creative Marketer of the Year for a Historic Third Time
AB InBev became the first company to win Cannes Lions Creative Marketer of the Year three times, adding to titles earned in 2022 and 2023. The brewer captured 37 Lions in 2025 across 10 countries and 15 categories, including a...
The Hidden Tax of Broken Ad Attribution on LinkedIn
LinkedIn marketers often discover that reported clicks and cost‑per‑lead don’t match actual CRM conversions, leaving many leads tagged as "unknown" or "direct." The discrepancy forces teams to spend hours each week reconciling data, slowing strategy and eroding confidence in dashboards....
The Direct Supply Myth: Why CTV Inventory Looks Better Coming From A Streamer Than Directly From A Publisher
Industry advocates have promoted “direct supply” in CTV as a shortcut to transparency and efficiency. In practice, most impressions travel through OEM and streamer distribution agreements that grant those partners control over ad decisioning, signal access, and pod composition. This...
Marketers at Possible Adjust to the Realities of AI While Trying to Stay Human
The fourth Possible conference in Miami highlighted how generative AI is reshaping marketing strategy while firms strive to keep a human touch. Interviews with leaders from Geico, Marketcast, CROING, Maybelline and others revealed AI’s role in talent acquisition, rapid data...
How Brands Are Advertising AI
The advertising sector is grappling with how to market AI amid a flood of hype, misinformation, and growing consumer fatigue. Agencies are shifting focus from sheer visibility to building credibility, emphasizing proof over promises. Industry leaders warn that AI discussions...
Woolworths Puts Lead Creative Account Out to Pitch Across Australia and New Zealand
Woolworths has opened a formal pitch for its lead creative agency across Australia and New Zealand, ending M+C Saatchi’s tenure that began in 2017. The retailer will keep existing agency partners active during the review, while TBWA\ continues to manage the Everyday Rewards...
Adobe Completes $4.5 B Acquisition of Semrush to Boost AI Brand Visibility
Adobe announced the completion of its acquisition of Semrush Holdings, integrating the SEO platform into its AI‑driven Experience Cloud. The deal, valued at roughly $4.5 billion, positions Adobe to offer end‑to‑end brand visibility tools and intensifies competition among martech giants.
AI Giants Spend $166 Million on Linear TV in Early 2026 to Shape Public Opinion
Google, Meta, Anthropic and other leading AI firms have collectively poured $166 million into linear TV advertising through April 20, 2026. The surge reflects a strategic push to win consumer trust as AI adoption grows but sentiment remains divided.
Ulta Beauty’s AI‑Driven Rewards Program Generates 95% of Sales
Ulta Beauty’s chief marketing officer Kelly Mahoney says the company’s AI‑enhanced rewards program now fuels 95% of its sales, drawing on data from 46.7 million members. The move highlights how AI‑driven personalization can turn loyalty programs into the core revenue engine...
Marketing Lessons From 20 Years at Google - Dan Taylor
In this episode, Dan Taylor, a veteran of nearly 20 years at Google, shares how search and Google Ads have evolved from a niche channel to a massive, AI‑driven marketing platform. He highlights key breakthroughs such as the shift to...
POSSIBLE 2026: Industry Experts Dish On AI – And Other Trends To Watch
At the POSSIBLE 2026 conference in Miami, ad industry leaders debated the practical impact of agentic AI on advertising workflows. While hype persists, experts highlighted AI’s role in accelerating measurement, optimizing campaigns, and streamlining agency‑advertiser collaboration. They also flagged ongoing challenges...
POSSIBLE 2026: Industry Experts Dish On AI – And Other Trends To Watch
At POSSIBLE 2026 in Miami, ad‑tech leaders acknowledged that AI is shifting from hype to practical workflow integration. Executives highlighted how generative and agentic AI are accelerating campaign measurement and optimization while also adding new media‑buying complexities. The dialogue also focused...
Ad Council Launches $148M Digital PSA Blitz to Spark Teen Mental‑health Talks
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, NAMI and the Ad Council unveiled fresh "Seize the Awkward" public‑service ads on May 5, 2026, deploying $148 million in donated media across broadcast, digital, social and out‑of‑home channels. Partnered with Pinterest, Snapchat and TikTok, the...
Fox’s Refreshed Pitch to Advertisers Connects Fandoms to Outcomes
Fox Advertising unveiled a refreshed brand platform and visual identity that consolidates its five verticals—Fox Sports, Fox News, Fox Entertainment, Tubi and Fox One—under the tagline “Turn Passion into Performance.” Developed with agency Sibling Rivalry, the new system highlights energy,...
What Does the TikTok Sale Mean for Advertisers?
On January 22, 2026 TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC—backed by Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX—acquired majority control of TikTok’s U.S. operations, while ByteDance retained a 20% stake. The platform’s ad infrastructure, auction mechanics and creator ecosystem remain active for its...
The Moment Is the Medium
Retail media must adapt to an AI‑driven, fragmented path to purchase, focusing on influencing shoppers at the exact moment they decide to buy. While large‑language models shift intent signals outside retailer ecosystems, the actual transaction still often occurs within a...
OpenAI Rolls Out Ad Tools, Targeting SMB eCommerce
ChatGPT launches a CAPI, a pixel, and self-serve "It’s not hard to imagine how the ad platform evolves from here. OpenAI is almost assuredly building a platform in the image of Meta’s, which means it will cater the platform to...
Will OpenAI’s New Measurement Tools And Ads Manager Prove Its Worth As An Ad Channel?
OpenAI unveiled a self‑serve ads manager and a conversion API (CAPI) alongside a cost‑per‑click (CPC) bidding model, shifting from its earlier high‑minimum, CPM‑only approach. The new platform eliminates the $200,000 minimum spend—now fully removed after a recent $50,000 reduction—making ChatGPT...
Will OpenAI’s New Measurement Tools And Ads Manager Prove Its Worth As An Ad Channel?
OpenAI has unveiled a self‑serve ads manager and a conversion API (CAPI) alongside a cost‑per‑click (CPC) bidding option for ChatGPT ads. The new platform eliminates the previous $200,000 minimum spend, later reduced to $50,000, allowing smaller advertisers to buy directly...
More Views, Fewer Clicks? Get Zero Click Playbook
Impressions are up, clicks are down. It’s not that people don’t see your marketing — it’s that MORE people see it but fewer of them click. We need a new playbook. And lucky for you, Rand Fishkin and I wrote it!...
Connecticut Passes Law Banning Sale Of Location Data, Regulating Ad Volume
Connecticut lawmakers passed Senate Bill 4, a privacy measure that bans the outright sale of precise geolocation data and imposes new limits on surveillance‑based pricing and ad volume in streaming. The bill also requires data brokers to register with the state...
The $100 Billion Problem Lurking Inside Digital Video Ads
The digital video ad market has morphed from a transparent, relationship‑driven TV model into a sprawling programmatic ecosystem riddled with hidden fees and fraud. Industry estimates suggest tens of billions—potentially up to $100 billion—are siphoned each year, with some insiders claiming...
TikTok Partners with Vistar Media to Expand Out of Phone Ad Campaigns to over 1M Digital Out-of-Home Placements
TikTok has teamed with programmatic out‑of‑home platform Vistar Media to extend its Out of Phone ad product to more than 1.1 million digital OOH placements, including high‑visibility sites such as Times Square. The partnership builds on the October 2023 launch that originally...
M2THAK’s Real‑World Streams Elevate BC.Game to iGaming’s Front‑Row
M2THAK has turned BC.Game into a cultural touchstone by broadcasting live casino action from yachts, Formula 1 venues and other high‑profile locations. The streamer’s mobile, production‑heavy format draws millions of viewers and is being hailed by analysts as the next wave...
Bill Gross Pioneered Paid Search, Shaping $300B Industry
Bill Gross was a genius out of Caltech. When we met Bill, he explained how he was going to create the search tool for commerce. We were so impressed with his idea that we agreed to fund him. The idea was a...
New Video Explains Why Ad Relevance Matters
If you like me annnnd you like YouTube, I think you're gonna like my latest video all about ad relevance. https://t.co/yVzFZLK6n8
Just The FACs, Ma'am: ANA Unveils Its Own New Ad Tax
The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) unveiled a new "Fractional Advertising Contribution" (FAC) fee tied to its Aquila cross‑media measurement platform. The fee is set at 0.075% of media‑buy spend with a hard cap of $750,000, effectively limiting the charge...
Free Benchmark Report Reveals SMS & Email Performance Trends
Zeta Global’s latest Marketing Benchmark report shares aggregated data on the performance of SMS and email marketing campaigns, along with expert commentary on industry and channel news. Free, no-form download > https://t.co/KX6zwD49rb #digitalmarketing https://t.co/2KoYvadftG
Magellan AI: Podcast Advertisers Are Buying Blind In 2026
Magellan AI’s new guide, produced with True Native Media, reveals that most podcast advertisers are still planning campaigns without reliable audience data or attribution. Analysis of over 60,000 podcasts shows that 86.5% of podcast households are unique to the platform,...
CIMM, TVB Release Local TV Currency Measurement Guidelines
The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have issued new “Guidelines for Local TV/Video Currency Measurement” along with a Buyer’s Guide to standardize evaluation of local TV and video measurement solutions. The framework centers on three principles—Inclusive, Transactable,...
Townsquare Ignite Lights Up Broadway With Latest Digital Pact
Townsquare Media’s Ignite division has signed a digital‑advertising partnership with Broadway Media, a Salt Lake City operator of seven radio stations and an outdoor network. The deal adds Broadway to Ignite’s Media Partnerships white‑label service, which already includes recent agreements...
Lay’s World Cup Marketing Strategy Focuses on ‘Scaled Intimacy’ with Fans
Lay’s has entered the FIFA World Cup arena as a global sponsor, launching the second phase of its “No Lay’s, No Game” platform. The campaign pairs star‑studded ads—featuring David Beckham, Lionel Messi, Steve Carell and others—with a real‑world watch‑party stunt in...
Lemonada Selects Flightpath to Power Forecasting, Sales Optimization, and Scalable Growth
Flightpath, a predictive analytics platform for on‑demand media, has partnered with Lemonada Media, one of the U.S.’s top independent podcast publishers. The deal gives Lemonada’s revenue team centralized traffic management, inventory forecasting and real‑time performance insights. By consolidating inventory across...
Digital Video Ad Spend To Climb 11% To $82B In 2026: IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau projects U.S. digital video ad spending to reach $81.9 billion in 2026, an 11% year‑over‑year increase that outpaces the overall advertising market by 20%. Social‑media video is set to grow 13% to $31.9 billion, overtaking connected TV (CTV)...