Week in Review: UK Junk Food Ad Restrictions Come Into Effect, MFE Enters Impresa Talks, and Forrester Predicts 15 Percent Fall in Agency Jobs Next Year

In this week’s Week in Review: the UK ad industry starts implementing new restrictions on junk food ads, MFE enters talks to buy a stake in Impresa, and Forrester forecasts big upheaval in the agency world next year.

The Week in Tech

Vibe Reaches $410 Million Valuation with $50 Million Series B Funding

CTV ad tech business Vibe.co has raised $50 million in Series B funding, the company announced on Tuesday, in a round led by Hedosophia and joined by previous backers including Elaia and Singular. The funding comes a year and a half after Vibe’s $22.5 million Series A round, and brings Vibe’s total valuation to $410 million. Vibe says the new funding will be used to enhance its generative and agentic AI capabilities for media buying and creative production, to expand its yield management tools for publishers, and to deepen its integrations with streaming partners and measurement platforms across the US. Read more on VideoWeek.

The Trade Desk Develops Custom Ventura OS with DIRECTV

The Trade Desk is developing a custom version of its CTV operating system Ventura with US pay-TV company DIRECTV, which will integrate DIRECTV’s user interface into the OS. The ad tech firm said the OS will give viewers access to DIRECTV’s free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service, alongside streaming apps from the Ventura TV OS app store. “This strategic alliance with The Trade Desk will meaningfully expand access to DIRECTV while offering consumers even greater flexibility, choice and control,” said Vikash Sharma, Head of Product at DIRECTV. “OEMs gain a proven user experience that delivers a unified interface, combining live programming, popular streaming apps and personalised advertising.”

Spotify Announces Amazon, Yahoo and ID5 Partnerships

Spotify this week announced integrations with Amazon Ads and Yahoo, making its audio and video inventory available programmatically through Amazon DSP and Yahoo DSP. Spotify is also partnering with identity solutions business ID5, offering advertisers enhanced addressability for programmatic campaigns in Europe. “We’re bringing even more flexibility and control for advertisers, enabling them to reach our highly engaged global audience and drive impact with their campaigns,” said Brian Berner, Global Head of Advertising Sales and Partnerships at Spotify.

ICO Welcomes Meta’s Consent or Pay Model in UK

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection authority, has welcomed Meta’s ‘consent or pay’ model, whereby UK users will be offered ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram for up to £3.99 a month. The watchdog noted that the cost was half the subscription fee charged in the EU, and brings the social media giant in line with UK laws on obtaining consent for targeting users with personalised ads. “This moves Meta away from targeting users with ads as part of the standard terms and conditions for using its Facebook and Instagram services, which we’ve been clear is not in line with UK law,” the ICO said in a statement.

Google to be Hit with First Fine Under EU’s DMA

The European Commission is set to fine Google under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), marking the search giant’s first fine under the new tech regulation, Reuters reported last week citing three people with direct knowledge of the matter. The impending fine relates to charges brought in March, accusing the tech giant of favouring its own search engines, such as Google Shopping, Google Flights and Google Hotels. The Commission fined Google €2.95 billion earlier this month under older antitrust regulation, for distorting competition in the ad tech market.

Publica to Deliver Ad Serving and CTV Monetisation for Samsung Ads

CTV ad server Publica has announced the next phase of its partnership with Samsung Ads, providing ad serving, ad pod decisioning, and unified auctions for Samsung’s ad-supported TV streaming service. “As a longstanding partner of Samsung Ads, we have been focused on empowering them with industry-leading technology specifically built to maximise revenue while delivering a high-quality seamless ad experience,” said Publica CRO Cameron Miille. “As Samsung Ads continues to grow its audience, our solutions will continue to ensure the curation of exceptional CTV ad breaks across their inventory.”

KERV.ai Launches Contextual Marketplace for Scene-Level Targeting in CTV

KERV.ai, a video analysis, performance and monetisation business, has launched a Contextual Marketplace to provide contextual targeting across online video and CTV. The platform identifies relevant objects and moments in TV content, according to KERV, enabling brands to target specific scenes. “With KERV.ai’s Contextual Marketplace, advertisers and content owners finally have the ability to connect context and creative at the exact moment it matters most,” said KERV.ai CEO Gary Mittman.

Nexxen Launches Curated Marketplace

Nexxen, a CTV ad tech firm, has announced the general availability of its Curated Marketplace solution. According to Nexxen, Curated Marketplace enables data owners, publishers, curators and agencies to package, activate and monetise data-driven private marketplace deals (PMPs) in two ways: by onboarding their first-party data to layer on top of Nexxen’s premium supply, or by accessing a variety of differentiated data sources through Nexxen’s data management platform (DMP), the Nexxen Data Platform.

Magnite Combines Curation and Activation in Clearline Platform

Magnite, a supply-side platform (SSP), is upgrading its direct buying solution ClearLine to combine curation and activation capabilities across multiple channels. Soon available in beta, the ClearLine update will enable buyers and curators to discover, package and activate inventory in a single platform, according to the company. “The future of premium media buying lies in creating a frictionless path between advertisers and audiences,” said Mike Laband, Group SVP, US Revenue at Magnite. “This evolution of ClearLine simplifies this process by empowering advertisers with one tool to curate and activate campaigns across every screen, including streaming TV, where they can directly reach 109 million US ad-supported households.”

The Trade Desk Launches Audience Unlimited for Third-Party Data Integration

The Trade Desk is launching a buy-side tool called Audience Unlimited, designed to help advertisers integrate third-party data into their campaigns. Audience Unlimited uses AI to score data segments by relevance to an advertiser’s campaign, according to The Trade Desk, enabling advertisers to add relevant data sources to their campaigns “for a much lower, inclusive cost than traditional a la carte data pricing.”

Happydemics to Provide Brand Lift Studies for Picnic

Picnic, an ad tech firm focused on the open web, has partnered with Happydemics, a brand lift solutions business. The partners will provide advertisers with brand lift studies that demonstrate the impact of running campaigns on premium inventory curated through Picnic’s PIQ data platform. “Advertisers are increasingly asking for proof that high-quality inventory works,” said Richard Ottoy, VP of Sales at Picnic. “Our partnership with Happydemics gives us the ability to show exactly that: when you use PIQ to curate high-quality environments, you don’t just improve the ad experience, you see a tangible lift in brand outcomes.”

Media.net and Claritas Unveil Measurement and Attribution Solution for Open Web

Media.net, a supply-side platform (SSP), has announced a partnership with ad tech business Claritas, to launch ELEVATE, a sell-side measurement, attribution and optimisation solution for the open web. The partnership combines the SSP’s inventory intelligence with Claritas’ deterministic audience data and AI-driven attribution, allowing impressions to be measured, validated and optimised in real time. “By bringing clarity, proof, and insight to every impression, ELEVATE empowers buyers, publishers, and consumers alike, driving stronger outcomes and higher expectations across the ecosystem,” said Media.net CRO Ken Lagana.

The Week in TV

PSB Viewing Outpaces Streaming Services in Germany (but YouTube Takes the Lead)

Despite the proliferation of international streaming services, national public service broadcasters (PSB) maintain a strong foothold in Germany, according to a comprehensive new study from PSB groups ARD and ZDF. The report found that while YouTube remains the most-watched video service this year, watched “at least occassionally” by 72 percent of consumers aged 14+, ARD and ZDF each reach 61 percent of the population. The study further revealed that ARD and ZDF’s reach has increased by 8 and 9 percent respectively since 2024. This puts the PSBs ahead of SVOD services Amazon Prime Video and Netflix, which are both used at least occasionally by about half the population. Read more on VideoWeek.

AudienceProject to Measure Netflix Campaigns Across Devices

AudienceProject, a media measurement business, has announced an integration with Netflix, allowing advertisers in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain to measure Netflix campaigns across all devices in its cross-media measurement platform, AudienceReport. The integration gives advertisers insights into the reach and frequency of their Netflix campaigns, according to the company, including how many people they reach in their target audience and how efficiently they reach them. “Streaming services play an increasingly central role in people’s media consumption, and advertisers are eager to understand the reach and impact of their campaigns on these platforms,” said Robert Singleton, Partnerships Director at AudienceProject.

France Télévisions to Enter Belgian Ad Market

France Télévisions will run dedicated advertising windows on France 2, France 3, and France 5 in Belgium, under a new partnership with RMB, the ad sales unit of Belgian public broadcaster (PSB) RTBF. The PSBs have worked together since 2022 to sell ads in Belgium, and are now expanding the partnership to linear TV. But commercial broadcaster RTL Belgium has called on politicians to block the move, which it says risks “weakening the local media ecosystem and the advertising market.”

YouTube to Pay Trump $24.5 Million Over Capitol Riots Ban

YouTube has agreed to pay Donald Trump $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the US President, after the Google-owned company barred him from posting content following the US Capitol riots in 2021. Trump has pursued a string of lawsuits over his social media bans stemming from the riots, securing a $25 million payment from Meta in January, and $10 million from X in February.

Seven West and Southern Cross Announce Merger Plans to Create Australian Media Giant

Australia’s Seven West Media has announced plans to merge with rival company Southern Cross Media Group, creating one the largest media entities in the Australian market. Under the proposed merger, both ASX-listed companies will integrate their TV, streaming, audio, digital and publishing assets, according to C21Media. Based on current market capitalisation, the merged entity would be valued at AU$416 million (US$275 million).

Channel 4 Celebrates Best Single Day for Streaming Service

Channel 4 reported its highest volume of streaming views in a single day on Tuesday (30th September), racking up 6.9 million views. The figure surpasses Channel 4’s previous record of 6.4 million in October 2024. The UK broadcaster said streaming viewership was driven by Married At First Sight UK, The Great British Bake Off, Made In Chelsea, Hollyoaks, The Disappearance of Jay Slater, Educating Yorkshire, Lucy Letby: Murder or Mistake, Four In a Bed and Taskmaster.

The Week for Publishers

Perplexity Announces Publisher Partners for ‘Comet Plus’

AI search business Perplexity has launched ‘Comet Plus’, a new subscription which also acts as a partnership programme for publishers. Comet Plus is a $5 monthly subscription which gives users access to content from participating publishers, who will receive compensation based on how their content is used. Partners signed up at launch include CNN, Condé Nast, Fortune, Le Figaro, Le Monde, the Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post.

Mail Metro Media Launches New Social Media Publications

Mail Metro Media this week announced the launch of two new dedicated social publishers, which will produce content specifically for social channels, offering advertisers a social-first ad offering through Mail Metro Media. The first of these two new publishers, dmg newmedia, is described as a home for social news and entertainment, run by a team of Gen Z creatives and talent which will deliver “unique shows and original formats” across multiple genres. Meanwhile, creator media will house multiple social-first lifestyle brands powered by creators, including fashion and beauty publisher Eliza.

The Guardian Says Less is More with Advertising

UK newspaper The Guardian used its Upfronts this week to launch a new research report ‘FAME’, (fewer ads, more effective). The Guardian says the report identifies the key factors which influence how likely someone is to respond to an ad, demonstrating that running ads in ad-heavy, cluttered environments can be ineffective and counter-productive. “The idea that a tiny box, crammed onto a cluttered page, can magically make someone buy something on the spot is flawed,” said James Fleetham, director of advertising at Guardian Media Group. “What good advertising really does is increase the chance someone will buy your brand in the future. The job is to get people to like you. And the way you do that is simple, give them advertising they enjoy.”

Ozone Launches Audience Connection Platform in the US

Publisher sales group Ozone this week announced its formal expansion into the US with the launch of its Audience Connection Platform in America, enabling advertisers to reach audiences across multiple publishers through one platform. At launch, the US version of the platform will be built on audiences from Ozone’s existing global publishers including the Daily Mail, CNN, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, BuzzFeed, HuffPost, and The Mirror, and it expects to add new publisher partnerships over time. As the platform scales, Ozone expects to reach 205 million Americans every month.

Publishers with AI Licensing Deals Reap Traffic Rewards, Finds Study

Publishers which have content licensing deals with AI companies receive around seven times the clickthrough from those companies than those without deals, according to new data from AI monetisation company TollBit, as reported by Press Gazette. The data suggests the importance of these deals not just from a revenue standpoint, but also for maintaining as much traffic as possible, as many publishers report search referrals dropping due to the growth of AI alternatives.

Ex-Observer Journalists Launch New Title ‘The Nerve’

Five ex-Observer journalists are launching a new title called ‘The Nerve’ funded in part by the redundancy payouts they received when the Observer was bought by Tortoise Media earlier this year, InPublishing reported this week. The founders — Sarah Donaldson, Jane Ferguson, Imogen Carter, Lynsey Irvine, Carole Cadwalladr — say The Nerve will cover culture, politics, and tech. “We thought about the kind of journalism that we desperately need now: independent, transparent, inclusive and fearless,” the founders say in a statement on the website. “So we decided to launch a title that the journalists themselves will own, that will promote diverse voices, and that we hope will have a deep and genuine connection with its members.”

The Week for Brands & Agencies

Havas and Horizon Launch New Joint Venture ‘Horizon Global’

French holding group Havas and US independent media agency Horizon Media Holding this week announced the formation of ‘Horizon Global’, a joint venture which will focus on “US-centric global client opportunities”. Horizon Global will unite Horizon’s Blue platform with Havas’ Converged.AI platform into one unified tool, BluConverged. Outside of the specific client types which Horizon Global is geared towards, Havas Media Network and Horizon Media will continue to operate independently.

FTC Confirms Final Consent for Omnicom/IPG Merger

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) this week issued a final order giving the go ahead to Omnicom’s proposed merger with Interpublic Group after a few amendments were made to its ruling during a public comment period. The ruling still mandates that the combined company mustn’t deny advertising dollars to media publishers based on their political or ideological viewpoint, unless explicitly told to do so by a client. The alterations to the order added a compliance monitor and clarified that the restrictions only apply in the US, according to Adweek.

Bayer Consumer Health Picks IPG as Global Agency Partner

Interpublic Group has been picked by Bayer’s Consumer Health division as its global agency partner, covering creative, production, and media, Ad Age reported this week. The company says the shift to having a integrated agency across brands and regions is designed to capitalise on the acceleration of generative AI tools and capabilities, and better engage with consumers at a local level, according to Ad Age.

Alcohol Brands Strengthen Voluntary Ad Commitments

Signatories of the Responsible Marketing Pact (RMP), a set of voluntary commitments from brand which sell alcohol to limit children’s exposure to their ads, have agreed to strengthen those commitments to cover influencers and sponsorship. The pact now includes pledges to work with partners to ensure that at least 70 percent of attendees at an event they’re sponsoring will be above the country’s legal purchasing age, and to include prominent responsible drinking initiatives at those events. On the influencer front, the RMP now includes commitments to ensure that paid influencers are more than 25 years old unless robust age-affirmation mechanisms are in place, and to ensure that influencers aren’t associated with harmful alcohol consumption.

Channel 4 Study Finds Representation Gaps in UK TV Ads

UK broadcaster Channel 4’s latest ‘Mirror on the Industry‘ audit has found there are still significant gaps in representation for some groups in TV ads. Groups who were found to be underrepresented include disabled people, who play a lead role in just 2 percent of ads; pregnant people, who feature in just 0.1 percent of ads; LGBTQIA+ people, who play a lead role in just 1 percent of ads; and people aged 70+, who are most often featured in ads focused on health or charity.

Hires of the Week

Nexxen Names Eric Solomon SVP Product – Data

Nexxen, a CTV ad tech business, has appointed Eric Solomon as Senior Vice President, Product – Data. In his new role, Solomon will lead the evolution and expansion of the Nexxen Data Platform. He joins from Criteo, where he served as Senior Vice President, Head of Product Delivery.

StackAdapt Hires Ex-Google Matt Phillips and Scott Bush

StackAdapt, a Canadian ad tech firm, has hired Matt Phillips as SVP of Sales, and Scott Bush as Head of Americas Client Services. Phillips previously spent almost ten years at Google and Waze, where he led the global SMB ads business, while Bush’s experience includes leadership roles at Google and Amazon.