The Measure

In just a few years, AI has quickly moved from an emerging technology to one that is embedded in culture, conversation and controversy. But regardless of how you feel about AI, there’s no denying that it’s here and it’s becoming more and more integrated into the tools we use in everyday life. Younger consumers, in particular, have been among the fastest adopters, embracing AI-powered tools at higher rates than older generations.

When it comes to ad campaigns, everyone talks about media budgets, impressions and targeting. Things media buyers are concerned with. Now the focus is on outcomes. That's a good idea, but maybe a bit more attention should go to the planning and production of the ads themselves. That's what the folks at XR believe, and they might have a point. See below what they're doing to help advertisers keep track of what they're producing.

It’s going to take a lot to slow down the digital ad giants. In the second quarter, the major digital platforms were mostly stronger than expected, despite the potential headwinds caused by higher gas prices resulting from the war in Iran, according to Tinuiti’s quarterly Digital Ads Benchmark Report. Amazon's sponsored products was the best performer during the quarter, growing at a 38% clip. Other Amazon products, including its Sponsored Brands and the Amazon DSP, also saw big gains.

As audiences navigate an increasingly fragmented media environment, news viewing is proving to be one of traditional TV’s strongest remaining footholds outside of sports. According to Inscape’s latest TV Market Trends report, smart TVs averaged 2.7 hours of weekly news viewing in Q1 2026, marking a record high and a 0.7-hour increase compared to the same period last year. Much of that growth came from traditional TV inputs.

Welcome back to Big Brains, our summer series with Evan Shapiro! In this episode, Adam Bergman, Head of Advertising & Data Sales at VIZIO, discusses how the Walmart acquisition has transformed VIZIO from a smart TV company into one of the industry's most powerful commerce platforms. Big Brains is presented by: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Evan Shapiro: It's been about a year since we last spoke. What's changed the most?

The production side of the advertising business is getting more complicated. Keeping track of what commercials are being created, how much they cost, while complying with contractual arrangements with talent and local regulations is becoming more critical at a time when marketers say they are producing more content with fewer resources.

If you feel like you’re seeing David Beckham everywhere over the last few weeks, you’ve probably been watching the World Cup on TV. Commercials featuring the former British soccer star aired 238 times through the round of 16, according to data from iSpot. Beckham, who also played for the LA Galaxy and is an owner of Inter Miami, is a spokesperson for brands including The Home Depot and Lay’s.

This Week’s Data Dose: Search Traffic Continues Slide As Share Of Pageviews Beckham’s Big Brand Win During World Cup 2-To-5 Minute Videos Making Comeback For Media Doctors Still More Trusted Versus Creators This Week’s Free Report – The TV OS Wars: The Battle For the Living Room (sponsored by V, Ventura TV OS & WunderKIND Ads) Search Traffic Continues Slide As Share Of Pageviews Beckham’s Big Brand Win During World Cup Want to learn more about our services?

Search traffic has been declining worldwide as a percentage of pageviews, according to new Q2 data from Chartbeat. As part of its larger Global Audience Insights from last quarter, Chartbeat keys in on search declines in nearly every region in the world. The major exceptions? Africa, which actually saw search climb considerably from 41% of pageviews in Q1 to 48% in Q2, and Central Asia (38% to 40%).

David Beckham officially retired in 2013, and hasn't played in a FIFA World Cup since 2006. Yet 20 years later, the famed footballer is still scoring during the event – except this time for brands. iSpot shared data exclusively with Sportico last week detailing the most-seen current and former soccer players during this year's live World Cup matches. And across all live, English-language matches through the Round of 16, Beckham was far and away your most-seen face.