Measurement investments haven’t simplified advertising decisions: report

Despite a wider set of tools available to the marketing industry, many still struggle to leverage insights to influence budgetary decisions. 

By Peter Adams • July 13, 2026

In customer service, third-party gen AI tools are beating brand chatbots

While use of third-party generative AI tools has doubled in the past year, company-provided chatbot usage hasn’t statistically increased since 2022.

By Kristen Doerer • July 13, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

AI and Marketing Data

Top stories that underscore the key role of artificial intelligence, generative and otherwise, for many CMOs looking to better manage troves of data. 

By Marketing Dive staff

Why unpaid media is now essential to AI visibility

Earned media and community discussion generate the authority signals that determine whether a brand gets recommended by AI, writes Abigail Niziankiewicz of Mediassociates.

By Abigail Niziankiewicz • July 9, 2026

Marketing’s data breakdown: H1 by the numbers

Artificial intelligence continues to demand significant investments this year, but the payoff for marketers is still unclear.

By Sara Karlovitch • July 7, 2026

How brands can improve chances of showing up in AI search overviews

How a query is worded greatly impacts if a brand will show up in AI search results, with category searches being the most favorable to brands.

By Sara Karlovitch • July 1, 2026

A cure for Cannes Lions FOMO: What marketers might have missed

From OpenAI laying out its ads plan to Expedia’s creator-driven strategy, Marketing Dive has packaged together noteworthy coverage from the festival. 

By Peter Adams • June 30, 2026

How Instacart is cultivating full-funnel marketing with video, AI

Ali Miller, general manager of advertising, breaks down a new short-form vertical video feed and how Instacart plans to bring ads into its AI assistant. 

By Peter Adams • June 29, 2026

How challenger brands can stand out with fewer marketing swings

Dan Eisenberg, CMO at Chicago-based agency Blue Chip, discusses how brands such as Emerald Nuts compete against corporate giants.

By Danielle McLean • Updated June 29, 2026

Americans are redefining success. Brands need to catch up.

Consumers still dream big. They're just defining success differently.

June 29, 2026

From foot traffic to sales: streaming ads are more than a reach play

New performance benchmarks from Tubi demonstrate how streaming can drive lower-funnel results across industries – from Auto to CPG.

June 29, 2026

As agentic advertising floods Cannes, Amazon touts its Alexa advantage

Charlotte Maines, vice president of devices content and advertising, detailed a new Alexa+ Agentic Ads format being tested by Papa Johns and other brands.

By Peter Adams • Updated June 25, 2026

Albertsons integrates branded product placement into AI-search tool

The grocery company’s retail media arm now lets ads appear in conversational search product carousels.

By Peyton Bigora • June 24, 2026

LiveRamp CEO dishes on OpenAI partnership, looming Publicis acquisition

Scott Howe sat down with Marketing Dive in Cannes to discuss new collaborations, including one with Adobe, and why he’s committed to neutrality.

By Peter Adams • June 23, 2026

Gap brings AI to owned marketing channels across brand portfolio

The retailer is leveraging partnerships with Google Cloud, Zeta Global and Publicis Sapient as part of a newly announced transformation effort.

By Chris Kelly • June 23, 2026

What defines ChatGPT ads? ‘Super intentional’ users, OpenAI tells Cannes

The startup is pitching the four-month-old offering as a contextually led middle-funnel disruptor where 20% of chat queries carry a direct commercial intent. 

By Peter Adams • June 23, 2026

Target, DirecTV team to track premium video advertising’s sales impact

Danone plans to test a new solution that uses Roundel data and DirecTV audience insights to measure whether ads led to purchases at Target.

By Peter Adams • June 22, 2026

CMOs prioritize organizational influence over long-term brand growth

Marketers should focus on changing internal dynamics to help shift priorities back to enduring brand growth over short-term results, a Lippincott study said.

By Sara Karlovitch • June 22, 2026

Why data accuracy matters more than data scale amid the rise of AI

In an automated world, bad data not only misleads marketing teams but also accelerates mistakes, writes Epsilon’s Gillian MacPherson.

By Gillian MacPherson • June 16, 2026

Fox acquires Roku for $22B to accelerate streaming advertising business

The deal would give the broadcaster access to the top connected TV operating system in the U.S. and a wealth of first-party data.

By Chris Kelly • Updated June 15, 2026

Consumers are worried about a recession. How should brands respond?

Consumers are becoming choosier about how they spend their money, creating greater competition among brands.

By Kristen Doerer • June 15, 2026

Sociable: Google enlists Walmart Connect to enhance YouTube ad insights

Brands can reach Walmart’s U.S. customers through YouTube campaigns and see how those ads impact sales. 

By Andrew Hutchinson • June 12, 2026

AI disclosure labels don’t hurt ad performance: Here’s what the numbers say

As laws requiring AI use in ads to be disclosed become more common, there are questions surrounding the impact on the marketing industry.

By Sara Karlovitch • June 12, 2026

How GSTV steps up audience targeting with Stagwell’s agentic system

Slim Jim maker Conagra Brands is the video network’s first advertiser to incorporate the Stagwell Agentic Targeting System into campaign planning.

By Chris Kelly • June 11, 2026

ChatGPT ads get measurement boost from new LiveRamp partnership

Working with LiveRamp could help shore up OpenAI’s ad business ahead of its expected IPO, where revenue generation will be watched closely.

By Peter Adams • June 10, 2026

Media spend on customer acquisition accelerates amid rush to AI: Gartner

AI readiness may be falling short as a focus remains on short-term optimization and results.

By Sara Karlovitch • June 9, 2026