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Welcome back to The Brief by Kuro House, your daily dose of sharp marketing insight. Today, we’re diving into the latest moves in AI advertising, the democratization of marketing analytics, and a masterclass in leadership transformation from the CMO who became Build-A-Bear’s CEO. Let’s get into the stories shaping the industry right now.

First up, a major shakeup in the programmatic ad space. According to Adweek, both Dentsu and WPP—two of the world’s largest holding companies—have quietly exited The Trade Desk’s OpenPath initiative. OpenPath was designed to help advertisers buy publisher inventory directly, bypassing intermediaries, and potentially offering a real alternative to Google’s dominance. The Trade Desk’s CEO, Jeff Green, had predicted that 2025 would be a breakout year for OpenPath, but these exits cast doubt on that forecast. The reason? Both Dentsu and WPP cited a lack of transparency about where their ads were running and what they described as hidden fees on the platform. For an initiative built on the promise of clarity and efficiency, these concerns are a significant setback. It’s a reminder that, in ad tech, trust and transparency aren’t just buzzwords—they’re table stakes for the big players.

Meanwhile, the future of advertising is unfolding inside your favorite AI chatbot. Adweek reports that brands like Best Buy, Expedia, Qualcomm, and Enterprise Mobility are among the first to run ads within ChatGPT responses. OpenAI has started rolling out these ads to free and paid users, but they’re keeping things intentionally limited: Adthena analyzed over 500 prompts and found ads appeared in less than 1% of responses, suggesting a highly curated and conservative approach. OpenAI is also setting a high bar for entry, asking advertisers to spend at least $200,000 to participate in these early tests. The company says it wants ads to be “separate and clearly distinct, relevant, and useful,” and is working closely with select partners to get it right. Holding companies like Dentsu, Omnicom, and WPP are all lining up to test placements, bringing big brands like Adobe, Ford, and Audible into the mix. For now, scarcity is part of the strategy, as OpenAI learns how to integrate ads without undermining user trust. It’s a fascinating experiment in building an ad platform from scratch—one that’s likely to shape how AI-driven media is monetized in the years ahead.

In another big move for marketers, Google is making its powerful Marketing Mix Model—Meridian—accessible to everyone, no coding required. As reported by Adweek, Google has launched a new code-free interface called Scenario Planning. This tool lets non-technical users explore Meridian’s data, run natural-language queries, and stress-test campaign scenarios to optimize performance. Traditionally, marketing mix modeling has been the domain of data scientists, with its complexity keeping many marketers at arm’s length. But now, anyone can use Meridian to attribute sales across channels, factor in things like seasonality and economic shifts, and plan future campaigns—all without writing a single line of code. Asos and Shopify are already on board, and with privacy regulations making cookie-based measurement harder, MMM is seeing more investment than ever. Google’s move could democratize advanced marketing analytics, making it easier for teams to collaborate and make data-driven decisions, regardless of their technical background.

Now, let’s talk about the gap between AI adoption and agency contracts. Adweek’s latest survey with NewtonX paints a revealing picture: while AI is already deeply embedded in agency workflows, most contracts barely mention it. Out of 501 advertising decision-makers surveyed across the US and Canada, nearly two-thirds say AI has had a moderate or significant impact on their daily work. Yet, 39% of agency contracts don’t address AI usage at all, and another 27% only do so in vague terms. The result? A disconnect between how agencies actually operate and what’s reflected in their compensation and legal agreements. As AI-driven tools become central to creative and media processes, this gap could lead to confusion, misaligned expectations, or even legal headaches down the line. It’s a wake-up call for agencies and clients alike: if your workflow is changing, your contracts should, too.

Finally, a leadership journey that’s as inspiring as it is instructive. In a feature for Adweek, Sharon Price John, CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, shares how she flawlessly transitioned from CMO to CEO, transforming the brand from a struggling mall retailer into a diversified IP powerhouse. Sharon’s story is packed with actionable insights. First, she stresses the need for CMOs to build strong quantitative and financial skills—not just marketing expertise—if they want to make it to the C-suite. She pursued an MBA with a focus on accounting, finance, and operations, knowing that CEOs expect leaders to think in terms of profitable growth, not just campaigns. Sharon also addresses the confidence gap that holds many high-potential women back from applying for stretch roles, noting that you don’t need to be an expert in every area before stepping up. Instead, see gaps as opportunities to learn and demonstrate agility. Her leadership philosophy centers on emotional authenticity and vulnerability—she believes that turning around a brand requires heart, not just authority. For Build-A-Bear, this meant focusing on the emotional core of the brand: it’s not about teddy bears, but about creating memories and connections. That emotional foundation has allowed the brand to expand into new categories and demographics without losing its essence. Sharon’s journey is a masterclass in authentic, business-first leadership—and a reminder that sustainable growth starts with understanding what your brand makes people feel.

That’s it for today’s Brief. From AI’s cautious first steps in advertising to the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership, the marketing world is full of both innovation and introspection right now. Thanks for tuning in—stay curious, stay sharp, and we’ll see you tomorrow with more stories that matter.