Here’s what’s shaping marketing today!... From Amazon’s bold DSP expansion to viral brands losing their shine and holiday collabs heating up. Let’s dive in.

Early tests show Google’s AI Max delivers worse results than all other match types.
Across 250 campaigns, AI Max saw 35% lower ROAS, 21% lower AOV, and €34.21 cost per conversion, much higher than Broad or Exact Match. Why it matters: Despite Google’s 14% lift claim, real-world data suggests AI Max still struggles for smaller accounts.

Most SEO audits miss the point. Instead of chasing arbitrary tool scores, audits should focus on preventing crawl and indexing issues in context. Three-step approaches are outlined: identify issues, contextualize them per site, and prioritize based on real business impact. Why it matters: Google is pushing SEO pros to ditch checklist-style audits and think strategically. Automated scores don’t equal better visibility,  understanding a site’s unique tech setup does.

YouTube, Meta, and TikTok are enforcing new AI labeling systems that flag synthetic visuals and voices. YouTube now requires creators to tag any “altered or synthetic” content. Meta automatically detects AI-made visuals through C2PA metadata, while TikTok attaches “AI-generated” badges to deepfakes or cloned voices. To stay compliant, marketers must maintain strict metadata hygiene and document all generative elements in their campaigns. Why it matters: AI labels are no longer optional. They’ve become a core trust factor in digital storytelling, and mishandled metadata or undisclosed AI use can harm credibility or trigger platform penalties. Transparency is now a creative advantage.

Despite the AI boom, most influencer brand deals still don’t include clauses about AI use, copyright, or likeness protection. Lawyers warn that this leaves both creators and brands vulnerable as generative tools like Sora can replicate voices, faces, and entire videos. Some agencies, like Sway Group, have started banning deepfakes in contracts, but most creators rely on outdated agreements that never mention synthetic content or disclosure requirements. Why it matters: The lack of AI clauses creates legal gray zones around ownership, transparency, and identity rights. As brands begin paying to train AI models with creator likenesses, contracts that ignore AI could soon become the industry’s biggest liability.

Amazon is rapidly expanding its demand-side platform (DSP) through new deals with major publishers and ad companies including Roku, Disney, Netflix, Spotify, and Microsoft. The upgraded DSP now combines premium CTV, display, and audio inventory with Amazon’s massive first-party data, offering full-funnel attribution and lower platform fees. The push helped Amazon Ads hit $17.7 billion in Q3 2025 revenue, up 24% year-over-year, positioning it as a growing rival to Google DV360. Why it matters: Amazon’s closed-loop ecosystem is reshaping the ad-tech landscape. With data, media, and measurement all inside one stack, it’s inching closer to the holy grail of measurable brand + performance advertising, but also raising concerns about dominance and dependency on a single platform.

After years of hype, Labubu dolls, the viral collectibles behind Pop Mart’s £500M ($659M) sales surge, have officially peaked. Once driven by scarcity, celebrity collaborations, and resale mania, production has now skyrocketed while demand has dropped. Secondary markets are flooded, prices are falling below retail, and Google Trends confirms Labubu’s decline. The brand now faces the classic post-hype dilemma: restrict supply, rebrand, or reignite demand through strategic collaborations. Why it matters: Labubu’s fall is a textbook case of overproduction killing exclusivity. Like Levi’s or Supreme before it, Pop Mart could master scarcity or co-branding to recover cultural cachet. Sustaining demand after viral success isn’t luck, it’s marketing craftsmanship.

With tighter consumer spending this holiday season, brands are teaming up for limited-edition drops to boost visibility and reach new audiences. Tangle Teezer’s collaboration with Skims sold out instantly, while Béis x Rare Beauty and Josh Cellars x Hotel Lobby Candle pairings blend lifestyle appeal with gifting. Even Dude Wipes is using co-branded bundles on TikTok Shop to attract first-time buyers. The strategy turns collaborations into both marketing and acquisition plays. Why it matters: Co-branding has evolved from novelty to necessity. In a crowded Q4 market, partnerships drive discovery, credibility, and conversion, especially when they blend audiences and create scarcity-driven excitement.

Webflow is seeing a 6x higher conversion rate from ChatGPT traffic than from Google. Around 10% of new signups now come from AI discovery, with 91% of LLM referrals coming via ChatGPT. VP of Growth Josh Grant says this is shifting how they measure success, from traffic volume to visibility, comprehension, and conversion in AI search. Webflow’s team treats AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) as an evolution of SEO, using tools like Profound and Reddit monitoring to stay cited in model outputs. Why it matters: AI discovery is becoming the new organic search. For marketers, ranking in AI models is the next frontier, and those who adapt fastest will capture high-intent leads that convert far better than traditional SEO traffic.

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reply to this email.

— Sam C.