Top of the Ticker: A recent regulatory filing by Newsmax revealed that the network paid $40 million to settle its defamation lawsuit with Smartmatic. The case was settled in September with the terms initially remaining undisclosed, Newsmax's filing also revealed that Smartimatic would be able to purchase 2,000 shares of preferred stock of the cable...
A nationwide boycott aimed at major retailers like Walmart and Amazon over their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies was meant to send a financial message. However, data from three separate sources shows that the impact was negligible. On Feb. 28, a grassroots group organized by John Schwarz, a self-described "mindfulness and meditation facilitator" with more...
Earlier this week, Ad Age named Madwell Comeback Agency of the Year as part of our 2025 A-List honors. However, new developments have since emerged that caused us to revisit this recognition. Following multiple reports and confirmation from agency leadership, Ad Age has learned that Madwell is facing significant financial issues, including delayed payments to employees, [...]
In this week's Week in Review: Unilever CEO plans a big shift of ad spend towards influencers, Gracenote data charts the evolution of FAST, and Amazon launches a new CTV product. Top Stories Unilever Plans Massive Shift of Ad Spend Towards Social Media and Influencers Unilever CEO Fernando Fernandez, who took the reins at the [...]
Southwest is inviting controversy with a tone-deaf social media post amid consumer backlash to the end of its bags fly free policy.
This post was created in partnership with Kantar AI is transforming marketing, pushing brands to rethink not just strategy but also how they engage consumers and balance automation with authenticity. As AI evolves from a behind-the-scenes tool to a driver of real-time decisions, marketers face a critical challenge: How do they harness its potential without...
The power of friendship pushed the Netflix drama series Sweet Magnolias to the top of the chart of the most-watched streaming title for the week of Feb. 10, according to Nielsen Streaming Content Ratings. Season 4 of Sweet Magnolias, which debuted in second place the week of Feb. 3, enjoyed 1.162 million viewing minutes, dethroning...
This post was created in partnership with IRCODE Television has long been a passive experience, but what if you could engage with your screen in real time? At the ADWEEK House Austin Fireside Chat, interactive technology took center stage as Matty Beckerman, founder of IRCODE, explored how AI-powered engagement is reshaping television. In conversation with...
Powerade is the official drink of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and ahead of March Madness, the brand wants to land a slam dunk as the fans' bottle of choice. The Coca-Cola-owned label has rolled out "It Takes More to Get This Far," a two-ad campaign expanding on "It Takes More," which first debuted...
The CEO of Brooklyn-based creative shop Madwell, Christopher Sojka, is lashing out against distressed employees--according to internal communications obtained by ADWEEK--for pushing back against the agency's in-office policies after not being paid in time, and for speaking to the press about the company's financial woes. The indie shop, which has serviced major brands including Verizon...
