It’s Tuesday
Google’s making it official: starting April 14, the same ad can now appear multiple times on one page – more visibility for brands, but maybe higher CPCs too.
Marketers are staying calm about TikTok – even as its ad team thins out
With TikTok’s April 5 deadline looming, marketers aren’t panicking. Quiet confidence is setting in, thanks to behind-the-scenes assurances from TikTok reps and signals from the White House that a sale – or extension – is likely.
Yes, TikTok’s ad team is thinning. Execs like Blake Chandlee are shifting to advisory roles, and two top European leaders are out. But agencies aren’t rattled. Jellyfish’s Shamsul Chowdhury said they’re still “confident” in TikTok’s direction.
Internally, TikTok is merging its ads and marketing teams to streamline global ops – seen as both a regulatory olive branch and efficiency play.
And while the platform’s future isn’t 100% locked, advertisers seem content to ride it out – at least for now.
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Amazon’s new promotion fees spark seller backlash
Starting June 2, Amazon will overhaul how it charges sellers for promotions – swapping flat fees for a new “performance-based” model. Amazon says it rewards efficiency. Sellers say: it’s just another price hike.
What’s changing:
Lightning & Best Deals: $70/day + 1% of deal-driven sales (up to $2K cap)
Coupons: $5 flat + 2.5% of sales
Prime Discounts: Fee doubles from $50 to $100 per event
For high-volume sellers, that could mean paying 3–4x more than under the old structure.
“This feels like MBAs engineering a cost recovery plan,” said ex-Amazon exec Jon Derkits.
The bigger issue: Amazon claims no new seller fees in 2025 – but sellers say it’s just clever repackaging. Combined with higher tariffs and new routing rules, margins are getting squeezed.
The result: More sellers are diversifying. 60% now list on multiple platforms (up from 40% in 2022), with Shopify, TikTok Shop, and Walmart seeing more traction.
X’s ad revenue is rising — but fear might be fueling it
Elon Musk’s X is projected to hit $1.3B in U.S. ad revenue this year, per eMarketer — its first growth since 2021, up 17.5%.
But analysts say it’s not confidence driving the rebound. It’s fear.
Advertisers are reportedly returning to X just to avoid political or legal backlash — a dynamic insiders are calling the “Elon tax.” As eMarketer’s Jasmine Enberg put it, buying ads on X is now seen by some as “a cost of doing business.”
Some growth is coming from small businesses and Meta’s changing content policies, but the platform still faces public backlash, lawsuits, and Senate heat over its ad practices.
Bottom line: The revenue’s up — but staying power is shaky.
We’re also reading
Business Insider – TikTok's shopping division failed to hit its goals in the US last year.
Glossy – The best place to buy fragrance? Costco.
The Information – Nike strikes new apparel deal amid women’s sports boom.
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