Sony scales up its Playstation advertising ambitions

August 05, 2026 Sony Interactive Entertainment is assembling a global sales team to monetize Playstation through ads. This isn’t the first time Sony has tried to build an ads business around its video games division. It’s made three prior runs at monetizing PlayStation’s audience through advertising rather than hardware or subscriptions. TOP STORY Beyond Ads Sony is scaling up its Playstation advertising ambitions Sony Interactive Entertainment is assembling a global sales team to monetize Playstation through ads. Advertisement OTHER THINGS TO KNOW Celebrate how your brand is redefining the modern in-store experience and how consumers engage with physical retail with the Next Gen Store Awards. Last chance to enter is August 21. Buoyed by the shift of sports programming to streaming, ad spend on digital video continues to climb, but that growth comes with greater scrutiny around transparency and business outcomes. Partner insights from Blockboard. Brands that invest in creative marketing outperform the competition and grow. Apple, known for its creativity, consistently reports remarkable growth, like a 36% increase in monthly engagement on Apple TV. Partner insights from Cannes Lions. MARKETING Google on Trial The Rundown: Google’s legal woes with ad tech rivals Teads files suit against Google’s ad tech suite, warns investors of potential retaliation, as industry awaits a looming remedies ruling in Google’s antitrust trial. Evolving Agencies Inside the indie agencies founded by Omnicom and IPG’s former staffers Thousands of media practitioners and creatives have left Omnicom since its merger with IPG. Some have already founded their own agencies. Member exclusive Digiday+ Research: The 2026 guide to holiday marketing strategies, including A-Frame Brands, Mastercard and Ritual Shoppers continue to grapple with higher prices and affordability, while brands face rising operating costs and increased pressure to prove their marketing dollars are delivering measurable returns.  PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM 3C VENTURES Benchmark guide for marketers sorting through agentic AI claims With autonomous and agentic capabilities now widely marketed, marketers struggle to evaluate each option, as publicly verifiable evidence of true autonomous, multi-step AI execution at scale remains limited. Benchmark frameworks help them sort through such claims. Zero-click Future People Inc. CEO: We’re not turning off Google crawlers yet People Inc. won’t cut off Google’s AI crawlers yet, citing its continued dependence on Google search traffic even as referrals decline. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM CONTENTFUL How AI is impacting content marketing According to a new survey from Contentful and Benchmarker, AI hasn’t replaced content outsourcing, but it is used most heavily in ideation, writing and editing. Advertisement DIGIDAY+ Member exclusive Future of TV Briefing: Why Aéropostale is investing in creator-led episodic shows This week’s Future of TV Briefing features a Q&A with Catalyst Brands evp and chief customer and marketing officer Marisa Thalberg about Aéropostale’s recent creator-led episodic series. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM T-MOBILE ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS Brand playbook: Inside the next phase of retail media As shopping habits evolve, brands need to ensure they balance their physical and e-commerce presence. Following foot traffic to physical stores allows brands to harness the additional eyes on their products. ICYMI Gaming & Esports In-game advertising experts question Microsoft and Sony's gaming advertising plans The importance of free-to-play titles is one reason why some in-game advertising experts are skeptical about the tech giants’ ability to succeed in their chosen business. 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