Marty Swant

3 weeks ago | digiday.com | Marty Swant

AI is speeding up everything in advertising — except how advertisers pay agencies, which is still moving at a crawl. There are early signs — just look at Sir Martin Sorrell’s latest quarterly reflections — but, he, his peers and their clients are still in the foothills of this shift, not anywhere near the summit. “AI has not as of yet transformed the remuneration model,” said Forrester analyst Jay Pattissall. Eventually it will. But for now, most of the talk is just that: talk.

3 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Marty Swant

5 hours agoMore than 2,000 Starbucks baristas go on strike to protest new dress codeAt mid-week the company said impact on service had been limited. A strike by Starbucks baristas protesting the company’s new dress code grew Thursday.

4 weeks ago | digiday.com | Marty Swant

Uber’s ads business now has an annual run rate of $1.5 billion — up 60% from its where it was a year ago. To bolster its case with advertisers, Uber Advertising has brought on its first head of measurement science, Edwin Wong, to fine-tune performance and help unlock even more ad dollars. In his new role, Wong will analyze performance insights while working with measurement partners, advertisers, and Uber’s marketing team.

1 month ago | digiday.com | Marty Swant

Now that September is locked in for Google’s showdown with the Department of Justice over how to dismantle its grip on online ad sales, it’s time to dissect how each side thinks the monopoly should be undone. The proposals were mapped out on Monday in written filings just days after they were outlined to Judge Leonie Brinkema, who last month ruled that Google had unlawfully monopolized the systems that power how information is monopolized online. What does the Justice Department want?

1 month ago | digiday.com | Marty Swant

AI agents are no longer just experimental tools — they’re rapidly becoming indispensable intermediaries in how people search, shop, and interact online. As platforms like Google, OpenAI, and Perplexity race to roll out agentic AI, the advertising industry is bracing for a shift that could redefine consumer journeys and reshape digital marketing strategies. Despite all the hype, it’s still early.