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He had told Oxford Gold that he wanted to "get the lay of the land" ahead of picking up a $9 million order for 151 gold kilo bars. But most unusual was that Mancuso wanted to pick up the order from the Oxford Gold office, the source said. The next day, Mancuso contacted Oxford Gold about buying $9 million worth of gold, and the company agreed to sell him 151 gold kilo bars. But Oxford Gold was alerted on December 2 that this was a fraudulent transaction, said a source with direct knowledge. Unsure what to do, Oxford Gold contacted the Beverly Hills Police Department, and eventually got in touch with the FBI, this source said.

Generative AI has exploded in popularity, and advertisers are figuring out how to use it. Insider profiled 15 ad execs leading generative AI projects for their own agencies and major brands. They're using AI tools to build creative assets quickly, kickstart ideas, and automate boring tasks. Generative AI has taken the world by storm, but many in the advertising industry were experimenting with it well before OpenAI's ChatGPT catapulted the technology into the zeitgeist last November. Insider has identified 15 ad industry experts who are leading the charge around generative AI by figuring out what it can and can't do, and teaching their colleagues and clients how to get the best results.

☆ These 4 industries will determine whether US advertising revenue will start to recover this year, according to IPG Mediabrands
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The second half of 2023 is "guaranteed" to be better than the second half of 2022. US ad revenue grew 6% in 2022, but spending massively slowed during the second half. If Magna's predictions for a 2023 ad spend recovery come true, it will be led by automotive, entertainment, travel, and insurance, within the finance industry. However, improvements in the auto industry is steering some recovery in ad spend from parts of the finance industry. Still, Letang expects comps in the second half of 2023 to be much better than the dismal second half of 2022.

☆ Brands like Pepsi, Ally, Mondelēz, and Coty reveal how they've scored big returns by advertising in video games
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

More than half the US population plays video games, and advertisers are pouring billions into the space. Brands as diverse as Pepsi, Ally, Mondelēz, and Coty have all been successfully using video games as an advertising medium to drive big results. Advertising in video games represents a big opportunity for brands to get in front of a large, engaged audience. Video game advertising requires a lot of collaborationOne of the biggest challenges brands face when advertising in video games is getting alignment across the company. Another difficulty brands face is developing a video game campaign that's not just a one-off.

☆ Seeking nominations for the most innovative chief marketing officers in the world in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

We're seeking nominations for Insider's eighth annual list of the most innovative CMOs. They're confronting economic volatility, the rise of AI, and finding new ways to reach consumers. Loading Something is loading. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyInsider is seeking nominations for our eighth-annual list of the most innovative CMOs in the world. Insider will spotlight the marketing experts guiding their companies through these changes; finding creative ways to update their marketing mix; reaching consumers through new mediums; and pioneering new advertising models within their companies.

☆ Meta has massively revamped its ads division. Here are the 21 most powerful execs tasked with saving the company's biggest revenue stream.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Ryan Joe | Lara O'Reilly | Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Nicola Mendelsohn and Justin Osofsky are Meta's top ad execs after Marne Levine stepped down. After Meta's ad revenue took a series of hits, the company banking on an overhauled ad offering powered by AI. Insider identified Meta's 21 top ad execs tasked with reviving its most crucial revenue stream. Here are the 21 most powerful and important advertising execs still at the company, listed alphabetically. Their roles span ad sales, strategy, marketing and product across Meta's portfolio.

☆ One year into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, disinformation sites with ads powered by Google have more than doubled
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian disinformation sites with Google-powered ads have more than doubled since last year, according to NewsGuard. Last year, as Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, Google and major brands placed ads on sites that promoted Kremlin propaganda. Google added that it has stopped running ads on specific pages on sites shared by Insider that show "violating content." The problem of ads appearing in sites containing disinformation is growing, as these sites take advantage of programmatic ad buying, where digital ads are purchased in an auction using automation. Programmatic ad buying is both a complicated and technical process, so advertisers often don't see where their ads are going.

☆ CPGs like Coca-Cola, P&G, and Clorox break down their marketing investments as consumers reckon with price hikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Many CPGs like Coca-Cola, P&G, and Clorox don't intend to increase their current level of marketing. As the economic squeeze continues, CPG brands like Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, and Clorox are being ultra-cautious about their marketing spend. Major CPGs spent hundreds of millions, and at times billions, on ads in 2022. Clorox spent $280 million, Coca-Cola spent $646 million, and Unilever spent $746 million according to data from Vivvix, an ad intel platform owned by Kantar, and social data from Pathmatics. Clorox, Coca-Cola, and Unilever didn't respond to a request for comment.

Not only have marketers been pausing ad spend en masse, YouTube is also battling TikTok for audiences and content creators. Industry insiders credit Mohan with building out the ad products that made YouTube Google's main growth engine for so many years. Tal Chalozin, CTO and cofounder of the adtech company Innovid, said that Mohan's expertise stretches across all of YouTube's ad business, particularly adtech. "He was leading product for the launch of YouTube Premium and YouTube TV, and the growth of YouTube Music," said one former YouTube employee. "It's now Neal and YouTube against TikTok, and that's the existential battle for short-form video monetization and creators," Norman said.

☆ CPGs like Coca-Cola and P&G don't want to spend more on marketing, but might have to if consumers get fed up with all the price increases
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The rise of AI-powered search could transform the internet. If AI-powered search catches on, it will upend the practice of search advertising. Right now, not a lot seems to have changed on the ad landscape, despite the media frenzy around the new AI search tools. Bannister doesn't think AI-powered search will change advertising drastically in the short term, but even small changes can have an impact on business. Sutton is cautiously optimistic though that the addition of AI to search queries on Bing and Google Search won't impact publishers like Gannett, which owns mostly news sites.

☆ Seeking nominations for the top marketers helping advertisers figure out AI-powered search
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Insider is seeking nominations for a list of marketing and ad agency execs figuring out AI-powered search advertising. They're people tasked with transforming search strategies for ChatGPT-powered Bing and Google's Bard. Insider is seeking nominations for a list showcasing the people helping advertisers take advantage of the new way information will be sought and surfaced across the internet. We're seeking people leading next-gen search-related efforts at brands or at agencies big and small. Their responsibilities may include developing search ad campaigns, developing strategies on how best to query chatbots, or making sure brands and products show up in search results.

☆ Super Bowl LVII won't have any crypto ads because firms pulled out of deals following FTX's bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But this year's Super Bowl will have no crypto ads after FTX's collapse. The Super Bowl ad landscape will look much different this year, Insider previously reported. But a lot has changed since then, to the extent that there will be zero crypto ads at Super Bowl LVII on Sunday. The crypto exchange cofounded by Sam Bankman-Fried filed for bankruptcy in November, nine months after the Super Bowl, following mass customer withdrawals. The advertising landscape at this year's Super Bowl is likely to be much different to 2022, thanks to rising economic uncertainty.

☆ Check out the 10-page pitch deck a new adtech startup used to raise $8 million to help influencers and film studios power product placement with AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The new adtech company Rembrand uses AI to digitally place products in videos. Product placement is a fast-growing part of the marketing landscape, with spend estimated at $26.2 billion in 2022. The first is through an ad network for product placement in influencer videos. Advertisers will run a product placement campaign and Rembrand's technology will place that product in influencer videos across its network. The $8 million Rembrand raised will provide it with about two years of runway, Tawakol said.

☆ 4 reasons why Amazon's advertising business is still surging while Meta, Google, and Snap are all wrestling with declines
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Amazon's ad business grew 19% over the past year, while rivals like Meta were managing a decline. Amazon's ad business seems to be the only major ad business that's on the upswing. Part of the reason is that Amazon's ad business is newer than Google's and Meta's so a higher growth rate should be expected. Insider spoke with several ad buyers and industry experts to reveal why Amazon's ad business is growing compared to competitors like Google, Meta, and Snap. Both McKenna and Kern Schireson, CEO of the ad agency Known, believe this is the biggest reason why Amazon's ad business is thriving compared to its competitors.

Buying a Super Bowl can be a big risk because it's a big investment months ahead of the game. Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes said during the company's January earnings call that its brand Crown Royal will run its first Super Bowl ad this year. Anheuser-Busch's move is an indication that the sky-high price of running a Super Bowl ad is getting harder for companies to justify. Bookings typically happen in May, said one ad agency exec who's purchased many Super Bowl ads for clients, including this year. Super Bowl ad slots sold briskly for both Fox this year and NBC last year.

Here are Insider's 2023 rising stars of brand marketing. These marketers adapted to a tough economy, explored new media channels, and grew brand awareness. They come from established companies like Procter & Gamble and newer startups like Instacart. They hail from established companies like Coca-Cola and General Mills and newer startups like Uber and Instacart, and all show the potential to be the industry leaders of the future. Scroll on to see the 26 rising stars of brand marketing, listed alphabetically.

The digital ad industry is scrambling as consumer anti-tracking policies from big tech companies like Google and Apple and privacy regulations across the world have already started to wipe out ad revenue. By one estimate, Apple's 2021 app tracking privacy change alone was expected to erase $16 billion in revenue from the world's biggest digital ad companies last year. "As every year progresses, it's much more of an existential issue for the ad industry than the year prior," said Anthony Katsur, CEO of IAB Tech Lab, an ad industry trade group. These companies were selected based on Insider's own reporting, input from ad industry experts, and data from Sincera, an analytics company that tracks which adtech companies are most used in the industry. This list does not include the big tech companies like Google and Amazon.

☆ Reddit just hired its first-ever CRO. He tells Insider how Reddit's ad sales team quintupled since 2020, and why a bad economy won't keep it from hiring more this year.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Media companies are cutting staff, but Reddit is still hiring in ad sales. Since massively re-organizing its ads sales team over two years ago and hiring Pinterest exec Harold Klaje to be VP of ads, the size of that team has quintupled, he said. Because of the growth of the ad sales team, Klaje has been promoted to be Reddit's first-ever CRO. Redditors are notoriously protective of their privacy, so Reddit never let advertisers target individual users. He added that Reddit is still hiring and its sales team will expand in 2023, though he declined to say by how much.

Layoffs have been hitting the ad industry as marketers trim spending amid a softening economy. Insider is tracking which ad and marketing companies have laid off staffers, and how many. Layoffs have been hitting the ad industry since early this year as marketers reined in their spending over growing economic concerns. Marketing is typically the first expense companies cut in downturns and times of uncertainty, and the industry's biggest trend forecasters have revised down their estimates for global ad revenue growth next year. Insider is tracking which companies across the ad industry are cutting staff and how many.

☆ Netflix's new ad tier plan appears to be working
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Lucia Moses | Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Netflix's new ad-supported tier accounted for 13% of subscribers in its first month, new Evercore research found. Evercore believes the ad tier is driving incremental subscriber growth for Netflix. The firm upgraded its rating on Netflix in September based on its ad-supported tier and plan to crack down on password-sharing, which are expected to drive earnings and share price. Netflix's ad tier entered a crowded field of streaming services, including ad-supported versions, from Disney's Hulu to Comcast's Peacock to Warner Bros. Netflix's ad tier was followed close behind Disney+ with Ads launching in December, and Warner plans to launch a combined Discovery+-HBO Max app in spring with an ad-supported tier.

☆ Netflix's ad tier drove 13% of subscriptions in its first month, new survey shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Lucia Moses | Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Netflix's new ad-supported tier accounted for 13% of subscribers in its first month, new Evercore research found. Evercore believes the ad tier is driving incremental subscriber growth for Netflix. Netflix's new ad-supported tier accounted for 13% of the streamer's subscribers in its first month, with about half being new or returning users to the streamer, according to new research from Evercore ISI. Netflix's ad tier entered a crowded field of streaming services, including ad-supported versions, from Disney's Hulu to Comcast's Peacock to Warner Bros. Netflix's ad tier was followed close behind Disney+ with Ads launching in December, and Warner plans to launch a combined Discovery+-HBO Max app in spring with an ad-supported tier.

☆ The Trade Desk just made a move to wrest control of ads powered by first-party data away from Google
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Trade Desk is competing with Google to help marketers and content owners use their first-party data to power ads. First-party data will play a big role in the future of digital advertising. Google and the Trade Desk are grappling with each other for a piece of this market. The Trade Desk still allows for traditional campaign reporting," said Samantha Jacobson, the Trade Desk's chief strategy officer. Hennessy was speaking about the New York Times' plans, and not about the Trade Desk or Google.

☆ Seeking nominations for the rising stars in public relations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Insider is seeking nominations for the industry's rising stars to know. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyInsider is seeking nominations for its fourth annual list of PR's rising stars. We're looking for both PR pros from agencies and in-house teams who are below the VP level, and based in the US. Submit your nominations using the Google form below. Submit your nominations here and include as much detail as to why your nominee deserves to be recognized.

☆ From the digital ad crash to Elon Musk buying Twitter — these were the ad industry's 5 biggest shocks of 2022, and what it means for 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Ryan Joe | Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The ad industry is crossing its fingers that Twitter is a safe place to advertise. 2022 was a volatile year for the advertising industry. DeGroote believes the 2023 ad market growth forecasts from major ad buyers like GroupM (5.9% growth), and Magna (5% growth to $822 billion) are too optimistic. Meta, has also seen its ad revenue decline, and has dumped $4 billion so far into building a so-called Metaverse, which hasn't driven any revenue yet. Elon Musk acquires TwitterMusk's acquisition of Twitter — and subsequent decimation of its employee ranks, including its revenue-driving advertising operations — shook the ad industry.

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