Horizon Media and Havas are teaming up in a new $20 billion joint venture, Horizon Global, designed to add scale without a full merger. Headquartered in New York, the entity will focus on U.S.-centric global accounts while Horizon and Havas continue operating independently. Horizon Global unites Horizon’s Blu platform and Havas’ Converged.AI into a new system called BluConverged, billed as the first AI-native media network. The move comes as Omnicom and Interpublic finalize a $13.5 billion merger, intensifying competition across the agency sector. Horizon Global offers clients a more flexible, performance-based alternative to mega-holdcos weighed down by bureaucracy.
Pause ads are proving their potential in the crowded connected TV (CTV) landscape after marketing service Wunderkind Ads saw massive success with a pause ad campaign for jewelry brand Zales. Pause ads are proving to be one of the most promising CTV innovations yet, and advertisers who haven’t experimented with the format should tap in—but must also understand what makes these ads work.
LinkedIn debuted several new features for ad automation targeting small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) as it looks to expand its advertiser base beyond large brands. The update reduces barriers to professional-grade ad campaigns by offering automation and AI-driven support that previously demanded larger budgets or in-house expertise.
OpenAI is working on a TikTok-style app built on its Sora 2 video model—an AI-only feed where every clip is generated, not filmed, per Wired. Meta, meanwhile, is rolling out Vibes, a new short-form video feed in its Meta AI app and Meta.ai, designed for remixing, personalization, and sharing across Instagram and Facebook. For brands, the upside is experimentation, while the risk is durability. Until user habits adjust to new content feeds, marketers should treat both as pilot channels—take advantage of launch buzz, but keep spend flexible in case novelty fades.
Adobe introduced a full version of its Premiere video-editing app for iPhone users, offering new opportunities for on-the-go content creation. Premiere on iPhone includes features like sound effects, auto-generated captions, and multi-track timelines for video, audio, and text. It’s free for general editing, and generative AI (genAI) features are available on a pay-per-credit model. Brands that work with influencers should package assets so they’re easier for creators to use on the go and be flexible with formats and publishing schedules to support workflows for more timely, high-impact campaigns.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved a consent order to finalize Omnicom’s multibillion-dollar acquisition of Interpublic Group (IPG) on Friday. New conditions state that Omnicom cannot deny ad dollars to publishers for ideological or political beliefs, unless a client specifically instructs otherwise. The FTC being able to put such explicit conditions on two of the largest advertising agencies globally underscores a new era of aggressive conditions in mergers, setting precedent for how regulators can shape corporate conduct beyond traditional remedies.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how “The Savings Wrangler” campaign was dreamt up, how GoodRx will measure its success, and what new spaces the medication savings company is moving into. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Analysts, Rajiv Leventhal and Beth Snyder Bulik, and Chief Marketing Officer at GoodRx, Ryan Sullivan. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
The latest multibillion-dollar AI deals are a reflection of the massive computing power needed to build AI products and services—and 2025 has shown just how steep the costs can get. We expect price increases to trickle down to brands, resulting in more expensive access to AI tools and services. Brands should stay agile—diversify vendor bets where budgets allow, test across ecosystems, and align with the stacks most relevant to audiences and workflows. Failing to anticipate and respond to this hardware–cloud–AI consolidation could leave brands locked into costly, limited ecosystems with little room to maneuver.
Microsoft is extending AI further into its productivity tools with Agent Mode in Excel and Word, plus a new Office Agent in Copilot chat, per The Verge. The tools automate Microsoft 365 spreadsheets, documents, and PowerPoint through prompts, mirroring a trend already visible in Google’s Gemini rollout across Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides. For marketers, the payoff for adopting AI in 365 and Drive could be higher productivity and stronger performance, possibly at a fraction of the cost of separate AI subscriptions. The downside is lock-in and the risk of over-reliance on single platforms.
Nearly all (97%) of Goldman Sachs’ Gen Z interns use AI in their personal lives, up from 86% in 2023, per the company’s annual intern survey. For a majority of generative AI (genAI) use cases, Gen Zers prefer that real people stay involved, but there are exceptions. More than a third (38%) of respondents said they were good with shopping AI results with no human oversight. For brands, this might mean leaning into Gen Z to train on genAI skills, understand where to get the most value out of AI, and what AI pilots can be cut or built on to improve efficiency.
The average annual cost of homeowners insurance in the US has reached nearly $2,370, a 70% increase over the last 5.5 years, per Yahoo Finance. This makes it one of the fastest-growing costs of homeownership, outpacing increases in home prices, mortgage rates, and property taxes. In most cases, insurers can’t just cut prices. But they can lower risk in ways that help bring premiums down. For example: Offering discounts for mitigation efforts Rewarding good maintenance Using AI and satellite data Offering apps or dashboards
Only about a third of Gen Zers and Millennials say they’re in good financial health—and roughly the same share say they’re good at setting up and following long-term financial plans, per a new study by Guardian Life. Younger consumers’ lack of confidence and limited use of professional guidance creates an opening. Insurers can position guaranteed savings and lower-risk wealth-building products as options to ease financial anxiety and support long-term planning. Such products include: whole life insurance which offers steady cash value growth and loan access, and indexed universal life which ties growth to market indexes with downside protection.
President Trump signed an executive order Thursday approving a proposal to keep TikTok operational in the US under new leadership. Even with a deal set to keep TikTok operational, the app’s new conservative ownership will likely shape the user experience and could impede future growth.
Pinterest announced new ad offerings at its Pinterest Presents summit as it looks to cement its position as a key destination for digital advertisers. Advertisers can use Pinterest to capitalize on intent-driven shopping.
Meta is planning on offering UK users paid, ad-free versions of Instagram and Facebook in the coming weeks. Privacy transforming into a priced option implies a growing consumer awareness of data use. Advertisers who make privacy a positive part of their brand messaging will better match emerging consumer mindsets.
Paid search clickthrough rates for healthcare ads plummeted 51.4% year over year—the steepest drop across all industries measured, according to our Industry KPI data provided by Skai. The rise of AI-generated health info and consumer burnout from constant drug ads are likely driving down engagement. Healthcare and pharma companies need to ensure their online content is tailored for AI relevance. They must also continuously review whether their ads are being over-exposed to the same audience.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss more ‘very specific, but highly unlikely’ predictions for the end of 2025 and start of 2026. If a major US news organization like CNN or CNBC will soon get acquired by a billionaire, why Pepsi could split into separate snack and beverage businesses, and the road to full funnel, hyper relevant connected car ads. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Forecasting, Oscar Orozco, and Vice Presidents of Content, Suzy Davidkhanian and Paul Verna. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Connected TV has become a full-funnel channel, but creative can feel like the biggest hurdle. Repurposing existing assets is often all it takes to get started.
EMARKETER recently published its “Field Guide to AI-Powered Programmatic Platforms,” created in partnership with MiQ. It examines how AI is enhancing programmatic advertising platforms and offers marketers a guide to choosing between these adtech tools. This FAQ explores key questions from the report.