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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Publishers — Unlock the Power of the Walled Gardens
An agentic OS for Publisher monetization. Our mission: win back lost traffic & revenue for Publishers by leveraging LLMs the same way the social media walled gardens & AI search LLMs do today; recommending relevant content based on who they are & what content they’re consuming: eCommerce, next article, polls, vertical video — your content optimized in our feed. Fight AI with AI & reclaim your lost traffic & revenue. Meet: Mula.
Amazon’s AI chatbot Rufus drove sales on Black Friday (TechCrunch)
Costco: the retail media network that refuses to promote itself (The Drum)
MediaGo Secures Consecutive Honors in the Global Tech Awards AdTech Category (MarTech Cube)
Fortune CEO Anastasia Nyrkovskaya to Step Down at Year’s End (ADWEEK)
Netflix, Warner Bros Discovery combo seen lowering costs for consumers, sources say (Reuters)
Arena Group, BuzzFeed, USA Today Co, Vox Media join RSL’s AI content licensing efforts (Digiday)
From Spinoff to Smart Auctions: Tal Shaked on Building Rise and the Future of Agentic Ad Tech
Tal Shaked, Chief Business Officer and Co-Founder of Rise, joins AdTechGod to trace his unconventional path into ad tech, from early toolbar monetization to driving alternative revenue at Babylon and later helping grow IronSource through strategic acquisitions.
AI-Powered Publishing: Josh Markham on Automating Revenue with Mula
Josh Markham, Chief Product Officer at Mula, discusses the transformative impact of AI on product management and publisher engagement. He emphasizes the importance of automation and delegation in enhancing revenue per session for publishers.
Omnicom Unveils Post-IPG Structure, Retires Historic Agency Brands, and Cuts 4,000 Jobs
Omnicom has revealed the full structure of its combined organization following its takeover of IPG, confirming major leadership continuity, agency consolidation, and significant workforce reductions. The top ranks remain dominated by Omnicom executives, with long-time CEO John Wren at the helm and IPG’s Philippe Krakowsky joining as co-president and COO. Historic agency brands including FCB, DDB, and MullenLowe will be retired by mid-2026, folded into BBDO and TBWA as Omnicom streamlines its advertising networks.
The company is cutting 4,000 roles as part of its integration efforts, in addition to earlier reductions across both legacy groups. A central pillar of the new strategy is an expanded Omni data platform, strengthened by the addition of Acxiom to support identity-based marketing, AI-driven creative workflows, and cross-channel measurement. Omnicom says the combined operation will employ roughly 105,000 people globally.
Walmart Surges on Black Friday as Target’s Purpose Era Loses Steam
Walmart delivered a record-breaking day with an estimated 30 million in-store shoppers and strong online traffic across major categories. The results reflect broader momentum: Walmart is on track to exceed $700 billion in annual revenue, while Target will barely clear $100 billion as same-store sales decline. Analysts credit Walmart’s consistent, benefit-driven positioning for its strength, while Target’s purpose-focused marketing created confusion, backlash, and limited commercial value. Its new CEO now signals a return to core retail priorities.
Publishers — Unlock the Power of the Walled Gardens
An agentic OS for Publisher monetization. Our mission: win back lost traffic & revenue for Publishers by leveraging LLMs the same way the social media walled gardens & AI search LLMs do today; recommending relevant content based on who they are & what content they’re consuming: eCommerce, next article, polls, vertical video — your content optimized in our feed. Fight AI with AI & reclaim your lost traffic & revenue. Meet: Mula.
Live Sports Pull Viewers From Streaming
Nielsen’s latest streaming data shows how deeply sports shaped viewing habits during the week of October 27. With the NFL in full swing, the NBA season opening, and MLB’s World Series commanding national attention, audiences shifted heavily toward live games rather than on-demand programming. When the sports calendar converges with high-stakes games across multiple leagues, streaming platforms consistently see slower weeks. This is a reminder that live sports remain one of the most powerful forces in modern viewing behavior.
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