Getting Granular

The Click Brief Podcast: December 2025

Episode Summary

Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson close out 2025 with a special year-in-review episode, breaking down the biggest paid media and AI shifts from the past year and sharing predictions for 2026. They discuss the rise of AI and automation as default platform behavior, the evolution of generative creative, ads appearing inside AI-driven search, improved measurement beyond last-click attribution, and the mainstream adoption of AI assistants. The episode wraps with forward-looking predictions on conversational commerce, short-form video dominance, CTV growth, and what’s coming next as AI continues to reshape digital advertising. Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates every month.

Episode Notes

In this special December episode, Jeremy and Emily look back at the most important paid media and AI trends of 2025 and share predictions for where digital advertising is headed in 2026.

Top takeaways

2025 Paid Media & AI Trends

AI and automation became the default

• AI-driven campaign types and optimizations are now standard across platforms.
• Advertisers increasingly need to opt out, rather than opt in, to automation.
• The strongest teams are using AI as a productivity multiplier, not a replacement.

Generative creative moved into ad platforms

• Platforms now auto-generate images, videos, backgrounds, and formats.
• Creative diversity and speed matter more than perfect one-off assets.
• Quality has improved significantly, but human oversight is still critical.

Ads entered AI-driven search experiences

• Google began surfacing ads inside AI-powered search results and AI Mode.
• Adoption is still early, but signals a major shift in how search ads appear.
• Advertisers should prepare for new placements and evolving click behavior.

Measurement evolved beyond last click

• Incrementality became a major focus in 2025.
• Meta introduced incremental conversion reporting and attribution views.
• Platforms are acknowledging that not all conversions are truly incremental.

AI assistants became mainstream

• AI tools are now widely accepted in meetings, workflows, and platforms.
• Note-taking, reporting, and analysis have become faster and more efficient.
• Ad platforms are embedding AI assistants to guide optimization and insights.

2026 Predictions

Ads inside AI assistants are coming

• ChatGPT and Gemini are expected to introduce ads as they become more mainstream.
• Relevance and restraint will determine user acceptance.

More automation, personalization, and conversational commerce

• Shopping will shift from keyword-based searches to intent-driven conversations.
• Brands will increasingly interact with customers through AI chat experiences.

Short-form video continues to dominate

• Vertical video remains the priority across platforms.
• Creative should be built mobile-first, then adapted to other formats.

CTV and brand-led advertising keep growing

• Top-of-funnel investment continues to rise.
• Brand building remains essential for sustainable performance growth.

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Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from December

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