Lock in a year of Digiday+ for 35% less. Ends May 29.
DIGIDAY+ MEMBER EXCLUSIVES
Why WPP’s AI boss believes agents are still in the ‘teenage sex’ stage of development
Agents are merely the latest technology to earn the dubious distinction.
OpenAI's ads program matures
Media
WTF is back button hijacking?
Google is cracking down on “back button hijacking,” which some publishers use to offset declining referral traffic and monetization pressure.
Why Amazon and YouTube pitched operating systems, not just TV inventory at this year’s upfront
Negotiations over identity, infrastructure, AI-driven buying take place as much as programing.
The Economist prepares for a two‑track internet: one for humans and one for AI agents
The Economist is testing agent-readable versions of content that already sits outside its paywall, as it prepares for “two versions of the web.”
Marketing
Pitch deck: X leans on AI and performance in a bid to win ad dollars
For the past few years, X emphasized brand safety capabilities to reassure advertisers. This latest deck is all about the new AI era of X.
Spirits brands look to sports, sponsorship and celebrity playbook to convert younger consumers
For advertisers like Chivas Regal, Maker’s Mark and Jameson sports is now the keystone of efforts to recruit younger drinkers and renew brand profiles.
CeraVe taps Carmelo Anthony as ‘head coach’ of its new dandruff campaign
CeraVe found that the NBA and Carmelo Anthony could give it access to a very diverse, engaged and Gen Z fandom.
Future of TV
Future of TV Briefing: The upfront is overtaking streaming’s programmatic marketplace
This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at how major TV and streaming ad sellers are seeing upfront deals represent a larger share of their programmatic businesses.
Future of TV Briefing: Inside Warner Bros. Discovery’s programmatic upfront pitch
This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at how WBD’s programmatic advertising business has evolved with programmatic playing a bigger part in its upfront deals.
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.
Media Buying
‘Identity is the qualifier for AI’: Publicis’ $2.2 billion LiveRamp deal is a bet that whoever controls the data owns the AI era
Publicis just bought the infrastructure its rivals depend on. Now it has to convince them nothing will change.
Ad Tech Briefing: The downstream implications of Publicis Groupe’s $2.2 billion bet on LiveRamp
Rival holding companies will likely be rethinking their relationship with the industry’s largest data onboarding outfit.
Influencer boost budgets are throwing gas on social video spending fire
A rise in social video spending is being accelerated by the use of paid media to amplify the reach and effectiveness of influencer activity.
Annual research reports
Podcasts
Research
Upfronts
Media Buying Briefing: What buyers expect out of this year’s upfront marketplace
Although no deals have been cut yet, outcomes will be a major factor in this year’s negotiations, while complicating factors include measurement and flexibility.
Amazon bets creator video podcasts can be the next TV network – if it can fix measurement
Amazon’s Upfront presentation leaned into its podcast offerings, which the company believes are the next generation of TV networks.
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. […]
Over the past year and a half, Garnier has increasingly embraced a culture-first marketing strategy aimed at “Gen Zennials.” That has included building campaigns around internet humor, fandoms, reality television, dating culture and culturally-specific storytelling.
-
Member ExclusiveFashion Briefing: Fashion resale is finally ready for primetime
Over the past year and a half, Garnier has increasingly embraced a culture-first marketing strategy aimed at “Gen Zennials.” That has included building campaigns around internet humor, fandoms, reality television, dating culture and culturally-specific storytelling.
Higher fuel prices due to the war with Iran are putting pressure on Walmart’s customers and supply chain, and could lead to higher prices on the shelf.
Higher fuel prices due to the war with Iran are putting pressure on Walmart’s customers and supply chain, and could lead to higher prices on the shelf.