News publishers call out stringent brand safety policies at IAB NewFronts
Publishers sounded the alarm for advertisers to support news by reviewing blunt keyword blocking during a critical time for democracy.
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Scope3: A third of web domains feature ‘problematic’ ad placements
EXCLUSIVE: Ad spend wastage goes beyond made-for-advertising websites, finds digital emissions startup.
IPG unifies Acxiom and Kinesso under one leader
EXCLUSIVE: Jarrod Martin has been charged with better activating Acxiom data to power “precisely targeted” solutions for IPG clients.
Amazon and GroupM partner to embed brands in live shopping streams
E-commerce giant and media agency network have been engaged in an exclusive partnership for the past six months to create branded shoppable livestreams.
X officially allows ‘consensually produced’ adult content
Social media platform introduces new policy that formally permits posts containing nudity and pornography provided they are labeled.
Colossus SSP alleged to mismatch user IDs
In a recent analysis by Adalytics, which evaluates media purchases for agencies and brands, Colossus SSP was highlighted for incorrectly reporting user IDs during ad transactions managed through the demand-side platform The Trade Desk.
Google says AI has amplified fraud while helping it remove bad ads
Tech giants removed a significantly higher volume of policy-violating content in 2023 as generative AI tools were used to facilitate and combat fraud.
Omnicom CEO ‘bullish’ following 6.5% organic growth
The agency network is riding high from its Amazon win in the third quarter, despite political and operational turbulence.
Omnicom’s John Wren says with Flywheel, he can ‘beat anybody in a pitch’
Wren shares his vision to transform Omnicom Group into a marketing and sales company unrivaled by its peers.
Disney brings more automation and shopability to its ad products
The media giant is also ramping up its self-serve capabilities to reduce ad tech fees.
Analysts: Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global merger would benefit ad industry
Combining the two media conglomerates’ streaming assets would create a scaled entity better equipped to take on Disney and Netflix — though such a deal would face financial and regulatory hurdles, analysts tell Campaign US.
Media buyers: ‘Advertisers are not responsible for keeping X afloat — or shutting it down’
Politics aside, marketers and media buyers say X is a ‘nonessential’ platform for large and small companies whose main goals are to sell products, not take a stance.
Is it possible to prioritise AI safety as much as innovation in a for-profit industry?
Tensions within OpenAI’s board spotlight the challenge of commercialising AI and establishing competitive advantage while also setting up guardrails.
Google layoffs escalate as automation replaces some roles
Tech giant has slashed hundreds of roles within its ad sales division after throwing more weight behind AI-powered ad products.
Publicis acquires e-commerce digital agency Corra
Agency network says acquisition will improve its Adobe implementation and composable commerce capabilities.
Why LGBTQ+ programming dwindled at SXSW this year
Discussions about transgender inclusiveness disappeared at the Texas-based festival as programming avoided wading too deeply into the most hot-button issues facing the LGBTQ+ community.
Publicis employee who lost her parents to opioids calls for advertising reform
Emily Deschamps shares her personal story with Campaign US to highlight the dangers of marketing in sensitive categories in hopes of inspiring change.
Why oil and gas companies are tapping influencers to clean up their image
Fossil fuel giants like Shell and BP are leaning on influencers to promote their green initiatives and rewards programs as ad giants address their role in the climate crisis.
Ads served on YouTube kids content may have triggered widespread tracking of children online: Report
Adalytics report alleges ads served by Google on YouTube kids content — sometimes against the wishes of advertisers — caused a chain reaction of tracking children online.
Why Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery are teaming up on sports — and the challenges they will face
Pooling together resources will allow the companies to more aggressively compete with deep-pocketed tech giants, but they risk cannibalising their own linear businesses, according to analysts and media buyers.
How to cut cookies with Campaign: Targeting alternatives
WATCH: Executives from across the supply chain discuss how targeting solutions show the most promise and challenges to adoption.
Netflix beefs up subscribers and live sports ahead of Amazon’s entrance to streaming ads
Co-CEO Greg Peters tells investors the company’s audience base and content portfolio ‘differentiate us from our competitors.’
Microsoft’s last minute Super Bowl ad showcases everyday uses of AI
Sixty second spot will broadly launch the company’s Copilot AI chatbot.
As actors strike ends, media analysts expect slow trickle of new content and higher subscription costs
As TV and streaming companies adapt to new terms and deal with the fallout of months-long strikes, the consumer experience of streaming could change.
Disney CEO Bob Iger says company has moved from ‘fixing’ to ‘building’
Media conglomerate posts profit hike as it reins in costs to support its streaming evolution.
WPP’s Lindsay Pattison moves from overseeing clients to staff
Pattison has transitioned from her role as global chief client officer to global chief people officer.
Apple revenue falls for fourth consecutive quarter, despite iPhone and services highs
Revenue from advertising, subscription fees and app developers continues to command a greater share of Apple’s revenue as it faces headwinds in its core hardware products.
Microsoft’s longtime CMO Chris Capossela to depart
CEO Satya Nadella said ‘this is the right time’ for a new CMO to shepherd the company through its AI evolution.
Meta says ad spend has ‘softened’ amid Israel-Hamas war
Facebook and Instagram parent widened its Q4 revenue outlook after observing a retraction in ad spend in recent weeks correlated with the outbreak of the conflict.
How the Israel-Hamas war is affecting ad spend
Prominent media buyers detail how some clients are retreating from news coverage of the conflict as well as pulling back from social media due to the spread of misinformation, hate speech and violent content.
GroupM North America CEO Kirk McDonald to depart
Mindshare’s Adam Gerhart is taking over as interim CEO.
Google parent Alphabet’s profit surges in Q3 as ad spend ‘stabilizes’
Executives said advertisers turned to Google’s AI-powered products in the quarter to drive ROI and efficiency
UM’s media leader Joshua Lowcock departs for new role at Quad
Lowcock tells Campaign he had grown “frustrated” with the “broken” holding company model.
As conference season picks up, here are the issues the ad industry should address
From workforce attrition to misinformation and the risks of artificial intelligence, industry leaders and activists discuss the hard topics that ought to be addressed at ad conferences amid hype about new technologies.
Amazon to sunset ad server by end of 2024
E-commerce giant is shuttering the two services it acquired from Sizmek in 2019.
Netflix ad chief Jeremi Gorman to exit, replaced by Amy Reinhard
Gorman set to depart around one year after she joined the streaming service to establish its first advertising product.
Wunderman Thompson develops tech to analyse emotional responses to ads
Creative testing solution studies micro expressions to determine which elements of a video ad users pay the most attention to.
IPG Mediabrands merges Kinesso, Reprise and Matterkind
Merger forms part of network’s transition to a simplified model under one P&L as clients demand greater speed and flexibility.
YouTube to auto-detect if ads meet its best practice guidelines
Creative guidance tool will also surface AI-powered tools that automatically edit advertisers’ video campaigns in line with YouTube’s guidance.
The Brandtech Group acquires Singapore-based AI ad generator Pencil
Hot on the heels of its Jellyfish takeover, the Brandtech Group has bought an AI firm with which it has built an enterprise AI solution being piloted by Unilever and Bayer.
AI will replace 7.5% of U.S. agency jobs by 2030: Forrester
Research firm predicts that 32,000 jobs within U.S. ad agencies and related services companies will be lost to automation within the next seven years — predominantly impacting administrative, sales and market research roles.
Meta’s revival picks up in Q2 as revenue grows 11%
Mark Zuckerberg outlines plans to “pour gasoline” into Threads and expand Meta's AI products as the tech giant swings back into double-digit growth.
YouTube returns to growth in Q2
As Google recovers from an advertising retraction, CFO Ruth Porat has been handed a new role overseeing parent Alphabet’s experimental bets.
How Threads can avoid unraveling
From maintaining momentum to navigating regulation and offering a brand safe environment, Meta has several hurdles to overcome to turn Threads into a sustainable revenue stream.
Netflix adds ability to place ads around its top 10 titles
Streaming service said it is focused on building both standard capabilities and innovative ad formats as it revealed a healthy bump in subscribers for the second quarter.
Agencies: AI-powered advertising is efficient but ‘mediocre’
Tools offered by Google and Meta that automate ad creation and media placements risk flooding the internet with low-quality ads if not properly managed, according to digital agencies.
IPG joins Partnership on AI to bang the drum on brand safety and human creativity
EXCLUSIVE: Holding company said its priorities as part of the tech-heavy coalition are mitigating bias in AI while ensuring brands are protected as more aspects of content creation become automated.
Dentsu’s Doug Rozen to depart amid Americas reorganisation
Rozen to leave by the end of the week as Dentsu reassigns 1,000 staffers across the Americas.
Apple posts record services revenue amid hardware retraction
The iPhone maker said it hit records for advertising, App Store and music revenue in June.
X, formerly Twitter, sues hate speech research group
Social media platform accuses The Center for Countering Digital Hate, which has published research on the spread of harmful content on the platform, of engaging in a “scare campaign” to drive away advertisers.
Tech platforms attribute recent growth spurts to AI-powered performance products
Alphabet, Amazon and Meta turned more highly scrutinised marketing budgets to their advantage in Q2, by honing in on ease and efficiency, according to analysts.
IPG enlists ex-Accenture execs to inject more creativity into commerce
EXCLUSIVE: Jeriad Zoghby and fresh hire Roald van Wyk are championing a new offering within IPG that brings creatives into the “cold” and “functional” world of commerce.
GroupM forms commerce unit under Nexus performance hub
Media investment company aims to standardize its commerce capabilities across markets and develop technology to help clients navigate an increasingly fragmented marketplace.
Snap revenue falls 7% in Q1
The parent company of Snapchat said advertising demand was impacted by the platform’s transition to click-through conversions.
Meta restores revenue growth as newer ad formats show promise
Following three successive quarters of decline, Meta reversed its fortunes in Q1, crediting much of its performance to AI.
Meta fined $1.3 billion for violating E.U. data privacy rules
Facebook parent receives record-breaking fine for breaching GDPR, the EU’s privacy law.
What advertisers want from Linda Yaccarino
As she prepares to take over as CEO of Twitter, Yaccarino’s ability to turn around the platform hinges on Elon Musk relinquishing control.
NBCU’s Linda Yaccarino named CEO of Twitter
Shortly after NBCU announced its long-time ad chief, expected to lead the broadcaster’s Upfront presentation on Monday, would leave, she was named CEO of Twitter.
Meta tests generative AI ad tools
Social media firm’s new AI Sandbox includes AI-enabled text and image editing tools, which it plans to roll out to its advertising toolkit later this year.
YouTube’s ad revenue decline continued into Q1
Alphabet executives assured investors that ad spend has begun to stabilise across Google properties as revenue from its video streaming platform has now retracted for three consecutive quarters.
Meta asks investors to be ‘patient’ as profit plummets and revenue declines
Mark Zuckerberg did little to ease investor concerns about the near-term health of the social-media giant as costs escalated and its core advertising business weakened in Q3.
Media watchdogs and DE&I advocates rebuke Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition
Stop the Deal coalition warns that Musk’s ownership makes marginalized groups more vulnerable on Twitter.
Epsilon acquires Retargetly, expanding database to Latin America
EXCLUSIVE: Publicis Groupe data firm identified LATAM as ‘gap’ to deliver growth across the company.
IPG upgrades full-year outlook despite slowing organic growth
CEO Philippe Krakowsky said agency network continues to ‘create value’ for clients amidst recession concerns.
YouTube ad revenue declines as brands cut budgets
Advertising revenues falter across Google properties in Q3 as tech giant feels pinch from tough economic climate.
Google addresses overly-conservative exclusion lists with central brand suitability solution
EXCLUSIVE: New control center that will cover YouTube and the Google Display Network aims to tackle blanket exclusion approaches that are hampering creators’ ability to monetize— and brings more robust self-serve controls to advertisers’ hands.
IPG hires long-time Accenture exec to oversee commerce strategy
Jeriad Zoghby tasked with unifying IPG’s commerce expertise and identifying opportunities for growth.
Martin Sorrell and Wesley ter Haar are ‘optimistic’ about a ‘tougher’ year ahead
The Media.Monks leaders outline their strategy to appease ‘anxious’ advertisers in a deteriorating economic environment that analysts say is ripe for innovation.
DOJ sues to break up Google’s ad business
The U.S. Justice Department calls for Google to be forced to divest DoubleClick and AdX.
Netflix wants ad tier to be ‘as large as Hulu’
Streaming giant is aiming for its ad-supported tier to become a $3 billion business, surpassing more established players.
Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings hands over CEO reins
Hastings cedes control to Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos as streaming giant’s Q4 subscriber growth exceeds expectations.
Pinterest pitches itself as ‘positive’ reprieve from social media ‘toxicity’
The platform outlined actions it has taken to nurture a brand safe environment in a colourful installation at CES 2023.
Adland steps up urgency in climate messaging around COP27
Campaign asked ad executives and industry sustainability experts about how the messaging has changed at this year’s global climate summit—and whether adland has stepped up its role in fighting the climate crisis.
GroupM unites global brands to tackle media decarbonization
Coalition aims to standardize measurement of carbon emissions created by media placements.
Reels, Shorts and TikTok: How do advertisers divide spend?
As monetization lags at Reels and Shorts, Campaign US delves into the factors informing how ad spend flows between short video offerings — from performance to audience, maturity and trust.
Ad industry displaying ‘cautious optimism’ amidst economic uncertainty: GroupM
WPP’s media investment arm once again lowers global ad forecast for 2022 but says industry is remaining resilient against macroeconomic forces.
Diverse vendors are struggling to break in with agencies
GSD&M plans vendor matchmaking event after research highlights persistent difficulties in accessing the industry and receiving feedback.
Twitter ad pause will have ‘little impact’ on media plans, ad buyers say
Social-media platform, which has witnessed a ‘massive drop’ in ad revenue, was already a minor platform on ad plans, according to media agency executives.
AI, Web3, purpose and SVB: Takeaways for marketers from SXSW 2023
Amidst the AI hype, discussions about new technologies struck a more cautious tone than prior years as advertising and tech workers hone in ethical and commercial challenges.
At SXSW, LGBTQ+ programming focuses on fundamental rights
Nonprofit Do the WeRQ, which created an alternative SXSW calendar to draw LGBTQ+ programming together, says the community is in survival mode.
Lush declares war on Google and big tech
As part of its “big tech rebellion,” the cosmetics retailer is slashing the “millions” it spends on Google ads and cutting platform investment by a third, redirecting customers onto its app and into stores.
As China’s economy rebounds, ad spend flows overseas
Temu’s Super Bowl spot sent a strong signal of the global ambitions of Chinese firms and the far-reaching implications of the country opening back up, GroupM tells Campaign.
Dept lays out plan to drive 10% of revenue from AI by 2025
Global CEO Dimi Albers tells Campaign the launch of a dedicated AI practice will create more jobs rather than reduce them: ‘AI won’t replace people, but people who use AI will.’
‘It's going to be messy’: Ad industry scrambles to standardise sustainability
Sustainability working groups and coalitions are still figuring out how to measure and benchmark carbon emissions before reduction efforts can get underway.
Netflix’s Jeremi Gorman on forthcoming ad tier innovations
Streaming service was one of the most talked about companies at CES 2023 tech trade show in Las Vegas.
Nielsen One Ads makes its debut, with support from ad buyers
Ad buyers are generally supportive of Nielsen’s attempt to overhaul its measurement systems but are still building towards a world with multiple currency providers.
Brands invest cautiously in Disney+ and Netflix
Advertiser appetite for new ad-supported streaming platforms has cooled as user uptake lags, tools remain limited and brands seek guaranteed ROI.
Google ad revenue falls in Q4, reversing several years of growth
Ad revenue across Google properties was $2.2 billion lower in the quarter than a year prior as shrinking brand budgets spread to search.
Mark Zuckerberg says 2023 will be ‘year of efficiency’
Meta CEO promises continued streamlining after reporting a 22% hike in costs and expenses in Q4.
Meta’s Nicola Mendelsohn navigates through ‘year of efficiency’
Mendelsohn, who oversees Meta’s multi-billion dollar ad business, believes the tech giant has been ‘underestimated’ and is ‘bullish’ about its new focus.
Accenture brings on Magic Leap chief design officer to help lead its metaverse business
James Temple to head up Accenture Song’s metaverse capabilities, succeeding Mark Curtis, who is moving to its global sustainability studio.
Disney to shave $5.5 billion in costs, impacting 7,000 jobs
Media conglomerate, which saw ad revenue across its streaming services decline in the most recent quarter, reveals major reorganization as Bob Iger retakes the helm.
Advertisers brace for turbulence at Snap, but welcome clearer focus
As the tech company goes through a mass restructuring the advertising industry expects short-term pain—but remains hopeful about Snap’s long-term outlook.
DDB North America appoints VMLY&R’s strategy lead
Tomas Gonsorcik departs from an 11-year stint at WPP to fill the CSO role left by Eric Zuncic in May.
YouTube’s ad deceleration gathers pace
Alphabet CEO outlines ‘sharpened focus’ on AI and cloud as its video streaming platform posts just 5% ad revenue growth — a monumental decline from its 84% growth rate one year ago.
GARM sets guidelines on misinformation and monetising sensitive topics
Cross-industry initiative has expanded its guidelines around “harmful content” to demonetize misinformation online and help advertisers to navigate ad placements around sensitive content.
Major global companies, ad associations sign up to adopt Ad Net Zero internationally
The ad industry’s climate change initiative is set to roll out across the U.S. and Europe — while it remains “in conversations” in Asia.
‘The world’s largest film festival’: Stunt exposes scale of child sexual abuse material found online
American agency No Fixed Address used AI to generate 85 million film posters that visualize the scale of child sexual abuse material distributed online.
Meta to slow pace of long-term investments amid turbulent Q1
Mark Zuckerberg excitedly outlined his vision to build the metaverse in July 2021. But as Meta faces headwinds from several directions, investment is being reined in.
YouTube’s ad revenue growth rate decelerates substantially in Q1
Video giant impacted by the war in Ukraine and continued headwinds in direct response advertising caused by Apple’s privacy crackdown.