The Current

In a world where time is both fleeting and a scarce resource, a gentle reminder that human connection is paramount.

"When you have that [the brand DNA] and it's rooted in everything you do, we don't have to worry about looking or sounding like someone else because we know who we are." On this episode of The Current Podcast, Stellantis’ CMO Rajoielle “Raj” Register explains why every brand under the Stellantis umbrella needs its own distinct voice — and how that clarity helps the company stand apart from competitors like General Motors, Ford and Tesla. Register also talks about building consistent storytelling across channels, what she’s learning from AI and why she’s obsessed with connecting marketing action to tangible business outcomes. Listen: https://bit.ly/4joUtz0 #marketing #brand #ai

President Donald Trump's global tariffs are pushing some advertisers in the U.S. to scrutinize their media investments, hunting for efficiencies. For the foreseeable future, two words are likely to reign supreme for advertisers in the U.S.: flexibility and ROI. #advertising #marketing #digitaladvertising

"While science is half of the equation, emotion is what makes it whole. So, in an age where time is probably the most valuable and fleeting of commodities, how will you connect with your audience?" In a recent op-ed, The Trade Desk's Shana Hale explains why genuine human connection and meaningful exchanges with the people you want to reach most are vital for business growth whether brands operate in B2B, B2C or spaces that blur the lines in between. #advertising #brandequity #marketing

While live sports' move into streaming has been widely publicized, it's now the back-end infrastructure that's catching up. Over the past year, advancements like preapproved creative, cleaner supply paths and richer content signals have helped scale addressable ad buying during live games. NBCUniversal and Disney are among the power players leading the charge. #livesports #streaming #advertising

Advertising Week Europe returned this year with a clear message: If marketers want to stay competitive, they must modernize their ad tech stacks. Beyond the AI boom, advances in ad tech are unlocking new advertising tools for brands investing in connected TV (CTV) and retail media. Here are three of the biggest trends from this year’s conference. #AWEurope25 #connectedTV #retailmedia

Today, the retail media industry is advancing toward Retail Media 3.0, emphasizing seamless integration between digital and physical shopping. Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP)'s Ryan Burns unpacks the key elements of Sam’s Club MAP’s strategy and explains what Retail Media 3.0 means for advertisers trying to build omnichannel campaigns. #retailmedia #omnichannel #advertising

"Live sports have long been hailed as the crown jewel of television. Now, they represent the ultimate prize for digital streaming platforms as well." In a recent op-ed, Keynes Digital CEO Dan Larkman explains why advertisers and streaming platforms must work together to create an ecosystem where ads enhance the live sports viewing experience. #streaming #livesports #digitaladvertising

Inside this edition of The Current: - BBC Studios is developing an identity solution to compete for international attention and ad budgets. - The game industry made its case to advertisers at this week’s IAB PlayFronts, talking up programmatic adoption and e-commerce. - Plus: Spotify Advertising announced its own ad exchange, and we spoke to Tastemade CEO Larry Fitzgibbon. #adtech #advertising #programmatic

Yesterday, Spotify Advertising unveiled a raft of new ad tech products and partnerships designed to attract more brand investment in digital audio. It officially announced its own ad exchange, SAX, enabling real-time programmatic bidding on its inventory for the first time. Spotify also announced a new AI-powered audio ad creation tool, new and improved measurement capabilities and the adoption of new targeting tools including Unified ID 2.0. #digitalaudio #advertising #adtech