The news: The Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule that would have simplified canceling subscriptions was rejected by a US federal appeals court on Tuesday, exposing a rift between the priorities of advertisers and digital service providers and those of consumers. Our take: The ruling is seen as a win for companies that use subscriptions for first-party data to strengthen their ad ecosystem, giving protection for those looking to reduce churn and run more effective programmatic and retargeting campaigns. But while advertisers may benefit from the decision, consumers still want an easier process—and simplifying cancellations can benefit businesses in several ways.
YouTube is taking aim at AI-generated "slop" by revising its monetization rules on July 15, drawing a line between authentic content and spammy filler. The update targets low-effort uploads—like synthetic voiceovers over stock footage or AI-mimicked news—but exempts legitimate formats like reaction videos. The shift comes amid growing concern over AI-generated clutter, scams, and identity fakes, as seen in platforms from Spotify to Pinterest. With content volume soaring and faceless creators rising, YouTube’s move reflects a growing push to safeguard viewer trust and advertiser confidence. The platform now faces the challenge of enforcement while reinforcing that originality still matters.
The news: Jasper’s suite of AI-powered marketing agents are purpose-built to automate core marketing functions. These agents, which start at $49 per user per month, work inside Jasper Canvas, a new intelligent workspace designed to streamline planning, collaboration, content creation, and execution. Our take: Marketers must assess their current pain points. If content quality is inconsistent, execution is slow, or tools don’t talk to each other, an agentic platform like Jasper could drive sharper outcomes. As with most new tools, running pilot programs and benchmarks for speed and brand consistency against your current stack will help determine value and ROI.
The news: A recent Equifax report indicates that consumers are struggling with their household financial health and ability to pay mortgages. This will have a negative impact on the home lending market for the foreseeable future. Our take: They’ll need to proactively shift their risk management and lending strategies in anticipation of increased stress on their mortgage portfolios. Meticulously monitoring delinquency rates, enhancing early intervention programs for struggling homeowners, and potentially adjusting underwriting criteria can help mitigate future risks. Banks can also diversify revenue streams beyond traditional mortgage origination to offset potential profitability declines.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss Every Man Jack’s performance vs. brand marketing priorities, the role of marketplaces for the company, and what tactics the brand uses to stand out from the pack. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, Senior Analyst Zak Stambor, and VP of Growth Marketing & E-Commerce at Every Man Jack Nick Hasselberg.
The news: Out-of-home (OOH) and TV advertising are outperforming popular channels like connected TV (CTV) and digital across metrics, per a five-year study from Clear Channel Outdoor and Kantar. Our take: OOH and TV advertising will continue playing a critical role in an effective omnichannel strategy, and the most savvy advertisers will recognize the enduring effectiveness of these channels for reaching key audiences when they’re likely to purchase.
The news: WPP slashed its 2025 outlook in an earnings update, citing declines in client spend and net new business—exacerbating the agency’s turbulence over recent months and sending WPP stock to its lowest point since 2009. WPP now expects an annual revenue decline of 3% to 5%, up from its previous forecast of 2%. Our take: WPP’s woes indicate that the traditional agency model is struggling to adapt to shifting client demands, AI-led marketing, and digital disruption.
The news: Linda Yaccarino, CEO of Elon Musk’s X, left the company Wednesday as the social platform faced a major AI controversy—raising questions about the platform’s future and how advertisers will navigate the shift. Yaccarino, who became CEO of X in 2023, announced her decision to leave on Wednesday. Our take: X’s future is increasingly rocky. Yaccarino’s departure reaffirms many advertisers’ fears that the platform is far from stable, and the Grok mishap indicates that it isn’t yet brand safe—meaning major advertisers could retreat once again.
The news: Moonvalley publicly launched its Marey video-generation tool, making its ethical AI filmmaking tool accessible to broader audiences concerned about brand safety and copyright infringement amid AI adoption. Our take: Moonvalley’s Marey could make AI video generation more accessible to brands, especially those focused on prioritizing ethical AI practices and those with smaller production budgets. Marey could also serve as a lower-cost prototyping tool to test out video concepts and align creative direction plans prior to filming to streamline full-scale production and save costs.
The news: Generative AI (genAI) is expected to play a bigger role than ever in ecommerce during Amazon’s Prime Day event this week. Adobe predicts that genAI-driven traffic will surge 3,200% YoY as more consumers use AI for searching for products, price matching, and purchasing decisions. Our take: While still trailing traditional channels like paid search and email, AI is winning consumer trust and influencing higher-consideration purchases. Marketers that can tailor shopping content around AI search could help their clients gain visibility. Structure product data, promotions, and sales content for AI interfaces like chatbots, shopping agents, and search for more conversational browsing with a higher conversion rate.
The news: Sports-centric streaming service Fubo has agreed to pay $3.4 million to settle a lawsuit claiming it illegally distributed customers’ personal data to advertisers without consent. The lawsuit alleged that Fubo went against the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) in 2023 by collecting personally identifiable information (PII), including data on consumers’ viewing history and location, and sharing this information with third party advertisers. Our take: Fubo’s lawsuit echoes growing concerns over how platforms approach data privacy and questions over the legality of using sensitive information to serve personalized ads—requiring that advertisers shift their strategies.
The news: Fortnite-maker Epic Games settled its antitrust lawsuit against Samsung, ending claims that Samsung and Google blocked rival app stores, per Bloomberg. Epic had accused Samsung’s “Auto Blocker” of preventing third-party app store downloads, alleging collusion with Google. Samsung and Google previously denied wrongdoing, calling Epic’s claims “baseless” and “meritless.” Our take: With Epic’s continued disruption of app store ecosystems, marketers should prepare for a fragmented but freer market—alternative app stores allow more control over promotions, subscriptions, and bundled offerings.
A new Adalytics investigation reveals that YouTube served ads from major brands like Disney, HBO Max, and Hulu alongside thousands of pirated films, live TV broadcasts, and exclusive streaming content—racking up over 250 million views. The report highlights systemic failures in YouTube’s content moderation and ad placement transparency, leaving advertisers with little visibility and minimal recourse for refunds. Worse, some studios may have inadvertently paid to retarget users who pirated their own content. As copyright enforcement lags and automation is gamed, brands and rights holders face financial, reputational, and legal risks in one of digital media’s biggest ecosystems.
The news: Healthline Media settled with the California Attorney General’s office over allegations that Healthline.com failed to opt consumers out of having their personal information shared for targeted advertising. Our take: State health data privacy laws are new, meaning we will likely see increased scrutiny and more enforcement action against companies that previously went unchecked. Healthline and other health content companies must verify that their opt-out tools work as intended while being transparent with advertisers about the consumer data they can and cannot share with them.
The news: Seventy-one percent of US parents with children ages 1 to 17 give them an allowance, averaging $37 per week, per a recent Wells Fargo study. But not all are confident that they’re able to teach their children about banking or savings. Banks have a clear opportunity to support parents in teaching their children about money—and by doing so, they’re strengthening their ties with their next generation of customers. They should develop engaging, age-appropriate digital tools and educational content that simplify complex concepts and encourage responsible money management. Additionally, banks can offer resources and workshops for parents to equip them with the confidence and knowledge to guide their children's financial journeys.
The news: Gen Z’s media habits are changing fast—and most brands aren’t keeping up. New data shows Gen Z spends hours on social media daily, but not passively: they’re engaging in participatory, creator-led environments where trust and relatability matter more than production polish. Fifty-two percent say they feel closer to creators than celebrities. Gaming platforms like Roblox are central, with adults 25–34 averaging 100 minutes per session. Our take: legacy ad formats don’t cut it anymore. To earn Gen Z’s attention, brands need to integrate into native experiences, empower creators as collaborators, and measure more than just impressions.
The news: Meta poached Apple’s top AI/ML engineer, Ruoming Pang, with a multimillion-dollar offer—marking another major hire for its fast-growing Superintelligence Labs (MSL), per Bloomberg. Our take: MSL’s AI breakthroughs will likely funnel into Meta’s core products—ads, targeting, automation, and content moderation. AI-powered Meta ads are already delivering almost 22% higher returns than average Meta ads, per The Drum. Advertisers should track how Meta’s talent advantage could enhance ad personalization and ROI. Start stress-testing campaigns with Meta’s AI tools now—before they evolve further—and align campaigns to AI-native ad products.
The news: Dr. Kim Boyd, previously the chief medical officer of telehealth weight loss startup Calibrate, joins WeightWatchers as CMO as the company plans to launch perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause treatments and services for women ages 40-60 later this year. Our take: WeightWatchers will compete with several D2C telehealth for the underserved pre- and post-menopausal consumer market. However, we think its brand recognition among women ages 40-60, its long-standing weight loss support expertise and new Novo deal could catapult it ahead.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the second biggest digital ad player’s (Meta) vision for the future of ads, if it will lead to money saved or more commercials, and why the 30-second AI-made TV ad for Kalshi matters more than most. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, and Principal Analyst Yory Wurmser. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
The news: AI-powered search tools, including large-language models (LLMs) used by Perplexity and other AI companies, increasingly deliver unreliable data. Our take: Audit your AI stack. Don’t rely on outputs alone—verify the provenance of AI-generated data and prioritize tools trained on verified, high-integrity sources. Vet vendors based on transparency, update cycles, and data hygiene. If you’re using AI for decision-making, demand traceable accountability—because “good enough” answers can quickly become costly mistakes.