The news: Dentsu recently launched Robmix, a new business embedding itself in Roblox’s culture and users, per a Dentsu press release. Robmix is a platform created with the goal of “discovering and developing the next generation of creators” on Roblox and focuses on entertainment opportunities related to Roblox users. Our take: Dentsu’s latest move gets ahead of the in-game wave, capitalizing on the future of marketing where creators and advertisers are increasingly turning to gaming as a critical opportunity to reach audiences when they’re most engaged.
The news: NBCUniversal will charge $8 million for 30-second Super Bowl LX spots, per an Adweek report citing those familiar with the matter. Ads for Super Bowl LX were reportedly going for around $7 million for 30 seconds—but that number has been increased due to high demand. Our take: The Super Bowl is likely the most lucrative advertising opportunity for US brands, as football continues dominating live TV—meaning advertisers are willing to invest despite the high cost. Live sports events, especially the Super Bowl, offer a rare combination of scale, immediacy, and viewer engagement.
Measuring creator performance is the top barrier to influencer marketing success (32%) for brand marketers worldwide, per an August 2024 CreatorIQ report.
The news: Samsung leaned heavily on AI functionality at its Unpacked event Wednesday with the Galaxy S25 series, Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 smartphones and Galaxy Watch 8, all featuring enhanced AI capabilities as a core value proposition, per Android Central. Samsung highlighted proprietary Galaxy AI for tasks like on-device photo and video editing, but the bigger news was Samsung’s adoption of Google Gemini across its ecosystem. Our take: For advertisers, the shift toward screen-aware, voice-activated experiences requires them to rethink how brands and campaigns align in an AI-first mobile world. Reframing brand experiences around mobile, voice, and contextual AI features opens opportunities for user engagement.
The news: Jasper’s suite of AI-powered marketing agents are purpose-built to automate core marketing functions. These agents, which start at $49 per user per month, work inside Jasper Canvas, a new intelligent workspace designed to streamline planning, collaboration, content creation, and execution. Our take: Marketers must assess their current pain points. If content quality is inconsistent, execution is slow, or tools don’t talk to each other, an agentic platform like Jasper could drive sharper outcomes. As with most new tools, running pilot programs and benchmarks for speed and brand consistency against your current stack will help determine value and ROI.
YouTube is taking aim at AI-generated "slop" by revising its monetization rules on July 15, drawing a line between authentic content and spammy filler. The update targets low-effort uploads—like synthetic voiceovers over stock footage or AI-mimicked news—but exempts legitimate formats like reaction videos. The shift comes amid growing concern over AI-generated clutter, scams, and identity fakes, as seen in platforms from Spotify to Pinterest. With content volume soaring and faceless creators rising, YouTube’s move reflects a growing push to safeguard viewer trust and advertiser confidence. The platform now faces the challenge of enforcement while reinforcing that originality still matters.
The news: Meta is facing an investigation from the French Competition Authority for allegedly limiting access to ad verification partners and exploiting its ad market dominance. Meta is required to implement interim measures, including the development and disclosure of updated guidelines governing access to and maintenance of “viewability” and “brand safety” partnerships. Our take: While France doesn’t account for a massive portion of Meta’s ad revenues, the company could still be subject to substantial consequences if found guilty. Antitrust fines from the French Competition Authority can be as high as 10% of a company’s global annual turnover.
The news: A recent Equifax report indicates that consumers are struggling with their household financial health and ability to pay mortgages. This will have a negative impact on the home lending market for the foreseeable future. Our take: They’ll need to proactively shift their risk management and lending strategies in anticipation of increased stress on their mortgage portfolios. Meticulously monitoring delinquency rates, enhancing early intervention programs for struggling homeowners, and potentially adjusting underwriting criteria can help mitigate future risks. Banks can also diversify revenue streams beyond traditional mortgage origination to offset potential profitability declines.
The news: The Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule that would have simplified canceling subscriptions was rejected by a US federal appeals court on Tuesday, exposing a rift between the priorities of advertisers and digital service providers and those of consumers. Our take: The ruling is seen as a win for companies that use subscriptions for first-party data to strengthen their ad ecosystem, giving protection for those looking to reduce churn and run more effective programmatic and retargeting campaigns. But while advertisers may benefit from the decision, consumers still want an easier process—and simplifying cancellations can benefit businesses in several ways.
The news: Spotify is expanding its automated podcast buying capabilities, giving advertisers the opportunity to reach podcast listeners through two automated buying channels. Spotify Ads Manager is evolving to give advertisers in several regions “direct access to premium podcast inventory,” including content from original and licensed podcasts.. Our take: The updates could enable Spotify to increase its share of ad dollars, attracting advertisers looking for more opportunities to reach engaged audiences representing key demographics. But to continue attracting spending, Spotify will need to shift some focus to drawing in more listeners to keep its podcast offerings attractive.
The news: Consumers increasingly see connected TV (CTV) ads as helpful during the holiday shopping season, according to LG Ad Solutions’ latest study. A growing number—59%—say CTV ads help guide holiday purchases, a 43% YoY spike. Home screen CTV ads are clicking—26% of shoppers find them helpful for purchases, up 105% YoY. For advertisers, they’re fast becoming high-impact conversion tools amid rising ad loads. Our take: As holiday shopping habits extend into events like Prime Day and Cyber Monday, advertisers that align messaging, timing, and format across CTV platforms will win both attention and conversions.
The news: Google Chrome could soon face intensified competition from OpenAI and Perplexity. On Wednesday, Perplexity launched its long-awaited agentic AI browser, Comet. It’s currently exclusive to subscribers on its $200-per-month Max plan, but other users can sign up on a waitlist. OpenAI is expected to launch its own browser in the coming weeks, per Reuters, bringing more AI tools to its over 400 million weekly ChatGPT users. As AI search tools continue to expand, companies should plan their generative engine optimization (GEO) strategies now by ensuring content can be summarized by chatbots and that copy in graphics is clear and accessible to AI tools.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss Every Man Jack’s performance vs. brand marketing priorities, the role of marketplaces for the company, and what tactics the brand uses to stand out from the pack. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, Senior Analyst Zak Stambor, and VP of Growth Marketing & E-Commerce at Every Man Jack Nick Hasselberg.
The news: Generative AI (genAI) is expected to play a bigger role than ever in ecommerce during Amazon’s Prime Day event this week. Adobe predicts that genAI-driven traffic will surge 3,200% YoY as more consumers use AI for searching for products, price matching, and purchasing decisions. Our take: While still trailing traditional channels like paid search and email, AI is winning consumer trust and influencing higher-consideration purchases. Marketers that can tailor shopping content around AI search could help their clients gain visibility. Structure product data, promotions, and sales content for AI interfaces like chatbots, shopping agents, and search for more conversational browsing with a higher conversion rate.
The news: Linda Yaccarino, CEO of Elon Musk’s X, left the company Wednesday as the social platform faced a major AI controversy—raising questions about the platform’s future and how advertisers will navigate the shift. Yaccarino, who became CEO of X in 2023, announced her decision to leave on Wednesday. Our take: X’s future is increasingly rocky. Yaccarino’s departure reaffirms many advertisers’ fears that the platform is far from stable, and the Grok mishap indicates that it isn’t yet brand safe—meaning major advertisers could retreat once again.
The news: WPP slashed its 2025 outlook in an earnings update, citing declines in client spend and net new business—exacerbating the agency’s turbulence over recent months and sending WPP stock to its lowest point since 2009. WPP now expects an annual revenue decline of 3% to 5%, up from its previous forecast of 2%. Our take: WPP’s woes indicate that the traditional agency model is struggling to adapt to shifting client demands, AI-led marketing, and digital disruption.
The news: Out-of-home (OOH) and TV advertising are outperforming popular channels like connected TV (CTV) and digital across metrics, per a five-year study from Clear Channel Outdoor and Kantar. Our take: OOH and TV advertising will continue playing a critical role in an effective omnichannel strategy, and the most savvy advertisers will recognize the enduring effectiveness of these channels for reaching key audiences when they’re likely to purchase.
The news: Moonvalley publicly launched its Marey video-generation tool, making its ethical AI filmmaking tool accessible to broader audiences concerned about brand safety and copyright infringement amid AI adoption. Our take: Moonvalley’s Marey could make AI video generation more accessible to brands, especially those focused on prioritizing ethical AI practices and those with smaller production budgets. Marey could also serve as a lower-cost prototyping tool to test out video concepts and align creative direction plans prior to filming to streamline full-scale production and save costs.
The news: Seventy-one percent of US parents with children ages 1 to 17 give them an allowance, averaging $37 per week, per a recent Wells Fargo study. But not all are confident that they’re able to teach their children about banking or savings. Banks have a clear opportunity to support parents in teaching their children about money—and by doing so, they’re strengthening their ties with their next generation of customers. They should develop engaging, age-appropriate digital tools and educational content that simplify complex concepts and encourage responsible money management. Additionally, banks can offer resources and workshops for parents to equip them with the confidence and knowledge to guide their children's financial journeys.
The news: Healthline Media settled with the California Attorney General’s office over allegations that Healthline.com failed to opt consumers out of having their personal information shared for targeted advertising. Our take: State health data privacy laws are new, meaning we will likely see increased scrutiny and more enforcement action against companies that previously went unchecked. Healthline and other health content companies must verify that their opt-out tools work as intended while being transparent with advertisers about the consumer data they can and cannot share with them.