Oscars are going through a ton of drama, trade of Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis trade has everyone in the NBA shocked and….

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• Google opens up Meridian Marketing Mix Model, helping marketers measure across channels. (AR)

• Meta AI will use its ‘memory’ to provide better content recommendations on IG & FB. (CT)

• OpenAI releases o3-mini, a free and their first small reasoning model. (read)

• LinkedIn lawsuit over use of customer data for AI models is dismissed. (NB)

• Senators revive bill to ban kids under 13 from social media. (read)

• DeepSeek App holds top global spot in downloads, led by India.

• Pinterests shares a guide to the top Pinterest marketing moments for 2025.

• F.C.C. Chair orders investigation into NPR and PBS sponsorships. (read)

• Billionaire Ambani’s Reliance brings Shein back to India after 2020 app ban. (AK)

• Majority of US teens have lost trust in Big Tech. (read)

• Nielsen pushes new Big Data + Panel TV ratings product in the US, flags end of panel-only ratings. (read)

• Rhode to Retail – The Brand’s entry to Sephora delayed by partnership politics and more. (read)

• Amazon launches new tool for AI-based TV audience building. (SP)

• Is internet-induced brain rot a myth? (read)

• Google at the big game: YouTube AdBlitz, 50 small business stories and more.

• Your next apartment rental may also be a marketing campaign.

In partnership with Supermetrics

We’ve all been there: the whirlwind of seasonal campaigns leaves you with a mountain of disconnected data and not enough time to make sense of it all. Think in-store sales reports sitting in your POS, loyalty program data stuck in your CRM, and online ad metrics scattered across dashboards. The result?

• Attribution headaches: Was that sales spike driven by Facebook ads or your holiday email campaign?

• Missed opportunities: Without a unified view, real-time optimization is almost impossible.

• Budget black holes: How do you know where your dollars worked hardest?

One retailer I spoke to struggled to connect offline and online data during their Christmas campaign. In-store purchases couldn’t be linked back to their digital ads, leaving them in the dark about what truly drove sales.

The fix? A more integrated approach to their reporting. By consolidating their offline and online data streams, they gained clarity on their customer journey, optimized their campaign mid-season, and more.

And yes, tools that let you blend structured data from different sources can help here. Something like Custom Data Import might be worth exploring for those tackling similar challenges—it’s all about bridging gaps, not just filing reports.

• Creative Directors: Glenn Martens goes to Maison Margiela and Kim Jones steps down at Dior.

• JBL is going mega-viral on TikTok, thanks to Fetty Wap’s Again, viral track and memes. (TR)

• Paramount brings live shoppable ads to the NFL playoffs. (CL)

• WhatsApp says journalists and civil society members were targets of Israeli spyware. (AK)

• Bluesky adds a video tab to user profiles. (AX)

  • The platform has reached 30 million users.

  • Bluesky’s science takeover: 70% of Nature poll respondents use platform.

• OpenAI, Microsoft, Trump admin claim DeepSeek trained AI off stolen data. (TG)

• UPS shares tank 14% after weak guidance, plan to slash Amazon deliveries by more than half. (NS)

• White House says it is opening briefing room to “Podcasters, Social Media Influencers and Content Creators”. (DK)

• M&S targets family shoppers in renewed value push.

• Ipsos acquires Melbourne’s Where*to* Research to bolster public sector expertise. (read)

• Inside a network of AI-generated newsletters targeting “small town America”.

• The World’s Most Admired Companies: How They Stack Up. (List)

• Amazon secretly tracked consumers through their cellphones, lawsuit alleges.

• Co-op preloads app on Samsung O2 Telefónica phones. (view)

• AI research team claims to reproduce DeepSeek core technologies for $30 — relatively small R1-Zero model has remarkable problem-solving abilities. (TR)

• Louis Vuitton Is revved up about its Formula 1 Partnership. (Read)

• Dentsu and Adobe speed up client AI content production with Adobe GenStudio Dentsu+. (RT)

• LinkedIn’s ongoing efforts to woo video creators paid off, according to new figures. (TF)

• Fragmentation comes to search advertising as marketers grapple with shifting search behavior. (read)

• NFL doubles down on creator spotlights with a Kai Cenat vs IShowSpeed Super Bowl pre-game. (WD)

• McDonald’s teams up with Basketball Champion Angel Reese for first-ever female athlete meal. (DX)

• Crackdown on tariff exemption snares U.S. E-Commerce retailers. (WT)

• Sky News to overhaul newsroom around paid-for content.

• KFC is taking “open 24/7” to a new level by removing the doors from its restaurants. (AP)

• American public vs Politics: 3 in 5 (60%) U.S. adults said that DEI initiatives are either “very” or “somewhat” important to the success of most businesses, and this share was even higher (67%) among those who are currently employed full-time. (TC)

• System 1 and ITV name UK’s best ads of 2024. (watch)

• McDonald’s U.S. Marketing Chief steps down. (read)

• Copyright law doesn’t cover art made solely by AI, according to new decision.

• Macy’s ends program that offered tuition-free college degrees to employees.

• How hopelesscore became even more hopeless. (Read)

• MrBeast and the CEO of Roblox are trying to buy TikTok for over $20 Billion.

• TikTok partners with EE BAFTA Film Awards 2025.

• Trump says Microsoft eyeing TikTok bid to keep app in the US. (AR)

• TikTok launches Behind the Breakthrough content campaign. (read)

• TikTok tells advertisers they are not breaking the law by running ads. (DW)

• Pence says Trump should uphold TikTok Ban, allow US Steel Deal.

• TikTok testing a new IG-like buttons layout in Edits section.

• TikTok launches 2025 Marketing Calendar.

• TikTok to invest $3.8 bln in Thailand data hosting project, investment board says.

• TikTok limits access to its beta app.

• TikTok introduced new resources in recognition of Holocaust Remembrance Day. (read)

• How TikTok is preparing for the 2025 Federal Election in Germany.

• TikTok celebrates Data Privacy and Protection Day.

• TikTok’s traffic bounces back despite being pulled off app stores, fears of shutdown. (read)

• TikTok Studio app gets Inspiration and trending tabs added to app’s homepage. (DT)

• TikTok joins Tech Firms establishing a presence in Zurich.

• TikTok star Khaby Lame appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. (read)

• Perplexity AI revises Tiktok merger proposal that could give the U.S. government a 50% stake.

• Instagram updates insights with ‘View rate’ for reels and other old but official releases.

• Threads adds another 20M monthly users since December, reaching 320M.

• Instagram improves translation feature in the DMs. (AM)

• Instagram adds Transparency Labels to Business Chats.

• Threads adds a ‘media’ tab and the ability to tag people in photos. (TF)

• Instagram is finally testing a Reels pause feature that works easily. (AT)

• Threads continues to improve search function.

• Instagram shares notes on Stories Ranking.

• Threads experimenting with spoiler tags and post templates. (ST)

• Twitch adds built-in exporting to Instagram.

• Leaked Instagram deals reveal Meta is offering TikTok creators as much as $300,000 to post. Read the contract terms.

• Instagram publishes new carousel about post dimensions.

• Meta’s Threads is getting a feature you’d have thought it already had. (Tagged)

• Mark updates audience targeting options for Advantage+ catalog ads. (FB)

• Meta to pay $25m to settle Trump lawsuit over ban. (CT)

• Meta’s Safety Advisory Council says It’s prioritizing Politics over Safety.

• Meta considers testing Chinese AI Models in its Generative AI tools for advertisers.

• Meta’s pullback on fact-checking puts brand safety back in the spotlight.

• Reflecting on Meta’s $8 billion investment in Privacy.

• Facebook testing Partnership ads, your partners can run ads, add your testimonials and access the audience.

• Meta in talks to reincorporate in Texas or another state, exit Delaware, WSJ reports. (read)

• ICYMI: Meta posts sharply higher Q4 profit, revenue, topping Wall Street’s expectations.

• Meta blocked news in Canada. Ads for scams are taking its place.

• WhatsApp testing ability to create and share events in individual chats.

• WhatsApp for iPhone warning: Don’t use view once feature without updating. (TC)

• Meta sues EU antitrust watchdog over $831.7 Million marketplace fine, Bloomberg says.

• Mark Zuckerberg teases a 2025 return to ‘OG Facebook’.

• Meta AI launches in Middle East, extends support for Arabic language.

• Meta says end of fact-checking hasn’t impacted ad spend.

• Meta’s Reality Labs posts $5 billion loss in fourth quarter.

• X reveals new partnership with Visa for digital payments. (DS)

• Why Didn’t Netflix check Karla Sofía Gascón’s Twitter History?

• X expands lawsuit over advertiser ‘boycott’ to include Lego, Nestlé, Pinterest, and others.

• Amazon raises its ad spending on X/Twitter, in major reversal. (ST)

• X’s Grok 3 seemingly went live for some users. (TC)

• X is working on a new feature called ‘X CHAT’. (TG)

• xAI is working on Grok Pro.

• YouTube’s new Discord-like Communities are rolling out to more creators. (FT)

• YouTube testing cost-per-hour masthead. (SL)

• Nickelodeon takes on CoComelon with first original animated series on YouTube.

• You can now tag products in YouTube posts.

• YouTube publishes new video explaining how algorithm works in 2025.

• Snapchat now allows users to promote their snaps.

• Google’s new ‘Ask For Me‘ AI tool calls businesses to get your questions answered.

• Google offers tagging support appointments for advertisers. (SJ)

• Google updates Demand Gen campaigns with additional placement options and new experiences.

• Google expands AI overviews in AI circle to Search. (ST)

• Google to migrate all reCAPTCHA services to cloud platform. (SL)

• Google tests AI-generated backgrounds for Shopping Ads.

• Google confirms Alt text is not primarily an SEO decision.

• Google reverses stance on Performance Max campaign controls.

• Google testing new-look search results in EU. (SL)

• Google expands Site Reputation Abuse enforcement to German websites.

• Google loses bid to dismiss US states’ lawsuit over digital ads. (ST)

• OpenAI in talks to raise funding that would value AI startup at up to $340 billion. (SJ)

• Sensitive DeepSeek data exposed to web, Israeli cyber firm says. (MG)

• Google quietly announces its next flagship AI model. (TC)

• Books written without AI can now receive new ‘Human Authored’ certification. (XD)

• you.com & Perplexity AI deploys USA-hosted DeepSeek AI model. (SR)

• ChatGPT’s mobile users are 85% male, report says. (TC)

• AI startup Perplexity sued for alleged trademark infringement. (TV)

• OpenAI launches ChatGPT Gov. (NT)

• Copilot’s powerful new ‘Think Deeper‘ feature is free for all users – how it works.

• OpenAI used this subreddit to test AI persuasion. (TC)

• The US Copyright Office’s new report on AI. (read)

• Hugging Face makes it easier for devs to run AI models on third-party clouds.

• LinkedIn cofounder launches Manas AI with $24.6M for AI drug discovery. (VB)

• Block’s new open-source AI agent ‘goose’ lets you change direction mid-air.

• Anthropic’s CEO says DeepSeek shows US export rules are working. (TC)

• AI tools used for child sexual abuse images targeted in Home Office crackdown.

• Alibaba releases AI model it says surpasses DeepSeek.

• Microsoft makes OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model free for all Copilot users. (SL)

• Microsoft stock moves lower after Q2 earnings report, cloud revenue miss.

• LinkedIn removes accounts of AI ‘Co-Workers’ looking for jobs. (read)

• Microsoft Performance Max testing LinkedIn targeting, measurement tools.

• LinkedIn updates ‘Top Voice’ badge requirements.

• Microsoft tests ‘scareware blocker’ for Edge that uses computer vision to detect scams.

• LinkedIn expands Top-of-Feed News Banner Test.

• Microsoft’s AI business is booming — Xbox, not so much. (BA)

• Introducing new Surface Copilot+ PCs for Business.

• How Amazon Prime Video made itself an essential pick for brand media plans.

• Elementor rolls out WordPress AI site planner. (SJ)

• CHEQ acquires Deduce, expanding Go-To-Market security platform with identity graph for Human and AI-Generated fraud prevention. (RT)

• Walmart Canada to invest more than $4 bln to expand stores, supply chain. (BN)

• Yahoo testing new AI Search features.

• The MIT Grad whose prediction market can reveal what Netflix show will be #1.

• Marketing automation vendor Act-On acquired for $53 million. (TM)

• Brands are set to win the Super Bowl, Fox’s ad sales chief explains why. (AK)

• Deloitte acquires SimplrOps, a leading SaaS tech company. (JG)

• Rakim is helping Notes startup ensure artists get paid in full.

• USIM partners with IRIS.TV to enhance CTV campaign precision and engagement.

• Fuji TV leaders resign amid sexual misconduct case. (NR)

• EU to make Temu, Shein and Amazon liable for ‘unsafe’ goods, FT reports.

• Prophet integrates Influencer discovery feature within ‘Taylor’, its AI-powered journalist discovers and content creation product. (NG)

• Consulting IQ and Mastercard easy savings specials come together to empower micro, small and medium-sized businesses with AI-driven solutions.

• Marketing automation vendor Act-On acquired for $53 million. (MP)

• 3 Feb: Elmo’s Birthday / National Golden Retriever Day / National Carrot Cake Day / National Sickie Day / St. Blaise’s Day / American Painters Day / National Wedding Ring Day.

• 4 Feb: International Day of Human Fraternity / Transit Equity Day / World Cancer Day / Torture Abolition Day / National Sweater Day / National Hemp Day / Facebook’s Birthday / Farmer’s Day.

• 5 Feb: National Weatherperson’s Day / World Nutella Day / World Read Aloud Day /Global School Play Day / Western Monarch Day / National Signing Day / National Girls & Women in Sports Day.

• 6 Feb: Pay a Compliment Day / National Chopsticks Day / National Chopsticks Day / World May Thai Day / New York Fashion Week begins / Optimist Day / Waitangi Day.

• 7 Feb: Rose Day / National Ballet Day / National Bubble Gum Day / Number Day / National Periodic Table Day / National Woman’s Heart Day.

• 8 Feb: Opera Day / National Boy Scout Day / Global Movie Day / National Iowa Day / International Snowmobile Ride Day / Prešeren Day / UFC 312.

• 9 Feb: Super Bowl LIX / Chocolate Day / National Pizza Day / World Marriage Day / Frevo Day / Super Chicken Wing Day / National Toothache Day / Autism Sunday.

• 42% said the stress of working in New Business or on pitches had made them think of changing job. An alarming 33% have considered leaving the industry because of ‘the stress of working in New Business or on pitches’. (Adworld)

• As President Trump advances his agenda through executive orders, 74% of Americans, including 73% of Republicans, believe that President Trump should “always follow the Constitution, even if means he sometimes can’t get things done.” (read)

• Americans to consume 1.47 billion chicken wings watching the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles battle for the Lombardi Trophy. (read)

• Tripadvisor’s research shares mentions of skincare treatments are up 87% in Tripadvisor forums and beauty bookings are up 400% + searches for bookings containing words like ‘astrology,’ ‘tarot’ and ‘full moon’ have shot up over 500% in the last two years. (read)

• January’s fall in U.S. consumer confidence was led by consumers under 55 years old. By income group, the sharpest decline in confidence was seen in households earning over $125K, while consumers at the bottom of the income range reported the strongest gains. (MR)

• Google AI Overviews Found In 74% Of Problem-Solving Queries. Telecommunications had the highest percentage of keywords linked to AI Overviews at 56%, while Beauty and Cosmetics had the lowest at 14%. About 33.3% of non-brand searches show an AI Overview, while only 19.6% of brand searches do. (read)

• Only 63% of shoppers said they ‘never’ failed to scan an item when using self-checkouts. A third (32.5%) also admitted to having weighed loose items incorrectly, while 38% had put through an incorrect loose item. (UK)

• Digital advertising expenditure increased by 10.8% in 2024 reaching €1,011.1 million, representing over 65.5% of total advertising revenue. In Northern Ireland, the print market fell by approximately 11% in 2024, recording a spend of £6.3 million (€7.45 million), a decline of 8.7%. (Outlook)

• One in three (36%) digital experiences are actively failing people, creating a divide between what brands promise and what they deliver online. (DX Index)

• D1A’s must-read study “Life Actually, A No Bullshit” shares 29% of their respondents fall into the bucket we’re calling Neo-Traditionalists, 33% of the respondents, has existed for as long as we’ve talked about generations. This moderate, thoughtful, slightly cautious person takes a pragmatic approach to life. 38%, takes what some might call a modern approach to life, Internet-Age explorer.

• The median wealth of older US millennials, between the ages of 36 and 45, was 37% above expectations. The wealth of younger millennials and older Gen Zers, or those aged 26 to 35, exceeded expectations by 39%.

• The individuals who maintain relationships with luxury brands for early access (69%) also insist those brands demonstrate environmental leadership (77%). And while 73% value being the first to own a new release, an equal percentage insist that their luxury benefits local communities. (Luxury Consumer Study)

• The Handmaid’s Tale for Gen Z – How BookTok made a dystopian novel from the ’90s into an indie best seller.

• Over the course of the concert dates in Toronto (Nov 14-24), spending at restaurants near the arena in Toronto increased by 31% compared to what spending levels would be if the event never occurred, while spending at hotels in Toronto rose by 45%. (Taylor Swift)

• You are what your feeds make you: A study of user aggressive behavior on Twitter

• More than 8-in-10 (81%) California voters support the legislation, and 63% want the state to expand and improve its recycling infrastructure to find ways to give a new life to plastics. That compares to only 27% who prefer the state eliminate single-use plastic and stop manufacturing new plastics.

• According to a survey conducted in December 2024 on actions to reduce waste among Generation Z in Indonesia, 50 percent of female respondents stated they brought their own food containers to reduce waste. In comparison, 42 percent of male respondents also did the same to reduce waste.

• More than 50% of respondents cite cost as the most influential factor in their purchasing decisions, while around 30% prioritize quality. Sustainability is a primary consideration for only a small fraction of travelers, ranging from 7% to 11%, even within the most environmentally conscious segments. (Travel)

• 67% of gen z say they like the idea of escaping to a different reality using technology (Reality Shift, 1), reflecting desire for agency and optimism in a chaotic world + All generations, and especially gen z, are embracing of solo travel for self-discovery (Destination Solitude, 22) and contrasting trends such as Social Saunas (82) and Agrihoods (47). (Future 100)

• Nearly half of Gen Z men (45%) believe that ‘we have gone so far in promoting women’s equality that we are discriminating against men’ and 44% think women’s equal rights have gone far enough. (Gen-Z Trends & Truth)