AI Mode, Agentic Web, & more from Google I/O 2025 https://medium.com/media/2b369316d4c768a309699f8a996575c7/href On the latest Floor 9 episode, four members of the Lab team — Tom, Ryan, Richard, and Elisa — assemble to discuss in-depth about everything brand marketers that need to know about the AI-centric announcements coming out of Google’s annual developer event. From Google’s ambition of using AI Mode to transform its search products, to the “agentic web” that the AI stakeholders are aiming towards, the team places the various key announcements within the larger industry context and discuss their implications for consumers and brands alike. Listen now to learn more about how you[...]

Lab Weekly — 05/23/2025 Google goes AI Mode; Plus, the latest news about agentic web, AI audio product summaries, and more must-know stories and stats Want this newsletter in your inbox every week? Sign up for our mailing list here Google I/O 2025 recap: AI Mode, Activated At I/O 2025, Google unveiled its boldest vision yet for an AI-first future; Here’s what brands need to know In case you missed it… What Brands Can Learn from the Labubu Fad Decoding the Labubu phenomenon, the “Little Treat” Culture, and the gamble-fication of everything How “A Minecraft Movie” Hit Box Office Gold Decoding how the latest video game adaptation broke[...]

At I/O 2025, Google unveiled its boldest vision yet for an AI-first future An recap of the I/O keynote announcements. Credit: Google On Tuesday, Google kicked off its annual I/O developer conference. Unlike previous years, Android OS barely got a mention during the opening keynote; Instead, Google devoted the entire keynote to its latest slew of AI products and features, underscoring not only the current focus of the tech and media industries, but also the urgency that the Alphabet company must be feeling given the rising treats to its core search business. AI Mode & The Agentic Web The biggest announcement out of[...]

Second annual awards celebrate scale, influence and integrity across Guardian platforms Brands including QVC, Macmillan and Audible have been recognised at the second annual Guardian Advertising Awards, which celebrate scale, influence and integrity across the publisher’s platforms. The grand prix award was given to QVC for the Menopause Your Way campaign, which the judges called “brave” and praised for its inclusivity in an advertising space that is “not usually inclusive”. The campaign also won in the challenger brands category.

Media Matters faces government inquiry into whether it helped advertisers coordinate to pull ad dollars from X The US Federal Trade Commission has demanded documents from Media Matters about possible coordination with other media watchdogs accused by Elon Musk of helping orchestrate advertiser boycotts of X, according to a document seen by Reuters on Thursday. The civil investigative demand seen by Reuters seeks information about Media Matters’ communications with other groups that evaluate misinformation and hate speech in news and social media, including a World Federation of Advertisers initiative called Global Alliance for Responsible Media. X has ongoing lawsuits against[...]

Experts say delay from October to January after lobbying by food industry is huge setback for public health Ministers are to delay introducing a ban on junk food adverts targeting children until 2026, sparking outrage among health campaigners. Labour made new rules prohibiting unhealthy food ads online and before 9pm on television a key election manifesto pledge, and after winning power it promised the ban would come into force across the UK on 1 October.