What's interesting this week
What Dove, Netflix, and Nike didn't do on Reddit is why they're winning
Reddit's global head of insights Rob Gaige shared at Social Media Week that posting more than three times a week causes brand sentiment to fall off a cliff. The platform starts everyone at zero. Nike asks the community questions instead of positioning as the expert. Dove incorporated both positive and negative Reddit commentary into campaigns, and Gaige noted that balanced posts are more likely to be cited by LLMs like ChatGPT and Gemini.
Key takeaway: Your Reddit presence is now part of your AI visibility footprint. Post less, contribute more, and don't scrub the criticism.
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We covered this territory earlier this year with marketing leaders from Reddit. Recording here if you missed it:
https://info.level.agency/reddit-marketing-leaders-ai-visibility-session
Marketers need to stop chasing data and start harnessing audience signals
Brands have more data than ever. Most of it sits unused. The argument here is that the missing ingredient isn't more data, it's signal quality. Social intelligence has matured to the point where it can translate digital conversation volume into actual business decisions, but only if you know what you're looking for.
Key takeaway: If you can't connect a data source to a decision you made in the last 90 days, it's probably creating noise rather than clarity.
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OpenAI turns on cost-per-click ads inside ChatGPT
OpenAI enabled CPC ads inside ChatGPT this week with bids between $3 and $5 per click, shifting the channel into territory where performance marketers can finally compare results against Google and Meta. CPMs have dropped from $60 at launch to as low as $25. The minimum spend commitment fell from $250,000 to $50,000. The intent question is still open. Whether a ChatGPT user is close to a decision or just browsing remains something nobody, including OpenAI, has settled.
Key takeaway: You don't have to be in it yet. But start building a framework now for how you'd evaluate a click from a conversational interface.
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How native CTV is solving the channel's attention problem
Native CTV placements reach viewers at the moment of decision, before they've chosen what to watch. In-stream arrives after that choice is already made. According to Nexxen's CPO, native formats also extend reach into subscription and ad-light environments where in-stream can't go, making them an incremental layer rather than just a complement to existing buys.
Key takeaway: If your CTV strategy is in-stream only, you're showing up after the moment of influence has passed. Worth testing native home screen placements against your current mix.
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Google's Dynamic Search Ads are upgrading to AI Max
AI Max is out of beta, and DSA campaigns will automatically upgrade to it in September 2026 whether you're ready or not. Voluntary migration tools opened this week. Google reports an average 7% lift in conversions or conversion value at similar CPA/ROAS when using the full feature suite. The shift moves targeting from landing page signals to broader real-time intent, surfacing queries that DSA historically missed.
Key takeaway: Migrate now. Doing it on your terms means more control over setup and time to build out negative keyword lists before the auto-upgrade locks in your configuration.
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