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Articles by Mark Stenberg
Condé Nast’s Q4 Ad Business Is Forecast to Fall Short by Over $35 Million
This story was originally published in On Background with Mark Stenberg, a free, weekly newsletter that explores the key themes shaping the media industry. You can sign up for it here. Condé Nast is forecasting roughly $130 million in U.S. advertising bookings for the fourth quarter, more than $35 million below its internal goal, according to internal figures viewed by ADWEEK and a person familiar with its finances.
People Inc. Ramps Up Social Video as Google Traffic Fades
At the end of 2024, InStyle editor-in-chief Sally Holmes and Jonathan Borge, one of her top deputies, pitched an idea for a social video series in which a chaotic intern joins the magazine and wreaks havoc on its staff. The team shot a pilot on an iPhone, using the office as the set and staffers as the cast. Less than two years later, The Intern has now run 15 seasons and more than 87 episodes, which have collectively drawn over 107 million views, according to InStyle parent company People Inc.
As Search Traffic Falls, Motherly Bets on Social Video and Live Events
The decade-old parenting brand Motherly is shifting its business toward vertical video, podcasts, WhatsApp group chats, and in-person events, according to its chief executive Sharon Yi, who joined the company in May. In doing so, the publisher aims to offset declining search traffic by building a highly engaged community around socially native, fact-based reporting.
Tilly Norwood Tells All
This story was originally published in On Background with Mark Stenberg, a free, weekly newsletter that explores the key themes shaping the media industry. You can sign up for it here. On Tuesday morning, I moderated a panel at the inaugural Industry Leadership Summit, a two-day event that preceded the ANA conference in Orlando, Florida, with an unusual guest: Tilly Norwood, the AI-generated actress created by production studio Particle6.
Substack Brings Dynamic Ad Insertion to Podcasts
Substack is adding dynamic ad insertion to the podcasts it hosts—so that ads are placed when the listener downloads or streams, rather than recorded in the audio file—marking the latest step in a sponsorship push the company has been building since June.
Semafor’s Upcoming Tech Summit Is Already an Eight-Figure Business
The global business and economy publisher Semafor has lined up 24 commercial partners for Silicon Valley & The World, a new two-day event focused on the AI economy that the publisher will host for the first time in November. The deals have pushed revenue for the first-year event “well into the eight figures,” according to Semafor chief commercial officer Rachel Oppenheim. She declined to share further financial specifics.
Parade Founder Cami Tellez Taps UTA Exec to Scale Her ‘Post-Follower' Agency
Ed Victori, former vp strategy & business operations at United Talent Agency, joined Devotion as COO Social media has moved past the follower count, but influencer marketing has not. With her new venture, Cami Tellez is trying to change that. Tellez, the 29-year-old marketing guru who in 2019 cofounded the Gen Z underwear brand Parade, launched Devotion earlier this year with the aim of building a creator marketing platform for the post-follower era.
Katzenberg-Backed Netomi Expands Leadership as It Bets on AI-Tailored Websites
The artificial intelligence startup Netomi, backed by former DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, is changing its leadership team as it tries to move AI out of the chat window in the corner of a website and into the website itself. Justin Wexler, a longtime general partner at Katzenberg’s venture firm WNDR and a Netomi board member for five years, has become the president of Netomi. He will work alongside Netomi founder and chief executive Puneet Mehta.
Content-to-Commerce Publishers Have Struggled. Could Outdoor Life Be the Exception?
This story was originally published in On Background with Mark Stenberg, a free, weekly newsletter that explores the key themes shaping the media industry. You can sign up for it here. Over the past few years, I have spent a good portion of my life documenting how content-to-commerce models fall apart.
Meta’s TikTok Link Ban Could Hobble Media Buyers’ Creator Campaigns
Last week, Meta announced an abrupt change in its advertising policy, saying that it would no longer run ads from TikTok across its ecosystem of brands. Meta began enforcing the ban on Thursday, Oct. 8, in the U.S., Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam, according to Bloomberg, which first reported the news. The restriction also extends to third-party advertisers running campaigns that link to TikTok and other ByteDance properties in those countries.
Authentic Brands Group Taps USA Today Co.’s Lark-Marie Antón As Chief Comms Officer
The brand licensing business Authentic Brands Group has hired Lark-Marie Antón as its chief communications officer, chief executive officer Matt Maddox said on Monday. The role is a newly created position at the company, which is hiring up before it prepares to go public in the first half of 2027. It promoted Maddox to his current role as CEO in May, while founder and former CEO Jamie Salter transitioned into a new position as executive chairman in January.
AI Is Pushing Advertising Back Into the Physical World
This story was originally published in On Background with Mark Stenberg, a free, weekly newsletter that explores the key themes shaping the media industry. You can sign up for it here. At Advertising Week, amid conversations about agents, creators, and combating fragmentation, an unusual topic kept coming up: out of home. The relatively fusty advertising channel has, in recent years, taken on renewed relevance.
Dear Media and Amanda Hirsch Want Brands To Ditch the Script
For podcast host Amanda Hirsch, the best brand partnerships start before a deal is ever signed. Hirsch, who hosts Not Skinny But Not Fat, will even accept a lower fee from a brand she already uses, she told ADWEEK chief content officer Zoe Ruderman at ADWEEK’s Advertising HQ event. Hirsch runs every potential partner through a few filters: whether she’s an organic fan, whether she has tried the product herself, and whether her audience would find it genuinely useful.
Social Agency SAMY Buys Influencer Shop Get Engaged in Low Nine-Figure Deal
The Madrid-based social media agency SAMY on Tuesday acquired Get Engaged, a U.S. social and influencer marketing agency, according to Get Engaged co-founder Alex Dermer. The founders declined to disclose financial details, although they will keep “meaningful ownership” in the combined business, Dermer said. The cash-and-equity deal is valued in the low nine figures, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Piers Morgan's Uncensored Launches Paid Tier to Own Its Audience Beyond YouTube
The company is hoping 2% to 4% of its 4.6 million YouTube subscribers will pay $4.99 a month for early, ad-free, exclusive content Uncensored, the media company founded by Piers Morgan in February 2024, is launching its first paid subscription product, according to chief executive Rashida Jones. In doing so, the publisher is hoping to turn a portion of its YouTube audience into paying members, part of a broader push to diversify its revenue base beyond advertising. Starting Oct.
Morning Brew Acquires Express Checkout in Latest Creator Play
Morning Brew Inc. has acquired Express Checkout, a creator-led media brand covering the consumer packaged goods industry, according to Morning Brew CEO Robert Dippell. The deal is the publisher’s latest move to bring independent creators and their audiences into its portfolio. Terms were not disclosed. The all-cash deal gives Morning Brew, which is owned by Axel Springer, 100% of Express Checkout’s intellectual property, according to Dippell.
OpenWeb Enters Insolvency After Dramatic Fall From $1.5 Billion Valuation
OpenWeb, the advertising technology firm once valued at $1.5 billion, has entered insolvency proceedings in Israel. It’s the latest turn in a dramatic reversal of fortune for a company that raised hundreds of millions of dollars and has worked with hundreds of premium publishers.
Slow Ventures Backs 3 More Creators in Its $64 Million Bet on Niche ‘Cults’
This story was originally published in On Background with Mark Stenberg, a free, weekly newsletter that explores the key themes shaping the media industry. You can sign up for it here. On Wednesday, the venture capital firm Slow Ventures unveiled three of its latest investments, none of which, if you can believe it, have anything to do with artificial intelligence, agents, or wearable technology.
Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch Departs for Mattel
Anna Wintour has officially outlasted another boss. On Wednesday, Condé Nast chief executive Roger Lynch announced his departure from the company, marking the end of a seven-year tenure shaped prominently by a dramatic upheaval in the digital media landscape. Scroll down to read his memo to staff. Lynch, who joined the company in 2019 from the music platform Pandora, will become the new CEO of global toymaker Mattel.
Shamrock Takes Majority Stake In Saylor, Merging It With Gaming Agency Mutiny
The private equity firm Shamrock Capital made an eight-figure investment in the social-first agency Saylor on Wednesday, giving Shamrock a majority ownership stake in the five-year-old company. Once the deal closes, Saylor will merge with Mutiny, a gaming-focused creative agency already in the Shamrock portfolio, according to Saylor founder and CEO Will Trowbridge. “Brand fandom has become a need-state, not a nice-to-have,” Trowbridge said.
Meta Eyes Enterprise Spend With Muse for Small Business Launch
Meta on Tuesday unveiled an enterprise extension of Muse, the artificial intelligence agent it launched earlier this month, with the aim of tapping into lucrative commercial spending. The new platform, called Muse for Small Business, connects its agent to software from companies including Asana, Intuit, and Slack, according to the company. It can also link to Meta ad accounts and Facebook profiles.
Paradium.AI, Formerly The Arena Group, to Sell 49% Stake to Roundtable—If It Can Raise $89M
Paradium.AI, the digital publisher formerly known as The Arena Group, recently signed a 10-year platform agreement with media technology firm Roundtable. In tandem, Roundtable has agreed to buy a 49.5% stake in Paradium for around $89 million. The deals are contingent on Roundtable raising the sum by the fourth quarter of this year.
Global Citizen Taps Influential As Its Official Creator Partner
Global Citizen, the anti-poverty organization best known for its star-studded annual festival in Central Park, is turning to creators to reach audiences that its celebrity performers no longer reliably draw. The organization has named Influential, the Publicis-owned influencer marketing company, its global creator partner, the two companies announced Friday.
Palantir’s Quiet Takeover of Media’s Data Stack
This story was originally published in On Background with Mark Stenberg, a free, weekly newsletter that explores the key themes shaping the media industry. You can sign up for it here. Palantir built its original business on government work, including contracts with the Defense Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But in recent years, the data analytics company has also begun selling to media and marketing firms.
Black Media Collective BOMESI Opens Applications for Its Fifth Accelerator Cohort
The Black media collective BOMESI, which supports more than 400 Black-owned companies and a further 2,500 diverse-owned media companies, opened applications last week for the fifth cohort of its flagship Accelerator program, according to cofounder Rhonesha Byng. Applications, available here, officially began Sept. 15 and run until Oct. 1.
Alex Cooper’s Unwell Adds 4 Shows, Prioritizing YouTube for Its Fall Slate
Unwell, the podcast network created by Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper, is expanding its fall slate with the addition of four new or returning shows spanning history, lifestyle, and internet culture, according to Ali Lee, its vice president of marketing.
New York Times Marks 175 Years With a Print Love Letter to Advertising
To commemorate its 175th anniversary on Friday, The New York Times took the opportunity to thank the people who really make its reporting possible: the advertisers. New York Times Advertising is running a multi-page print spread pulling together seven of the most memorable ads to have run in the paper, dating back to 1851 when the publisher first launched.
Zoom and Colin Jost make the case for B2B comedy
Zoom is leaning into comedy to push its brand beyond video conferencing. The software firm has partnered with a master of the form: SNL alumnus Colin Jost, who launched his production studio, No Notes, specifically to work with brand marketers Zoom enjoys extraordinary brand awareness, head of brand and activation Whitney Magnuson told the audience at ADWEEK's Brandweek conference.
Inside Wikipedia’s Plan to Survive the Answer Engine Apocalypse Original
This story was originally published in On Background with Mark Stenberg, a free, weekly newsletter that explores the key themes shaping the media industry. You can sign up for it here. Wikipedia has spent 25 years building a reputation as one of the most trusted sources on the web. Now, as answer engines rewrite how people find information online, that reputation faces a threat familiar to many publishers: ubiquity without credit.
After 15 Years of Pro, Politico Finally Launches a Second Subscription
Politico is expanding beyond its long-running Pro subscription business, launching a new technology policy franchise called Decoded, according to chief executive Goli Sheikholeslami. The daily briefing, which will debut as a newsletter on Oct. 5 with an accompanying podcast, will draw on reporting from nearly 50 journalists across the globe, including bureaus in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, London, and Brussels.
With Engagement Party, CNN Leans Into Culture and Creators
CNN is leaning further into culture, lifestyle, and creator-style formats as part of a broader reinvention, according to executives and talent who spoke on a panel at Brandweek in Atlanta. The session, moderated by ADWEEK CEO Will Lee, featured Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro, co-hosts of the network’s pop-culture podcast Engagement Party, alongside Guy Griggs, CNN’s senior vice president of ad sales and client partnerships.
At Brandweek, Spotify’s Creative Lab Chief Lobbies for Sounds Over Screens
Kay Hsu, Spotify’s global head of Creative Lab, wants brands to stop thinking about formats and start thinking about the sounds. Speaking with ADWEEK executive editor Alison Weissbrot during a fireside chat at Brandweek in Atlanta on Tuesday, Hsu said the lines between audio, video, live events, and text have blurred to the point that a single piece of content—a podcast, for instance—can now exist as a show, a video, and a touring live experience.
Climate Publisher Heatmap Turned Data Centers Into Triple-Digit Growth
Heatmap, the climate and energy outlet that launched a little over three years ago, is on pace to post triple-digit revenue growth this year as corporate and policymaker interest in energy, particularly the buildout of data centers, pulls a wider audience toward its coverage. Revenue at the company is up 115% year-to-date in 2026, following an 83% jump in 2025 over the prior year, according to co-founders Nico Lauricella and Randy Siegal.
Droga5 Creative Mariano Jeger Joins OutFront, Launches IRL Studios
On Monday, former executive creative director at Droga5 Mariano Jeger joined the out-of-home advertising company OutFront. Jeger is the first chief creative officer of IRL Studios, a new division that will combine OutFront’s creative agency, Creative Studios, with its creative innovation tech unit, XLabs, into a single offering, Jeger told ADWEEK. The exec will report to Stacy Minero, the chief marketing and experience officer at Outfront.
Affiliate Firm Howl Quietly Sells Creator Business to Taboola’s Commerce Firm
The commerce platform Howl, which powers affiliate businesses by connecting content creators to retailers, quietly sold the creator division of its business to Connexity, a commerce platform owned by Taboola, in August. Representatives for both companies confirmed the sale but declined to share further financial specifics.
Daily Mail Launches Unit to Push Social Video to 33% of Direct Ad Revenue by 2027
The Daily Mail U.S. is launching a video division this month called New Media, featuring a roster of creator-led social video franchises using in-house editorial talent, according to Bob Marshall, the U.S. head of content at DMG Media. New Media is a model imported from the U.K., which, after its first year, has grown to over 100 staff and produces videos that average around 300,000 views apiece, per the publisher.
Publishers Are Spending Hundreds of Millions a Month Buying Traffic
The New York Times, CNN, and USA Today Inc. declined to comment.
My Code names new CRO, CFO, and COO as it pushes deeper into video
The multicultural media and marketing firm My Code has named three new members to its executive leadership team, according to chief executive Imani Duncan. On Tuesday, the company named Luis Romero as its new chief revenue officer, Ying Miao as its chief financial officer, and Dave Lacolzi as its chief operating officer. The moves complete the executive bench that Duncan, who joined My Code in January, has spent the past several months assembling.
My Code Names New CRO, CFO, and COO as It Pushes Deeper Into Video
The multicultural media and marketing firm My Code has named three new members to its executive leadership team, according to chief executive Imani Duncan. On Tuesday, the company named Luis Romero as its new chief revenue officer, Ying Miao as its chief financial officer, and Dave Lacolzi as its chief operating officer. The moves complete the executive bench that Duncan, who joined My Code in January, has spent the past several months assembling.
Jaylen Brown and the Moment of Truth
After a decade with the Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown’s career suddenly looks very different. The five-time NBA All-Star was abruptly traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in July, an unceremonious send-off for a player who had helped deliver the franchise a championship in 2024 and earned a Finals MVP distinction in the process.
ADWEEK’s 2026 Brand Genius Winners Are Changing Their Industries With Creativity and Resilience
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There’s nothing more exhilarating and terrifying at the same time than a new idea. Defying expectations, making a career change to pursue a new passion, or stepping up when others remain on the sidelines begets every kind of attention—and our 2026 Brand Genius honorees are ready for the spotlight. These brands and leaders are changing entire industries through the power of their unique creativity and steadfast resilience.
By Eva Kis Verified, Robert Klara Verified, Alison Weissbrot Verified, Bill Bradley Verified, Lauren Johnson Verified, Brittaney Kiefer Verified, Rebecca Stewart Verified, Christopher Cicchiello Verified, Kendra Barnett Verified, Mark Stenberg Verified, Trishla Ostwal Verified
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Adweek
Verified
ADWEEK's 2026 Brand Genius Winners Are Changing Their Industries With Creativity and Resilience
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Olive & June sold to Helen of Troy, owner of Revlon and HydroFlask, in November 2024 for $240 million. Gibson Tuttle still runs the brand-without a contract. It wasn't the highest bid, she said, but it gave her the most control over its future. Closing the salons was difficult, but the business-funded by Gibson Tuttle and one $10 million equity round-couldn't sustain both. "I had to make a choice of what business I wanted to focus on," she said.
By Eva Kis Verified, Robert Klara Verified, Alison Weissbrot Verified, Bill Bradley Verified, Lauren Johnson Verified, Brittaney Kiefer Verified, Rebecca Stewart Verified, Christopher Cicchiello Verified, Kendra Barnett Verified, Mark Stenberg Verified, Trishla Ostwal Verified
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Yahoo Finance
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ChatGPT Surpasses $1 Billion in Annualized Ads Revenue
ChatGPT, the answer engine whose launch reshaped the digital ecosystem, surpassed a key milestone on Monday. It’s now on pace to generate more than $1 billion in advertising revenue over the next 12 months, according to the company. The achievement, referred to as an annualized run rate, is meant to reflect the forward-looking growth of a particular line of business.
Following Meta’s $17 Billion Settlement, Media Buyers Say: Don’t Touch That Dial
In the wake of Meta’s landmark $17 billion legal settlement on Wednesday, media buyers are cautioning against any abrupt shift in strategy, according to interviews with five agency executives. Instead, brands and agencies should monitor the situation while keeping an eye on whether or not other social media platforms follow in Meta’s footsteps.
Workweek Raises $17 Million, Debuts B2B Newsletter Platform
The business-to-business media company Workweek has raised an additional $17 million to fund the expansion of its newsletter platform, founder and chief executive Adam Ryan tells ADWEEK. The raise, financed by Next Coast Ventures with participation from Aperiam Ventures, comes two years after the company raised $12.5 million in its Series A in June 2024. In total, Workweek has raised $36.5 million. The company declined to share its updated valuation.
i-D Names Michiel Steur as Its First CEO
The trendsetting fashion and culture publisher i-D has appointed Michiel Steur as its first chief executive officer, a newly created role at the 46-year-old editorial brand, according to Steur. He will officially start Oct. 1. As CEO, Steur will be responsible for growing the brand and its business. He will report to the leadership of its new parent company, Bedford Media, which acquired the title in November 2023 from Vice Media as it navigated bankruptcy proceedings.
Anthropic Has Never Signed a Licensing Deal, Yet Never Been Sued. Why?
If Anthropic wins the AI race, its philosophy toward data capture and fair use could become the foundational dynamic of the open web. As such, the company and its relationship with publishers is of paramount importance to the future of digital media. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . You may opt-out anytime by clicking 'unsubscribe' from the newsletter or from your account.
Front Office Sports Debuts App, Adding Ad Inventory and Video
The sports news brand Front Office Sports will launch its first mobile app Sept. 1, the first of two major product launches from the publisher in recent weeks. The release precedes the Sept. 14 debut of Front Office Sports Tonight, a nationally syndicated daily television show, where the digitally native publisher expands into linear programming for the first time.
Why The Arena Group Has, Implausibly, Rebranded Into an AI Company
This story was originally published in On Background with Mark Stenberg, a free, weekly newsletter that explores the key themes shaping the media industry. You can sign up for it here. On Monday, the publicly traded media company The Arena Group, which owns a stable of editorial brands including Parade, Men’s Journal, and The Street, made a series of startling announcements in conjunction with its second-quarter earnings.
Why The Arena Group Has, Implausibly, Rebranded Into an AI Company
- AI-generated image by Mark Stenberg via Google Gemini This story was originally published in On Background with Mark Stenberg, a free, weekly newsletter that explores the key themes shaping the media industry. You can sign up for it here. On Monday, the publicly traded media company The Arena Group, which owns a stable of editorial brands including Parade, Men's Journal, and The Street, made a series of startling announcements in conjunction with its second-quarter earnings.
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