Programmatic Shifts to New Measurement Models
In the wake of third-party cookie deprecation, media buyers and traders are increasingly abandoning legacy attribution models like last-click. Expert discussions highlight a shift toward advanced modeling, such as MMM and incrementality testing, to measure campaign effectiveness. There is also a renewed focus on creative as a primary lever for performance, with AI-driven dynamic creative optimization (DCO) gaining favor in a signal-deprived environment.
- As of October 2025, Google has significantly altered its Privacy Sandbox plans, retiring many APIs like Protected Audience and Topics due to low adoption. Instead of forced third-party cookie deprecation, Chrome will introduce a new experience for users to make an informed choice about privacy, a change being discussed with regulators like the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. - The shift to Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) is driven by its ability to provide a holistic view of all marketing touchpoints, unlike last-click attribution which only credits the final interaction. Modern MMM is evolving past its reputation for being slow by using direct data integrations and machine learning to enable updates in days or weeks, rather than quarterly, allowing it to inform ongoing business decisions. - Enterprise adoption of agentic AI is accelerating, with 65% of organizations already using AI agents and 100% planning to expand their use in 2026. These systems are being embedded into platforms like Salesforce and ServiceNow to automate complex workflows in IT, HR, and finance, with some companies seeing a reduction in manual workloads by up to 60%. - For CTOs at scaling B2B SaaS companies, the role transitions from hands-on coding to strategic leadership, focusing on setting architectural direction, recruiting senior talent, and managing budgets. A key challenge is resisting pressure for custom, one-off features for large clients to maintain a standardized, scalable product. - In the UK adtech sector, companies have raised $33.4M in the first half of 2025, a 41.7% increase compared to the same period in 2024. The ecosystem consists of 658 companies, with notable London-based startups including Ogury, which has raised $116M in total funding. - Generative AI is being integrated with Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) to automate the creation of a high volume of personalized ad variations. This allows for more extensive A/B testing and enables real-time adaptation of creative elements based on environmental context or user emotion. - Major London infrastructure projects are advancing in 2026, including critical phases for the HS2 Euston Station redevelopment and the £10.2 billion Lower Thames Crossing. The London Power Tunnels project, vital for upgrading the city's electrical grid, is also scheduled for completion. - Formula 1's 2026 regulations will introduce radically different cars that are shorter, narrower, and 30kg lighter. Power units will shift to a 50/50 split between a smaller internal combustion engine running on 100% sustainable fuel and a more powerful electric motor, which has attracted new manufacturers like Audi and Ford to the sport.
