Executive Briefing: Saturday 19 September

The retail media landscape is expanding beyond owned properties onto the open web, requiring marketers to understand fragmented commerce journeys. Concurrently, social media engagement is shifting towards private, authentic interactions over public follower counts. Regulatory scrutiny on data usage intensifies as new data broker laws in New Jersey introduce registration requirements and outright bans on selling sensitive data. Retail media extends to the open web Retail media is no longer confined to retailer-owned platforms, with audiences now activated across display, connected television, and social channels. Marketers face the challenge of navigating fragmented commerce journeys where discovery and conversion occur across multiple environments. The value proposition of retail media is increasingly tied to the first-party purchase data used for audience selection and linking exposure to subsequent commerce activity, rather than solely where the advertisement appears. This evolution means that while retailer data remains valuable, understanding broader commerce touchpoints beyond proprietary websites is critical for planning, blurring lines with conventional programmatic advertising. Social media shifts towards private and authentic engagement Social media is witnessing a significant shift from public, performance-driven feeds to private, connection-led spaces. Snapchat's "Reset Velocity" model indicates a movement, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials, towards genuine sharing in trusted, smaller environments. This trend is further supported by the growing importance of content discoverability over traditional follower counts, as algorithms increasingly prioritise relevance. Brands must adapt by building bonding capital in private channels and optimising for genuine connection, recognising that a majority of content views can now come from non-followers based on algorithmic recommendations. Google ad tech faces behavioral remedies and oversight Following a monopoly ruling, Google will implement significant behavioural changes in its ad tech business, under the supervision of a third-party Monitor and Technical Committee for a six-year term. These remedies include mandatory data-sharing provisions to level the playing field, a ban on discriminatory bidding practices favouring Google's own products, and a requirement to integrate its ad exchange with rival publisher ad servers. This outcome, which avoids a structural breakup of Google’s ad tech division, aims to open the market to fair competition and prevent monopolistic tactics. Generative AI integrates into commercial production Commercial filmmakers are increasingly incorporating generative AI tools directly into live production pipelines for agencies, production companies, and post-houses. Specialists like The Fourthe are using AI to execute full-service campaigns, including character animation and stylised product environments, and to solve versioning challenges by extending existing footage to create new variants without reshoots. This integration supports high-risk creative concepts, rescues shots, and enables flexible, embedded generative units for complex demands, demonstrating a shift towards more efficient and adaptable commercial content creation processes. New data broker laws increase compliance burden New Jersey’s A5328 introduces a novel "data collector" category, impacting companies that sell or license personal data to data brokers, including brands with direct customer relationships. This law mandates registration, with annual fees ranging from $5,000 to $1.5 million depending on user data volume. Crucially, the legislation also enacts a ban on the sale of sensitive data, such as racial origin, religious beliefs, or precise geolocation, without any consent exception. Marketers must reassess data sharing agreements and monetization strategies involving sensitive attributes to ensure compliance.