Short reads for short attention spans

ISBA publishes proprietary media guidance — and it’s long overdue

ISBA has issued new guidance to improve transparency around proprietary media arrangements, where agencies own or have commercial interests in media inventory they recommend to clients. The guidance calls for clearer disclosure, governance and reporting standards to ensure advertisers understand how media is sourced and monetised.

The move follows growing scrutiny of agency-owned inventory models and whether they always align with client objectives.

Why it matters:

• Agencies should be planning bespoke solutions based on client needs, not steering budgets toward inventory that improves agency margin.
• Proprietary media models can create structural conflicts of interest if not fully transparent.
• Advertisers must demand clarity on how value is created and for whom.

Further reading at Marketing Week:

ISBA launches guidance on how brands can approach proprietary media

Unilever CEO says era of “big brand ads” is over

Unilever’s CEO has argued that the traditional model of infrequent, large-scale “big brand ads” is outdated. Instead, the company is prioritising continuous engagement, culturally relevant content and more agile, always-on marketing approaches.

The emphasis is on sustained influence rather than periodic creative bursts.

Why it matters:

• Brand building isn’t disappearing, it’s becoming more persistent and culturally embedded.
• Creative strategy is shifting from campaign peaks to continuous presence models.
• Media planning must align with content cadence, not just launch cycles.

Further reading at the Marketing Week:

Unilever CEO claims era of ‘corporate big brand’ ads is over

Contextual advertising experiments with AI interfaces gather pace

Platforms are beginning to test contextual advertising within AI interfaces and chatbot environments, embedding commercial messaging alongside conversational responses. Unlike traditional search ads, these formats aim to align with intent signals in real time without relying on third-party tracking.

Early tests suggest advertisers are exploring how to balance monetisation with user trust.

Why it matters:

• AI interfaces represent a new inventory layer beyond search and social.
• Contextual alignment may replace behavioural targeting in privacy-restricted environments.
• Early movers will shape the norms around transparency, format and performance measurement.

Further reading at The FT:

Why ads are coming to your AI chatbot

And Altair:

ChatGPT Ads and the Next Phase of Search

PubMatic and Kontext Bring Programmatic Ads to AI Chatbots