Ad Age Insider

Ad Age News Editor E.J. Schultz and Senior Marketing Reporter Adrianne Pasquarelli go behind the scenes of Ad Age's annual Marketer of the Year list. They share tips on how brands can increase their odds for next year's competition as well as a rundown of takeaways from this year's group of brands that might be useful for your 2026 marketing strategy.

Agency reporters Brian Bonilla and Ewan Larkin dig into Omnicom's acquisition of IPG, and its impact for the advertising industry beyond just agency holding companies. They break down how independent agencies can win, what the deal means for the hold-co hierarchy and key factors to track as the industry's future structure takes shape.

Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode:

Ad Age Chief Technology Reporter Garett Sloane discusses how to separate artificial intelligence noise from real utility, the state of chatbot shopping, AI brand readiness and tools marketers are creating to better their businesses.

Ad Age reporter Gillian Follett breaks down why brands are leaning into the limited-edition strategy, the elements of a successful product drop strategy and more holiday social media trends.

Ad Age Senior Reporter Lindsay Rittenhouse explains how AI is automating work typically done by entry-level talent, and how marketers and educators are responding by training students and junior staff to use the technology themselves. Plus, what early career professionals can do to increase employment prospects in a difficult job market.