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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

Your Brand Is Being Cited By AI. Here’s How To Measure It

Search has never stood still. Every few years, a new layer gets added to how people find and evaluate information. Generative AI systems like ChatGPT, Copilot Search, and Perplexity haven’t replaced Google or Bing. They’ve added a new surface where discovery happens earlier, and where your visibility may never show up in analytics. Call it

Smarter reporting, AI enhancements lead HubSpot’s September 2025 updates

If HubSpot’s August 2025 update was the fireworks show, September is the cleanup crew: tidy, practical and exactly what your teams need to move faster with fewer mistakes. This month’s highlights bring long-requested reporting, better guardrails for data and a handful of AI boosts that remove drudgery without adding complexity. Below are the 14 updates

Ba’ndo’s identity for Japanese matcha brand Nippon turns to tradition, not trends

When shaping Nippon’s visual tone, the agency aimed to preserve the simplicity, calmness and depth of meaning inherent in matcha making, building a brand that felt loyal to its roots yet unmistakably modern – “an identity that carries the ritual of the past into the rhythm of today”, Emrah summarises. To reinforce this balance the

Google Says It Surfaces More Video, Forums, And UGC

Google says it has adjusted rankings to surface more short-form video, forums, and user-generated content in response to how people search. Liz Reid, VP and head of Google Search, discussed the changes in a Wall Street Journal Bold Names podcast interview. What Reid Said Reid described a shift in where people go for certain questions,

B2B fintech Yaspa on using its ‘homegrown rebrand’ to break America

After growing from 15 to 70 employees over the past 18 months and receiving a $12m (£9m) investment, B2B fintech Yaspa’s next move is breaking into the US. The B2B open banking payments provider, which works primarily within the iGaming (online gambling) sector, is launching into the US with a refreshed brand and visual identity.

Nintendo meets photography with these new Instax Mini Link features

This week, we were introduced to Instax’s latest hybrid instant camera, the mini LiPlay+. And while this camera certainly looks pretty stylish, I’m actually more excited about the new Nintendo-themed features coming to Instax’s dedicated Nintendo Switch app (arriving October 30). If you have the latest Nintendo Switch 2 console, you can now level up

Bing Supports data-nosnippet For Search Snippets & AI Answers

Bing now supports the data-nosnippet HTML attribute, letting websites exclude specific page sections from search snippets and AI-generated answers in Bing. Websites can exclude selected sections from Bing Search snippets and Copilot answers Tagged content stays indexed and eligible to rank but is hidden from previews Useful for paywalled material, UGC moderation, and limiting what

AdCP will be the blueprint for how AI agents transact

Ad tech has a new acronym, dubbed “AdCP,” and it’s one backed by some of the industry’s OGs. The cynical might quip, “That’s just what we need…” But more forward-thinking readers will appreciate it as a sign of the changing times. However, according to advocates, AdCP will be the blueprint for how AI agents transact

At Adobe MAX LA 2025, creativity is still the name of the game

A new addition to this year’s programme is the Creator Track, a series of sessions designed for those working primarily in online content creation, aiming to help individuals build visual identities on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. With workshops that unpack how to create, adapt, and sustain work in a fluctuating digital landscape, Creator

Google’s John Mueller Flags SEO Issues In Vibe Coded Website

Google Search Advocate John Mueller provided detailed technical SEO feedback to a developer on Reddit who vibe coded a website in two days and launched it on Product Hunt. The developer posted in r/vibecoding that they built a Bento Grid Generator for personal use, published it on Product Hunt, and received over 90 upvotes within

GrubHub Will Make Its Super Bowl Debut in 2026

Grubhub is entering the Big Game for the first time. The food delivery service announced on Wednesday that it will air its inaugural Super Bowl commercial in 2026, marking its first national campaign since being acquired by Marc Lore’s Wonder Group last November. The company offered few details about the creative concept or timing of

The MTV logo history: how an ’80s icon became a pop culture legend

When we think of ’80s aesthetics, no design quite embodies the era like the MTV logo. Evolving into a pop culture icon across the decades, the timeless identity has had a lasting legacy in the design world, never losing sight of its retro roots. With news that it is shutting down its five UK channels,

How Leaders Are Using AI Search to Drive Growth

Turn Data Into an Actionable AI Search Strategy AI search is transforming consumer behavior faster than any shift in the past 20 years. Many teams are chasing visibility, but few understand what the data actually means for their business or how to act on it. Join Mark Traphagen, VP of Product Marketing and Training at

Data infrastructure consolidation continues as Fivetran, dbt Labs merge

Data infrastructure vendor Fivetran signed a definitive agreement this week to merge in an all-stock deal with dbt Labs. It is the third merger or acquisition for Fivetran in the last five months. The combined company aims to deliver an open data infrastructure — unifying data movement, transformation, metadata and activation — while preserving freedom

Antalis and Design & Practice reimagine Keaykolour with a hands-on tool for exploring colour

For creatives, the value is both practical and poetic. The tool doubles as a quick way to mock up colour combinations for projects while also deepening understanding of colour as an emotional and relational experience. “Our goal was to create an instrument that would empower exploration,” says Design & Practice co-founder Golnar Roshan. “By giving

5 SEO Tactics to Be Seen & Trusted on AI Search

Is your brand ready for AI-driven SERPs? Search is evolving faster than ever. AI-driven engines like ChatGPT, Google SGE, and Bing Copilot are changing how users discover and trust brands. Traditional SEO tactics alone may no longer guarantee visibility or authority in Answer Engines. Discover five proven tactics to protect your SERP presence and maintain

How First Bus is balancing brand appeal across generations

Getting brand positioning right is a challenge for any business and even more so for those trying to appeal to multiple audiences. Bus operator First Bus has been on a journey to make bus travel “desirable and attractive”, shifting its focus towards people, rather than product alone, and targeting two very different age demographics. “One

I love that Bambu Lab has kept costs fair with the latest P2S printer

I thought we’d pretty much wrapped up all big 3D printer announcements this year, but today – Bambu Lab has dropped details on its new P2S printer, which continues and redefines the P1-Series legacy. The P2S has been completely reengineered from the ground up, but what does this new machine offer exactly? And who is

Google Redesigns How Search Ads Are Labeled

Google is rolling out a change to how ads appear in Search, and this time it’s focused on clarity and user control. Text ads will now be grouped under a single “Sponsored results” label that stays visible as you scroll. In addition, a new “Hide sponsored results” option lets users collapse the entire ad block

AI isn’t just changing search — it’s rewriting the ad stack

A fundamental shift is underway in how consumers discover products and make purchasing decisions. Generative AI platforms, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude and Perplexity, among others, are becoming the new front door to the internet. Users are increasingly turning to conversational interfaces that synthesize information, personalize results and guide purchase decisions in real time.

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