Ad Tech News
Each week, we sift through the noise to bring you bite-sized updates that cover the latest trends, innovations, and challenges in the advertising technology landscape. From programmatic advertising developments to shifts in consumer behavior and regulatory changes, our summaries are to help you navigate the evolving digital publishing ecosystem with confidence.
Global ad spend is forecasted to rise by 6.8% in 2024, reaching $772.4 billion (£610 billion), according to Dentsu. The UK is expected to see even higher growth at 7.5%, driven by digital media. In contrast, the EMEA region is projected to grow at 5%, with APAC seeing a similar 5.8% increase. Digital remains the fastest-growing channel worldwide, with a 9.2% rise anticipated in 2025. Retail media is predicted to be the key driver of new advertising investments next year.
Walmart has finalized its $2.3 billion (£1.8 billion) acquisition of VIZIO and its SmartCast Operating System. This move aims to improve the shopping experience for Walmart customers while providing advertisers with expanded opportunities to reach audiences and enhance product discovery. Walmart initially announced the deal to acquire VIZIO, founded in 2002, in February. VIZIO has experienced substantial growth in recent years, with its smart TV ecosystem and operating system now boasting over 19 million active accounts.
The advertising landscape is evolving, particularly for emerging platforms like Bluesky. Despite having only 24 million users—significantly less than competitors like Threads and X—Bluesky’s traffic is outperforming referral numbers from X, with The Guardian noting increased conversions to paid subscribers. This shift reflects publishers’ frustrations with algorithmic suppression on traditional social media, making Bluesky’s decentralized, ad-free model appealing. However, concerns about its longevity persist, as advertisers remain cautious, fearing it may follow the fates of past platforms like BeReal and Clubhouse. While some marketers hesitate, publishers see Bluesky as a chance to reclaim audience relationships without toxic environments. As Bluesky positions itself as an alternative to X for media, the critical question remains: can it sustain growth without the ad revenue that typically supports scaling?
OpenAI is exploring an ad-based model to address its massive cash burn of $5 billion, despite CFO Sarah Friar’s claims of no “active plans” for advertising. The company is learning from Perplexity’s approach, which prioritizes transparent sponsored content. As OpenAI enters the search space and hires ad industry veterans, CEO Sam Altman remains cautious about “enshittifying” the platform.
The potential ad strategy could help support journalism through revenue sharing, addressing challenges posed by zero-click searches and AI-driven tools. The key challenge is maintaining ChatGPT’s clean interface while generating revenue, without compromising user trust or platform quality.
The broader question remains: How will ads reshape AI-powered ecosystems and their relationship with publishers and users?
Experian has acquired Audigent, a DMP and curation vendor, as part of the ongoing ad tech consolidation trend, following recent acquisitions by Zeta Global, Mediaocean, and Viant. Experian’s move aligns with its strategy to streamline the supply chain, leveraging its Tapad identity graph to reduce reliance on third-party vendors like LiveRamp. Audigent brings expertise in managing identity data without extensive third-party tracking, complementing Experian’s offline and online data integration. This acquisition reflects the shift away from traditional deterministic ID matching towards more sustainable identity solutions.
