1. Tell us about your agency. What makes you stand out?

PB& is a small, independent agency that was founded by people who have spent a lot of their careers in larger agencies. We saw that creativity and efficiency often tend to suffer due to silos, so our founder decided to launch an agency built on a leaner model that would be led by “Thinkers” and “Makers.”

We have a deep bench of senior creatives who can tailor creatives to client and campaign needs. The same core team is on every client call, so we can stay aligned from start to finish, and our clients know what to expect. This allows us to work swiftly and keep things simple and straightforward for our clients. Our team lives and breathes by the ethos that simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.

2. What made you choose Silverpush as a contextual partner?

We got introduced to Silverpush, because YouTube is a tough nut to crack. When you traditionally target just by something like interests and demographics, you’re not reaching all the potential audiences who are most likely to be engaged. Considering the amount of content on the platform – low quality, independent, high quality, Shorts, long form, etc – we knew we needed a contextual solution to more precisely target YouTube videos. Silverpush helps us strategically connect with the best audiences in the right moments and gives us more confidence in the video content that we’re targeting and running creative in.

3. Has the market changed recently? What are the biggest trends that you’ve seen with clients recently?

It’s a tighter economy. Clients want to get to the bottom of the funnel quickly.

This is a continuous conversation in the industry now: brand building versus driving performance. But the conversation should always be about brand and performance. You’re not usually going to ask someone to marry you after the first date. That’s why brand building is still important, and building greater brand equity around fandom and community is crucial. The need for this has become even more pronounced, especially since our attention spans have become so fragmented. You still need affinity and emotional connection to resonate, get people to lean in further, and ultimately drive conversions.

Today at PB&, we often think about media mix not as a linear funnel, but as an always-on flywheel and how an ongoing content stream will continue delivering value over time. That’s what builds momentum for the brand and eventually drives more sales and loyalty overall.

4. What are some stand-out campaigns that you’ve run this year? What made them work? (*no need to name clients – more interested in tactics)

One in particular jumps to mind. The Seattle Kraken came to us after they got a less-than-ideal opener slot. When you’re kicking off a season, you generally want to be in a primetime slot. But, the Kraken got 1:30 pm on a Tuesday. So the team knew they needed to build hype to get people to watch the game and pack the arena.

In a market like Seattle, fans are scattered around the city with a tough commute. So the afternoon on a weekday isn’t ideal, especially for a home opener. Kids are in school, and parents are at work. We knew we had to add emotional weight to the game beyond just opening day, so we came up with the creative platform, “ Hooky for Hockey.” We ran media across channels owned and operated by Kraken, local news, social media, and more.

We saw the results on opening day: the arena was sold out, and fans came with signs proudly showing they were playing “Hooky for Hockey.” There was even ESPN coverage, where they mentioned Hooky For Hockey during the live broadcast. Making that campaign become part of the conversation in the hockey world was a big win for the Kraken and really set the tone for the season.

With Silverpush, we’ve focused on driving engagement from viewers for matches throughout the season. We know sports viewing behaviors have changed. Especially with younger demos consuming YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, it’s all about the highlights. By using Silverpush Mirrors, we can deliver our ads to specific hockey highlights with messaging that encourages people to tune in live, with campaigns like, “Why watch the highlights when you can see it live?”

5. Have you noticed the impact of AI over the past year? Where have you seen it being used the most?

I think a tidal wave is incoming and people are in for a rude awakening in our industry, not just creative, but across the board. We’re seeing it used in many pockets all around the industry, especially with D2C brands that are relying on AI for high-volume “churn and burn” creative. For mid and lower-funnel tactics, it can be a great tool to optimize targeting and bidding to drive a greater ROI against KPIs. You can churn out a lot of different creatives in tandem to rapidly test, learn, and refine at scale.

You aren’t necessarily beholden to a designer for minor tweaks or improvements. The science of what we do isn’t as bogged down by the time going into the art. But I think this is a crucial topic people get caught up in. There’s clear value to both, and I’m certainly not dismissing the power of creativity. In fact, it’s probably the most crucial ingredient to make this whole AI thing work the best it can… sustainably.

I think we get mistaken about ad creative and AI all the time. This isn’t nor should ever be a replacement for copywriters and art directors. Things might get more realistic as generative AI evolves and improves, but I don’t think AI will have a full understanding of the human condition, like our pain points, desires, and unspoken truths. You can populate AI with data, but you will never find me using the output it gives me for the final creative brief or creative.

Things just can’t resonate with humans if it’s a computer talking to a human or the only thing synthesizing data coming from humans. If you need high-volume (and affordable) output to fuel the engine of your experimentation after you land on a creative platform, that’s where AI can be of service. Not as a replacement. But, everyone should be comfortable with understanding prompting, how the technology works, and most importantly, how to get actionable and inspiring results to improve, not replace, creativity.

6. What are the biggest ad challenges for brands? What are the biggest opportunities?

Fragmentation – and not just in media channels. In communities and culture, IRL and online. I like to think of it as a Rubik’s cube. Add niche communities on top of media fragmentation, and all of a sudden, you have a way more complicated Rubik’s cube, and it’s a tougher puzzle to crack. Finding that perfect audience is like a needle in a haystack, where that haystack isn’t just on one plane or channel – but multiple.

We’ve seen the biggest opportunity is to really focus on building fandom in niche communities by not only showing up in the right environments but also in the right moments to deliver something that is human-first and empathy-first.

7. What is your advertising hot take?

The future is all about the time people spend with you, not the number of eyeballs you get. That’s why relevance is critical and why brands need to show up when and where it matters, but I think as technology advances…, we’re needing to go further and focus conversations around how we can be respectfully relevant. There really is a thing as being too invasive or too creepy when it comes to advertising. That’s when AI’s role in advertising can actually backfire in many ways.

You can’t skip the emotional connection just because you have the tools to get in front of someone right away in an environment you know will convert. Even with millions of targeting inputs and automated optimization, creative will always be the ultimate form of targeting. It’s the glue that melds these points of connection – media is just our vehicle to get it there. That’s why media strategy and creative should always be in lockstep every step of the way in today’s landscape.

TikTok is no longer just a platform for viral dances and trending audio, it’s now a serious force in the advertising world. With nearly 2 billion users and over 1.8 billion reachable through ads, it’s where your audience is spending their time. But while TikTok delivers unmatched reach, it hasn’t made life easy for advertisers.

You’ve got incredible scale, sure, but also fast feeds, unpredictable placements, and targeting that doesn’t always hit the mark. What worked on other platforms doesn’t work here. Because TikTok isn’t about demographics anymore—it’s about context. And that’s where the real opportunity lies.

Let’s walk through what’s broken in TikTok advertising today, why traditional strategies are falling short, and how a contextual targeting strategy powered by Mirrors for TikTok can help you finally connect.

TikTok’s Scale Is Unmatched—But So Are Its Challenges

There’s no denying TikTok’s power. Users spend over 90+ minutes a day on the app, and it’s become the go-to space for discovery, entertainment, and even shopping. Brands love the exposure, and creators drive trends that can put a product on the map overnight.

But there’s a flip side.

The content feed is highly dynamic and unforgiving. If your ad doesn’t grab attention immediately, it gets swiped past in a heartbeat. The repetition fatigue is real, too—users are consuming so much content in short bursts that stale or irrelevant ads get tuned out fast.

And it’s not just the pace. Ad targeting still lacks the precision you’d get on platforms like Meta. You can’t always isolate your audience or control exactly where your ad lands. So, while TikTok gives you reach, it also makes it harder to stay relevant or safe.

The Limitations of TikTok Advertising Today

Despite all the potential, TikTok’s current ad setup creates friction for marketers. Let’s break down the key challenges:-

1. Ads Are Bundled and Uncontrollable

You can’t just run a “TikTok-only” campaign. Ads are bundled across placements—In-Feed, TopView, and even third-party apps like Pangle. That makes it tough to know where your content will appear or to focus spending on users actively watching short-form TikTok videos. You’re casting a wide net, often without knowing what you’ll catch.

2. Brand Safety Blind Spots

The scroll never stops, and neither does the risk. Your ad might show up between brand-safe videos, but just a few swipes later, it could be adjacent to something completely off-brand—or worse. TikTok has introduced some exclusion tools, but the ever-changing nature of content makes it tough to keep full control over your brand’s environment.

3. Poor Measurement & Context Disconnection

TikTok gives you plenty of performance data – views, impressions, engagement rates- but it doesn’t always tell you why an ad performed the way it did. Was it the content style? The creator? Without deeper, contextual insights, you’re left piecing things together instead of making confident, data-backed decisions.

Mirrors for TikTok: Smarter Targeting Starts With Smarter Context

We understand that running and executing campaigns on TikTok has never been easy. Campaign setups are complex. Trends change by the hour. And content turnover happens too quickly to manage manually.

That’s exactly why we built Mirrors for TikTok.

It’s not just another tool to place ads. It’s an AI-powered, all-in-one solution that helps you launch smarter, stay safer, and actually connect with people, instead of just reaching them. Think of it as your TikTok co-pilot: scanning what’s trending, deciding where your brand fits best, and keeping things optimized in real-time.

Because in short-form, blink-and-you-miss-it environments, context isn’t optional. It’s everything.

So, What Makes Mirrors for TikTok Different?

At its core, Mirrors is designed to help you stop guessing and start growing—faster and more confidently. It’s built on a three-layer AI engine that simplifies every step of your TikTok ad campaign:

Built-In Brand Safety That Keeps Up With TikTok Speed

It’s the ever-shifting content feed that makes TikTok exciting, but also risky. With content shifting by the second, Mirrors adds an extra layer of protection that goes further than TikTok’s default tools. From advanced filters to video-level controls, your ads stay away from unsafe or off-brand content.

Why Now? Why Context?

TikTok doesn’t wait. New sounds, new formats, new creators—everything evolves overnight. To keep up, your targeting has to evolve too.

Contextual AI gives you the flexibility and precision you need to adapt in real time. It helps you stay relevant without needing personal data, which also checks the box for privacy-conscious users and brands.

And with 2025’s advertising landscape putting more weight on relevance, safety, and privacy, contextual targeting isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s your edge.

Ready to Win TikTok in 2025?

If you’ve been struggling with limited targeting, poor brand alignment, or underwhelming campaign results, it’s time to try something different.

With Mirrors for TikTok, your brand doesn’t just show up—it fits in.

This is how you stop chasing trends and start riding them.

Contact us to see how smarter targeting can drive better outcomes.

This week, Silverpush is excited to feature Scott Stewart, the EVP, Managing Director at Epitaph Group. We break down what makes the agency special, why Epitaph Group chose Silverpush as a contextual partner, and, best of all, Scott’s hot take on the advertising world today.

1. Tell us about your agency. What makes you stand out?

I think the thing that is special about Epitaph Group is that we are a Canadian independent agency with very big ambitions. We have a portfolio of global, North American, and national clients. As a result, we’ve developed a proprietary product suite that has been designed to help vault us into becoming the agency of tomorrow – today!

As an agency, we recently went through a re-positioning around the whole concept of “Media Done Right”, largely to address some of what we see as the key issues affecting the industry. We want to position ourselves on the right side of history to do what’s best for our clients.

A commitment to better strategy, radical transparency in business, and an unwavering accountability to our clients’ best interest is what really sets us apart from other agencies and the holding companies, a lot of which have simply become principal buyers.

In short, being independent allows us to think independently.

2. What made you choose Silverpush as a contextual partner?

We are big believers in the attention economy and identifying partners that will help us increase the overall quality of what we buy on behalf of our clients.

Aside from brand safety, if we can increase quality by both buying better audiences and increasing ad attention, we are doing something right. Silverpush has been a key partner in helping us do that on YouTube, which continues to be a priority platform for our clients.

3. Has the market changed recently? What are the biggest trends that you’ve seen with clients recently?

Attention and accountability to ad spend are two key areas that we are focused on to help improve our clients’ investment, and contextual targeting has become a big part of that.

We see return on ad spending measurement as table stakes, which is why we have invested substantially in infrastructure for the agency to model and measure the performance of our ad buys.

At Epitaph Group, we see our jobs today as providing our clients with a clear and visible linkage between media dollars spent and business transactions created. We leverage this data to move away from having media conversations to having business conversations with our clients and outcome-based planning.

4. What ad channels are driving the best results?

It obviously depends on what the strategic objective is, but for long-term growth and brand building, video in general tends to be key for building awareness. In the short term, social is key, largely due to its cost efficiency and virality.

Now that we are doing a lot of measurement, specifically around attribution and incrementality, we can now quantify the impact of each channel on the bottom line.

That said, time and time again, we continue to see YouTube as a priority channel.

5. Have you noticed the impact of AI over the past year? Where have you seen it being used the most?

Machine learning has impacted our business model from how we use predictive AI from both a performance perspective, scoring incrementality, and obviously in what we are doing with contextual targeting.

ChatGPT has created a reduction in search and web visits, but the biggest area I think we have seen an impact in is deep research.

6. What are the biggest ad challenges for brands? What are the biggest opportunities?

The biggest challenge is another year of doing more with less from a budget perspective, how to leverage all this data, and how much of the budget should be dedicated to the brand.

The biggest opportunity is all based on building a model to understand incrementality and spending impact when it comes to the brand.

7. What is your advertising hot take?

Recently, we have seen the third wave of the rise of the creative indy here in Canada, with big creative names leaving the big agencies, only to open their own shops and achieve a great deal of success.

As more and more clients want better from their media agency, and by that, I mean better consumer insights, better strategic thinking, and better, more meaningful connections with their audiences, there is a big need for better media thinking.

Performance media has been the great equalizer, and true efficiency isn’t about how cheap you can buy anymore. It’s about the strategy, the solution, and how close you can get to the consumer.

Simply put: clients deserve better than they are getting from the industry, and that’s why we exist.

Want to learn more about Epitaph Group? Visit the agency website here.

Back-to-school shopping has gone fully digital, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. In 2025, U.S. back-to-school spending is projected to hit $41.5 billion, with families spending around $253 per child. Despite tighter wallets, parents are still prioritizing essentials, and they’re finding inspiration and deals online.

However, this surge comes with a twist: while shoppers are spending more, according to the 2024 survey by Deloitte, 71% say they plan to cut back on nonessentials. So even with rising totals, the fight for attention (and conversion) is tougher than ever.

That’s where smarter back-to-school advertising makes the difference.

From early sales and e-commerce expansion to growing shopper stress, brands are entering a crowded, emotionally charged season. And in a moment shaped by both pressure and possibility, marketing needs to meet people where they are.

If your brand wants to stand out this year, the answer isn’t just bigger budgets. It’s a better context.

In this guide, we’ll break down what’s shaping back-to-school marketing in 2025, how shopper behavior is evolving, and how contextual targeting can help you show up when it matters most.

Get Ahead of the Class — Plan Your Best Back-to-School Ads

Get the Back-to-School Guide

The 2025 Back-to-School Market Landscape

As the season heats up, so does the competition. This year, B2S advertising is being shaped by a mix of high demand, economic pressure, and evolving shopper habits.

Spending may be up, but shoppers are more cautious. Over 70% of parents are prioritizing discounts, second-hand finds, and flexible payment options. From sales and supplies to full wardrobes and electronics, value is everything.

What’s changing fast is how and where people shop. Back-to-school retail is now fully omnichannel. Parents expect a smooth, connected experience whether they’re browsing in-store, buying online, or doing both. And they’re starting early, often before July ends.

Retailers are responding with earlier back-to-school sales, AI-powered personalization, and new tools like AR-assisted shopping and gamified promotions. Tech is helping brands stay ahead—but only if they use it right.

Globally, we’re seeing this play out too. In the UK, AI-enhanced learning tools are trending. In France, BTS supply sales topped €330M. And across Europe, Gen Z alone spent over €16B last year.

Who Are Today’s Back-to-School Shoppers?

Back-to-school shoppers in 2025 aren’t just scanning shelves—they’re scrolling, swiping, and shopping with intent. From Gen Z students to Millennial parents, each audience brings different motivations and digital habits into the mix.

Take Gen Z: they’re not just buying notebooks; they’re watching creator hauls, saving TikToks, and choosing products that reflect their identity. College students, meanwhile, are driving categories like electronics, health & wellness, and dorm décor. And millennials? They’re shopping for both their kids and themselves, often with value, function, and convenience in mind.

So what does this mean for marketers? You’re no longer selling to just a “parent” or a “student”—you’re engaging dynamic, creator-influenced, budget-conscious buyers who expect relevance at every step. To stand out, your back-to-school marketing must be as personalized and purposeful as the shoppers you’re trying to reach.

Why Context Is Crucial in Back-to-School 2025

With shoppers making quicker decisions and digital shelves more crowded than ever, relevance is the new reach. During back-to-school season, you’re not just competing for clicks; you’re competing for timing, mood, and moment.

Most shoppers don’t have time to scroll endlessly. In fact, 96% say they want products and promotions to be easy to find. That’s where contextual targeting shines. Instead of relying on cookies or assumptions, it places your ads next to content your audience is already engaging with—think BTS hauls, teacher tips, or college dorm setups.

The impact? Contextual ads can drive up to a 417% ROI uplift, especially when tied to real-time behaviors across YouTube, TikTok, and retail platforms. With 72% of consumers using social media to discover school-related content, it’s not just about showing up—it’s about showing up where and when it matters most.

As shoppers hunt for deals, ideas, and inspiration, your back-to-school marketing has to meet them in their moment, not after it. Context makes that possible.

How Silverpush AI Powers Smarter Back-to-School Campaigns

Smarter Back-to-School Campaigns with Silverpush AI

If timing is everything, Mirrors by Silverpush makes sure you never miss the moment.

Built for an omnichannel world, Mirrors by Silverpush is a contextual intelligence engine that helps you reach back-to-school shoppers right when they’re planning, scrolling, or shopping across YouTube, Shorts, social platforms, and programmatic media.

Instead of relying on guesswork or outdated signals, Mirrors uses a triple-layered AI model to scan real-time context, like parenting content, school supply hauls, or dorm room DIYs, ensuring your ads land where they’re most relevant.

It’s privacy-safe, cookie-free, and designed to unlock new audiences, new inventory, and stronger campaign performance when it matters most.

Back-to-school is no longer just a season—it’s a $41.5B moment of digital intent. Want to see how contextual targeting can help your brand own it?

This week, Silverpush is excited to feature Vaughn Ericson, the SVP of Activation Strategy for True Media. We caught up with Vaughn about what makes True Media special and discussed the biggest trends in the ad market this year.

Here’s what Vaughn said.

1. Tell us about your agency. What makes True Media special?

True Media is an independent media agency helping leading and emerging brands across North America rise above the noise and make relevant connections with their customers. We work closely with our clients to apply deep media expertise and a genuine human perspective to enable them to find what’s true and elevate their brands.

2. What made you choose Silverpush as a contextual partner?

At True Media, we’re always on the lookout for innovative media partners. Silverpush brings smart processes and tech to the table to help us get the most out of our clients’ media dollars. Some might call them vendors, but to us, they’re true partners. They’re part of our team, working right alongside us with one shared goal: delivering industry-leading solutions and top-notch results.

3. How has the ad market changed over the past five years? Are there trends in your region that you’ve noticed specifically?

1. The growth of video options, primarily CTV/streaming, has had a big impact on the market.
2. Short-form video and the influencer economy have opened a new channel for marketers and consumers.
3. The proliferation of AI technology across several areas (machine learning, content generation, contextual identification) has changed the way we do marketing.
4. A new focus on Performance Media and measurable results.
5. Growth of retail media networks and advertising opportunities within and outside of their walls.

I don’t think any of these are specific to our region. These trends have had an impact regionally, nationally, and globally.

4. What ad channels are driving the best results for clients right now?

There’s not a single channel that is driving the best results on its own.

At True Media, we’re focused on overall campaign goals and making sure that our integrated media plans are helping our clients rise above the noise and clutter to make relevant connections with their customers/target audiences. Although every channel and tactic must be tracked, optimized, and measured individually, we’re focused most on how each is contributing to the holistic campaign goals.

5. Are you noticing any specific trends in how brands are leveraging data or AI-driven tools to connect with local audiences?

While programmatic advertising and RTB have been driven by AI for years, advances in AI technologies let brands connect with customers in more hyper-targeted, hyper-personalized ways based on a variety of behavior, contextual, and/or location data.

6. What are the biggest advertising challenges for brands today? What are the biggest opportunities?

That’s a great question. The biggest challenges ARE the biggest opportunities.

Wrangling data. Using data effectively to reach the right target with the right message at the right time. It’s not a new concept, but a more complicated reality. Being data-driven while being efficient and effective with the data is critical. As stewards of our clients’ media dollars, reaching our target audiences with minimal waste and maximum results is our goal.

Want to learn more about True Media? Visit the agency website here.

Nearly 1 in 4 Gen Z adults in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ.

That’s more than double the rate of Millennials, and it’s changing the way brands approach Pride advertising.

This isn’t just a stat. It’s a wake-up call.

Gen Z is the most diverse, values-driven generation we’ve seen. And with $3.1 trillion in global spending power, they’re not just making their own choices; they’re influencing how their friends, families, and even workplaces interact with brands.
So when Pride Month rolls around, they’re not looking for rainbow logos and feel-good slogans. They want real support. They want to see inclusion in your products, your people, and your platform, not just your June campaign.

For Gen Z, allyship isn’t a seasonal post. It’s a year-round expectation, and they’re not afraid to call out brands that don’t walk the talk. But they’ll also go all in on the ones that do.

So if you’re planning a Pride campaign in 2025, it’s time to go deeper. Here’s what Gen Z actually expects, and how your brand can show up in a way that feels real.

What Drives Gen Z to Buy During Pride (and Beyond)

But what does support actually look like to them, and how does it impact buying decisions?

Gen Z doesn’t just buy products; they buy into what your brand stands for. And during Pride, that matters more than ever. This generation is quick to spot rainbow-washing—when brands show up for the LGBTQ+ community in June, only to disappear the rest of the year. For Gen Z, real allyship means showing consistent support, not just putting up a rainbow logo once a year. They expect authenticity backed by action.

In fact, according to the McKinsey Report 2024, around 70% of Gen Z actively seek out ethical brands, and they’re not afraid to dig into a company’s track record, looking at donations, partnerships, and internal policies before making a purchase. If your values don’t line up with your marketing, they’ll notice and move on.

Representation also plays a big role. About 80% want brands to be inclusive and diverse, and more than half want to see that reflected in leadership too. For them, inclusion isn’t a marketing angle, it’s the standard. This is a generation that sees gender and identity through a wider lens. Over a third (37%) believe gender exists on a spectrum, and 23% prefer being asked for their pronouns rather than having assumptions made.

They also live and shop on social media, with more than 50% having bought something they saw on a platform. So if you’re working with LGBTQ+ creators in authentic ways, you’re already on the right track.

Ultimately, Gen Z rewards brands that are consistent, inclusive, and community-focused—not just during Pride Month, but every day of the year.

Gen Z Pride Shopping Behaviours by Age

Gen Z (ages 13 to 28 in 2025) isn’t one homogenous group. Their Pride-related purchase behavior is shaped by age, income, digital habits, and how they express identity. Here’s how their motivations break down by life stage.

Where to Reach, and Really Engage—Gen Z During Pride 2025

Once you understand what Gen Z expects from brands during Pride, the next step is knowing where to reach them and how to make that connection meaningful.

This generation spends a huge amount of time on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Connected TV. But they’re not just watching passively. They’re choosing what to engage with, and they’re paying attention. In fact, research by Precise TV and Giraffe Insights shows that six in 10 Gen Z teens opt to watch YouTube ads rather than skip them, and nearly half can recall the ads they’ve seen. That’s a major opportunity for brands, but only if your content feels relevant, timely, and native to the platform.That’s where Silverpush’s Mirrors solution comes in. Mirrors uses AI-powered contextual intelligence to analyze video content in real time and place your ads in the moments that matter most—like Pride-themed content, LGBTQ+ creators, or inclusive conversations—Gen Z is already watching. With no cookies or invasive tracking, it ensures your message appears in the right context and aligns with what this generation cares about.

But showing up is only half the battle. To truly connect with Gen Z, you need to move beyond passive impressions and create opportunities for interaction. That’s where Crafters, Silverpush’s creative intelligence solution, makes a real impact. It lets you turn regular video ads into interactive experiences—think swipeable stories, tap-to-explore product reveals, or clickable elements that make ads feel personal. And with 38% of Gen Z preferring personalized ads, nearly double the rate of Millennials, it’s a smart way to meet their expectations.

At the end of the day, Gen Z doesn’t just want to see your Pride message. They want to engage with it. And when you meet them on the platforms they love, with content that feels both authentic and interactive, you’re not just reaching them—you’re building real brand connection.

Silverpush is excited to highlight Arm Candy for our Partner Spotlight this week. We caught up with Dana Ventre (Director, Ad Operations), Zach Thompson (Sr. Director, Ad Operations), and Kelsi Jiang (Director, Product) to learn more about the agency and what the team is expecting in the ad market this year.

Here’s what they had to say:

1. Tell us more about Arm Candy. What makes the agency special?

Arm Candy is a full-service media intelligence agency combining smarter workflows, proprietary media intelligence technology, CYRIS, and a brilliant workforce to deliver the highest quality service and results for every client. Our clients value us as a full-service media service provider to manage investments across traditional, digital, and/or retail channels as well as for real-time data visualization across multiple data sources.

A lot of the time, our data models are built with data from sales, revenue, leads, website, and media analytics, and our team combines those metrics with a culture of accuracy, speed, and quality.

2. How did you end up choosing Silverpush as a contextual partner?

Silverpush’s Mirrors technology was an intriguing solution to a complex issue within the YouTube space – placing ads on the most relevant content. The Silverpush Mirrors AI solution identifies contextual placements by analyzing contextual signals across each video to understand relevance. Additionally, Mirrors is used in the upfront process, helping provide a comprehensive plan to target specific placements to give advertisers and brands a sense of where ads will be served.

3. How has the ad market changed over the past five years? Are there trends in your region that you’ve noticed specifically?

Over the past five years, we have seen some notable shifts influenced by technological advancements, changing consumer behaviors, and economic factors. Some of the key trends include:

• Digital ad spending has increased by over 10% year-over-year in the last 5 years, with consumers increasingly spending time online, leading to a shift from traditional media spend. The emergence of retail media is also significant, reflecting the growing importance of retail platforms in the digital advertising ecosystem.
• The digital advertising landscape has been reshaped by shoppable videos, the rise of short-form video content, and the dominance of vertical video platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Reels. Brands increasingly use concise videos to maximize audience engagement. The integration of shoppable videos has further elevated the consumer experience by allowing direct purchases from the video, leading to a significant boost in conversion rates.
• The adoption of AI-driven advertising enables a platform’s ability to enhance its advertising solutions and offerings. For instance, Google’s Performance Max campaign type, Meta’s advantage+ feature across budget allocation, audience targeting, creative optimization, and programmatic vendors’ probabilistic modeling allow more precise audience targeting for better return, etc.

4. What ad channels are driving the best results for clients right now?

Ad channels can play different roles for a brand when it comes to different objectives. When evaluated based on attributed outcomes, we typically see lower funnel channels like Google Search driving higher ROAS or better CPA, especially for B2C clients. ABM and LinkedIn, on the other hand, usually yield better outcomes for B2B accounts with their precise targeting capabilities.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok can be great for various objectives like conversion, traffic, and awareness. Similarly, programmatic media such as display, online video, and OTT/CTV are great for various objectives but thrive more in the middle and top of the funnel.

5. Are you noticing any specific trends in how brands are leveraging data or AI-driven tools to connect with local audiences?

Brands are increasingly leveraging new tools to connect with local audiences in different ways. Here are the top three ways we’ve seen value with AI so far:

• Predictive Analytics – Predictive analytics allows businesses to anticipate local market trends and consumer needs and proactively adjust their offering and marketing strategies to align with evolving demands.
• Personalization, Automation, and Segmentation – The adoption of AI in CRM enables easier management and better understanding of leads and customers for businesses. For example, managing unstructured data, sending the right content to the right person automatically, predicting the likelihood of a lead to convert before investing resources, and using AI chatbots to provide more real-time, localized customer services.
• Automated Content Creation – Generative AI assists businesses in content creation, which can help lower costs and improve the efficiency of producing variations of the same creative content that speak to different regions or audiences.

6. What are the biggest advertising challenges for brands today? What are the biggest opportunities?

We typically see clients having the biggest challenges in three key areas:

1. Attribution. Relying on media platform attribution data presents challenges like platform bias, duplicate conversions, short-term focus, and limited cross-platform visibility. These challenges create difficulties for businesses when it comes to comparing and evaluating channel effectiveness. While broader measurement approaches, such as unified measurement or media/marketing mix modeling, can be the solution, they are often not available due to data complexity, implementation cost, and delayed results for timely decision-making.

2. Data Privacy Regulation and the Decline of Third-Party Cookies. Data privacy laws like GDPR and the disappearance of third-party cookies are making tracking traditional user behavior difficult. This is pushing advertisers towards strategies that prioritize first-party data.

3. Balancing Performance Marketing with Creative Branding. Businesses struggle to find the optimal balance between data-driven performance marketing and creative brand storytelling, essential for long-term brand equity.

In terms of opportunities, Arm Candy is focused on four core strategies:

1. Scale with AI. Test AI-powered tools for personalized marketing, enhanced customer experiences, and efficient data analysis, enabling businesses to connect more effectively with their audience with greater precision.

2. Build a Model for Unified Measurement. Integrate multi-touch attribution (MTA) with marketing mix modeling (MMM) to gain a holistic view of both short-term and long-term performance.

3. Create a First-Party Data Strategy. Prioritize building a robust first-party data infrastructure to improve targeting, personalization, and measurement accuracy.

4. Embrace Short-Form Video Content. The rise of platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts offers a significant opportunity to bridge the gap between performance marketing and creative branding. Short-form videos inherently blend creative storytelling with data-driven performance insights.

By leveraging the interactive and algorithm-driven nature of these platforms, brands can quickly test and refine creative approaches, ensuring their messages resonate while also delivering measurable business results.

Want to learn more about Arm Candy? Visit the agency website here.

Mother’s Day isn’t just a day of appreciation; it’s a key retail event that’s only growing stronger. In 2025, brands can’t afford to miss out on this $35.7 billion shopping moment, where consumers are actively looking for gifts, experiences, and ways to celebrate.

But winning this holiday takes more than a basic campaign. Shoppers are moving away from one-size-fits-all gifting and seeking personalized, meaningful, and experience-based presents. And with CTV, e-commerce, and social shopping leading the charge, advertisers need to craft targeted, data-driven campaigns that meet shoppers at the right moment.

In this guide, we’ll break down the biggest Mother’s Day marketing trends, consumer insights, and strategies to help you engage your audience and drive sales like never before.

Mother’s Day Advertising: Market Outlook

Mother’s Day shopping has evolved beyond just flowers and greeting cards. Consumers are growing, and so are their expectations. In 2025, brands that understand how, when, and why people buy will have the upper hand in capturing this massive retail moment.

One of the biggest shifts? Shoppers now define value beyond just price. Discounts still matter, but today’s buyers are looking for convenience, personalization, and meaningful experiences. More than ever, they want gifts that feel special, save time, and create lasting memories.

📊Key Mother’s Day statistics for 2025:-

1. 43% of shoppers plan to buy experience-based gifts rather than traditional presents.
2. 26% of consumers prefer customized gifts, showing a growing demand for unique, sentimental presents.
3. 70% of buyers purchase Mother’s Day gifts at least two weeks in advance, meaning late campaigns risk missing key audiences.
4. 25% of consumers plan to shop local for Mother’s Day, making it a crucial period for independent retailers.

Mother’s Day Retail Trends and Opportunities

Gift-ready products help time and cost-conscious shoppers

Gift sets are a real lifesaver for consumers who are watching their wallets or are constantly on the go, especially during events like Mother’s Day. Retailers can really hit the sweet spot with impulse buyers by highlighting how gift sets offer both convenience and value. By getting the word out about the perks, like saving time and money on additional packaging like gift boxes, wrapping paper, and greeting cards.

Moreover, the ability for shoppers to personalize messages on labels adds an extra touch of sentimentality, further enhancing the appeal of gift sets. By effectively communicating these advantages, retailers can capitalize on the demand for thoughtful yet convenient gift options during special occasions like Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day retail trends: 57% of consumers perceive gift sets as good value for money.

Strongest interest for personalized Mother’s Day gifts

For brands and retailers, personalization is like a breath of fresh air for those tried-and-true Mother’s Day offerings. It’s a chance to give beloved products a new twist and introduce them in innovative ways. By offering personalized options, retailers are essentially rolling out the red carpet, inviting customers to join in on the celebration. It’s all about adding that extra sparkle to the gifting experience and making Mother’s Day truly unforgettable.

Mother’s Day retail trends: 26% of consumers express interest in personalized gifts, highlighting the growing appeal and relevance of this trend in the Mother’s Day retail landscape.

The rise of experience-based gifting

Consumers are shifting away from traditional gifts and increasingly seeking experiences over material items. More than 43% of shoppers planned to buy an experience-based gift in 2024, such as concert tickets, wellness retreats, or travel packages. This trend highlights an opportunity for brands in the hospitality, entertainment, and experiential sectors to create targeted Mother’s Day promotions.

Mother’s Day retail trends: Nearly one-third of consumers prefer gifting experiences over traditional gifts like flowers and jewelry.

Engage With Mother’s Day Shoppers Where They Are

Recent years have witnessed a remarkable shift in consumer behavior towards e-commerce, with notable impacts across various regions. In the US, retail e-commerce revenue reached $1.192 trillion in 2024, with projections suggesting a further surge to over $1.7 trillion by 2028.

Similarly, the UK has experienced a significant uptick in e-commerce adoption, with annual sales growth expected to maintain a steady pace of around 4% through 2026, driven partly by a preference for online shopping amid inflationary pressures. Notably, the UK leads Europe in e-commerce sophistication, with an estimated 68.8 million e-commerce users projected by 2025, leaving only a minority as non-digital buyers.

While traditional brick-and-mortar shopping still holds sway, the momentum behind e-commerce is undeniable. Consumers are increasingly drawn to online shopping for its array of benefits, including swift delivery, hassle-free returns, and diverse payment options like buy now, pay later (BNPL) schemes.

Furthermore, the rise of e-commerce has transformed how consumers discover new products. Many now rely on the internet to explore unfamiliar brands, services, and products. As a result, businesses must establish a robust digital presence to effectively connect and engage with consumers amidst these evolving trends and preferences.

Capture Shoppers’ Attention with AI-Powered Contextual Advertising

Today, contextual advertising leverages AI and machine learning to elevate the effectiveness of ad campaigns. With its ability to reach the relevant consumers in the right context in their right frame of mind, it has become a potent tool for advertisers.

Contextual advertising solutions like that of Silverpush analyze the page’s content to derive hyper-relevant cues that align with the brand’s goal and objective. Sophisticated algorithms also analyze whether the content is brand-safe. Aligning ads with the content that the consumer is actively engaging with can connect with audiences when they are most receptive.

For example, imagine a jewelry brand preparing for advertising for Mother’s Day and eager to promote its unique collection of customizable necklaces. Through a strategic contextual advertising campaign, the brand can select keywords like “Mother’s Day gifts,” “personalized jewelry,” “meaningful gifts for mom,” or “sentimental keepsakes.” This ensures that their ads are displayed alongside relevant content.

Connect with Your Audience Online this Mother’s Day

With these valuable insights into Mother’s Day consumer behavior, you can fine-tune your marketing strategy for this cherished annual celebration. Embracing a digitally savvy approach allows you to connect with shoppers who are keen to honor not just their mothers, but also their wives, grandmothers, and other caregivers!

Eager to launch standout Mother’s Day campaigns? Request a demo now to discover how Silverpush can elevate your efforts.

Silverpush is excited to highlight TRUth for our Partner Spotlight this week. We caught up with Alice Ovadia, VP of Media Strategy at TRUth, to learn more about the agency and talked to her about her big predictions for the ad market in the coming years.

Here’s what Alice said.

1. Tell us about the agency. What makes you stand out?

TRUth Media is one of those rare agencies where people stick around. And so do our clients.

Most of our growth comes from referrals, recommendations, and long-standing relationships with clients who take us with them wherever they go. We’re incredibly proud of our retention rate, and it’s all based on the caliber of work that we deliver.

TRUth is set apart by our smart strategy and solid business thinking, but our biggest difference is the culture we’ve carefully built over the years. We treat every employee, no matter what level, like adults and trust them to do good work while maintaining the work-life balance that’s right for them. No one has to choose between being a great parent and a strong professional.

Our name reflects our philosophy of truth and transparency. That’s how we show up in the world, with each other, our clients, and our partners. That simple but powerful principle is the foundation of everything we do.

2. What made you choose Silverpush as a contextual partner?

As the industry continues to move away from cookies, we were looking for a partner that could help us stay ahead without compromising on precision or relevance. Silverpush stood out to us because they’ve really nailed contextual in a smart, scalable way. Their AI-powered tech lets us align our messaging with what people are actually watching and engaging with. We also really value how seriously Silverpush takes brand safety and suitability. At the end of the day, we want to show up in the right places, with the right message, and Silverpush helps us do that in a way that feels both effective and responsible.

3. How has the ad market changed over the past five years? Are there trends in your region that you’ve noticed specifically?

Marketing and media have become increasingly fragmented, with a shift toward digital-first and omnichannel strategies. In the Southwest US, we’ve seen a growing emphasis on multicultural marketing and hyper-local activations as brands work to connect authentically with diverse audiences.

Streaming, retail media, and AI-driven automation have accelerated, reshaping how brands allocate budgets and measure success.

4. What ad channels are driving the best results for clients right now?

Performance-driven digital channels, particularly paid search, social, and programmatic video, continue to deliver strong results.

Retail media networks are also gaining traction as brands look for more direct connections with high-intent shoppers. Additionally, CTV and digital out-of-home (DOOH) are seeing growth as brands seek efficient ways to engage audiences beyond traditional linear TV. In general, we believe that omnichannel plans that include both upper funnel and lower funnel tactics will perform better than those that only include performance channels.

5. Are you noticing any specific trends in how brands are leveraging data or AI-driven tools to connect with local audiences?

Brands are leaning into AI for dynamic creative optimization, predictive analytics, and hyper-local personalization. AI-powered insights are helping advertisers refine audience segmentation and improve real-time bidding efficiency. Additionally, first-party data strategies have become a priority as brands navigate privacy changes while maintaining meaningful customer engagement.

For brands that are not as sophisticated with their internal tools and resources, we help facilitate a lot of this by leveraging tools that offer automation and customization.

6. What are the biggest advertising challenges for brands today? What are the biggest opportunities?

One of the biggest challenges is navigating privacy regulations and signal loss while still delivering measurable performance. Additionally, breaking through ad fatigue and shifting consumer behaviors – not to mention fragmentation – requires us to constantly test, learn, and pivot when needed. On the opportunity side, brands that embrace AI, first-party data strategies, and cross-channel measurement will gain a competitive edge, while those investing in better creative and storytelling and community-driven marketing will build stronger brand affinity.

Want to learn more about TRUth? Visit the agency website here.

When your ad campaign ends and the dashboard lights up with a “great” VTR or a CTR that’s above average, you celebrate, right? But then comes the pause. What actually made it work? Was it the creative? The audience? The time of day? The context of the video? Most platforms won’t tell you. And that’s where advertising campaigns start falling short.

Today’s digital ecosystem is more fragmented than ever. Users flip between screens, skip ads in seconds, and expect personalization without the creepiness of tracking. With this much unpredictability, you can’t just rely on top-line numbers. You need to zoom in. Granular insights give you the “why” behind performance, not just the “what.” And that makes all the difference.

What Do We Mean by “Granular” Anyway?

Let’s break it down. When we say granular insights, we’re talking about data beyond basic metrics like impressions, reach, or even engagement. It’s knowing which campaign creative drove the most action in a particular context—say, a fashion haul video vs. a skincare tutorial. It’s understanding how your ad performed differently on mobile versus desktop or in urban vs. rural areas.

Granular data means getting answers to questions like:

1. Which content categories or video types led to stronger engagement?
2. How did creative performance vary across formats, devices, or regions?
3. Did contextual alignment—like brand mentions or creator-led content strategy—drive better results?

This kind of detail isn’t just nice to have; it’s your campaign’s biggest growth lever. And it’s what separates a generic campaign from a granular campaign, built to deliver meaningful results.

When You Don’t Have the Details, You Miss the Mark

Honestly speaking, media budgets aren’t getting any lighter. Every dollar has to pull its weight. When you only look at high-level performance, you’re missing what’s under the hood. You might continue running creatives that aren’t actually moving the needle or, worse, waste impressions on contexts that don’t align with your brand.

And legacy platforms? They’re built around audience buckets and keyword lists. Not real context. Not behavior patterns. And certainly not emotion, action, or moment-level engagement.

So, you know your ad worked. But you don’t know why. That’s not optimization—that’s guesswork.

What Granular Insights Help You Unlock?

Let’s look at what you actually stand to gain when you go deeper with your data.

1. Creative-context fit: Understand which types of videos, moods, or themes are boosting performance for each creative.
2. Audience segment behavior: Break down performance by region, device, or even psychographic patterns.
3. Real-time visibility: Know how each creative is performing in different contexts while the campaign is still live.
4. Sentiment tracking: Get a pulse on whether viewers are engaging with joy, curiosity, confusion, or even frustration.

With granular targeting, you stop flying blind. Every decision you make is sharper, backed by real behavior and context, not assumptions.

And the payoff is real; according to a recent study, 94% of consumers prefer contextual ads over identity-based ads across the US, UK, and Canada.

What If You Could Actually Act on These Insights in Real Time?

Imagine running a campaign and getting a live snapshot that says, “Your ad is performing 34% better when shown within skincare tutorials at night on mobile.” You don’t wait until the post-campaign report. You optimize right now—tweaking your ad placements, creatives, and budget allocation accordingly.

This is where most platforms fall flat. They’ll give you the numbers but not the story. Not the recommendations. Not the ability to act while it still matters.

That’s the difference between basic campaign analytics and real-time campaign analysis that fuels actual decision-making.

So, How Do You Actually Get These Insights? Enter, Mirrors by Silverpush

If you’re looking for a smarter way to break down your campaign performance, Mirrors was built for this exact purpose. Powered by advanced AI, it employs proprietary machine learning algorithms to analyze and comprehend the digital environment thoroughly. It also helps you identify the most effective moments, contexts, and creative combinations while your campaign is still live.

Here’s what it brings to the table:

• Rich contextual signals spanning multiple content categories and themes.
• Daily insight dashboards that go beyond just clicks and views.
• Performance breakdowns by tactic, creative, geography, device, and platform.
• Creative-context pairing, so you know what to run where.
• Language and emotion recognition across 50+ languages for global relevance.

And when it comes to brand safety, Mirrors goes beyond just being “brand safe.”

Traditional solutions often overblock valuable content or underdeliver on protection. Mirrors offers a comprehensive brand safety & suitability solution built specifically for YouTube environments.

It uses AI-powered content analysis combined with human oversight to ensure your ads appear in suitable, high-quality environments without sacrificing scale.

One retail apparel brand using Mirrors saw an 18% lift from a contextual refresh in Google search. A food brand hit +92% VTR. And a health campaign drove a 5.8% lift in brand recall. These weren’t random results. They were powered by micro-level data that led to smarter decisions.

Final Thoughts: Data is Great, Intelligence is Better

There’s no doubt; granular insights are the difference between an ad that performs okay and one that performs insanely well. The difference between campaigns that just run and campaigns that learn.

And in today’s world of tightening privacy rules, real-time shifts in behavior, and advertising fatigue setting in faster than ever, you need more than averages. You need actionable, granular intelligence.

Mirrors make that possible, turning every ad into an opportunity to learn, adapt, and win.

Want to see how it works in action? Let’s talk.