Short reads for short attention spans

Anthropic goes big at the Super Bowl with anti-ad AI positioning

AI developer Anthropic is using the 2026 Super Bowl as a platform to sharply differentiate its Claude chatbot from other AI platforms by pledging to keep it ad-free. Its first Super Bowl commercial comically portrays intrusive AI advertising and closes with the slogan “Ads are coming to AI. But not to Claude.” This positions Claude as a trust-first alternative amid rising industry debate over ads in generative AI. 

They are GREAT ads too.

Why it matters:

• Major tech brands are now using mainstream mass media to shape consumer attitudes about AI monetisation and trust.
• The creative approach signals that positioning around monetisation strategies, not just product features, is now a mainstream marketing battleground.
• Advertisers should watch how AI brand narratives influence broader category trust and marketing effectiveness benchmarks.

Further reading at The Verge:

Anthropic says ‘Claude will remain ad-free,’ unlike ChatGPT

Continued push for measurement and effectiveness rethink

Marketing industry discussions, including from Advertising Week and wider commentary, are focusing attention on how legacy measurement models (like last-touch attribution) are becoming less reliable in an era of fragmented channels, privacy changes and reduced third-party tracking. Experts argue for multi-modal, cross-channel measurement that better reflects complex journeys rather than simplistic credit-assignment models. 

Why it matters:

• Traditional attribution frameworks are increasingly obsolete, risking misallocation of budget to channels that don’t drive true value.
• Rethinking measurement is critical to unlock full understanding of brand and performance impact across today’s mediated consumer journeys.
• Advanced approaches, like MMM and multi-modal frameworks, are gaining traction as better practice for both planning and optimisation.

Further reading at the Advertising Week:

Rethinking Marketing Effectiveness: Multi-Modal Measurement Turns Marketers Into Detectives

Virtual product placement gains traction as ads become harder to skip

Brands are increasingly turning to virtual product placement (VPP) to embed advertising directly into video content, rather than relying on traditional commercial breaks or pre-roll formats. Using post-production technology, brands can appear on stadium hoardings, billboards, shop fronts or set backgrounds, often dynamically inserted and tailored by market or audience.

As audiences continue to skip, block or ignore conventional ad formats, VPP is being positioned as a more seamless way to maintain brand presence without disrupting the viewing experience.

Why it matters:

• Ad visibility is shifting from interruptive formats to contextual, in-content exposure.
• VPP offers new inventory within premium video, sports and entertainment where ad avoidance is high.
• Media and creative teams will need closer alignment to ensure placements feel authentic rather than intrusive.

Further reading at The Economic Times:

Ads You Can’t Skip: What is virtual product placement and how it’s changing the way you consume ads in videos