Contextual ad targeting is often offered as an alternative to third-party cookies and device IDs, although most tests show performance is middling at best. But that’s when context is based on publisher-declared metadata, according to this study from Alliance for Video-level Contextual Advertising (ACVA), who just might be a bit biased.  Still, they found when context was classified using AI systems, viewer attention and recall grow by 2x to 4x.

Dentsu is expanding the scope of its Merkury data and identity platform.  A new media solution will combine clients’ own first-party data with identity, data, and media integrations across digital channels and identity graphs.  A new creativity solution will combine identity data with creative and media performance information to enable dynamic creative optimization.  Both will be rolled out in the first half of next year.

Full image variations based on creative assets or text prompts, plus text overlay and image expansion, are among the new GenAI features offered by Meta. Also offered, text generation to create variations on ad headlines. The features are available in Ads Manager through Advantage+ creative.