Performance Marketing Unlocked

Apple’s latest adtech crackdown raises big questions for advertisers: is privacy winning, or are walled gardens simply gaining more power? We take a look at arguably the most anti-advertising giant in Big Tech.Also in this episode, PMW’s editorial team discuss the latest launches at Advertising Week New York, including ChatGPT’s fashion try-ons.We also have exciting news about the launch of our London show, Performance Marketing World Unlocked, entering its fifth year with a bang — including an early bird offer for listeners.Episode breakdown (2:30) A special announcement on Performance Marketing World Unlocked 2027(4:01) ChatGPT’s latest ad formats and news from Advertising Week New York(7:10) Has Apple declared war on open web advertisers?~ Further reading ~ ChatGPT Ads gains independent measurement as IAS and DV step inApple’s iOS 27 is blocking The Trade Desk from serving ads on SafariChatGPT adds virtual try-ons as OpenAI pushes further into shopping

OpenAI continues to double down on advertising, but are ChatGPT Ads' new 'Sponsored Agents' asking for too much unearned trust? Also in this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, PMW's editorial team discuss the future of the UK's creator economy, assessing whether or not advertisers should be excited at the prospect of a billion dollar industry. Finally, the team says farewell to host Joe, who is sadly leaving PMW and the podcast behind to pursue greener pastures back in his homeland of Australia – gifting everyone with his own attempt at PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge on his way out. ~ Episode breakdown ~ (2:52) Is OpenAI tempting fate?(10:43) Can anything slow down the creator economy?(22:08) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge~ Further reading ~ ‘Advertisers should be wary’: Are ChatGPT’s Sponsored Agents a risk worth taking?ChatGPT rolls out conversational ads with ‘Sponsored Agents’‘The growth rate tells its own story’: Should adland be excited about a billion dollar UK creator economy?

Users want personalisation, but an increasingly challenging targeting landscape – full of signal loss, third-party cookie deprecation, heightened consumer skepticism and increased regulation – is making fulfilling this wish tricky. On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, Simi Gill, Head of Digital at The Kite Factory, joins host Joe to provide a roadmap for solving this problem. Together, the pair reveal how marketers can meet consumers' personalisation expectations without putting their privacy at risk. This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.~ Episode breakdown ~ (2:01) Why don't consumers want to hand over their data?(15:46) Balancing automated targeting with human oversight (24:24) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge~ Further reading ~ ‘Commerce is now the measurement layer’: 12 marketers on what to expect at DMEXCO 2026UK Government urged to end cookie banners for ‘low-risk uses’Stop buying channels in isolation: Why omnichannel is changing programmatic for the better

Attribution appears doomed to a future of fragmentation and guesswork, suffering from a "perfect storm" of disaster... but things might not quite be so dire.On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, PMW's Editor Robin Langford and Jaye Cowle, CEO of Launch, join host Joe to talk the future of attribution. Together, the trio create a road-map for how marketers can plug future measurement gaps and ensure everyone gets a fair slice of the attribution pie. This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.~ Episode breakdown ~ (2:24) Where is attribution headed?(16:44) How can you keep clients on side?(28:24) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge~ Further reading ~ 3 tough questions on... attributionShould affiliate marketing move away from last-click altogether?Are attribution models leaving content creators out in the cold?If ChatGPT recommends a product, who should get paid?

Governments, regulators and competitors are doing what they can to stifle Big Tech's dominance across adland. Yet, key players such as Google, Meta and Amazon continue to reign supreme despite a myriad of legal troubles. Can the open web survive?On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, host Joe is joined by PMW's Senior News Reporter to analyse if Big Tech has become indestructible, and whether or not this spells disaster for the future of the open internet and its supporters like The Trade Desk.This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.~ Episode breakdown ~ (2:14) Big Tech's legal troubles(10:47) The moral dilemma of Meta(19:16) Where to next?~ Further reading ~ ‘Wrist-slaps for anti-competitive conduct’: Does adland agree with the DOJ’s Google AdX verdict?‘Brands are stuck in a moral dilemma’: Is Meta’s $18bn settlement a sign to cut adspend on social?The Trade Desk to cut 15% of global workforce in restructuringAmazon slams FTC's ad auction lawsuit as 'misguided'

AI answers, social search, and evolving consumer intent have completely rewritten the rules of discovery. So, what is actually happening to purchase decisions – and how do you measure success when the click vanishes?On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, host Joe is joined by Lottie Namakando, SVP of the Total Search Practice at WPP Media UK, to explore how advertisers can traverse AI Overviews, fragmented discovery, and the growing search trust gap.This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.~ Episode breakdown ~ (2:10) How are AI answers changing consumers' buying behaviours?(11:11) Do sponsored AI search results risk eroding user trust?(20:31) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge~ Further reading ~ 80% of Google searches with AI-generated summaries end without a clickConsumers now trust AI for shopping decisions more than social media – report‘OpenAI is about to monetise conversation itself’: Adland reacts to ChatGPT Ads reaching the UK