What we are thinking about.
Notes from running 8 publications and building tools for them. Restaurant SEO, local marketing, the boring parts that move the needle.
The New York Times' 32% Digital Ad Growth Is No Accident — Here’s the Brutal Truth You’re Ignoring
The New York Times' 32% surge in digital ad revenue is a brutal reality check for lazy agencies and SEO grifters still peddling outdated tactics. Here’s the no-BS breakdown.
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Marketers on the Move: GM, Old Navy, Canva Shake Up Their Leadership Amid Industry Turmoil
GM, Old Navy, and Canva’s recent marketing leadership changes reveal a tired industry obsessed with optics over impact. It’s time to demand real results, not just press releases.
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Amazon’s Data Grab Hits Netflix Ads in UK—CTV Advertising Just Got More Orwellian
Amazon is integrating its consumer data with Netflix’s UK ad inventory, escalating its control over connected TV advertising and privacy concerns alike.
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Amazon’s Upfront Pivot: From Content Showcase to Ad Tech Power Play
Amazon’s upfront event has evolved from a content showcase to a strategic pitch for its ad tech ecosystem, signaling a seismic shift in how advertising dollars are fought over.
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Ads of the Week: Why Adidas, Canva, and Liquid Death Are Still Outpacing the Rest in an Oversaturated Market
This week’s top ads from Adidas, Canva, and Liquid Death prove that authenticity and boldness still outshine the endless sea of generic agency fluff.
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Adcolor’s 20th Anniversary: A Reality Check on DEI’s Shifting Terrain and What No One’s Saying
Adcolor’s 20th anniversary isn’t just a milestone—it’s a wake-up call. With a revamped year-round program and a fresh awards approach, the organization confronts the tired, performative DEI playbook head-on.
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WPP’s CEO Cindy Rose Scores a $14.8M Pay Package—While the Agency World Blinks in Disbelief
WPP’s approval of a $14.8 million pay package for CEO Cindy Rose exposes the agency industry’s obsession with executive excess amid stagnant growth and hollow innovation.
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Memes Aren’t Just Funny Anymore: They’re Weaponized Marketing Tools — And We’re All Complicit
A U.S. Special Forces soldier was indicted for insider trading on a prediction market — highlighting how memes and digital platforms have evolved from jokes to strategic weapons in marketing.
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Unified Ad Platforms: The Ad Tech Mirage That Won’t Fix Your Fragmentation Problem
Unified ad platforms promise to end ad tech chaos but often just repackage the same fragmentation under one roof. The industry’s latest grift benefits vendors, not buyers.
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Cartier’s Panther Campaign Cuts Through Luxury Noise with Relentless Brand Clarity
Cartier’s latest OOH campaign proves that in luxury marketing, ruthless brand clarity beats flashy clutter every time. Their iconic panther motif drove standout success and won top honors in Kantar’s ‘The Works’ study.
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TikTok and PepsiCo’s Ecommerce Lovefest: The New Frontier of ‘Active Attention’ or Just More Marketing Noise?
TikTok and PepsiCo are doubling down on turning fleeting attention into instant sales, redefining ecommerce as we know it. But is this innovation or just another marketing ploy?
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Ethnicity Pay Gap in Marketing Industry: Progress Is a Lie and Diversity Is Just Lip Service
The marketing industry's ethnicity pay gap remains stubbornly flat, exposing diversity pledges as performative and leaving diverse talent feeling sidelined and underpaid.
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B2B Marketing’s Humor Crisis: Why Playing It Safe Is Killing Your ROI
B2B marketing’s fear of humor is a lazy excuse that’s killing engagement and ROI. It’s time to ditch the corporate-speak and embrace the effectiveness of being funny.
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Disney’s Super Bowl Ad Playbook: Why Cash Alone Won’t Buy You a Spot in 2027
Disney’s Super Bowl ad strategy for 2027 isn’t about money alone — it demands integrated campaigns and strategic partnerships that weed out lazy advertisers.
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SEO Agencies in 2026 Are Still Grifting You—Here’s How to Cut Through Their Bullshit
In 2026, the SEO agency racket is as broken as ever. Despite promises, 73% of clients report zero measurable ROI from “10x agencies.”
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llms.txt and Perplexity: Why This New Fantasized Ranking Signal Is a Total Joke
llms.txt emerged in 2023 as a supposed breakthrough in SEO ranking signals, yet it remains a glorified placebo with zero verified impact.
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AI Content Detectors in 2026 Are Still Bullshit—Your Site's AI-Generated Content Is Safe
As of mid-2026, popular AI content detectors like OpenAI's GPTZero and Copyleaks still fail to reliably flag AI-written text, making fears about AI content penalties mostly unfounded.
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Disney’s Super Bowl Ads Are No Longer Just About Cash—Welcome to the Era of Strategic Bribery
Disney’s ad sales chief Rita Ferro reveals that scoring a Super Bowl 2027 spot requires more than just writing a big check—it demands strategic integration and partnership value.
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