2023 was a transitional year for Adland with advances in AI, retail media and ecommerce among other areas. 

But the most read story of the year in Media Post’s Agency Daily was about a report issued by the ANA in June indicating there could be as much as $20 billion wasted in the programmatic media sector. The group issued a companion report earlier this month with lots of advice about how to avoid programmatic pitfalls.  

Big account shifts were also widely read including GEICO’s appointment of IPG Mediabrands to manage its $1.4 billion media assignment after partnering with Horizon Media for nearly three decades.  

Retail media trend stories were also a big draw, including an ANA report on advertisers shifting budgets to the channel from other media.  

There’s nothing like a big scandal to command reader interest like the Olympic bid-rigging scandal that enveloped Dentsu’s Japan operation in February. (Others were involved as well.) 

Stories about holding company AI partnerships also drove readership like WPP’s tie-up with Nvidia in May.  

Agency trend pieces were popular like this one summarizing a 4A’s report urging agencies to hold the line on extended payment terms.  

Big mergers and acquisitions drew a lot of interest like the October agreement by Omnicom (still pending) to acquire commerce specialist Flywheel Digital.  

And CEO switches proved a big draw as well like the departure of former Mindshare US. CEO Amanda Richman, now executive-in-residence at the IAB.