Senior Agency Reporter Lindsay Rittenhouse breaks down ad industry instability and why agencies are undergoing heavy waves of layoffs, including from the recent Omnicom acquisition of IPG. She provides guidance on what to do when impacted by agency layoffs, how to prepare for the sparse job market and when to consider alternative job paths.

Plus, the campaign Ad Age readers voted the best of 2025 versus creativity editor Tim Nudd's top picks from the year.

Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode:

~What to know if you've been laid off

~The latest industry employment stats

~Listen: Why the Omnicom-IPG deal matters for all advertisers

~Agency layoff warning signs

~How agencies are changing their strategies for the AI era

~How AI is changing ad jobs

~Listen: the state of entry-level ad careers

Ad Age News Editor E.J. Schultz and Senior Marketing Reporter Adrianne Pasquarelli go behind the scenes of Ad Age's annual Marketer of the Year list. They share tips on how brands can increase their odds for next year's competition as well as a rundown of takeaways from this year's group of brands that might be useful for your 2026 marketing strategy.

Plus, a look inside the Kansas City Chiefs' play to become the top Christmas NFL team, with key strategy takeaways from CMO Lara Krug. And the latest on Warner Bros. Discovery's sale saga.

Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode:

~Garage Beer is Ad Age's 2025 Marketer of the Year

~Listen to Ad Age's Marketer's Brief podcast

~Vote for 2025's biggest brand fail

~Vote for the best ad campaign of 2025

~Share your 2026 ad industry predictions with Ad Age

Agency reporters Brian Bonilla and Ewan Larkin dig into Omnicom's acquisition of IPG, and its impact for the advertising industry beyond just agency holding companies. They break down how independent agencies can win, what the deal means for the hold-co hierarchy and key factors to track as the industry's future structure takes shape.

Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode:

~Watch Brian and Ewan's day-one Omnicom takes on Breaking & Entering

~Everything to know about the Omnicom-IPG deal

~Inside Omnicom's new structure

~Top execs to know at new Omnicom

~Omnicom & IPG's joint Kenvue pitch

~The details on Havas and Horizon's joint venture

~Wpromote acquires Giant Spoon

~Inside Just Born's account review

~Recapping Publicis' acquisitions of Captiv8 and Influential

~Rewind: the failed Omnicom-Publicis merger

Ad Age Chief Technology Reporter Garett Sloane discusses how to separate artificial intelligence noise from real utility, the state of chatbot shopping, AI brand readiness and tools marketers are creating to better their businesses.

Plus, put your tech knowledge to the test. In this week's episode, take Ad Age Insider's AI readiness quiz for marketers. Or dig deeper with additional questions here.

Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode:

~All your AI Qs answered in Ad Age's AI Marketing Playbook

~The state of AI commerce

~Inside Lavazza's AI persona that says no

~How Amazon is testing ads in Rufus

~Listen to Ad Age's Marketer's Brief

Ad Age reporter Gillian Follett breaks down why brands are leaning into the limited-edition strategy, the elements of a successful product drop strategy and more holiday social media trends.

Plus, what Unilever's big bet on influencer marketing means for the industry, and the details on Peeps, Mike and Ike's and Hot Tamales' new ad agency.

Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode:

~Dig deeper into Starbucks' Bearista cup strategy

~Catch up on little treat culture and the trinket craze

~Watch holiday ads from Disney, Amazon and Brach's

~Dive into Ad Age's AI Marketing Playbook package

~Listen to this week's Marketer's Brief episode

Ad Age Senior Reporter Lindsay Rittenhouse explains how AI is automating work typically done by entry-level talent, and how marketers and educators are responding by training students and junior staff to use the technology themselves. Plus, what early career professionals can do to increase employment prospects in a difficult job market.

Plus, Omnicom and IPG's joint pitch for health care giant Kenvue acts as a test for success of the mega-merger, but it may be riddled with complications. And, why Anomaly Co-Founder Jason DeLand decided to depart the agency.

Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode:

~ Inside Kimberly-Clark's bid to buy Kenvue for $40 billion

~ How production companies are coming to terms with AI

~ Vote for the 2025 Ad Age Marketer of the Year

Ad Age Editor-at-Large Jack Neff explains why pharma ads can't be banned, and how the Trump administration is cracking down on marketers. Plus, what stricter regulation would mean for creatives and how a ban would impact media channels including linear TV and social media.

And, inside the financial crisis at experiential agency Verb. Read more on how the surging shop grew too fast. Also, the NFL's CMO stood up to criticism of Bad Bunny's 2026 halftime show. See his callout on critics.

Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode:

~The state of the pharmaceutical ad crackdown

~Listen to the data on U.S. Hispanic consumer trends

~Listen to Blumhouse's CMO talk horror marketing

Ad Age creativity editor Tim Nudd crowns the top spooky season marketing campaigns in the first-ever Halloween Marketing Awards. He also digs into the trends behind October's best work, including why brands are bringing energy previously reserved for April Fools' Day to the season of the witch.

Plus, Ad Legends is a new agency offering brands access to AI replicas of industry legends. The offering is meant to allow marketers access top-tier creative ideas without having to hire an agency. It also offers agencies the ability to replicate their own talent for internal use.

Read more about the 2025 Halloween Marketing Awards winners:

~Six Flags, "Come Out and Play"

~Disney+, "EDGEOFYØR Seat"

~Capri Sun, "Trick & Treat Pouches"

~Skittles, "Ghost Roommate"

~Gushers, "Fruithead"

Dig deeper into additional stories mentioned in this week's episode:

~Burger King's 2017 "Scary Clown Night"

~Columbia Sportswear's Grim Reaper social takeover and Mini's Waymo disguise

~Yahoo's terrifying "Reply All" short

~Skittles' ghoulish TikTok series

~Airheads' unsettling robot trick-or-treater

~Buy tickets for Ad Age's AI Marketing Playbook conference

~Listen to Ad Age's Marketer's Brief

Ad Age marketing reporter Erika Wheless describes the growth of AI-generated bot networks that fuel large percentages of current brand controversies. In the episode, Wheless breaks down how to identify fake social media accounts, tools brands can use to measure bot impact and how to prepare for potential fake outrage.

Plus, Ad Age's 2025 Brand Report breaks down the numbers behind the world's largest advertisers. And TikTok is making aggressive pushes to up ad commitments, despite uncertainty over the platform's future with the Trump administration's planned spin-off.

Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode:

~Inside the social media bot crisis

~Listen to marketing takeaways from American Eagle and Cracker Barrel's recent controversies

~What Elf Cosmetics got wrong with its comedian collab

~Buy tickets for Ad Age's AI Marketing Playbook conference

~Listen to Ad Age's Marketer's Brief

Ad Age senior marketing reporter Adrianne Pasquarelli breaks down takeaways from the controversy surrounding the NFL's Bad Bunny pick for 2026's Super Bowl Halftime Show. Listen to hear data on U.S. Hispanic spending, best practices for building loyalty with multicultural audiences and how brands can prepare for political pushback.

Plus, Domino's debuted new branding for the first time in 13 years, including a jingle by Shaboozey. And Hennessy launched a new partnership with LeBron James that took a risk with the athlete's fans.

Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode:

~How to build loyalty with Hispanic consumers

~Papa Johns seeks a new creative agency

~Read Ad Age's coverage of Advertising Week New York

~Submit entries for Ad Age's 2026 A-List and Creativity Awards

~Buy tickets for the Ad Age AI Marketing Playbook

~Listen to Meta's CMO on Ad Age's Marketer's Brief

Ad Age reporters go deep on the future of marketing agencies, from consolidation to AI in-housing. Listen to hear more on the potential demise of mid-size agencies, resurgence of social media agencies of record and transformation of capabilities, plus what industry leaders need to know to start strategizing now.

This series is in celebration of Ad Age's Future of Advertising 2030 editorial package, which includes insights across marketing, media, agencies and technology. Read more here, and subscribe to Ad Age All Access to read the full series, including deep reporting, exclusive data, expert insights and interactive elements.

Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode:

~Read Ad Age's Future of Advertising 2030 package

~Inside the 2030 ad agency

~2030 readiness checklist

~How to incorporate AI into your work

~The future of social media and influencer

~How AI is changing the RFP process