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Does Coca-Cola's AI ad herald a new era?

Dec 10, 2024
The holiday-themed spot shows the promise, and limitations, of handing over creative tasks to a machine.
A still image from an AI-generated ad for Coca-Cola. It's not the real thing, and people are noticing.

The advertising world is changing fast — mergers can help firms stay ahead of the curve

Dec 9, 2024
Omnicom says its acquisition of rival Interpublic Group makes it well positioned to grow under the “new era of marketing."
The rise of AI and social media have disrupted the advertising industry. Omnicom hopes its merger with IPG will keep the company ahead of the curve.
Noam Galai/Getty Images

Print magazines are having a moment, but who's buying them?

Nov 25, 2024
Publishers may have been too quick to end their print editions, says Amanda Mull at Bloomberg. "There's demand for it among readers; there's demand among advertisers."
"Companies didn't stop printing print magazines because consumers hated them," said Amanda Mull at Bloomberg Businessweek. "They stopped printing them because the economics of printing physical editions of a magazine became sort of untenable."
Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images

AI advertising may repel as well as attract

Jul 1, 2024
Companies hope AI branding makes them look ready for the future, but that leaves opportunities for "human-focused" marketing.
A screen grab from an AI-generated pitch for Toys R Us.
Courtesy Toys R Us

Ad spending is climbing, thanks to tireless consumers — and artificial intelligence

Jun 11, 2024
AI promises to improve ad targeting. It can also generate content tailored to individuals.
Artificial intelligence could inform more than 94% of ad spending before the end of the decade, a GroupM report says.
Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images
A screenshot of Google's new AI-generated summary tool — and some radical self-honesty on its shortcomings.
Google

Glitz, glamor and economics at this year's upfronts

Media companies are leaning more into digital assets like streaming as advertisers continue to shy away from investing in broadcast television.
Media companies often try to woo advertisers during their upfronts, such as this year's Amazon Prime Video announcement of a "Legally Blonde" prequel series.
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Amazon

For public good, not for profit.

Brands in Space: What's behind the rush to advertise in the final frontier?

Apr 10, 2024
Big consumer brands are partnering with aerospace companies to market their products in the cosmos. But what’s the payoff back on earth?
When Intuitive Machines' lunar lander touched down on the moon in February, it was brandishing the Columbia Sportswear logo, part of an advertising partship with the outdoor apparel company.
GREGG NEWTON / Getty Images

A TikTok ban would be bad news for the beauty brands that advertise on it

Apr 2, 2024
A lot of brands don't seem to have a backup plan, says Jordan Holman of The New York Times. The platform is where "they need to be."
These days, TikTok is "the most formidable way that people are selling products," says Jordyn Holman of The New York Times.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Retailers like Macy's want a bigger slice of e-commerce ad sales

Mar 13, 2024
Selling ads on e-commerce sites is a $50 billion industry. Amazon dominates retail media, taking in about 75% of ad dollars.
Macy’s has announced plans to close 150 underperforming stores across the U.S. in coming years.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images