Latest Marketing & Advertising News
Meta’s ad business is still booming, but legal pressure is mounting
WARC Media forecasts Meta could generate about USD$240bn in ad revenue in 2026 after a 22% rise to USD$196bn in 2025. At the same time, Meta is fighting an Ofcom challenge in the UK over Online Safety Act fines and facing a California lawsuit over scam ads on Facebook and Instagram .
Netflix expands ad-tech ambitions as regulators question its privacy claims
Netflix continues to deepen its advertising capabilities even as Texas sued the company over allegedly secret consumer-data monetization and addictive design claims. The streamer is also rolling out Amazon DSP access for UK and EMEA advertisers, using Amazon shopping data to improve targeting on Netflix inventory .
TikTok gives users an ad-free option in the UK
TikTok introduced a paid subscription tier in the UK that removes advertising and lets users opt out of targeted ad tracking. The move reflects a broader industry shift toward greater user control over privacy and data use .
TikTok adds new search, creator, and AI ad tools
At TikTok World, the company unveiled Search Hubs, expanded Branded Buzz creator tools, and upgraded TopReach with creative sequencing. TikTok also added new Symphony AI features and support for third-party AI tools like ChatGPT through its Ads Model Context Protocol .
Upfronts 2026 put ad technology ahead of programming
This year’s Upfront presentations emphasized advertising tech, performance marketing, and AI-driven personalization across major streamers and broadcasters. Netflix, Amazon, Disney, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox all highlighted audience precision and new ad products .
Netflix says most new subscribers are choosing its ad-supported tier
Netflix disclosed that 60% of new subscribers are opting for its ad-supported plan, and that the platform now reaches 250 million global monthly users. It is also testing personalized ad loads and dynamic frequency caps based on viewer behavior .
Warner Bros. Discovery unveils scene-level contextual advertising
Warner Bros. Discovery introduced “Scene-Level Moments,” which uses contextual analysis to match ads with specific scenes. The company also showcased interactive pause ads, real-time dynamic creative, and AI-powered “agentic” brand experiences .
NBCUniversal pushes AI-assisted contextual placement and sports retargeting
NBCUniversal presented new ad offerings including AI-assisted contextual ad placement and “Live Total Impact.” The latter is designed to help advertisers retarget viewers after major sports broadcasts .
Amazon highlights authenticated audience scale across U.S. households
Amazon told advertisers its ecosystem reaches 90% of U.S. households with authenticated audience signals. The company used that scale to reinforce its position as a major ad platform for performance and commerce-driven campaigns .
Fox leans on live viewing and Tubi’s growth
Fox emphasized the value of live programming and the continued expansion of Tubi, its free ad-supported streaming platform. The company said Tubi now attracts 100 million monthly active users .
Apple settles Siri AI marketing lawsuit for USD$250 million
Apple agreed to pay USD$250m to settle a class-action lawsuit claiming it overstated Siri’s AI capabilities in marketing for newer iPhone models. The case raises broader questions about how technology companies promote emerging AI products before features are actually available .