Madison Avenue continues to contract. As of last month, two more agency brands are gone after 180 and adam&eveDDB NY were subsumed by Lola USA, a new division of the Lola agency brand, as Omnicom continues to give its agency holdings a makeover. The reduction is the latest in a continually growing list of agency brands to shutter. Late last year, following Omnicom’s acquisition of IPG, creative agencies DDB, FCB, and MullenLowe were among more than a dozen brands that were sunset. Last year, Publicis Groupe created a new network, Leo, and with it cut Leo Burnett and Publicis Worldwide from its agency brands. WPP, meanwhile, recently created WPP Creative—which smells of coming consolidation, although CEO Cindy Rose has reportedly said the company won’t sunset agency brands. (Of course, WPP has already been combining agency brands.) And the recent consolidation from holding companies follows years of combining and contractings. Madison Avenue may have fewer residents—er, agency brands—as the years go on and holding companies shift to a platform model. As this transformation continues, how do the executives responsible for sunsetting various agency brands decide which ones to keep and which ones should go? Continue reading here.—KM |
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Clicks are dead. Okay, hold the funeral procession. They’re not dead. But they’re certainly on the decline, thanks to AI overviews. It’s led to an era of zero-click search where stats like brand search and direct traffic conversions rise but with no clear cause in their reporting. According to impact.com’s 2025 Global State of Affiliate Marketing report, 73% of brands report increased revenue from their affiliate programs over the past year. Yet many are still measuring that growth with tools that predate AI-driven discovery entirely. impact recommends brands look beyond clicks and track areas like:
- branded search lift
- AI citations
- assisted conversions
- direct traffic
To learn more about making the most of zero-click search and how to cash in, check out their recent blog here. |
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Google had just announced ad testing in AI Mode last year at its annual Google Marketing Live event. At this year’s event, AI Mode ads are front and center. The company announced not only new features in AI Mode, but also expanded agentic tools for advertisers, more campaign setup features in Google Ads and YouTube, and new measurement capabilities around Meridian, Google’s marketing mix model. Google has been steadily building out its AI offerings for advertisers in recent months as the technology, as well as agentic commerce, continues to transform advertising and consumer behavior. Surprise, surprise: Google is testing two formats that incorporate AI-generated features to ads in AI Mode, Dan Taylor, VP of global ads, told reporters during a press briefing last Monday. These formats, both being tested in the US, also include AI explainers generated by Google Gemini, which can include information such as a comparison of a specific product against information in organic search results, Taylor said.
- One such format is Conversational Discovery ads, which builds creative that is “tailored to a [specific] search” and spotlights product features.
- The other is Highlighted Answers, which highlight “relevant” ads within AI Mode recommendations based on user queries.
Search ads are also being customized for lead generation and shopping, according to Taylor. Read more here.—JS |
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For 20-year-old self-funded brand It’s a 10 Haircare, long-term success has come through business makeovers. CEO Carolyn Aronson had been working in salons since she was 16 and was sick of using a bunch of single-benefit products. So at age 39, she sought to create an all-in-one solution. She launched It’s a 10 and its hero product, Miracle Leave-in, in 2006, creating a launchpad for Aronson’s hair empire. The product now sells more than 10 million bottles annually, and the company has expanded to a slew of hair products and sub-brands, grossing $500 million in annual sales. And that’s all been done without any outside investment, focusing instead on steady growth and creative marketing moves, with its two decades in business marked by several phases of reinvention. Its latest makeover came last month: To celebrate its 20th anniversary (and lean into the moment hair care is having), It’s a 10 announced it’s rolling out a rebrand across its assortment, supported by a partnership with its first-ever global ambassador, Khloé Kardashian. “You have to continue to invest in what you build, just like we are today,” Aronson said. “You have to be willing to start over again and over again and over again and over again throughout the years.” Read more on Retail Brew.—EC |
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Your AI finally goes outside. AllTrails is now integrated with Claude—meaning you describe the vibe, the group, and the vague dream of “somewhere with trees,” and get a personalized trail plan back. Not a search result. An actual recommendation. AI-powered trip planning that knows a toddler parent and a solo trail runner need very different Saturdays. Plan smarter this summer. |
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On September 30, join the marketers shaping what’s next across brand, media, AI, creator strategy, consumer trends, and more at Marketing Brew Summit. Expect a full day of smart conversations, practical insights, and the kind of ideas that make you immediately rethink your next campaign. Plus: networking that goes beyond “so…what do you do?” |
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There are a lot of bad marketing tips out there. These aren’t those.
Music to my ears: What to know about UMG’s expanded partnership with TikTok, including artist protections around AI misuse.
Same vibes: The disappearing distinction between B2B and B2C marketing.
Summer league: Pinterest’s summer trend report, sports edition.
Zero clicks? Zero problems: In the era of zero-click search, marketers need to broaden their horizons. impact.com can help with guidance on the stats to track as AI search grows in popularity. Check it out.*
*A message from our sponsor.
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You know it’s serious when you’re told to get off social media and go outside…by one of the biggest social media brands on your phone. This week’s episode of Marketing Brew Weekly scrolls through the reasons Pinterest and other brands have been focusing on IRL, community-building, and friendship-forming events—and why these could have a bigger impact than typical UGC. |
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Marketing Brew spoke with marketing industry leaders at Cannes. Find out how AI is shaping workflows, what Gen Z loves (and loathes), and the major ways economic uncertainty is reshaping business decision-making. Check it out |
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Stat: 6%. That’s how much comparable sales at TJX Companies increased in Q1, up 3% from the same quarter last year, which is inspiring the parent company of brands like TJ Maxx and HomeGoods to invest more in marketing. Quote: “The most important asset we have, it’s our brand. And unfortunately, we hadn’t invested in the brand for a while. We are reversing that.”—Adolfo Villagomez, CEO of 1-800-Flowers, speaking on an investor call about increased competition in the online flower-delivery space, per the Wall Street Journal Read: “I spent thousands of dollars on Everlane. Now I’m breaking up with it” (The Cut) |
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