Latest Marketing & Advertising News
Omnicom-IPG Merger Finalized as Largest Ad Deal Ever
Omnicom's $13.5 billion acquisition of Interpublic Group closed in late November, creating the world's largest agency network and capping a record M&A year. The deal faced FTC scrutiny but gained approval after revisions, leading to 4,000 job cuts for consolidation.
Industry experts hail it as the most important transaction due to tech advantages.
Google's December Core Update Devastates Publisher Traffic
Google's third 2025 core update on December 11 caused severe Discover traffic drops of 70-85% for news sites during holiday peak. Publishers faced worst traffic in years amid high seasonal ad rates.
This wrecked organic reach critical for advertising revenue.
ChatGPT Explores Advertising Ambitions
OpenAI signals entry into digital advertising as Google updates disrupt the market. This move heightens competition in AI-powered ad platforms.
Industry braces for shifts in search and programmatic advertising.
Streaming Surpasses Linear TV in Ad Viewership
2025 marked TV advertising's turning point with streaming viewership exceeding linear for the first time. Ad-supported viewing outpaced ad-free, with Disney's programmatic sales up 30%.
Sports rights migration to streamers and AI personalization drove full-funnel journeys.
AI Adtech Startups Reshape Marketing with $200B Valuation
Agentic and Generative AI transformed adtech, automating workflows with market surpassing $200B in 2025. Startups like MINT.ai show 92%+ ROI via media optimization.
Agentic AI market projected to grow from $7.29B to $88.35B by 2032.
Publicis Media Secures Kenvue's $1.3B Global Account
Publicis Media won Kenvue's $1.35B annual measured media business on December 22. WPP leads creative for most brands except Neutrogena.
The shift promises enhanced creativity and precision in brand building.
TUI MAGIC LIFE Launches 'Like a Vacation, Only Better!' Campaign
TUI MAGIC LIFE debuted its global campaign on December 27 targeting couples and families in Europe. It strengthens brand positioning for 2026 travel season in Germany, Austria, and UK.
The effort builds on prior successes to drive bookings.
Tariffs Force Brands to Reshape Marketing Strategies
Trump-era tariffs disrupted 2025 marketing, prompting production shifts from China to Brazil and Mexico. Some apparel brands halted advertising; others absorbed costs.
WPP raised ad revenue growth forecast to 8.8%, with events like World Cup aiding spend.
Google Delays Cookie Deprecation Indefinitely
Google admitted cookies might persist after years of post-cookie preparations, due to antitrust and publisher pressure. This reverses expectations, leaving advertisers in limbo.
It caps a year of regulatory chaos in adtech.
NBA Christmas Day TV Ads Sell Out with 37 New Brands
Disney Ad Sales sold out inventory for NBA Christmas games on ESPN/ABC, featuring 37 new brands. This highlights strong demand in sports advertising amid streaming shifts.
Peak holiday viewership boosted marketer interest.
SEO Evolves into 'Answer Engineering' with AI Overviews
Google's AI answers appeared in 15-20% of queries by mid-2025, reducing clicks in marketing categories. Brands structure content for AI summaries and treat social as search assets.
Ignoring this risks losing discovery and intent traffic.
Social Commerce Merges Marketing and Merchandising
Social platforms become storefronts with creator-led sales compressing purchase paths. High-performers use creators for conversions and simplify mobile checkouts.
Poor landing experiences leak revenue from social traffic.