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Marketing · Wednesday, 24 June 2026 · Issue 26 · 8 stories

Mastercard slashed 70% ad spend; QueryFan reveals AI queries

Content & Social

Why Positioning AI as a Human Replacement Is Killing Your Brand

The memo shows that marketing teams that sell AI as a direct substitute for people win short‑term buzz but lose credibility with customers and staff. In the last month 160 firms cut 28,300 jobs, yet none blamed AI, proving the fear‑based pitch is a myth. Position AI as augmentation, not replacement, to protect trust and long‑term growth.

growth-memo.com ↗8 min read at source

Paid & Advertising

Google's Ask Ad Manager AI cuts publisher ad‑ops time

Google embedded a Gemini‑powered conversational AI into Ad Manager, letting publishers troubleshoot campaigns, generate custom reports, and navigate the interface via chat. In beta now, the tool promises to shave hours off routine ad‑ops tasks and free teams for strategic work.

blog.google ↗2 min read at source

Mastercard slashed ad spend 70% for experiences, brand value leapt

During his tenure, Raja Rajamannar cut Mastercard’s traditional ad budget by 70% and poured the cash into experiential platforms like Priceless.com. The shift didn’t dent performance; the brand jumped from #87 to #12 in BrandZ’s valuation ranking and stayed on a fast‑growth trajectory. It shows large firms can trade bulk ads for immersive consumer engagement.

businessinsider.com ↗3 min read at source

Martech & Analytics

You’re caught up.

That was all 8 stories in the 24 June issue.