Issue #39: OpenAI move towards ads

The fastest way for digital marketing pros to look smart in the weekly stand-up

September 29, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

☕ Hello there growth grafters

Grab a quick coffee and skim the top stories shaping adtech and marketing right now.

🗞️ Top Stories

  1. OpenAI pushes towards ads with ChatGPT paid growth role
    OpenAI listed a Growth Paid Marketing Platform Engineer role to build and scale paid marketing infrastructure at the generative AI leader. Search Engine Land

  2. Meta to launch ad free subscriptions in the UK
    Facebook and Instagram will offer optional monthly ad free tiers for UK users in the coming weeks. The Media Leader

  3. Digital ad spend set for double digit growth in 2025 & 2026
    IAB UK’s half year ad spend report forecasts c.10% YoY growth in both 2025 and 2026, taking UK digital to c.£45bn in 2026. MarketingWeek

  4. Instagram hits 3 billion monthly users
    Meta states Instagram has surpassed 3 billion monthly active users, underscoring continued scale and growth potential for advertisers. TechCrunch

  5. US prosecutors ask judge to spin off Google’s ad businesses
    In the remedies phase of DOJ v. Google prosecutors have urged the judge to force a breakup of Google’s ad stack. The Verge

  6. Google awards Smartly creative automation brief
    Google handed Smartly a contract to power creative automation for Google hardware campaigns, signalling deeper workflow ties. Digiday

  7. Novacap to buy Integral Ad Science for $1.9 billion
    IAS agreed to the acquisition by private equity firm Novacap, with the deal expected to close by the end of this year. Investing.com

  8. ITV introduces Dynamic Pause Ads on ITVX
    ITV rolled out a UK first “Dynamic Pause Ads” format on connected TVs, building on the static pause ads format launched in early 2024. ITV

  9. Mr Beast updates ad practices after review
    Following a Children’s Advertising Review Unit case, Mr Beast agreed to improve ad disclosures, product claims, and data practices for young audiences. The Record

  10. Publicis Connected Media UK leadership named
    Niel Bornman has been appointed as CEO, adding Digitas, Epsilon, Lotame, Mars United Commerce and Influential to his remit. Publicis Groupe UK

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