Reddit builds a performance case: Beta attribution and unified reporting aim to prove Reddit’s role beyond awareness.

Reddit proves its CPG pull: Reddit shoppers drive 1.5 times ROAS and up to 17% higher LTV as trust-rich threads steer buying decisions.

Meta’s AI payoff: Q1 revenue hit $56.3 billion as AI tools drove ad gains that help justify a $145 billion spend plan.

Meta rolls out AI business assistant to all advertisers: Its automation push could give advertisers better results, but threatens the traditional agency model.

In today’s podcast episode, we discuss why we think Meta will surpass Google to become the world’s leading digital advertising business this year, whether Google can wrestle back control in the following years, and how close Amazon is to getting a shot at the title. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Senior Forecasting Analysts Zach Goldner and Drew Spink. Listen anywhere, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.

A recent Pfizer warning shows that regulators are leaning into policing Facebook ads as closely as TV commercials.

X formalizes sponsored content disclosure; native paid partnership labels reduce compliance risk as influencer spending accelerates.

TV and social ads are most likely to drive purchases, but also are most disruptive to consumers, according to DISQO, emphasizing the importance of: interactive, refreshed, relevant ads.

Marketers are feeling less optimistic about business conditions for 2026 than they were a year ago, per a new WARC report. 54% of marketers believe that conditions will improve next year, down from 65% who felt this way about 2025. WARC’s forecast indicates that economic instability will continue causing marketers to adopt more conservative budgeting strategies and sharpen their focus on measurable, performance-driven advertising.

Half (50%) of Gen Z consumers have been driven to purchase by a social media ad, per an August YouGov report.

President Trump delayed TikTok’s ban until December 16 and claimed Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch, Michael Dell, Larry Ellison, and Marc Andreessen are among investors preparing to acquire its US operations. The potential buyer group—stacked with conservative media and tech moguls—raises concerns over political bias on a platform where left-leaning influencers currently dominate. For advertisers, TikTok’s massive 116.6 million US user base remains critical, but ownership politics could shift user trust and open the door for rivals.

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.

Latin America’s ad market will surpass $40 billion this year as it continues to defy economic uncertainty. Rebounds in Argentina and Chile, along with double-digit growth in retail and social media spending, will fuel momentum. Here are the latest trends you need to know.

FTC investigates ad groups, watchdogs over alleged boycott: Advertisers must navigate a landscape where protecting brand image could carry legal risks.

Marketers struggle with shrinking returns on social media ad spend: A new study found diversification without divestment is key to staying afloat.

Threads tests feature allowing users to select interests: The move could help the platform address its retention problem and draw creators.

YouTube strives to make ads less disruptive: The platform is changing its approach to mid-roll ads to appease viewers, creators, and brands alike.

X plans first marketing campaign under Musk, but ad revenues will still drop: While brands like Apple are resuming advertising, but it has more to do with politics than ROAS.

Bluesky’s funding round contrasts with Meta: The smaller social platform is gaining ground, but its ad model remains a question.

Reddit launches AMA Ads and Pro Trends: New tools enable branded Q&As, real-time insights, and improved brand safety for advertisers.