The Interactive Advertising Bureau has released its 2026 Outlook Study, and the message is blunt. Advertising budgets are growing again. The forecast calls for a 9.5% increase in U.S. ad spend year over year.
The Advertising category on BillHartzer.com highlights the latest developments shaping the marketing and media landscape. This section features timely news coverage, industry analysis, and expert commentary on campaigns, ad technology, brand strategy, and the companies driving innovation in digital advertising. Articles dive into real-world examples, breaking announcements, and the trends influencing how brands reach audiences today. Whether it’s a major acquisition, a new platform feature, or shifts in consumer behavior, these posts offer clear, informed insights from Bill Hartzer’s seasoned perspective in the advertising and digital marketing space.
AdCellerant’s New AI Media Planner Takes the Panic Out of Media Proposals
AdCellerant has released a new feature aimed at one of digital advertising’s most painful choke points. Media planning takes time. Media planning creates pressure. Media planning often begins with a blank screen and a ticking clock.
IAB Unveils First AI Disclosure Framework as Consumer Skepticism Grows
The Interactive Advertising Bureau has released what may become one of the most consequential policy documents in modern digital advertising. Its new AI Transparency and Disclosure Framework arrives at a moment when generative AI has outpaced both consumer comfort and industry guardrails. The initiative acknowledges a hard truth many marketers quietly recognize: scale and speed mean little if trust erodes along the way. [Read more…]
Vietnam Bans Forced Online Ads Starting February 2026
If you have ever stared at a countdown clock on a video ad and muttered a few choice words, Vietnam may soon feel like a breath of fresh air. Starting February 15, 2026, viewers in Vietnam will no longer be trapped by long, unskippable online ads. The government has said enough is enough.
IAS and Snap Team Up to Give Advertisers Real Proof Their Ads Actually Work
Snapchat is tightening the screws on ad quality again. Integral Ad Science (IAS), a major media measurement firm, announced an expanded partnership with Snap that extends third-party measurement coverage across Sponsored Snaps and Snapchat’s chat ads. This means advertisers can finally apply the same verification standards to chat inventory that they expect across video, display, and augmented-reality formats. [Read more…]
Billions Spent, But Are CTV Ads Falling Flat? New Report Says Yes
Gracenote Report Shows Why CTV Ads Miss the Mark: Narrow Targeting Stalls Effectiveness
A new report from Gracenote highlights a major gap in connected TV (CTV) advertising strategies. Marketers say their top goal is brand awareness, but most are still using performance-style targeting tactics better suited for direct response campaigns. The result: wasted reach, lost scale, and missed opportunity in one of the fastest-growing ad channels.