Edition #497
Will pMax (& others) go multi modal? WhatsApp Ads & Cannes.
Privacy advocacy is working, WhatsApp launched its ads product this week. The ads are limited the to the updates section (away from your messages). But at launch, they share exactly what data will feed into those placements.
Why? All the advocacy for privacy is paying off, users are savvier, it’s best to launch and just go on the front foot here is what we are doing. It builds trusts with users, and sets expectations. It’s a promising sign.
Google launching Audio Overviews is super interesting. And I’m thinking about it from the ads side, presumably, your Google Pmax ads, that show in overviews will now be audio ads.
Multi-modal ads are an implication too many are sleeping on. The advertiser loads in once, and gets text, video, audio. And potentially all through the same provider.
With Spotify offering programmatic you could even extend and send the ads over there. BUT I imagine the bar is going to be higher for quality on audio ads. But then again, I’m sure there’s some ‘formats’ that can be used to keep a level of quality.
It’s a bit tight for a Cannes debrief, but my initial take is there are two lanes. Those that are in AI, and roaring ahead. And those that haven’t really dived in and don’t realise how far behind they are.
As someone said to me, a lot of advertising sector, was early to ML, so has had a sense of ‘we do AI’ . And already launched it to their customers. In turn they are not fully embracing or realising the full potential of the current tools. And this could be a costly mistake. Digiday captured this sentiment too.
The lip service paid to AI isn’t as obvious, till you sit in a session, with folks that are clearly in the weeds, further ahead, trying to figure out how to get even faster/better. The discussions are more tangible, sincere & less grandiose. A genuine curiosity to figuring it out. The fast eat the slow.
Also thanks to you the readers, on multiple occasions where in group situations, I got endorsements of this note, which was appreciated and I’m glad it continues to deliver value to you. 🙏
Notable stories this week
- YouTube aims to democratize branded content just like it did with videos.
- Cannes Briefing: What the ad industry isn’t saying about AI.
- Sam Altman Says GPT-5 Coming This Summer, Open to Ads on ChatGPT—With a Catch.
- WhatsApp just launched ads for all users.
- The Ad Industry’s A.I. reckoning.
- Netflix taps Yahoo DSP for more programmatic demand.
- Google knowledge panel buttons going to wrong sites.
- Advertisers can buy product placement ads through The Trade Desk.
- Why publishers must lean in to AI as a new media channel.
- DV CEO: We’re Talking to Ad-Supported AI Platforms.
- CMA may release Google from its Privacy Sandbox commitments.
- SEMRush projects AI search visitors to surpass traditional visitors in 2028.
- Reddit adds analytics to comments contributed.
- SEMRush shared learnings of it AI Search study. Some gems in there.
- Stagwell launches Unreasonable studios.
- Meta wants to run all of advertising. So doesn’t it need to be in TV?
- Google to launch Audio overviews.
Deals/M&A
- Canva acquires MagicBrief in foray into advertising. Well done George!
- Automattic acquires Clay.
- Tucker Carlson buys out investors in his media company.
- Candle Media’s Kevin Mayer eyes exits for Moonbug and other brands.
Campaign of the week
- At the end of the day, when you’re in a room by yourself, do you like it? Meta celebrating the creative.
- ^ Love this as a creative lens.
View all best campaigns on Marca.
Smartest commentary
- “Sell agents not ads.” –Michael Rubensten, Founder Firsthand.
- “This is the shape of the AI conversation at Cannes: vague in public, anxious in private. The official stance is cautious optimism. Behind closed doors, the questions are more direct: how much of what we do is now automatable? How long before clients start to notice?” –Digiday.
Datapoints of note
- The Average LLM Visitor is Worth 4.4x the Average Traditional Organic Search Visitor.
- Google’s generative AI traffic share grew 48% but ChatGPT remains dominant.
Events
- Social drinks coming up next week, let me know if you want to join.
That’s it for this week.
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