Latest Marketing & Advertising News
AI-driven agency resets reshape marketing services
Agencies are integrating AI across research, creative, media buying and analytics, forcing new operating models, pricing pressures, and performance-linked engagements, according to a market research report from MARKETER that calls the change a structural reset rather than a cyclical slowdown.
Ad tech consolidation and major M&A defined 2025’s deal flow
2025 saw widespread ad tech and agency transactions as buyers and platforms consolidated capabilities; AdExchanger compiled a near-comprehensive rundown of the year’s notable ad tech deals and strategic acquisitions.
Agentic AI hype meets human oversight concerns
While agentic AI promised autonomous ad workflows, industry coverage argues it isn’t ready for full brand control due to hallucination and consistency risks, with experts urging human supervision.
Social platforms become primary search layer for product discovery
Analysts and vendors report consumers increasingly discover products on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube Shorts, prompting brands to shift investment from Google-centric SEO to social-first discovery strategies.
Measurement and TV/CTV attribution disputes persist
The advertising ecosystem continued to grapple with TV/CTV measurement and attribution debates in 2025, with industry analyses highlighting conflicts over cross-platform measurement standards and the impact on media planning.
Hidden costs of generative AI in campaigns revealed
Marketers adopting generative AI for creative expect efficiency gains but face hidden expenses — licensing, quality control, and brand safety — reported by Digiday and industry analysts.
Organic social reach declines; omnichannel and paid-first strategies rise
Wider algorithm changes reduced organic reach in 2025, encouraging brands to adopt omnichannel plans and paid distribution while focusing on platform-native creative, as observed by agencies and trend reports.
Google’s AI Overviews (Google Zero) and AI search disrupts traffic models
The rise of AI-driven search summaries and ‘zero-click’ results has reduced traditional search traffic, prompting interest in GEO/AEO (generative/answer engine optimization) tactics for discovery.
Holiday ecommerce exceeds $1 trillion, shifting seasonal ad spend
Sales data showed global holiday e-commerce topped $1 trillion by mid-December, influencing seasonal ad budgets and performance planning across retail and direct-to-consumer brands.
Industry forecasts push personalization, trust, and omnichannel for 2026
Forecasts and trend pieces recommend hyper-personalization, integrated channel journeys, and authenticity to succeed in 2026, with marketers urged to blend AI automation with human creativity.
Luxury brands face consumer pushback over AI imagery use
Luxury marketers scaled AI-generated imagery in 2025 but encountered consumer backlash, causing many brands to re-evaluate use of synthetic creative and transparency practices.},{