Latest Marketing & Advertising News
U.S. Digital Video Ad Spend to Surpass $80B in 2026
IAB projects U.S. digital video ad spending will exceed $80B in 2026, growing 11% YoY, outpacing total ad market by 20%. Social video leads with 13% growth due to AI personalization and creator economy investments, while digital video claims over 60% of TV/video spend. Nearly all buyers are adopting agentic AI for campaigns .
Disney Courts Mid-Market with Ad Sales Momentum Ahead of 2026 Upfronts
Disney is targeting mid-market advertisers using its self-service platform and biddable deals to build momentum before 2026 upfronts. The strategy aims to expand reach and accessibility in a competitive landscape .
Rakuten Advertising Launches Mirai, AI Optimization Agent for Affiliates
Rakuten Advertising introduced Mirai, the first advanced AI agent for affiliate marketing, enhancing offer creation and real-time optimization. Future updates will cover partner recruitment and full program management, acting as an extension of ad teams .
Brands Capitalize on Met Gala 2026 with Real-Time Marketing
Brands transformed Met Gala 2026 into a marketing opportunity via quick reactions, memes, and real-time content on social platforms. Exchange4media highlighted these agile strategies on May 6 
POSSIBLE 2026 Spotlights AI, Performance Measurement Challenges
At POSSIBLE 2026 in Miami with 7,500+ attendees, discussions focused on underwhelming AI tools, attention measurement gaps, and supply chain pressures. Organizers announced a 2027 Lisbon edition amid calls for pre-launch decision-making AI .
HCN Unveils Hotel Commerce Media Network at POSSIBLE 2026
Hospitality Commerce Network (HCN) introduced its in-room tablet platform as a new advertising frontier, integrating DOOH for high-impact ads. The breakthrough was highlighted at the POSSIBLE conference .
Social Video Outpaces CTV in 2026 Digital Ad Growth
IAB report notes social video growing 13% vs. CTV's 11% in 2026, driven by AI innovations and creator economy spends. This marks the first time social outpaces CTV .
Agentic AI Adoption Accelerates in Digital Video Campaigns
Two-thirds of digital video buyers are live, testing, or planning agentic AI use in 2026, with 28% investigating; nearly all are on activation paths per IAB .
Digital Video Exceeds 60% of Total TV/Video Ad Spend in 2026
Digital video, including CTV, online, and social, will surpass 60% share of TV/video market for the first time, though growth slows from post-COVID peaks .
Rakuten's Mirai AI Set for Full Affiliate Lifecycle Expansion
Mirai's initial affiliate offer tools launch today, with planned expansions to recruitment, optimization, and reporting to boost advertiser scalability .