Connected TV advertising is becoming more sophisticated, but buyers still face persistent challenges around measurement, optimization and understanding what happens inside programmatic inventory. InterMedia Advertising is being recognized for several attempts to address those gaps, earning five finalist nominations in the 2026 AdExchanger Awards across three CTV-focused initiatives. The agency’s nominated work covers direct publisher…

Retail media is increasingly moving beyond retailer websites and into physical stores, where purchase decisions still happen at scale. A2Z Cust2Mate Solutions has expanded its partnership with Israeli retailer HaStock, securing rights to sell in-store advertising across HaStock locations in addition to the smart-cart media inventory it already controls. The 24-month agreement gives A2Z Cust2Mate…

The traditional boundaries between telecommunications and media are becoming harder to maintain. FreeCast is leaning into that convergence with Beyond Media, a new research and industry intelligence series examining how streaming, telecom, satellite connectivity, advertising technology and digital commerce are increasingly becoming part of the same commercial ecosystem. Published through FreeCast’s LinkedIn presence, the series…

Retail media is moving beyond the checkout counter. Simon, the real estate investment trust behind more than 200 shopping, dining and entertainment destinations, has launched Simon Media Network, a commerce media platform designed to let brands reach consumers across Simon’s physical properties, digital channels and off-platform media. The new network is built around first-party consumer…

Saudi Arabia’s advertising market is entering a new phase as brands look beyond the limits of digital performance marketing and experiment with connecting physical media, programmatic buying, mobile signals and AI-driven lead qualification. The emerging model combines programmatic Digital Out-of-Home (pDOOH), Connected TV (CTV), location intelligence and agentic AI to connect brand exposure with measurable…