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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TiVo Ads Brings Independent ACR Data Licensing to the UK (VideoWeek)
FTC in Settlement Talks With Ad Companies in Boycott Probe (WSJ)
StackAdapt Launches Industry First Live Events Campaign Workflow for CTV (ExchangeWire)
Bluefish Raises $43 Million Series B to Power Agentic Marketing for the Fortune 500 (Bluefish)
OpenAI projects $100 billion in ad revenue by 2030 (Axios)
From Operator to Industry Voice, Why Automation Still Needs a Human with Eric Tilbury
Eric Tilbury, Senior Director of Ad Operations and Product Solutions at Inuvo Inc., shares his extensive experience in the ad tech industry. He discusses the importance of operational knowledge, the impact of AI on ad operations, and how building a personal brand can enhance professional growth. Eric emphasizes the need for human oversight in automated systems and the significance of transparency in advertising. The conversation also touches on the evolving landscape of ad tech and the role of social media in shaping industry narratives.
CTV Advertising Reality Check: Transparency, Performance, and Driving Store Traffic with Tim Glover
In Episode 2 of the From Screen to Store series, sponsored by JamLoop, Tim Glover (EVP Media, USA Marketing Partners) breaks down transparency, performance, and the shift from linear vs. digital to a unified video strategy. Learn how agencies can connect media spend to store traffic, revenue, and measurable ROI in today’s evolving advertising landscape.
Viant Buys TVision to Bring Independent Attention Data into CTV Buying
Viant is acquiring TVision Insights in a move that strengthens its pitch as an independent, AI-powered TV advertising platform. The deal brings TVision’s second-by-second attention, co-viewing, and in-room presence data directly into Viant’s buying system, giving advertisers a broader view of performance across linear TV, streaming, YouTube, Prime Video, and the open internet.
Viant says this will help brands reduce reliance on self-reported platform metrics and optimize campaigns using more objective signals. By combining TVision’s attention data with Viant’s Household ID and IRIS_ID, the company is building a more detailed decisioning layer for planning, bidding, and measurement. The acquisition is valued at $40 million and is expected to close in Q2 2026, pending customary conditions.
OpenX Bets on Simplicity to Fix Advertising’s Complexity Problem
OpenX has introduced a full rebrand, including a new logo, positioning, and visual identity, alongside a sharper message about reducing complexity in digital advertising. And honestly, this one lands. The new look feels clean, modern, and actually reflective of where the industry is heading, which is rare for ad tech rebrands that often feel cosmetic at best.
The company argues that as AI becomes more central to media planning, buying, and optimization, the current supply chain is too fragmented and opaque to support what buyers actually need: clean real-time data, quality inventory, transparent reporting, and flexible tools. To address that, OpenX is rolling out a simplified product architecture built around OpenXSelect, OpenXBuild, OpenXControl, and OpenXExchange.
The company says this structure is designed to make its offering easier for advertisers, publishers, DSPs, and data partners to understand and use. At the center of the pitch is a familiar theme for 2026: better quality, stronger performance, and more adaptable infrastructure built for AI-driven buying.
Meta Overtakes Google in Digital Ad Revenue Race
Meta is on track to pass Google in digital ad revenue for the first time in 2026, according to EMARKETER, marking a major shift in the advertising market. The forecast says Meta will generate $243.46 billion in worldwide ad revenue this year, ahead of Google’s $239.54 billion, while also taking a larger share of global digital ad spend at 26.8%. EMARKETER credits Meta’s rise to strong performance across Facebook and Instagram, helped by Advantage+, AI-generated creative tools, automation, and Reels growth.
Google is still growing, but at a much slower pace. The bigger takeaway is that advertisers are continuing to put money where performance is strongest. Amazon remains a distant third, but is also gaining share, reinforcing how much digital ad spend is consolidating around a few dominant platforms.
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