That’s the central takeaway from “The Future of Brand Influence,” a new research report from Omnicom Media, which argues that brand growth is now shaped by a fragmented influence ecosystem where ads compete with influencers, peer commentary, retail environments, and increasingly, AI-generated recommendations.
The media and technology giant announced that it has completed the separation of Versant Media Group, Inc. into an independent, publicly traded company, effective at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 2, 2026. Versant began regular-way trading today on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol VSNT, formally entering life as a standalone media entity.
As streaming advertising matures, one issue continues to separate promise from performance: identity. Advertisers want precision and measurable outcomes, regulators demand privacy safeguards, and platforms are under pressure to deliver both without locking buyers into closed ecosystems.
For publishers buried under RFPs, spreadsheets, and back-and-forth emails, ad planning has long been one of digital advertising’s most stubborn bottlenecks. Optable now thinks it has a fix—and it doesn’t involve handing the process over to a black-box algorithm.
Viant Technology is betting that the future of programmatic advertising looks less like spreadsheets and bid tweaks—and more like declaring a business goal and letting AI handle the rest.
Integral Ad Science is strengthening its AI leadership bench as the adtech industry doubles down on automation, trust, and measurable outcomes. The media measurement and optimization company (Nasdaq: IAS) has appointed Melissa Furze as Head of Data Science, tasking her with leading the company’s global data science, AI, and analytics strategy.
In an adtech industry often measured by performance metrics and quarterly growth, AdCellerant is using its tenth year with Denver Human Services’ (DHS) #BeAGiver Holiday Gift Drive to highlight a different kind of impact—one rooted in consistency, scale, and community commitment.
As B2B marketing leaders face rising acquisition costs, tighter budgets, and increasing pressure to prove ROI, many are rethinking a long-held assumption: that paid media must live in-house to be effective. Focus Pocus Media, a B2B-focused PPC agency, is leaning into that shift with the launch of a structured outsourced paid media framework aimed at companies that need speed, specialization, and measurable performance—without expanding internal teams.
KNOREX Ltd. is using its first full year as a public company to reset expectations—and refocus on growth. The AI-driven adtech firm (NYSE American: KNRX) has shared a year-end business update that points to accelerating commercial momentum, highlighted by one of the strongest quarters of advertising spend ever transacted through its flagship XPO platform.
MediaCo Holding Inc. is doubling down on live international news. The Nasdaq-listed company (MDIA) has announced a strategic content collaboration between EstrellaTV and EVTV Digital Network, a move that significantly strengthens EstrellaTV’s ability to deliver real-time reporting from Venezuela—a country at the center of ongoing political, economic, and humanitarian developments.
