Ad markets sweat as the Iran war drags on

April 01, 2026 Whatever hope remained that this would be a short war is fading. And with it, the assumption that the economic damage would be too. When times get hard, brands don't abandon paid search and retail media. If anything, they lean harder into performance. Which means large swathes are, for now, largely insulated. TOP STORY Managing Through Crisis 'Predictability has become a luxury': As the Iran war drags on, ad markets are starting to sweat Whatever hope remained that this would be a short war is fading. And with it, the assumption that the economic damage would be too. Advertisement OTHER THINGS TO KNOW Join us at the Digiday Programmatic Marketing Summit, May 6–8 in Palm Springs, to explore how AI agents are reshaping programmatic, from bidding and negotiation to measurement and optimization. In the reality of today’s media environment, scale is fragile. Traffic is rented. Content alone is no longer defensible. But participation turns audiences from passive consumers into active participants. Partner insights from Viafoura. Audience strategy has historically focused on reaching predefined consumer segments based on assumed traits. Neuro-contextual intelligence helps media planners identify high-intent moments in real time — distinguishing between passive browsing and active consideration. Partner insights from Seedtag. MEDIA & PLATFORMS The Programmatic Publisher Publishers see double-digit growth from The Trade Desk's OpenPath, but volatility remains Several publishers said that TTD is temporarily allowing duplicate bids on those integrating with OpenAds, as a sweetener to ease onboarding. One publisher said it plans to accelerate integration with OpenAds, to capitalize on this "likely temporary window." Member exclusive Future of TV Briefing: What publishers have to offer creators This week's Future of TV Briefing looks at what publishers have to offer creators as more media outlets enlist independent video makers. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM PATHLABS Human-led service is an AI differentiator for agencies As AI increases the bar for speed and responsiveness, the best people spend more time coordinating than doing the work only humans can do. Tools meant to simplify can end up costing agencies time, confidence and eventually, accounts. Retail Media Rewritten Walmart-Vizio's CTV measurement faces incrementality hurdle Walmart's Vizio deal promises closed-loop CTV measurement, but brands are waiting for data clean rooms and proof of incrementality. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM AMAZON ADS How one company layered its own intelligence on top of Amazon Ads MCP Server Rather than add another interface for sellers and agencies to work with, Hector Ai brought Amazon advertising intelligence to where customers were already working for a more natural agent-driven workflow. Advertisement MARKETING Generative AI How E.l.f. Beauty is using AI to alleviate the workload of its workforce E.l.f. Beauty’s chief digital officer, Ekta Chopra, shared the four pillars that guide the beauty brand’s approach to AI implementation. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM HELIUM 10 The multichannel growth playbook — a virtual event In a virtual event on April 14, Helium 10’s Bradley Sutton, vp of education and strategy, and Shivali Patel, senior brand evangelist, unpack how brands expand into TikTok Shop and Walmart without breaking operations. FROM DIGIDAY+ Member exclusive Digiday+ Research: Retailers take a more complex approach to loyalty Loyalty programs have changed over the last year: The number of retailers who offer them has increased, and the programs are now more complex. 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