Dear IAB Community,
IAB US has raised its 2026 ad spend forecast to 12.3% growth in its latest Ad Spend Outlook, with social media and CTV leading. Customer acquisition has jumped back to the top spending priority over retention, and the fastest-growing focus areas in the whole survey are optimising content to show up in AI-generated answers as well as creator marketing. We have put together a local article on what's driving US ad investment.
Today we released a new piece of research, Creator Connect, as part of the Global IAB Creator Week at an event with our friends at AiMCO. The new research shows creators now shape a real share of how Australians discover, research and buy.
I know many people are working their way through the tranche 2 privacy reform exposure draft – don’t forget submissions are due on Friday with no extensions. The IAB is working on a submission on behalf of the digital advertising industry. A reminder that IAB members can access a Privacy Reform Tranche 2 – what you need to know document to help them navigate the exposure draft.
If you missed MeasureUp or still haven’t done that summary of the event you promised your boss, we have a MeasureUp WrapUp. Thanks again to our sponsors Google, IAS, Meta, Monks, Nielsen and Samba. If you would like to sponsor next year, get in quickly as the line is growing!
In the latest IAB Australia podcast we chat to Arum Nixon from Ad Net Zero and Nicola Harvey at The Guardian on how measuring and reducing emissions can be good for business and the planet.
We have just announced the content areas for our Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide Market Updates in October – investment, measurement, discovery, AI, privacy, retail media, creator and more. Make sure you grab your tickets. We have a few members coming to all three to visit the local markets – do we need to upgrade the Tarago to a bus for the road trip?!
It has been a week of nostalgia with industry veterans remembering early digital brands as we prepare for the IAB Australia 21st Birthday lunch – grab your ticket or table to celebrate our industry.
More resources and a great range of jobs below.
‘Til next week,
Gai
