DIGIDAY+ MEMBER EXCLUSIVES
The case for and against agentic media buying
Agentic media buying promises a reinvention of the programmatic ecosystem, but experts are divided on whether it could help – or hinder – accountability.
OpenAI's ads program matures
Media
Media Briefing: Publishers cautiously count AI licensing as notable revenue amid programmatic strain, in Q1 earnings
Amid declining referral traffic and programmatic ads, publishers are beginning to see meaningful revenue from AI licensing deals.
Retailers are rushing to build AI apps. It’s unclear if shoppers will use them
There are almost 900 apps on ChatGPT and 353 Claude connectors, according to AppDiscoverability.com, which tracks AI app data.
Why news publishers are getting into the sports business coverage
Yahoo and Dow Jones are betting on the booming sports business beat, launching new verticals to capture high-value audiences and advertisers.
Marketing
How Ace Hardware built its employee AI assistant
Ace Hardware executives took a careful approach in designing and implementing its new AI assistant to work throughout the chain.
Marketers at Possible adjust to the realities of AI while trying to stay human
Digiday caught up with a raft of executives from across marketing (Geico and Maybelline), agencies (Mediaplus, CROING), content (1440) and research (Marketcast).
‘Maybe ChatGPT is a different kind of a place’: Why OpenAI is saying no to search budgets — for now
OpenAI is coming for performance budgets — it just isn’t ready yet.
Future of TV
Future of TV Briefing: The upfront glossary, 2026 edition
This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at the terms on the tips of ad buyers’ and sellers’ tongues when talking about the upfront market.
Future of TV Briefing: Ad tech’s pod bidding push moves CTV toward advancing the live sports ad model in 2026
This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at how ad tech companies including Comcast’s FreeWheel, Index Exchange and The Trade Desk are preparing CTV’s programmatic supply chain for upgraded auction dynamics amid an influx of live sports ad inventory.
Pinterest debuts audience extension offering on CTV
Advertisers can now purchase Pinterest audiences on third-party properties via its TV Scientific offering.
Media Buying
Omnicom quietly moves Flywheel into the media group
Omnicom confirmed the move, which is seen by one analyst as a move to fold outcomes into the media investment abilities of the holdco.
Despite enthusiasm over its ChatGPT tie-up, Criteo’s shares slide on downgraded revenue forecast
More than 1,000 clients have signed up for its ChatGPT partnership, while management touts a 2027 re-domiciling to the U.S.
‘CPC pain is real’: One year on, Google’s AI Max has pushed up search budgets – and costs
Advertisers are devoting more cash to search due to rising costs and zero-click traffic concerns.
Annual research reports
Podcasts
Research
Upfronts
As upfront negotiations near, buyers chart path through complex sports market
The DOJ’s NFL probe highlights how sports rights complexity can be ‘good for pricing, but hard on strategy’ for brands and buyers.
Media Buying Briefing: What buyers got out of the NewFronts and expect to happen in the upfronts
As the Newfronts try to show off better tools, content and measurement, the broader upfront market is trying to stay the course in the face of economic uncertainty.
Human-led service is an AI differentiator for independent agencies
While AI speeds up media buying, it’s also exposing cracks in how agencies execute. As campaign complexity grows, agency leaders are getting pulled back into the weeds. But clients don’t see process breakdowns — they see unmet expectations. Instinct is generally to juggle more platforms, data and expectations as retail media and programmatic spend surge. […]
While little has been officially revealed about the collaboration, the name alone has already sparked speculation. The “Royal Pop” will likely draw inspiration from Audemars Piguet’s popular “Royal Oak” watch and combine it with the Swatch Pop, a series of pop-art-inspired watches from the 1980s, in which the watch case could be detached from its strap and clipped onto clothing or bags.
While little has been officially revealed about the collaboration, the name alone has already sparked speculation. The “Royal Pop” will likely draw inspiration from Audemars Piguet’s popular “Royal Oak” watch and combine it with the Swatch Pop, a series of pop-art-inspired watches from the 1980s, in which the watch case could be detached from its strap and clipped onto clothing or bags.
Last week, Amazon announced the launch of Amazon Supply Chain Services, a streamlined portal where companies — even non-Amazon sellers — can access all of its supply chain services. Here’s what it means for the logistics world.
Last week, Amazon announced the launch of Amazon Supply Chain Services, a streamlined portal where companies — even non-Amazon sellers — can access all of its supply chain services. Here’s what it means for the logistics world.