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Welcome back to The Brief by Kuro House, where we cut through the noise and bring you the most insightful stories in marketing and media. I’m your host, and today we’re diving into some transformative moves in media measurement, experiential marketing, AI-powered loyalty, and the realities of agency restructuring. Let’s get right to it.

First up, a major shakeup in media measurement: Kantar Media has officially rebranded as Fifty5Blue following its private equity carve-out, as reported by Adweek. The deal, which closed in August 2025, required Kantar Media to adopt a new brand identity within two years, and now, as Fifty5Blue, the company is signaling a bold new era. Core products like Ibope—the go-to TV ratings currency in Latin America—TGI, their global consumer profiling survey, and TechEdge, their audience analytics platform, remain central. But the real story is the company’s pivot beyond traditional ratings into attribution and outcomes measurement, especially as AI reshapes the industry. CEO Patrick Béhar emphasized that while AI will augment their capabilities, directly observed human behavior—think panel data—remains the gold standard for unbiased, transparent measurement. The company’s workforce of 4,500 remains intact, and with a refreshed leadership team including hires from Nielsen, Google, and McKinsey, Fifty5Blue is investing heavily in technology and cross-media measurement. Béhar also addressed concerns about private equity ownership, framing it as an opportunity to move faster and invest for the long-term, not a push for short-term gains. In a world awash in data, Béhar says, “clarity is the real differentiator.” It’s a fascinating evolution for a company that underpins billions in ad transactions.

Next, let’s talk about one of the most ambitious experiential marketing campaigns in recent memory: CBS’s 50-state scavenger hunt for Survivor’s 50th season, as covered by Adweek. To celebrate this milestone, CBS and the creative studio Tool spent two years planning the Survivor 50 Challenge, turning the entire U.S. into a real-life game. From exploring Kentucky caves to navigating Louisiana’s bayou, 40,000 fans participated in state-specific adventures, each featuring unique challenges and culminating in the hunt for a hidden immunity idol. Winners from each state earned exclusive tickets to the live Survivor 50 finale in Los Angeles. The campaign was a logistical feat, with five regional teams orchestrating bespoke activations and a digital hub providing real-time clues and notifications. The result? Massive engagement, emotional fan stories, and a true sense of community. Paramount TV president Mike Benson noted that Survivor’s ethos of “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast” has fundamentally changed competition television, and this campaign brought that spirit directly to the fans. It’s a masterclass in how to blend digital and physical experiences to deepen brand love.

Shifting gears to retail and loyalty, Ulta Beauty is redefining what it means to be a modern, tech-forward brand, as detailed in Adweek’s coverage of their recent appearance at CES. CMO Kelly Mahoney shared how Ulta’s loyalty program and personalization engine drive nearly all of their sales—95% of sales come from their 46 million loyalty members. Ulta has moved away from traditional demographic segmentation, instead focusing on motivation-based marketing. By analyzing how guests actually behave—where they discover products, what drives their purchases, and how their shopping habits evolve—Ulta delivers AI-powered personalization that feels genuinely helpful. Their omnichannel approach is powered by Adobe’s customer data platform and creative automation tools, enabling the marketing team to scale content without sacrificing quality. As Ulta expands globally, their focus on wellness as a core brand pillar, not just a trend, positions them to meet evolving consumer definitions of beauty and self-care. Mahoney emphasized that the real advantage lies in staying curious and adaptable—AI is the engine, but people are the drivers.

Now, let’s turn to some important news from the agency world. Omnicom has clarified details around a recent WARN notice that had the industry buzzing, according to Adweek. While initial reports suggested new job cuts, Omnicom explained that the filing was a compliance requirement for layoffs already made back in December 2025. Specifically, 92 of 251 employees at the former IPG NYC headquarters and two of 84 at another office were laid off as part of a broader restructuring. This move was part of Omnicom’s larger business reset, which included the retirement of major agency brands like FCB, DDB, and MullenLowe, and a total of 4,000 redundancies. Combined with earlier cuts at IPG and Omnicom, the total number of eliminated positions reached around 10,000, or roughly 8% of the combined workforce. CEO John Wren has set an ambitious cost-cutting target of $1.5 billion by 2028, with $1 billion coming from labor cost reductions. The strategy includes simplifying brand structures and increasing outsourcing and offshoring. While these moves are tough for employees, they reflect the ongoing pressures facing holding companies as they adapt to a rapidly changing market.

That’s all for today’s edition of The Brief. From bold rebrands and immersive fan experiences to the cutting edge of AI-powered loyalty and the realities of agency consolidation, it’s clear the marketing world is in a state of rapid transformation. Stay curious, stay sharp, and remember: behind every headline is a strategy shaping the future of our industry. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next time.