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Who Won, Who Cut and What Comes Next in Advertising

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The GRADIENT

Who Won, Who Cut and What Comes Next in Advertising

Stagwell reports record new business as WPP and VideoAmp reduce headcount. Here is what it means.

WPP reports major wins during a difficult first half

WPP cited consolidated mandates for Estée Lauder, Henkel and Wendy's, plus retentions including Skechers, Tesco, Huawei, L'Oréal, Uber and Deutsche Bahn — wins that sit beside falling revenue and workforce reductions.

5W becomes Novo's public relations agency of record

5W will lead corporate communications, executive visibility, thought leadership and earned media for the financial platform serving more than 250,000 small businesses.

UM becomes Mark Anthony Brands' global media agency of record

The White Claw parent appointed UM after a MediaSense-managed review; MediaPost reported estimated annual media spending of $110 million.

DoorDash appoints WME as entertainment agency of record

WME's Entertainment Marketing & Advisory group will lead development across DoorDash's entertainment initiatives and cultural partnerships.

Volkswagen turns 50 years of memory into forward motion

Volkswagen's Golf GTI anniversary film from Adam&Eve/DDB moves through home-video textures and decades of cultural memory, set to Candi Staton's "You Got the Love."

Google pulls Demand Gen closer to the transaction

Google's July 29 Demand Gen release adds Checkout Links in nine more markets, updated target-ROAS bidding, product feeds and affiliate amplification, and YouTube-to-checkout paths in the U.S.

Comscore confirms a workforce reduction as measurement companies restructure

On August 11, Comscore said its restructuring includes employee terminations, expanded offshore support and possible geographic exits, with $20 million to $25 million in expected annual savings.

Snap builds disclosure links into pharmaceutical social ads

On August 11, Snap introduced multi-CTA attachments for U.S. pharmaceutical advertisers, allowing up to three disclaimer links beside a primary CTA.

Degree lets New York commuters write the campaign

During New York's heatwave, Degree turned commuters' own language into station takeovers: West Fourth Street became "Sweat Central," Union Square "the Boiler Room," Herald Square South "Molten Core."

Creator briefs are starting with the question, not the post

NewEngen's July analysis argues brands should map the questions people ask in search and AI tools, then brief creators to make useful, answer-forward YouTube content around those needs.

Sports creator access now connects content to tune-in

TikTok's multiyear partnership with the NBA and WNBA combines creator access, league content, live-game discovery through GamePlan and advertising through Pulse Premiere.

Unity 7 opens more of the production pipeline

Unity says its next major release adds a public API and CLI so teams can validate assets and push builds from their own tools, plus a free MCP connection for coding agents.

Xbox designs gamescom for physical and remote audiences

Xbox's gamescom program runs at its Cologne booth August 27–30, with broadcasts August 26 and 27, and an accessibility plan built into the booth itself.

The GRADIENT: Why Taste Is the New Moat

From Cardi B’s “real talk” to creator rights and film-festival season. Here is what matters now

Agency Value is Being Reset

As AI absorbs more execution, strategy, judgment, system design, and integration are moving closer to the center of the client relationship.

Vantage Data Centers names Ed Harnaga chief marketing and communications officer

The former Pfizer communications leader will oversee global brand, reputation, marketing, and communications.

M+C Saatchi Group ANZ moves toward local ownership

A management buyout led by CEO Dani Bassil is expected to complete October 1, subject to conditions.

Media buyers are getting more PMax visibility

Google's updates include first-party audience exclusions, budget forecasting, expanded audience reporting, and network-level placement reporting.

Creators are entering the rights business

TikTok's new NBA and WNBA partnership gives eligible creators access to game footage and league materials through TikTok GamePlan.

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