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The European Union Wants to Restrict Social Media Access for Children Under 13; a Move That Could Change Advertising and Targeting Rules

Marketing

Sep 10, 2026

The European Union Wants to Restrict Social Media Access for Children Under 13; a Move That Could Change Advertising and Targeting Rules

The European Union is working on a new initiative aimed at restricting children’s access to social media. According to a Financial Times report published on September 10, 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is preparing to propose new age restrictions for digital platforms. Under the proposed plan, children under the age of 13 could be prevented from using social media, while access for older teenagers could be regulated gradually based on age. If implemented, the plan could lead to significant changes in how platforms such as Facebook and Instagram operate, particularly when it comes to age verification and protecting younger users. The main reason behind the initiative is growing concern about the impact of social media on children, especially potentially addictive design features, weaknesses in age-verification systems, and the possible effects of these platforms on children’s mental health. In July 2026, the European Commission preliminarily found that certain features of Facebook and Instagram, including infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, and continuous notifications, could increase the risk of addictive use. But the issue is not simply about how many hours children spend on social media. In April 2026, the European Commission also preliminarily found that Meta’s measures to prevent children under 13 from using Facebook and Instagram were insufficient. According to the Commission, children may be able to bypass age restrictions simply by entering a false date of birth when creating an account. But why does this matter to marketers? Under the European Union’s Digital Services Act, targeted advertising to minors is already prohibited when the targeting is based on profiling using their personal data. If new age restrictions are introduced, platforms could face even greater pressure to strengthen their age-verification systems. That could change how brands reach younger audiences and directly affect audience targeting and digital advertising strategies. For major platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, this would not be a minor regulatory adjustment. If access is restricted for a significant number of younger users, both platforms and brands may need to rethink how they communicate with the next generation in a legal and ethical way. The issue is also far from simple within the European Union itself. Some countries, including France and Greece, support stronger restrictions, while other European countries have raised questions about how effectively such measures could be implemented in practice. It is therefore important to emphasize that this is still a proposal, not a final law. But if the European Union continues in this direction, the changes could have a significant impact on the future of social media and digital marketing. For marketers, the key question is: If platforms are required to impose tighter restrictions on children and teenagers, how will brands reach younger generations in the future without crossing legal and ethical boundaries?

ChatGPT Wants to Combine the Strengths of Google and Meta in One Advertising Platform; OpenAI Is Preparing for a New Phase of ChatGPT Ads

Marketing

Sep 9, 2026

ChatGPT Wants to Combine the Strengths of Google and Meta in One Advertising Platform; OpenAI Is Preparing for a New Phase of ChatGPT Ads

OpenAI has an ambitious vision for the future of advertising on ChatGPT: building a platform that combines Google’s strength in understanding customer intent with Meta’s ability to understand users’ interests and context. Sarah Friar, CFO of OpenAI, said at the Goldman Sachs conference in San Francisco that the idea behind ChatGPT Ads could be described simply as if Google and Meta came together to build a single advertising platform. Google’s strength in advertising comes largely from understanding intent. When someone searches for something, their purpose is often clear. For example, a person searching for “the best phone to buy” may already be considering a purchase. Meta, on the other hand, has built enormous advertising capabilities through Facebook and Instagram, allowing it to understand users’ interests, behavior, and context. OpenAI wants ChatGPT to bring these two strengths together. From the context of a current conversation, ChatGPT can understand what a user is looking for and where they may be in the decision-making process. In some regions and depending on user settings, other signals from the ChatGPT experience may also be used to make ads more relevant. For example, imagine someone asking ChatGPT about the differences between two cameras. They compare prices and specifications and eventually ask, “Which one is better for me?” At that point, this is no longer just a search. The conversation itself may indicate that the person is getting close to making a purchase decision. For marketers, that moment can be extremely valuable. This comes as ChatGPT Ads is growing rapidly. On August 31, 2026, OpenAI announced that its advertising business had reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate in less than 200 days, with tens of thousands of advertisers using the platform. Importantly, the $1 billion figure does not mean OpenAI has already collected $1 billion in advertising revenue. It means that if the current level of revenue continued at the same pace, it would amount to roughly $1 billion on an annualized basis. OpenAI also sees today’s advertising experience as only an early stage. Friar indicated that the company is working on more advanced advertising formats designed specifically for an AI environment. The goal is not simply to copy Google or social-media ads and place them inside ChatGPT, but to develop formats suited to the conversational nature of AI. OpenAI has already introduced Ads Manager, CPC advertising, conversion measurement, and tools for optimizing campaign outcomes. Over time, the company plans to provide advertisers with more formats, targeting capabilities, and campaign tools. There is also an important distinction: ads are not supposed to influence ChatGPT’s answers. According to OpenAI, advertisements are kept separate from ChatGPT responses and are clearly identified as sponsored content. The company also says it does not share users’ conversations with advertisers or sell their personal data to them. For marketers, this raises a much bigger question: If Google is where people go to search, and Meta is where people discover content and products, could ChatGPT become a third major environment, where consumers talk through their needs, compare options, and ultimately make purchasing decisions? It is still too early to say that ChatGPT has reached the scale of Google or Meta in advertising. But the direction is becoming clearer: OpenAI is not simply adding ads to ChatGPT; it is gradually building the foundations of a full advertising platform.

Employees Are Becoming Brands’ New Creators; 40% of Consumers Discover New Products and Services Each Month Through Employee-Generated Content

Marketing

Sep 8, 2026

Employees Are Becoming Brands’ New Creators; 40% of Consumers Discover New Products and Services Each Month Through Employee-Generated Content

The role of employees inside companies is gradually changing. Employees are no longer simply people working behind the scenes for a brand. At some companies, they are becoming content creators and voices for the brand on social media. A report from Sprout Social shows that 40% of consumers discover new products or services each month through content created by company employees. Among Gen Z, that figure rises to 61%. This trend is known as Employee-Generated Content (EGC), meaning content created by a company’s own employees about its products, services, workplace, or their personal experiences with the brand. For example, instead of a restaurant relying solely on polished advertising, one of its chefs could create a video showing how a dish is prepared. Similarly, an employee at a clothing store could demonstrate, in their own style, how new products can be worn or used. The reason this type of content can be so powerful is simple: people want to see real people. Sprout Social’s findings suggest that consumers can perceive employee voices as more authentic and relatable than highly polished content published through official brand accounts. Major brands are already embracing this strategy. Gap Inc. has opened creator programs to employees across Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, and Banana Republic, allowing them to create content and earn commissions through affiliate links. Starbucks also supports employee creators through its Green Apron Creators program. The results are striking. Gap says its creator program generated nearly 30,000 pieces of content in its first year, collectively achieving a reach of 154 million. But this trend is about more than simply encouraging employees to make videos. When companies formally use employees to promote their brands, questions around compensation and employee rights also emerge. According to Sprout Social, 61% of consumers believe companies should provide additional compensation to employees who create promotional content for their brands. For marketers, the bigger message is clear: the best creator for your brand may not always be someone with a million followers. It could be the employee who works with your product every day and can tell its story to customers in a genuine and convincing way.

ChatGPT Ads Reaches a $1 Billion Annualized Revenue Run Rate in Less Than 200 Days; Is ChatGPT Becoming a New Rival to Google and Meta in Advertising?

Marketing

Sep 7, 2026

ChatGPT Ads Reaches a $1 Billion Annualized Revenue Run Rate in Less Than 200 Days; Is ChatGPT Becoming a New Rival to Google and Meta in Advertising?

ChatGPT is rapidly carving out a place for itself in the digital advertising market. Less than 200 days after launching ads, ChatGPT Ads has reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate. OpenAI says tens of thousands of advertisers are now using the platform, while ChatGPT ads are available in more than 40 countries. However, the $1 billion figure needs to be understood correctly. It does not mean OpenAI has already generated $1 billion in advertising revenue in 200 days. It refers to an annualized revenue run rate. In other words, if the current monthly revenue level continued for 12 months, annual revenue would approach $1 billion. Digiday estimates the current monthly figure at around $83 million. But what makes this development particularly significant is not just the revenue. It is where advertising appears within ChatGPT. On Google, users typically search for a word or phrase. In ChatGPT, however, people can explain exactly what they want, how much they are willing to spend, what matters to them and even which options they are struggling to choose between. For example, someone might ask for help choosing a smartphone, selecting software or planning a trip. This means ChatGPT can potentially reach consumers while they are actively searching, comparing options and making purchasing decisions. At the same time, OpenAI is transforming its advertising system from a limited experiment into a more complete advertising platform. Ads Manager has been opened to small and medium-sized businesses, while the platform now supports capabilities including CPC, outcome optimization, geo-targeting, custom audiences, Pixel and Conversions API. The expansion is no longer limited to the United States. OpenAI has expanded direct ad buying through Ads Manager across Europe, India, the Middle East and North Africa, including 31 additional European markets. But does this mean ChatGPT is already a serious competitor to Google and Meta? It is still too early to reach that conclusion. Google and Meta each operate enormous advertising businesses, while ChatGPT Ads remains in Beta and is still developing. ChatGPT, however, has one potentially important advantage: user intent. If the platform can deliver relevant advertising at the precise moment someone is considering a decision, it could begin attracting a portion of advertisers’ budgets away from established platforms. That could transform ChatGPT from simply being a competitor to Google in search and AI into a new competitor in the digital advertising market itself. For marketers, the important question is therefore no longer simply: “How should we advertise on Google and Meta?” A new question is emerging: “How can we make our brand present at the moment a customer is talking to AI and preparing to make a purchasing decision?” That may ultimately be more important than the $1 billion figure itself. If this trend continues, ChatGPT may not only change how people search for information. It could also change how brands reach consumers and how digital advertising budgets are allocated in the future.

Google Escapes the Biggest Threat to Its Advertising Business as U.S. Court Refuses to Force the Sale of a Key Unit

Marketing

Sep 6, 2026

Google Escapes the Biggest Threat to Its Advertising Business as U.S. Court Refuses to Force the Sale of a Key Unit

Google has avoided one of the biggest threats ever faced by its digital advertising business after a U.S. federal court declined to force the company to sell AdX, a key part of its advertising ecosystem. The case stems from a much broader concern over Google’s power in the digital advertising market. In April 2025, the court found that Google had illegally maintained monopolies in two important online advertising technology markets and that some of its practices had harmed competition. Put simply, when you see an advertisement on a website, a digital auction often takes place behind the scenes within a fraction of a second. Advertisers compete for the available ad space, and automated systems determine which advertisement will be shown. Google operates across several stages of this process, providing tools and services used to buy, sell and manage digital advertising. One of these is AdX, a digital marketplace where advertising space is bought and sold. The U.S. Department of Justice argued that simply imposing new rules on Google would not be enough to address its market power. It therefore asked the court to force Google to sell AdX, with the aim of reducing Google’s influence over the digital advertising market and creating more room for competitors. However, on September 2, 2026, Judge Leonie Brinkema rejected that request. As a result, Google will not be required to sell AdX and can retain this important part of its advertising business. But this does not mean Google won the entire case. The earlier ruling that Google illegally maintained monopolies in parts of the advertising technology market still stands. What has changed is the remedy. Rather than breaking up part of Google’s advertising business, the company will be required to change how some of its advertising systems operate. One significant change involves requiring Google to provide competitors with access to certain real-time bidding information, with the goal of increasing competition in the digital advertising market. In simple terms, the court’s decision can be summarized like this: “We are not breaking up your advertising business, but you cannot continue operating it in exactly the same way as before.” The ruling matters because forcing Google to sell AdX would have represented one of the biggest structural changes in the history of the company’s advertising business. For now, Google has managed to preserve this important part of its advertising empire, but it will have to operate under new restrictions and rules. Ultimately, the case raises a much bigger question about the future of digital advertising: Is changing the way Google operates enough to create fairer competition, or have the world’s largest technology companies become so powerful that changing the rules alone is no longer enough?

The Creator Game Has Changed! Humans Are No Longer the Only Target; Why Brands Want to Influence ChatGPT and AI Recommendations Through Creators?

Marketing

Sep 4, 2026

The Creator Game Has Changed! Humans Are No Longer the Only Target; Why Brands Want to Influence ChatGPT and AI Recommendations Through Creators?

The New Era of Content Creators: Competing for AI Attention Previously, the equation for brands working with content creators was simple: more views, more engagement, more sales. But a fundamental shift in consumer behavior is changing the rules of the game; creators are no longer competing solely for human attention. From Google Search to AI Recommendations To find the "best travel camera," today's consumer bypasses Google search and directly asks ChatGPT or other artificial intelligence tools. This has caused brands to lose full control over the answers consumers see. Now, creator content that AI systems rely on as a source has become the new weapon for brands. The New Marketing Metric: AI Visibility In the past, creators were evaluated based on follower count and view volume. Now, a new metric has emerged: AI Visibility. Expertise Over Numbers: A creator with 100,000 followers who is a trusted expert in their niche can be a more valuable source for AI engines than someone with 5 million followers but no depth or expertise. A Shift in Brand Strategy: Data from the agency Tinuiti shows that focusing on AI content visibility has evolved from a secondary metric to a core part of creator evaluations in less than eight months. Restructuring Content for Machine Comprehension For content to catch the attention of AI, the creation strategy must adapt: Using exact, official product names. Sticking to verified, factual information. Adding video Chapter Markers based on questions people actually ask. Providing clean, error-free transcripts. Prioritizing long-form YouTube videos, which AI systems often read as sources more frequently than short-form videos (Shorts). Have Creator Ad Rates Increased? So far, there has been no direct change in pricing (Rate Cards). Measuring the direct impact of campaigns on AI visibility is still difficult. However, creators have started adding their "AI visibility level" to their Media Kits, and industry leaders predict this will become a major pricing factor within the next 6 to 12 months. The New Equation The traditional model for convincing a buyer was: Creator → Consumer. The new model is: Creator → AI → Consumer. In the future, a powerful creator won't just be someone watched by millions; it will be someone whom artificial intelligence reads, trusts, and recommends as a credible source.

Marketing

Sep 3, 2026

The Era of Paying Simply for Follower Count is Ending; Why Are Brands Demanding More Results and ROI in Creator Marketing?

For years, follower count was the sole metric for determining a creator's size and value. Today, with the rapid growth of the Creator Economy and increasing brand expenditures, the ultimate question has shifted: What genuine commercial value does this creator return to the brand for the budget they are given? The Illusion of Big Numbers vs. Authentic Trust A creator with a million followers who cannot build strong engagement and connection with their audience offers little value to brands, especially if that audience doesn't align with the business's target market. In contrast, a micro-influencer with 50,000 followers—if they possess the deep, authentic trust of their audience—can drive their viewers toward a purchasing decision much faster. The metric is no longer merely "reach"; it is the "capacity for persuasion and impact." The Shift from Vanity Metrics to Concrete Results (ROI) In the past, likes, comments, and views were enough to evaluate a campaign's success. Now, marketing directors demand concrete, measurable results. The operational equation is rapidly shifting from: (Follower → Reach → Engagement) to: (Conversion → Sales → ROI). The new baseline questions are: How much traffic was generated? How many sales were closed? What was the Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)? For every dollar spent, what was the actual return? Market Price Correction This shift does not signify a "collapse of the creator economy," but rather a logical market correction in pricing. When a creator demands $20,000 for a single post, simply having a massive follower count is no longer enough to justify the cost. They must provide proven evidence that they can generate equivalent sales or commercial value; otherwise, they will inevitably face the pressure of declining demand. The Role of Data and AI in Changing the Game Advanced data analytics and AI tools now allow brands and marketing agencies to evaluate a creator's metrics with granular precision. Decision-making has evolved from "this person is famous" to "what does this person's data actually say?". This forces creators to showcase their audience quality and past campaign results rather than just boasting about their raw audience size. The era of influencer marketing isn't over; it has simply matured from an emotion-driven, hype-filled market into a sophisticated industry where data, strategy, and profitability have the final say. The question decision-makers are asking is no longer "How many followers do you have?" but rather, "How many people actually listen to you, and how does that trust convert into measurable profit for my business?

The Attention Economy: How Reddit is Making Deep 15-Second Focus the Primary Metric for Customer Persuasion

Marketing

Sep 2, 2026

The Attention Economy: How Reddit is Making Deep 15-Second Focus the Primary Metric for Customer Persuasion

For years, "Views" have been the primary metric for marketers, but not all views hold the same value; abandoning a video after three seconds is vastly different from absorbing a 15-second message. To address this, Reddit launched its new "15-second Engaged Video Views" metric on September 1, 2026, which is currently available in beta for advertisers. From Superficial Views to Purchasing Attention Reddit is now directing its algorithm to serve ads to users who are most likely to watch a video for at least 15 seconds or complete it entirely. This new objective works alongside the existing 6-second metric, allowing marketers to easily run split tests. The fundamental question has shifted from "How many people saw the video?" to "How many people stayed long enough to actually receive the message?" Why is 15 Seconds the Golden Window? Six seconds is only enough for a quick logo flash or brief brand familiarization. However, when a brand wants to tell a compelling story, showcase a product demo, or feature customer testimonials, it needs more time to effectively deliver the message and create a lasting psychological impact. Paying Based on Focus Instead of burning budgets on low-value impressions, advertisers now only pay when a viewer meets the 15-second threshold. The automated bidding system utilizes Lowest Cost and Cost Cap strategies to funnel the budget directly toward securing the highest quality of attention. Initial Results and Metric Limitations Reddit's internal data indicates a 51% increase in 15-second views and a 71% boost in video completion rates. Despite this growth, capturing attention does not automatically guarantee a sale. While this metric is highly valuable for brand awareness campaigns, sales-driven campaigns must still rely on baseline benchmarks like Conversion Rates and Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). Reddit's update signals a broader shift in digital marketing: moving away from empty vanity numbers and toward measuring something far more meaningful—the true quality of human attention.

Domino’s Direct Attack on Big Mac and Whopper: Why Do Brands Use Competitors’ Names as Their Advertising Weapon Instead of Staying Silent?

Marketing

Sep 1, 2026

Domino’s Direct Attack on Big Mac and Whopper: Why Do Brands Use Competitors’ Names as Their Advertising Weapon Instead of Staying Silent?

In a new campaign, Domino's Pizza has chosen a more aggressive and attention-grabbing path to competition. Instead of merely talking about pizza and the value of its own products, it brings well-known fast-food items—such as the Big Mac, Whopper, and Crunchwrap Supreme—into the campaign and compares itself directly to them. The campaign is crafted in a comedic, exaggerated, and slightly dark style. Why Does Domino’s Name Its Competitors? In traditional marketing, many brands try to highlight their differences without directly naming their rivals. Domino’s is taking the exact opposite approach here. The goal isn't just to say "our pizza is better." The brand is attempting to change the entire frame of competition. This means they want the customer to stop comparing Domino's solely to Pizza Hut or Papa Johns. Instead, when customers think of fast food, Domino's wants to be placed on the exact same selection list as burgers, tacos, and products from other chains. This is a crucial strategic point. If the customer views Domino's exclusively as a "pizza brand," its competition is restricted to the pizza market. But if it can position itself in the customer's mind as a viable choice for any quick meal, its competitive market expands massively. The Competition is About "Value" This campaign didn't emerge out of nowhere. In 2025, Domino’s ran a similar campaign that directly compared the value of a slice of its pizza to a fraction of a burger. That effort was designed to position Domino’s as a high-value option at a time when customers were becoming highly price-sensitive. The new campaign broadens that strategy. In other words, the message isn't simply: "Our pizza is better than the competitor's pizza." It is much closer to: "Before you spend your money on any other fast food, consider us as an option, too." Why Does Comparative Advertising Work? Direct comparison can solve one major marketing problem: what is the customer comparing you to? By naming a competitor, a brand can insert itself directly into the customer's frame of reference. When Domino’s mentions the Big Mac or Whopper, it is indirectly saying: "The next time you decide to get fast food, compare us with these, too." From a positioning perspective, this is vital because the brand pulls itself out of a narrow category and drops itself into a much broader competitive landscape. The Risks of Naming Competitors Comparative advertising doesn't always end up profiting the brand that initiated it. When Domino’s continuously mentions the Big Mac and Whopper, it is simultaneously putting its competitors' names and products right in front of the audience. If the underlying message isn't strong enough, there is a real risk that the customer might end up craving McDonald’s or Burger King instead of Domino’s. Therefore, simply naming a competitor is not a strategy on its own. The brand must provide a clear, compelling reason for the customer to actually choose them after the comparison is made. The Bigger Message of the Campaign The most important takeaway from this news isn't just that Domino’s is mocking the Big Mac and Whopper. The bigger concept is that a brand has the power to dictate who it competes against in the customer's mind. Domino’s is trying to shatter the "pizza" boundary, declaring that its competitors aren't just other pizza sellers; any brand a customer might pay for a quick meal is their rival. If this positioning takes root in the consumer's mind, the campaign's success will be much greater than just a few views and likes. However, it is still too early to tell if the campaign has actually shifted buying behavior or Domino’s market share. This news highlights the execution of a strategy, not yet the ultimate success.

Best Buy Expects Its Ad Revenue to Approach $1 Billion: Why Major Retailers Are No Longer Just Selling Products, but Turning Customer Access into a New Revenue Stream?

Marketing

Aug 31, 2026

Best Buy Expects Its Ad Revenue to Approach $1 Billion: Why Major Retailers Are No Longer Just Selling Products, but Turning Customer Access into a New Revenue Stream?

The retail market is undergoing a historic transformation, where large stores no longer rely solely on product sales margins, but are leveraging their close customer relationships into a massive new source of income. Best Buy has emerged as one of the most prominent examples of this new trend. According to a report by MediaPost, the company generated nearly $900 million in revenue from its advertising business alone last year. It is projected that by 2026, this revenue will grow by 10% to reach nearly $1 billion. This shift has prompted Jason Bonfig, a senior executive at the company, to clearly state that Best Buy is transitioning into a blended business of retail media, advertising, and technology. What retailers like Best Buy possess that is highly valuable to advertisers is their proximity to the customer's moment of decision. From the perspective of consumer psychology, when someone searches for a laptop or TV on a retailer's website or app, their purchase intent is typically very high, placing them in the final stages of decision-making. Displaying an ad at this critical, high-intent moment directly influences the final choice, making it far more effective than traditional advertising. This has upended the classic business model: instead of merely selling products to earn revenue, the store now sells products while simultaneously monetizing its access to customer attention for advertisers. The rapid growth of retail media demonstrates that the boundaries between points of purchase and media channels are rapidly disappearing. Retailers hold the most granular behavioral data because they know exactly what consumers are searching for and what they ultimately buy. However, a crucial distinction must be made here. While Best Buy’s financial success and the expansion of its advertising platform are proven facts, the projected $1 billion revenue is a forecast of the platform's overall growth, not a guarantee that every brand advertising on it will achieve a correspondingly high return on investment (ROI). Ultimately, this evolution proves that the retail store is no longer just a showroom for goods—it is becoming an independent media network.

The End of the Click Era: How the Rise of AI-Generated Answers is Reshaping Consumer Psychology and Forcing Brands to Pivot Their Strategies?

Marketing

Aug 30, 2026

The End of the Click Era: How the Rise of AI-Generated Answers is Reshaping Consumer Psychology and Forcing Brands to Pivot Their Strategies?

For over two decades, digital marketing strategies operated on one core principle: creating content to drive users to websites via search engine clicks. However, with the integration of AI chatbots and generative answers, this equation is rapidly dismantling. Consumers are no longer searching for website links; they want algorithms to provide them with directly analyzed answers. This is not just a technological shift, but a fundamental change in consumer psychology and expectations, requiring brands to completely re-evaluate their marketing channels and how they reach their audience. In this new landscape, we must make a clear distinction between predictions and proven facts. The 25% drop in traditional search volume by 2026, as recently predicted in a report by Gartner, is a scientific forecast based on the rapid growth of AI models. What is already a proven fact, however, is the plummeting cost of content production due to GenAI tools, which has flooded the digital space with low-value text. In response, search algorithms have tightened their criteria, and governments worldwide are beginning to enforce watermarking regulations for AI-generated content. For marketers, this signifies a massive psychological shift in the consumer. From a behavioral economics perspective, humans constantly seek to reduce cognitive load during decision-making. When a smart answer engine rapidly analyzes data and delivers a ready-made conclusion, the consumer immediately relies on "System 1" thinking—a fast, effortless decision-making process. To adapt to this, copywriters must abandon keyword stuffing and directly address the consumer's pain points. Crafting a clear value proposition and embedding an objection bank within the text is the only way to ensure algorithms recognize the content as a comprehensive, trustworthy answer to present to the buyer. The overarching trend behind this shift is the transition from an era of prioritizing quantity to enforcing authenticity. As Alan Antin notes in the Gartner report, when AI models replace classic search, the only content that will survive is that which embodies the elements of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). Search engines are no longer just looking for information; they are looking for proven human experience that language models cannot artificially generate. Ultimately, what is undeniably proven is that AI has ended the era of cheap copywriting and made publishing standards much stricter. However, the claim that organic search is completely dead is still premature and remains just a prediction. While users will rely on chatbots for simple information, for complex decisions and high-value purchases, they will still need the trust that comes from content thoroughly researched by a human expert.

Microdrama Is Becoming a New Advertising Market: Short-Form Dramas Are Capturing the Attention of Millions of Viewers, and Brands Are Increasingly Moving Toward This Type of Content. Could Microdrama Become the Next Major Advertising Channel?

Marketing

Aug 28, 2026

Microdrama Is Becoming a New Advertising Market: Short-Form Dramas Are Capturing the Attention of Millions of Viewers, and Brands Are Increasingly Moving Toward This Type of Content. Could Microdrama Become the Next Major Advertising Channel?

The way people consume content on mobile devices is changing once again. Following the success of TikTok, Reels, and Shorts, microdrama is now rapidly attracting the attention of both viewers and brands. Microdramas are short episodic dramas designed primarily for mobile viewing. Each episode typically lasts only one or two minutes and often ends in a way that encourages viewers to immediately watch the next episode. This format essentially combines the speed and convenience of short-form video with the storytelling structure of a serialized drama. The numbers suggest this is more than a passing trend. In the first half of 2026, downloads of microdrama apps increased by 95.5% compared with the same period a year earlier, reaching 1.45 billion downloads. During the same period, the number of active advertisers on short-drama apps increased by 132%. Why Are Brands Moving Toward Microdrama? The reason goes beyond audience growth. Microdrama gives brands an opportunity to place their products inside a story, rather than simply showing viewers a 15- or 30-second advertisement. A brand can develop characters, tell a story, create curiosity, and integrate its product into that story in a more natural way. This trend is already visible in practice. Marc Jacobs has created its own microdrama series, while according to Adweek, brands such as Maybelline, P&G, and Crocs have also begun experimenting with this type of content. Another notable example is P&G, which created a 55-episode drama titled The Golden Pear Affair for its Native brand. Here, the product does not simply appear in an advertisement. The brand itself becomes part of the story. What Does This Shift Mean for Marketing? In traditional advertising, brands often try to place their ads between the content people actually want to watch. Microdrama changes that idea: The advertisement itself can become the content people want to watch. That is an important distinction. If viewers become invested in a story and look forward to the next episode, a brand is no longer simply buying a few seconds of consumer attention. Instead, it is attempting to build a longer and more sustained relationship with the audience. But Will Microdrama Really Become a Major Advertising Channel? It is still too early to reach a definitive conclusion. The rapid growth in app downloads and the number of active advertisers provides strong evidence that the market is expanding. However, those figures alone do not prove that microdrama will generate a better ROI for every brand than TikTok, Reels, or conventional video advertising. What can be said with greater confidence is that microdrama is moving beyond a content experiment and toward becoming a genuine advertising market. Brands are beginning to test a different idea: instead of constantly creating advertisements, create stories that people genuinely want to keep watching.

Marketing

Aug 26, 2026

Using trending music on Instagram and TikTok might come with a heavy price! What important lesson does the legal case between Sony Music and Kroger teach brand owners?

On August 21, 2026, Sony Music Entertainment filed a lawsuit against Kroger and a number of its affiliated companies in the federal court of the Central District of California. Sony claims that its copyrighted musical recordings were used without permission at least 392 times in social media advertisements, including videos on the brands' own accounts and by some influencers paid to promote them. These remain Sony Music's claims, not a final court ruling. The significance of this news for marketers lies here: just because a song is available on TikTok or Instagram does not mean a brand can freely use it in commercial and advertising content. The right to use music in advertising is a separate issue and in most cases requires proper licensing. Sony even alleges that Kroger previously obtained at least 14 licenses from Sony between 2017 and 2025 to use its recordings in ads. The problem doesn't end with the brand's own posts. The lawsuit also covers videos by paid influencers, meaning if a brand runs an Influencer Marketing campaign, the unauthorized use of music by the influencer can create legal risks for the campaign. Sony is seeking legal compensation and an injunction to stop the use of the recordings, alleging direct, contributory, and vicarious infringement. The lesson for brands is clear: before using a song in a commercial video, don't just check if it's available on social media; check whether you have the commercial rights to use that music. A song that can be added to a video with one click does not become licensed advertising music with one click.

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