The Refresh News: May 19 - Upfronts, AI, and the Future of AdTech
May 19, 2025•9 min
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Episode description
In this episode of The Refresh News, Kait from Marketecture breaks down the top stories shaking up the advertising world. The focus is on the evolving nature of the TV upfronts, with a spotlight on how platforms are embracing ad tech to meet buyer demands. The Trade Desk makes headlines with the launch of OpenSincera, and Microsoft officially closes Xandr to make way for a more conversational future in media buying.
We Cover
- TV upfronts are shifting focus from showbiz glitz to tech-driven capabilities like programmatic and AI-powered campaigns.
- Flexibility is a new must-have: Netflix and Disney introduced ad tech that lowers entry barriers and enables agile buying.
- AI made a splash with creative automation, emotional scene alignment, and smarter ad insertion across major platforms.
- The Trade Desk’s OpenSincera launches as a free API, offering real-time, transparent data on ad impressions and media quality.
- Microsoft sunsets Xandr to focus on a Copilot-powered, chatbot-style ad buying interface, signaling a move away from traditional DSP models.
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