Artificial intelligence (AI) has played a significant role in digital advertising for years now. Initially used for basic data analytics and targeting, the technology has evolved considerably since its first applications in advertising, and its use has grown more advanced and widespread in kind. Today, digital advertisers rely on AI for campaign automation, data-driven decision-making, creative optimization and personalization, audience insights, and more. Over the last several months, a specific type of AI has been making big waves—specifically, the kind that can write and perform songs, turn ..read more

Every two years, US political campaigns descend upon the advertising landscape, feasting on inventory and bringing with them a host of challenges for nonpolitical advertisers—challenges that only seem to intensify with each election cycle. 2024 is no exception. A highly divisive Presidential race, hotly contested Senate battles, and polarizing ballot measures are converging to drive unprecedented political ad spend. At the same time, advancements in generative AI could potentially create a landscape characterized by groundbreaking volumes of mis- and disinformation, especially on social media ..read more

In March 2024, US employment across advertising, public relations, and related fields reached an all-time high, with ad agencies accounting for the largest portion of these jobs. However, this job growth doesn’t negate the longstanding challenge of high turnover within the advertising industry, particularly among junior-level employees. To help mitigate turnover, the vast majority of hiring managers—in advertising and beyond—say they plan to hire in 2024. And as agencies and brands approach either filling newly-created positions on their teams or replacing those left vacant by employee departu ..read more

As seismic shifts reshape the advertising industry, marketers are reinvesting in strategies that have stood the test of time. What shifts, exactly, are pushing advertisers back towards these old-school approaches? To start, there’s the matter of signal loss, driven by factors such as Apple’s App Tracking Transparency, data privacy regulations, the consumer demand for data privacy, and Google’s plans to deprecate third-party cookies in Chrome in 2025. And, of course, there’s the rapid development of generative AI, which is both presenting new challenges and introducing fresh possibilities for m ..read more

Here we go again… After months and months of promises, pinky promises, and stone-faced utterances of “No, we really really mean it this time!”, Google has officially announced what in recent weeks appeared increasingly inevitable: Third-party cookie deprecation in Chrome will be delayed. Again. This time, to an as-yet unannounced time beyond Q4 2024. The deciding blow to this latest missed deadline came after a damning report by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) indicating that Google’s Privacy Sandbox would fall short of meeting the country’s regulatory standards. Per ..read more

Amidst all the networking, socializing, and poolside festivities at this year's Possible in Miami Beach, there was one topic that dominated all the rest: AI. Throughout the event, artificial intelligence was on the top of attendees' minds and the tips of the speakers' tongues. How are you using it? Where can it provide the most (and least) benefits? What are the keys to harnessing AI’s power successfully? And how can business leaders fully exploit the potential of AI at their organizations while mitigating its safety risks? The clearest takeaway from the industry's thought leaders? Marketing's ..read more

In recent years, the digital advertising industry has come face to face with a barrage of new policies and regulations. With concerns mounting over data privacy, consumer protection, and AI, new laws have sprung up at a variety of levels—from state, to federal, to global. This regulatory frenzy underscores a complex balancing act between commercial interests and consumers’ needs. Consumers accept ads’ presence in our digital ecosystem, with 95% saying they would prefer ads to paying higher costs for an ad-free online experience. A further 88% say they want ads that are personalized to their in ..read more

Earlier this month, droves of marketers and advertisers descended on Austin, Texas to soak in the sights and insights of SXSW 2024. Here are three insights from the notebooks of Basis’ Media Innovations & Technology team to help marketers keep 2024 moving in the right direction. Podcasts Offer a Bargain in the Ad Landscape  Podcasting increasingly stands as a contender in advertisers’ paid media strategies. That’s thanks to its unique ability to meet consumers where they are and building trust and affinity not just for podcasters, but for the brands that support them.  Despi ..read more

Discover How US Voters Feel This Election Year When it comes to US voter sentiment, there is a clear generational divide that extends across feelings on hot-button political issues, local vs. national political involvement, optimism about the upcoming election season, and the overall state of the country. Download Understanding Political Attitudes by Generation in 2024 to get exclusive data-based insights on: How Americans are feeling about the 2024 elections How voters engage with federal, state, and local politics The generational differences in where voters turn to for trusted politic ..read more

In 2020, many leaders committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at their organizations in response to the movement for racial justice set in motion by the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Four years later, some those commitments appear to be wavering, with forecasts estimating that organizational DEI investments will fall by 13% in 2024 compared to 2022. In the advertising sector specifically, recent layoffs at Google and Meta resulted in downsized DEI programs, and investment in diverse-owned media companies has slowed. It seems that for many companies, amidst ..read more