X’s advertiser base is beginning to resemble its pre-Musk era

June 01, 2026 Presented by Whether X’s ad business has recovered to pre-Elon Musk ownership levels has been one of those questions that’s somehow managed to be both endlessly debated and entirely unresolved for three years running. Turns out, the answer is yes — partly. Advertisement TOP STORY Marketing on Platforms X’s advertiser base is beginning to resemble its pre-Musk era For the first time, third-party data now proves that X’s advertiser profile is slowly returning to what it was pre-acquisition. OTHER THINGS TO KNOW There’s still time to save. Get 35% off an annual Digiday+ membership. Offer extended—ends June 5. Programmatic buying has long relied on a combination of identity-based and contextual signals to guide decisions, but the latter has often been applied more narrowly. Partner insights from Seedtag. With changes to measurement frameworks happening at a record pace, migrating infrastructure is both logistically complex and operationally sensitive. Partner insights from Adjust. A MESSAGE FROM BASIS Why unified, AI-driven advertising is becoming essential Today’s fragmented media landscape isn’t doing modern advertisers any favors, as siloed channel strategies create blind spots and affect results. Basis is helping marketers overcome this with Compass, an agentic AI solution that accelerates planning and activation across all channels, from the open web to walled gardens. And its SmartBid AI optimization technology analyzes dozens of live performance signals to make continuous, goal-aligned adjustments throughout campaigns, so advertisers see stronger results. Read more MEDIA & PLATFORMS The Creator Economy Dhar Mann is going to Tribeca X to prove CTV can do TV’s job — and that creators belong in the conversation Hyper-engaged audiences, lightning-fast production, and a finger on the cultural pulse has made CTV partnerships with creators like Dhar Mann very enticing for brands. Brands in Culture As feeds become entertainment hubs, marketers rethink social’s role As social platforms become entertainment hubs, brands are acting more like media companies to capture attention and drive sales. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM EX.CO As zero-click search rises and traffic falls, publishers rethink video The article was built to be indexed: searchable, linkable, shareable. Video — while not immune to AI — offers an experience that resists being summarized the same way text is. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM CONTENTFUL How marketers are connecting content to business impact Marketers have more content, more tools and more channels than ever — but turning that into consistent, measurable performance is still a work in progress. Advertisement MARKETING Brands in Culture In Graphic Detail: Why the best brands are relearning how to entertain first, advertise second Read on to learn more about the factors driving that shift, in graphic detail. The Business of AI How Olly is updating its product detail pages for the AI era As more shoppers use AI chatbots for recommendations, supplement brand Olly is updating its product pages with clearer descriptions and FAQs to boost AI-driven sales. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM SHEERID Permissioned data is helping brands and retailers personalize at scale Permissioned data is the gold standard of consumer data, helping brands personalize at scale by providing insights into customers’ demographics, preferences and life moments. DIGIDAY + Member exclusive Media Buying Briefing: Dentsu's agentic ambitions and how it plays out in the upfronts Beth Ann Kaminkow and Will Swayne explained how they’re adapting AI into Dentsu’s processes, as well as what to expect in this upfront market that’s getting underway. 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