Stagwell goes all in on The Trade Desk

April 28, 2026 Stagwell is set to work with The Trade Desk to embed AI agents built with its Koa software into the agency network’s ad tech stack, making the companies the latest industry players to pair off in search of an advantage. Transparency concerns over the fee structure imposed on TTD’s premium OpenPath inventory have provided a source of friction in recent months. TOP STORY The Business of AI As holdcos sour on The Trade Desk, Stagwell goes all in Stagwell’s chosen to double down on relationship with the DSP in a deal intended to boost its agentic AI capabilities. Advertisement OTHER THINGS TO KNOW Increasingly, viewers turn on their TVs without a fixed plan. Nielsen estimates that viewers spend as long as 10.5 minutes browsing on the home screen before they decide what to watch. Partner insights from Nexxen. According to research from Keen Decision Systems, only 10% of marketers incorporate prior knowledge into their forecasts, an indication that most start from scratch every time. Partner insights from Keen Decision Systems. AI gives marketers speed. Landing pages that used to take weeks to build now take minutes. But people with disabilities stop buying from brands whose AI-built sites make it impossible to complete a purchase. Partner insights from AudioEye. MEDIA & PLATFORMS Business of TV How Netflix is rewriting the streaming ad playbook Netflix is thriving on third-party DSPs, raising a critical question: Can the streaming giant afford to pursue its own adtech platform? Retail Revolution Walmart's expanded data offering to agencies and advertisers gets closer to self-serve Although Scintilla has been up and running since 2021, it’s making more of its commerce-side data available to agencies and tech partners, and it’s also giving them more direct access to it. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM GOOGLE AD MANAGER How publishers are delivering ads to millions, seamlessly and simultaneously The core difference between a live stream and a VOD is the sheer simultaneous volume of ad requests. Success hinges on a globally distributed architecture, where decisions and delivery occur closest to the user to minimize latency. The Creator Economy Adobe relies on Firefly to win over creators Adobe wants Firefly to do for AI-native creators what Photoshop did for a generation of ad creatives – become the tool they can’t work without. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM PATHLABS How independent agencies are scaling in the age of AI AI may be speeding up media buying, but it’s also exposing cracks in how agencies execute. As independent agencies hit operational limits, they’re turning to partners to scale without sacrificing client trust. Advertisement MARKETING Strategizing for the Future CMOs continue their uphill climb in the eyes of their CEOs: Boathouse study Where 68% of CMOs are seen as actively contributing to strategy and strategic decisions, only 8% are perceived as actually leading it. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM OPTABLE Why publishers can’t afford to wait on agentic AI The agentic era is here. But the nearly one-third of publishers who lack immediate investment plans risk falling behind. FROM DIGIDAY+ Member exclusive Ad Tech Briefing: Meta and Pinterest showcase CTV possibilities at ad tech's Miami jamboree Comcast-owned FreeWheel Meta, and Pinterest employ APIs to scale. 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