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JANUARY 29, 2026 |
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In this edition: |
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TOP STORY |
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Tradition and legacy, for brands new and old, will be on display as viewers gather to watch Super Bowl LX, played by the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, on February 8. |
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Some brands will celebrate the game on other channels in inventive and disruptive ways. For instance, Skittles is sitting out the actual broadcast, and instead will send movie star Elijah Wood to a fan’s house to film a live commercial people can watch online, according to a press release. |
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IN THE NEWS |
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Anthropic and OpenAI tread carefully on ICE criticism, highlighting the brand risks of CEOs' political hedging. Following violent incidents involving US federal law enforcement agents, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman issued muted criticisms of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement enforcement while praising President Donald Trump's willingness to allow an investigation, per TechCrunch. |
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Meta’s hefty AI investments causes Q4 spending to skyrocket. Meta reported strong Q4 2025 results, hitting $59.89 billion in Q4 revenues (24% growth YoY) and $200.97 billion in full year 2025 (22% YoY). |
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Performance TV tops 2026 spend plans, but transparency remains a barrier for 56%. Marketers are increasingly turning to performance TV to drive measurable results in the digital-first era—but key challenges remain that are limiting confidence in the strategy, according to a tvScientific report. |
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ANALYSIS |
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Retail media’s early free-for-all is giving way to a more deliberate approach. At last week’s EMARKETER Summit, leaders from Kellanova and Every Man Jack described how marketers are sharpening their focus, rethinking measurement, and preparing for an AI-driven discovery landscape. |
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Their perspectives offer a roadmap for shaping the next phase of growth, from incrementality to AI-driven discovery. |
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QUIZ |
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Nearly one-third of Gen Z uses AI for which of the following reasons? |
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A) Friendship B) Romantic relationship C) Personal life advice D) Language learning |
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