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.
Mediaocean, LG Ads, and Jackwell Partners on AI Hype and AdTech Trends for 2026
Aaron Goldman (Mediaocean), Tony Marlow (LG Ads), and Jackelyn Keller (Jackwell Partners) reflect on the past year in advertising, the impact of AI, and the trends shaping the future. The conversation covers everything from weird meetings in 2025 to the overhyped nature of AI and retail media.
Brand Trust and Performance in Modern Advertising with Natasha Shaikh and AI Privacy First Media
Natasha Shaikh, Head of Paid Media Center of Excellence at Wells Fargo, joins the Brand Trust series sponsored by Mozilla Ads to unpack how brand safety has expanded beyond placement into sentiment, especially as AI shapes how brands appear to consumers.
Roku and Nielsen Deepen Measurement Partnership with New Data Integration
Roku and Nielsen have announced a new multi-year agreement that deepens their measurement partnership by integrating Roku’s streaming data into Nielsen’s campaign and outcome measurement tools. The deal gives advertisers clearer insight into audience reach across Roku devices and third-party apps, while allowing Roku to access Nielsen’s streaming ratings for better competitive benchmarking. Nielsen will continue using Roku data in its Big Data + Panel offering for both linear and streaming TV.
The update reflects increased fragmentation in TV viewing and growing pressure on advertisers to demonstrate performance. With Roku representing 21% of total TV viewing time, the integration also improves attribution accuracy and visibility into ad-supported viewing.
Digital Advertising’s Blind Spot Puts News at Risk
IAB Europe’s December 2025 report highlights how the digital advertising industry continues to overlook its social impact, particularly on journalism and media sustainability. While advertisers have focused heavily on environmental goals, the report finds little progress in measuring how ad spend decisions affect news publishers, information quality, and democratic discourse. This gap is notable as digital advertising represents about 1.1% of U.S. GDP and news advertising still delivers strong performance for brands.
Despite this, publishers face increasing financial pressure, with no standardized framework to assess or protect the social value of advertising investments. IAB Europe warns that without clearer measurement and accountability, current advertising practices could further undermine media plurality and the long-term funding of professional journalism.
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.
YouTube TV Churn Jumped During Disney Blackout
YouTube TV experienced a sharp increase in cancellations in November, with its churn rate reaching 6.9%, the highest level in at least a year, according to Antenna data shared with Business Insider. The spike coincided with a 15-day Disney carriage dispute, but YouTube TV was not alone. Competing live TV streaming services, including Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream, and Sling, also reported some of their highest cancellation rates of the past year during the same period. At the same time, all of these services recorded their strongest monthly sign-ups in 12 months, suggesting customers were switching between platforms rather than exiting the category.
Analysts point to carriage disputes, the start of major sports seasons, and aggressive Black Friday promotions as key drivers. Overall churn for live TV streamers continues to trend upward, indicating a more volatile and price-sensitive market.
Marketecture Live III
Marketecture Live is designed for the doers building what comes next and the thinkers shaping how it all works. We’ve announced our first slate of featured speakers, with more to be announced in the coming weeks.
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