Ad tech rebuilt itself around identity resolution and clean rooms once third-party cookies disappeared. Coverage here spans SSAI, programmatic CTV, ad-supported tier economics, frequency capping, and the measurement approaches replacing the old playbook.
Comcast Advertising executive Michael Hopkins discusses the industry's shift toward simplifying measurement and buying across fragmented streaming and traditional TV environments. The company is leveraging its Outcomes+ solution and FreeWheel's Video Content Report to provide deterministic attribution and series-level transparency for advertisers.
Roku is leveraging its position as a TV operating system to provide privacy-compliant consumer behavior data to advertisers through partnerships with Smartly and iSpot. The initiative aims to shift CTV advertising from broad branding toward performance-based outcomes like lead generation and website visits.
A Modern Retail survey of 125 industry professionals indicates that YouTube remains the leading ad-supported streaming service for budget allocation in Q1 2026. The report also highlights anticipated shifts in the CTV landscape driven by potential platform mergers and changing preferences among major services like Peacock and Roku.
The Advertising Association reports that public trust in advertising has reached a five-year high of 40%, though industry leaders warn that ad bombardment and low-quality generative AI content pose significant risks to these gains. Data from the IPA Effectiveness Databank indicates that campaigns prioritizing creative quality and brand trust are 41% more likely to deliver major business effects.
Lyft and United Airlines have launched a dynamic advertising unit in the Lyft app that displays real-time travel times to NYC-area airports based on user location. The initiative is part of United's broader strategy to leverage programmatic advertising and passenger data across its digital touchpoints and Kinective Media network.
An analysis of 988 company technology stacks by Frans Riemersma indicates that revenue-per-employee outperformers across seven industries consistently utilize fewer programmatic advertising features and lower-maturity stacks than their peers. The study suggests that high-performing firms prioritize selective, high-impact technology over the accumulation of complex programmatic machinery.
Criteo has expanded its Travel Audiences capabilities, allowing marketers to activate travel intent signals through its Commerce Grid and DSP partners. The update enables brands to target consumers based on travel-related behavioral data, including booking and browsing patterns, across the open internet.
Magnite hosted a panel with executives from Dentsu Japan, SmartNews, and SMN Corporation to discuss the challenges of shifting advertising spend toward the open internet in Japan. The discussion focused on the need for improved attention-based measurement, simplified programmatic workflows, and the potential for agentic AI to reduce complexity.
Agency PMG is utilizing Index Exchange's Index Cloud to run containerized code directly within the exchange's infrastructure. This sell-side decisioning approach aims to reduce latency and signal loss by processing media buying intelligence closer to the impression source.
DoubleVerify has launched a direct data integration with Meta to provide deterministic view-through attribution for Facebook and Instagram ads within its DV Rockerbox platform. This integration allows advertisers to track impression-level data and video touchpoints, replacing previous statistical estimation methods.
The NFL has renewed multi-year commercial agreements with DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics for sports betting and daily fantasy services through the 2026 season. These partnerships grant the betting operators access to real-time play-by-play data and Next Gen Stats via Genius Sports to enhance live betting experiences.
Sony is expanding its ad-supported offerings by integrating over 100 FAST channels into PlayStation 5 consoles using Publica and PubMatic. Meanwhile, the European Commission has designated ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox as very large platforms under the Digital Services Act, mandating stricter risk assessments and ad transparency requirements.
The Weather Company is integrating neuroanalytics and agentic AI into its ad-targeting stack to correlate weather-driven emotional states with consumer intent. The publisher is utilizing third-party neuroscience data and internal AI agents to optimize ad delivery while maintaining an agnostic approach to external measurement vendors.
Flywheel Chief Client Officer Amie Owen discusses the operational challenges brands face due to the fragmentation of over 300 retail media networks. The agency advocates for a 'Total Commerce' framework that integrates supply chain and retail operations data rather than focusing solely on media-centric strategies.
The Out of Home Advertising Association of America is partnering with Geopath and Ipsos to launch a modernized measurement system by 2027. The initiative aims to support programmatic transactions and cross-channel attribution, allowing advertisers to coordinate physical displays with television and digital campaigns.
A new market analysis report projects the global in-game advertising market to reach $217.16 billion by 2031, driven by advancements in real-time rendering and rewarded ad formats. The report highlights that while programmatic integration and dynamic ad insertion are expanding, the industry continues to face significant challenges regarding measurement standardization and privacy-compliant targeting.
Amli Media provides a technical comparison between OpenRTB server-to-server and Prebid integrations for gaming publishers. The guide outlines the latency trade-offs and architectural requirements for implementing these programmatic paths within mobile and web gaming environments.
OS Data Solutions, a subsidiary of Ströer, has launched its OSDX data management platform to centralize first-party and contextual data for programmatic advertising. The platform features a direct integration with The Trade Desk's Kokai platform and includes an MCP server to facilitate AI-driven campaign automation.
Knorex has announced the launch of KAI Assist, a conversational interface for its XPO advertising platform, and an upcoming MCP Server integration. These tools aim to allow marketers to manage programmatic campaigns using natural language and connect directly to external AI models like Claude and OpenAI.
Market Research Future projects the global in-app advertising market to grow from $448.04 billion in 2026 to $933.50 billion by 2035, driven by AI-powered optimization, 5G connectivity, and the rise of rewarded video formats. The report highlights a shift toward first-party data and shoppable ad formats as key strategies for publishers and advertisers to navigate evolving privacy regulations.
Google is transitioning its Display and Video 360 and Campaign Manager 360 platforms from count-on-download to begin-to-render impression measurement, with billing changes scheduled for February 2027. This shift aligns with IAB and MRC standards to ensure ads are actively rendering before being counted, which is expected to reduce reported impression volumes.
Starcom Chief Investment Officer Kristin Haarlow highlights that while CTV has matured into a viable performance channel, fragmented and slow measurement reporting remains a significant barrier to real-time campaign optimization. Haarlow emphasizes that advertisers need faster data processing to align CTV performance metrics with the expectations set by search and retail media.
Adtaxi research indicates that social media has overtaken broadcast and connected TV as the primary source for political news among U.S. consumers. The findings suggest that infrequent voters are more responsive to mobile and streaming-based advertising, while frequent voters prioritize search-driven information.
Permutive co-founder Joe Root argues that the decline of trackable IDs to under 30% of consumers is forcing the industry to shift toward edge-based processing and first-party data strategies. He suggests that publishers can restore addressability by using first-party data as a seed to identify behavioral and contextual signals across their inventory.
Unacast provides a technical breakdown of the trade-offs between using advertising bidstream data versus app SDKs for location tracking. The article highlights how bidstream offers immediate delivery but lacks the precision and reliability of SDK-based collection for tasks like attribution and identity resolution.
Google has released data from its Demand Gen campaigns indicating that incorporating human voices into video creative increases conversion rates by 12%. The company advises advertisers to maintain human elements like faces and voices in their video assets to improve performance, even as they leverage generative AI tools for production.
Political super PACs are projected to spend $11.6 billion on the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, with significant portions of these budgets allocated to CTV and digital advertising. Major political organizations are aggressively securing inventory across battleground states, driving high demand for streaming and linear ad slots.
Infillion has launched Infinite Video, a unified advertising platform that integrates TrueX, CTV, OLV, and interactive video formats under a single data and identity layer. The solution leverages the company's XGraph identity graph and Catalina purchase intelligence to provide cross-format measurement and optimization for digital video campaigns.
AdImpact reports a significant shift in beverage advertising budgets, with alcohol brands increasing CTV impressions by 51% while broadcast airings decline. The data highlights a strategic pivot by major brands like Pepsi and Cutwater toward CTV to reach specific demographics during major sporting events.
Research from Online Risk Labs suggests Temu spent nearly $1 billion on Meta partnership ads featuring potentially fake, AI-generated creators. The report highlights concerns regarding compliance with the EU AI Act and UK consumer protection laws, as these ads account for a significant portion of Temu's European reach.
Locality SVP Tom Wolfe discusses the company's strategy to unify local broadcast and streaming advertising through programmatic technology and supply path optimization. The firm is leveraging its proprietary Audience Engine and LocalX platform to provide advertisers with cross-platform measurement and outcome-based targeting.
Gracenote has integrated its content IDs and metadata taxonomy into The Trade Desk, enabling programmatic CTV advertisers to perform program-level targeting and reporting. This partnership marks Gracenote's first integration with a demand-side platform, addressing industry demand for more granular content-based ad intelligence.
Sony Pictures Television has launched 'Live TV on PS5,' a FAST service offering over 100 channels to PlayStation 5 users in the U.S. The platform utilizes Publica and PubMatic to manage programmatic ad delivery, aiming to reach gaming audiences that are typically difficult to capture via traditional TV environments.
OpenAI has reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate for its ChatGPT Ads business within 200 days of launch. The company is expanding self-serve ad buying via its Ads Manager tool to India, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, while supporting over 50 technology and measurement partners.
Meta removed dozens of advertisements from Facebook and Instagram after the Indian government identified them as malicious apps masquerading as pornography to steal banking credentials. The incident highlights ongoing challenges with ad-tech platform moderation and the use of deceptive advertising to distribute malware.
Criteo published a comparative analysis of its own retail media platform against Moloco, highlighting its own strengths in unified onsite and offsite monetization. The article positions Criteo as a long-term solution for retailers, while characterizing Moloco as a lightweight, automation-first tool for simpler onsite needs.
YouTube has updated its view counting criteria to register a view the moment a video begins, aligning its metrics with social platforms like TikTok and Instagram. This change, combined with YouTube's increasing dominance in the CTV market, complicates how marketers evaluate engagement and ad performance on the platform.
Rightsline announced a suite of AI-powered automation tools for contract analysis, rights exploration, and royalty reconciliation at IBC 2026. The platform also introduced integrations with Snowflake and Sigma to enable real-time, self-service data access for media organizations.
TripleLift has launched the Yield Altitude Check, a diagnostic tool designed to help publishers assess their programmatic monetization maturity. The tool evaluates performance across areas such as first-party data activation, SSP fee transparency, and curated PMP strategies.
Triton Digital and RCS have partnered to integrate programmatic advertising workflows directly into broadcast radio playout software. This collaboration enables broadcasters to offer over-the-air inventory through automated platforms similar to those used for streaming audio and podcasts without requiring significant infrastructure changes.
Evergent has published a guide detailing the operational and compliance requirements for using Merchant of Record (MOR) models in global streaming expansion. The guide outlines the differences between MOR, payment processors, and gateways, while explaining how platforms can manage tax and regulatory obligations across various international markets.
The FTC and 22 state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging the company deceived advertisers by secretly converting its second-price auction model into a first-price auction. The complaint claims this practice, which included the use of hidden soft reserve prices, allowed Amazon to extract billions of dollars in additional revenue from over one million advertisers.
Nielsen has updated its Big Data + Panel measurement system with seven methodology changes, including enhanced co-viewing tracking and a revised household demographic assignment model. These adjustments aim to improve accuracy across linear and streaming platforms, though the NFL has publicly criticized the implementation as rushed and lacking transparency.
Genentech executive Marc Minassian advocates for pharmaceutical brands to shift from traditional 60-second linear TV spots toward omnichannel strategies, including CTV and social media. The approach emphasizes using claim-free creative to bypass lengthy regulatory disclosure requirements and reach audiences more effectively across digital platforms.
A study conducted by Wunderkind and TVision across 40 advertisers indicates that pause ads generate significantly higher attention compared to traditional 60-second in-stream spots. Wunderkind is addressing operational friction by providing a programmatic solution that standardizes pause ad delivery across various streaming apps and OEMs.
The streaming industry is seeing a shift in ad-broadcast strategies, exemplified by Netflix hosting an exclusive 27-minute preview for Grand Theft Auto VI. Meanwhile, industry reports highlight that while marketers are aggressively adopting AI, only 21% believe their CRM data is sufficiently prepared for agentic solutions.
YouTube is doubling its Partner Program eligibility requirements to 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views, effective February 2027. The platform is also implementing a new 10 million Shorts view threshold every 90 days for creators to maintain ongoing revenue sharing.
Google has introduced new flexible billing and FinOps management tools for its Gemini Enterprise and Antigravity platforms to help businesses control costs associated with autonomous AI agents. The update includes pay-as-you-go models and savings plans that offer 10% to 20% reductions in token costs for steady workloads.
Voter data platform L2 has integrated PharosGraph's narrative intelligence platform to enable political advertisers to target voters based on issue salience across programmatic CTV and digital channels. The integration allows campaigns to activate sentiment-based models through DSPs like The Trade Desk and Yahoo.
The programmatic advertising industry has fully consolidated around the OpenRTB 2.x standard following Google's retirement of its proprietary Authorized Buyers protocol in February 2025. Current industry efforts are focused on improving bidstream efficiency through throttling and ad podding, alongside navigating new regulatory requirements for user privacy.
James Varndell · Bitmovin
