Ad consolidation dents creativity | WinZO faces ED heat | Amazon AGI chief exits
Storyboard18 brings you top five news updates from the world of advertising, marketing, and business of brands.
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We bring you top five news updates from the world of advertising, marketing, and business of brands.
How ad holdcos consolidation pulling advertising away from creativity and towards media math
As mega-mergers like Omnicom–IPG accelerate consolidation around data and performance, industry leaders warn that advertising is drifting into an efficient but soulless business, one that optimises dashboards, not culture, belief or long-term brand equity.
WinZO case: ED flags 298 user complaints, five FIRs and founder’s non-cooperation before Karnataka HC
ED also pointed to alleged cross-border dimensions of the business, submitting that WinZO had foreign subsidiaries to which funds were diverted and that online games were operated in overseas markets such as Brazil and the US using common infrastructure, with control remaining in India.
Amazon AGI chief Rohit Prasad to exit as Andy Jassy revamps AI leadership
In a blog post, chief executive Andy Jassy said the company is restructuring its AGI unit under a newly expanded organisation that will also oversee Amazon’s custom silicon development and quantum computing initiatives. The combined division will be led by Peter DeSantis, a senior vice president at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and a 27-year veteran of the company.
Jassy described the move as a response to an “inflection point” in artificial intelligence and related technologies, arguing that tighter integration across research, infrastructure and long-term bets would help Amazon execute more effectively.
Oscars to stream exclusively on YouTube worldwide from 2029
In a landmark shift for one of the world’s most prestigious entertainment events, the Academy Awards® will be broadcast exclusively on YouTube beginning in 2029, marking a significant moment in the evolution of how global audiences consume live cultural programming.
YouTube has entered into a partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to stream the Oscars® for free worldwide on its platform, while YouTube TV will carry the live broadcast in the United States. The move positions the Google-owned video platform as the primary global home for the annual ceremony, traditionally associated with television networks.
Bira founder Ankur Jain agrees to step down amid investor push
Earlier this year, Jain was informed that any potential rescue of the company would be contingent on his stepping aside to make way for external professionals, a move he was reportedly reluctant to make for a prolonged period.
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