Welcome to The Refresh, your weekly download of what actually matters in advertising. Brought to you by Marketecture Media and written by AdTechGod. Every Thursday, we bring you the latest news, commentary, and memes that speak the truth about this industry. If it's happening in AdTech, media, or marketing and it’s interesting, it’ll be here.
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Artificial Intelligence Goes To Washington; Perplexity Learns That Sharing Is Caring (AdExchanger)
WTF are AI agents? (Digiday)
Ahead of the Holiday Season, Meta Rolls Out New Ad Tools (Adweek)
Amazon quietly blocks AI bots from Meta, Google, Huawei and more (Digiday)
Brands Want To Know What LLMs Are Saying About Them, And This Startup Has Answers (AdExchanger)
Advertisers Will Soon Be Able to Buy Macy's Media Network Through Amazon (Adweek)
YouTube Remains No. 1 Most-Watched Streamer for Sixth Month in a Row, Per Nielsen (Variety)
First-Party Data, Retail Media, and Resilience with Elizabeth Donovan
Elizabeth Donovan, SVP Global Head of Commerce and Retail Media Networks at Kinesso/Acxiom/IPG, shares her journey into the retail media space, discussing her experiences at Marriott Media Networks and AccuWeather.
CTV’s Next Chapter: Context, Data, and Real Results
Molly Schultz, EVP of Investment Strategy at IPG Mediabrands, and Field Garthwaite, Co-Founder and CEO of IRIS.TV, join us. The conversation digs into how contextual targeting is reshaping CTV advertising, why data consistency is critical, and how solutions like Acxiom Contextual CTV are unlocking new levels of performance.
Perplexity Unveils $42.5M Publisher Payout Program with Comet Plus
Perplexity has launched Comet Plus, a $42.5 million subscription revenue pool designed to give publishers a fairer share from AI-driven engagement. Publishers will receive 80% of pooled subscription revenue, based on direct traffic, citations in answers, and content used by Comet’s AI assistant, while Perplexity keeps 20%. Outlets like Time, Fortune, and The Independent are already participating.
With AI increasingly reliant on publisher content, fair compensation is becoming a top priority. Perplexity’s model might be a sign of one of the first real attempts to align incentives between AI platforms and publishers.
Magnite Brings Pause Ads to Programmatic Buying Across CTV
Magnite has officially launched pause ads within its SSP, making the format programmatically available through its ClearLine product, as well as DSPs including MNTN, Kerv.ai, and Yahoo. Streaming partners such as DirecTV, Dish Media, and Fubo will support the ads, which are built on a more standardized VAST framework, making them easier to scale across publishers. DirecTV, an early adopter, reports one in three customers pause daily, often to use second screens — thus opening the door for interactive and shoppable formats.
Advertiser interest is already broad, with agencies eyeing pause ads for innovation budgets and publishers exploring tune-in features. While adoption might take time, Magnite sees pause ads as a key step toward standardized, performance-driven CTV ad formats.
I not only love pause ads but also love that they’re finally programmatically available. This is 100% AdTechGod approved.
The Trade Desk’s Supply Path Shake-Up Puts Pressure on SSPs and Publishers
The Trade Desk has reclassified SSPs as resellers rather than direct conduits of publisher inventory, a shift that is changing how programmatic dollars move. Through its AI platform Kokai, the company penalizes resold inventory and pushes more spend toward its own supply routes, OpenPath and SP500+. The Trade Desk presents this as a way to reduce inefficiencies and improve transparency, but critics argue it consolidates power inside its own ecosystem.
Publishers without OpenPath access report steep revenue drops, with some citing declines of up to 50 percent, while those integrated with OpenPath are seeing more spend. This change has raised concerns that The Trade Desk is beginning to resemble Google in its dominance by tightening control of ad dollars under the banner of efficiency, leaving SSPs and non-integrated publishers struggling to maintain leverage.
Every time I even slightly question The Trade Desk, I am met with aggression. So I will leave it to you to decide what is and is not fair.
Netflix Sets Boundaries for AI Use in Productions
After backlash over AI use in “What Jennifer Did,” Netflix has published new guidelines for generative AI in its productions. The company allows AI as a creative aid but bars it from replicating copyrighted works or talent likeness without consent. Generated material should not be final deliverables unless approved, and AI cannot replace performances or union-covered work. Partners must disclose intended AI use to Netflix and seek approval if projects involve likeness, personal data, or third-party IP. The rules aim to encourage innovation while protecting creative integrity.
Personalized Ad Loads Shape Viewer Experience
Streaming services are experimenting with customized ad loads, moving away from linear TV’s 12–16 minutes per hour to a lighter 4–8 minutes. Ad volume and placement vary by content, time of day, and viewer behavior. Movies usually carry fewer ads, while live sports see heavier loads. Platforms also segment users: Newcomers get gentler ad breaks, while loyal viewers see more standard pods. Increasingly, relevance is prioritized, with AI helping tailor placement and targeting. The goal is balancing retention and revenue, with the industry likely moving toward fully individualized ad experiences.
It wouldn’t be AdTech if we didn’t have an acronym. How’s ALaaS?
The AdTechGod and MadConnect Party Is Back!
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Early Bird Pricing Ends Soon!
Marketecture Media is thrilled to welcome Amazon Web Services (AWS) as the Platinum sponsor for Marketecture Live on Oct. 27.
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