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.
At The Tail End Of Upfronts, Nielsen Finds Itself Back In The Doghouse (AdExchanger)
Ending Political, Electoral and Social Issue Advertising in the EU in Response to Incoming European Regulation (META)
Global entertainment and media industry revenues to hit US$3.5 trillion by 2029 (PWC)
WPP Media, Criteo partner to bring more performance to CTV advertising (MarketingDive)
Hightouch Announces Investment from Snowflake Ventures and Capital One Ventures To Bring AI Agents to Marketers (Yahoo!)
The creator economy heat check: What’s hot (and not) for the rest of 2025 (Digiday)
Digital Culture Group Intros Its Tool For Measuring Ad Resonance (AdExchanger)
Why You Should Know (And Use) The Marketing Efficiency Ratio Metric (AdExchanger)
Agencies vs. AI—why brands still need strategic partners (Ad Age)
Retail Rules Everything Around Me: Edina Kalamperovic from Epsilon Talks Shop
Edina Kalamperovic discusses the significance of data utilization, personalization, and the future of retail media, while also highlighting her personal brand loyalty to Anthropology and the impact of consumer experience.
AI's Impact on Advertising: Insights from Charlie Neer of MiQ
Charlie Neer, co-CEO of MiQ, discusses the impact of AI on the advertising industry, focusing on the launch of Sigma, MiQ's AI-powered platform. He highlights the need for centralization in a fragmented industry and emphasizes the importance of human intelligence alongside AI. The conversation explores how MiQ is adapting to AI's rapid growth and the cultural shifts required for successful integration.
Google Ads Revenue Soars as AI Tools and YouTube Sports Drive Growth
Google’s ad business stayed strong in Q2 2025, with revenue rising 10.4% to $71.3 billion. Search led with $54.2 billion, up nearly 12%, while YouTube hit $9.8 billion, driven by demand for sports and Shorts.
Over 2 million advertisers now use Google’s generative AI tools — up 50% — with products like AI Max for Search delivering 14% more conversions. YouTube continues to lead in streaming, with 40 billion hours of sports watched annually and Shorts now matching in-stream ad revenue per hour.
Despite regulatory pressure and rising competition, Google is seeing solid ad performance and advertiser adoption of its AI products.
Disney Might Put Ads in News Tickers on New ABC Streaming Show
Disney is testing sponsor logos in the headline ticker of its new ABC News show “What You Need to Know” on Disney+. The idea, shared with media buyers, would insert a logo after every few headlines, something most news outlets have avoided until now.
The show is built for streaming, runs under 10 minutes, and skips traditional ad formats. Disney is also exploring interactive ad units and promo sponsorships tied to the show.
In AdTechGod’s opinion, we need more ads. Everywhere. News tickers, countdown clocks, weather maps…monetize it all. YOLO!
Marketing Teams Shrink as AI Takes Over Creative Tasks
Generative AI is changing how marketing teams operate. High-quality content can now be produced faster but only with detailed, strategic input from skilled users. Simple prompts no longer cut it.
As AI becomes more effective, companies are consolidating roles. What once took multiple people now takes just one or two. Entry-level positions are disappearing, and new hires are expected to already understand how to work with AI tools. Those without AI fluency risk being left behind.
I'm AdTechGod, and I love AI… but I don’t love how it’s killing off marketing roles.
Sydney Sweeney’s “Great Jeans” Campaign Sparks Backlash for Being Tone-Deaf
American Eagle’s new ad campaign starring Sydney Sweeney is drawing heavy criticism for its suggestive wordplay and outdated creative approach. The “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign features sexualized visuals and a controversial pun linking “jeans” to “genes,” which some have called a dog whistle promoting narrow beauty ideals. One ad in particular has been accused of evoking eugenicist themes, while others have been slammed as sexist.
Though the campaign caused a social media uproar, it also boosted American Eagle’s stock by 10%. The company highlights a charitable component (proceeds from the jeans support mental health resources), but that message has been lost in the noise.
In my opinion, this is a textbook example of not reading the room. Tone-deaf creative like this only reminds the industry how critical a cultural awareness check is before you hit “publish.”
AdTech’s Dirty Secret: The Industry Still Won’t Face Its Flaws
Shirley Marschall’s latest ExchangeWire column calls out the ad industry’s ongoing refusal to address its biggest problems: fraud, misinformation, bots, and brand-safety failures. Despite endless revenue growth and constant hype around AI and innovation, these issues remain widespread and largely ignored.
The cycle is predictable: A scandal breaks, a few statements are made, then it’s back to business as usual. Regulators are slow, self-regulation fails, and platforms prioritize profits over accountability. Even when companies promise crackdowns, like YouTube’s latest push against AI-generated slop, the impact is minimal.
All I can say is: oooof.
Marketecture Live is back - Oct 27 in NYC.
Last year sold out fast. “The Age of Outcomes” will be a full day on what actually drives advertising performance: accountability, measurement, and real talk.
Speakers include Dr. Mark Grether (PayPal), Olivia Kory (Haus), Eric Seufert (Heracles Capital), Lauren Wetzel (InfoSum), and more.
We don’t do panels. We focus on sharp content. We are also bringing back the AI Startup Showcase, and we’ll be recording Marketecture Live on stage.
🎟 Early bird pricing ends Sept. 2!
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