The fight over principal media has moved on but advertisers are still catching up

February 24, 2026 The number that stands out in the WPP whistleblower filings isn’t the $100 million the complaint is seeking, or even the $1 billion GroupM was allegedly generating annually from undisclosed trading income. It’s 97.4% — the share of GroupM’s proprietary inventory that its own largest clients weren’t allegedly using. Google, its biggest U.S. client at $2.3 billion in annual billings, was using less than 1%. Advertisement TOP STORY Evolving Agencies The fight over principal media has moved on but advertisers are still catching up What advertisers are only now learning about where their money goes. OTHER THINGS TO KNOW Context takes many forms, often operating beneath the surface of consumer activity. Marketers are increasingly using technology to interpret these micro-signals, enhancing predictive accuracy and creative alignment. Partner insights from Experian. 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. Well-designed incentives offer value, not just discounts. "The building blocks of a loyalty program are about getting benefits from being part of a program," said Emeline Berlind, svp and general manager of loyalty at Sephora. Partner insights from Talon.One. MEDIA & PLATFORMS Business of TV What's behind Netflix's CTV market share jump? The streamer is set to grab almost 10% of global CTV ad spend. Media buyers say live sports, lower prices and DSP partnerships are making a difference. Agency Culture The numbers behind the WPP whistleblower case tell a story of their own Here’s what the data actually shows, broken down by what it refers to. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM KEEN DECISION SYSTEMS Steps for marketers to leave behind inconsistent pacing and wasted ad spend Timing structure should be a strategic lever in marketers’ planning processes. Key steps include auditing their current execution calendar, prioritizing shoulder periods, avoiding overload on peak weeks and accounting for media booking realities. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM THE WEATHER COMPANY Video: WTF is weather targeting? As variations of contextual targeting signals emerge — offering teams impactful, privacy-forward methods to win consumer attention — weather has emerged as a signal that universally drives behavior. Learn more in this video. MARKETING Agency Culture Gary Vaynerchuk built his name telling CMOs they were wrong. Now he's telling their CFOs instead Gary Vaynerchuk has a new favorite meeting. The Creator Economy 'An ethics issue': Why some creators are re-auditing their brand deals after Hootsuite-ICE controversy Hootsuite's partnership with ICE sparked controversy earlier this year, prompting creators to re-examine their brand deals and ethics standards. Advertisement PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM NEXXEN Why the 2026 World Cup will be a case study for the fragmented TV space Fragmentation is no longer an edge case in TV — it’s the operating environment. And marketing strategies have to be built with that reality in mind. Here’s how that might play out during the World Cup. DIGIDAY + Ad Tech Briefing: As AI promises 'transparency,' more light is shed on the ad tech tax Filings in a recent court case detail how one of the biggest spenders in media spends with industry middlemen. 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