DIGIDAY+ MEMBER EXCLUSIVES
Google keeps cookies in Chrome
The winners and losers of Google’s third-party cookie reversal
Fair warning: the ground is still shifting under this thing so consider this list more “hot take” than holy writ.
At industry conference, Google tries to salvage the Privacy sandbox after U-turn on third-party cookies
Privacy Sandbox reps are attempting to tee up optimism at the Possible conference in Miami, a week after Google’s mic-drop announcement.
Media

Generative AI, not ad tech, is the new antitrust battleground for Google
Global regulatory scrutiny is shifting from Google’s ad tech and search dominance to generative AI, as they aim to address the most pressing threats to publisher business models.

Yahoo takes cues from platforms as it offers more editorial control to creators
Through its creator program, Yahoo is evolving from its roots as a content aggregator and editorial publisher to more of a distribution platform for individual creators.

Podcast companies turn to live events to capture growing advertiser spend
The surge in the number of live podcast events in 2025 reflects a broader shift: advertisers are betting bigger on podcasts — not just as an audio channel but as a full-fledged creator economy play.
Marketing

Retail media’s mid-2025 reality: Why advertisers are going all in on full-funnel
Retail media’s meteoric rise may finally be leveling off — and that’s forcing advertisers to take a harder look at what they’re getting for their money.

Bold Calls for the back half of 2025
Now’s a good moment as any to take stock —and make a few bold calls about what’s coming next.

B2B and DTC marketers find themselves on the zero-click search frontline
Zero-click search is collapsing the user journey for brands reliant on Google. How are B2B and DTC marketers responding?
Future of TV

Future of TV Briefing: TV is YouTube’s top screen — except when counting views and among Gen Z viewers
This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at how mobile still accounts for an overwhelming majority of YouTube video views and why some Gen Z viewers aren’t tuning into YouTube on TV screens.

YouTube vs. TikTok vs. Instagram: What Gen Z really watches in 2025
At VidCon 2025, more than a dozen Gen Z attendees weighed in on the video apps they are most and least likely to watch.

Future of TV Briefing: YouTube gives a peek at how its recommendation algorithms work
This week’s Future of TV Briefing recaps a VidCon session during which YouTube executives and creators unpacked the video platform’s recommendation engine.
Media Buying

When should an agency go the ESOP route, and what are the risks?
Boiled down to their essence, ESOPs are when an owner or founder sells their stake in an agency to the employees who all receive stock, most often held in a trust.

Media Buying Briefing: The upfront isn’t moving along for a few surprising reasons
The marketplace is being slowed down due to increasing complexity, and discrepancies with Nielsen’s latest ratings system.

As Integral Ad Science marks its fourth anniversary on the Nasdaq, speculation mounts over its future
Efforts are underway to take IAS private but there are varying levels of interest from private equity groups.
Annual research reports


Podcasts


Research



Fresh research says nearly 9 in 10 top AI performers are burned out and eyeing a better workplace.

Fresh research says nearly 9 in 10 top AI performers are burned out and eyeing a better workplace.

Ulta Beauty announced Thursday that it has purchased U.K.-based specialty beauty retailer SpaceNK Limited from PE firm Manzanita Capital. Space NK currently operates 83 specialty beauty stores across the UK and Ireland and sold its internal U.S. distribution company, which served Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, to PCA Companies in 2024. Ulta Beauty’s acquisition will help to fuel CEO Kecia Steelman’s “Ulta Beauty Unleashed” plan, which also includes international expansion through global franchise managers into Mexico City, Kuwait City and Dubai later this year.

Ulta Beauty announced Thursday that it has purchased U.K.-based specialty beauty retailer SpaceNK Limited from PE firm Manzanita Capital. Space NK currently operates 83 specialty beauty stores across the UK and Ireland and sold its internal U.S. distribution company, which served Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, to PCA Companies in 2024. Ulta Beauty’s acquisition will help to fuel CEO Kecia Steelman’s “Ulta Beauty Unleashed” plan, which also includes international expansion through global franchise managers into Mexico City, Kuwait City and Dubai later this year.

Amazon’s Prime Day kicked off Tuesday with a new four-day format — but early signs suggest the extended sales event may not be delivering the usual jolt to consumer spending.
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Member ExclusiveBrands Briefing: The state of fashion M&A in 2025

Amazon’s Prime Day kicked off Tuesday with a new four-day format — but early signs suggest the extended sales event may not be delivering the usual jolt to consumer spending.