Media buyers say Yahoo’s DSP is one to watch

January 12, 2026 After Yahoo was sold by Verizon Wireless to Apollo Global, many deemed it a trade-down, with exits to private equity often interpreted as a last shot at relevance. Since that 2021 deal, it has undergone a reputational turnaround among parts of the advertising industry, even if the aggressive advance of another challenger has blunted its momentum.   TOP STORY The Programmatic Marketer Media buyers say Yahoo's DSP is one to watch Yahoo's DSP has momentum, but Amazon's aggressive expansion is keeping it in challenger mode OTHER THINGS TO KNOW Discounts are like empty calories — revenue without positive contribution. A unified incentives marketing strategy aligns internal teams around a shared strategy to build customer lifetime value and increase profits. Partner Insights from Talon.One. The discussion around brand safety and suitability has matured. The industry is now entering a new phase, where brands expect more control, more extensibility into walled gardens and closer accountability to outcomes. Partner insights from Channel Factory. Agencies need to shift how they plan, pitch and prove their value to new and existing clients. Partner insights from Keen Decision Systems. Advertisement MEDIA & PLATFORMS Member exclusive Media Buying Briefing: How the holdcos fared in 2025, according to Comvergence The gap between Publicis, which ended up the year $9.5 billion in the positive, and second place Dentsu with $1.7 billion, is cavernous. AI Revenue Generation 'The net is tightening' on AI scraping: Annotated Q&A with Financial Times' head of global public policy and platform strategy Matt Rogerson, FT's director of global public policy and platform strategy, believes 2026 will bring a kind of reset as big tech companies alter their stance on AI licensing to avoid future legal risk.  PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM TATARI How brands win on CTV when they pair programmatic and direct buys Successful brands are pairing the flexibility of programmatic buying with the access to premium ad inventory and consumer data from publisher-direct buys to gain scale, efficiency and full-funnel impact across CTV. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM EXPERIAN Why context is key to making AI successful in marketing As AI takes center stage in marketing strategy, context is emerging as the differentiator that turns reactive automation into predictive intelligence. Advertisement MARKETING Marketing in Sports Why cookware brand HexClad is sitting out of the Super Bowl for a broader field With Super Bowl ad costs hitting $8 million, brands like HexClad are pivoting to streaming and other sports stages for a better marketing bet. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM META Why Q5 is a golden period for lead generation During the period from late December to mid- or late January, many consumers are still in the buying mindset, and conversion rates remain high. Generative AI Retail leaders at Target, Lowe's and more on the AI investments they're plotting for 2026 Anywhere from 33% to 83% of respondents used AI to do their holiday shopping in 2025. ICYMI The Creator Economy Digiday's extensive guide to what's in and out for creators in 2026 With AI-generated content flooding social media platforms, embracing the messiness and imperfection of being human will help creators stand out in the spreading sea of slapdash slop.  Written by Jim Cooper and Sara Jerde Were you forwarded this email? Sign up to get it daily. Advertise | Digiday+ | Events | Awards Update your email | Unsubscribe | Privacy policy