
A LITTLE UPDATE
	“Welcome to the first Louder newsletter of 2026. This year is already shaping up as a reset for marketing infrastructure. Media, measurement and data systems are no longer background plumbing, they’re now directly tied to performance, trust and risk. In this edition, we unpack how Campaign Manager 360 has quietly shifted from a backend ad server into the centre of gravity for Google Marketing Platform, and why that matters as signals weaken and automation accelerates. As CM360 becomes more central, small tracking mistakes can now carry real financial and attribution consequences, something the new misuse of tags diagnostic highlights, but doesn’t solve on its own. We also step back to examine the broader reset underway across Australia’s ad tech stack, driven by AI-led decisioning, fragile open-web economics and tightening privacy enforcement. With the OAIC kicking off its first-ever compliance sweep, these risks are no longer theoretical. The question for 2026 is simple, do we really understand, and control, the systems now making decisions on our behalf? Let’s dive into it.”

SPOTLIGHT
	CM360 tracking misuse: the hidden cost risk most marketers miss Incorrect CM360 tags can quietly inflate costs, especially when shared with third parties. Read more
	How Google quietly turned an ad server into the centre of gravity for GMP CM360 has evolved into the central source of truth anchoring GMP as data signals weaken. Read more

FROM OUR BLOG
	Ad tech’s reset year in 2026 Ad tech is resetting in Australia, and governance now matters to performance. Read more
	What the IAPP Summit revealed about trust, AI and the future of marketing data Why trust, governance and purpose are becoming essential operating capabilities for marketers. Read more
	Australian upfronts 2025 wrap up The biggest tech, data and CTV developments from Australia’s 2025 upfronts and what they mean. Read more

INDUSTRY NEWS
	OpenAI invests in Sam Altman’s brain computer interface startup Merge Labs OpenAI has invested in Merge Labs, a brain-computer interface startup co-founded by its CEO Sam Altman, as part of a major seed round to advance non-invasive neural tech. Read more
	Google introduces personalised ads into AI shopping tools Google has begun introducing personalised ads into its AI shopping tools, allowing retailers to present targeted offers inside AI-driven purchase journeys. Read more
	OAIC to start compliance sweep Australia’s privacy regulator will start 2026 with its first-ever compliance sweep, conducting a targeted review of selected businesses’ privacy policies to ensure they meet strict rules. The sweep will scrutinise the privacy policies of businesses that collect information in person. Read more
	AI, tech keeping executives up at night AI and technological disruption are the top concerns keeping Australian executives awake at night heading into 2026, according to a new survey from KPMG. Read more
	Agentic ad tech confusion: revolution or evolution? As agentic AI dominates early-2026 ad tech discussions, a new article questions whether the shift is genuinely transformative or just advanced automation. Read more
	Two content models emerging in the AI-driven web economy A new analysis argues the AI-driven web is splitting into two content models, as zero-click search and AI assistants reshape how value flows to publishers and brands. Read more
	Open AI launches ads in U.S. OpenAI will test ads in ChatGPT in the US for the first time, introducing advertising to its free tier and ChatGPT Go subscription as it shifts towards ad-supported monetisation within generative AI. Read more
	Privacy risk isn’t waiting for reform - marketers shouldn’t either Peter Leonard argues marketers face growing privacy risk now, not after reform, as regulators increase enforcement of existing laws around ad tech and tracking. Read more

PLATFORM NEWS
	New biddable capabilities for live sports There are new live sports and biddable CTV features in DV360, including access to NBCUniversal’s Olympics Winter Games programmatic inventory. Features such as Unified reach and personalisation upgrades, frequency management, cross-device conversion and The Marketplace which provides curated inventory. Read more
	January beta releases Google is rolling out the following features in Beta for Google Analytics. Cross-channel budgeting to track performance and optimize paid channel investments. Improved web conversion management and reporting capabilities for Google Ads customers offering more flexible web conversion management tools A new conversion attribution analysis report to help you visualise how different touchpoints contribute to your bottom line. Google is actively working to expand the features to more properties. Read more
	Google tag gateway for advertisers via GCP Google has introduced a “one-click” integration that allows advertisers to deploy a Google tag gateway via the Google Cloud Platform. Now in Beta, this feature simplifies the process of routing your tracking data through your own first-party web infrastructure before it reaches Google. By using your own domain to relay signals, you can significantly improve data quality and signal durability while maintaining better control over your measurement pipeline. Read more
	Connect Java appa to BigQuery with JDBC You can now use the Google-developed, open source Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) driver for BigQuery to connect your Java applications to BigQuery. This feature is in Preview. Read more

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
	Propensity modelling in the age of consent Propensity modelling now hinges on consent. Privacy is reshaping how marketers build and train models. Read more