They Matter More Than the Usual Feature Dump Every January, ad platforms announce updates. Most are incremental. Some are marketing spin dressed up as innovation. But Microsoft's recent changes to their automated campaigns address something I've been pushing clients to think about for some time now. It's the tension between letting algorithms optimize and actually growing your business. The Real Problem With Automated Campaigns Here's what drives me crazy about most automation in paid media;...

Google and Apple announced a multiyear partnership this week that puts Google's Gemini AI at the core of Apple Intelligence, including a rebuilt Siri. Marketers need to understand what this means. The Deal Apple confirmed on January 12 that after evaluating its options, it determined Google's AI technology provides "the most capable foundation" for Apple Foundation Models. Reports suggest Apple will pay Google roughly $1 billion for access to Gemini technology. That's on top of the estimated...

The Say-Do Gap Every January, the prediction pieces roll in. CMOs, consultants, and academics tell us what matters for the year ahead. The 2026 consensus is clear: integrate brand and performance, build trust, stop working in silos. Solid advice. One problem: the data shows most marketing leaders aren't actually doing it. Here's where it gets interesting. McKinsey's State of Marketing Europe 2026 report ranked branding as the number one priority for marketing leaders. The industry consensus...