Blogs
AAPI Heritage Month | Icon: Yolanda Lam
Yolanda is a global advertising and sales executive with 25+ years of experience driving growth across agency, platform, and marketing technology ecosystems. She is GM, Global Head of Agency Development at Microsoft Advertising, leading a global team responsible for executive-level agency partnerships and helping holding companies become long-term Microsoft Advertising advocates. Yolanda partners with agency…
Read MoreAI Transparency Won’t Build Trust Unless It Solves the Right Problem
AI is no longer an experiment in advertising. It is becoming infrastructure. The real question now is not whether the industry will use it, but whether it can use it without weakening trust. That challenge is getting more specific. In January 2026, the IAB released its first AI Transparency and Disclosure Framework, explicitly taking a…
Read MoreAAPI Heritage Month | Rockstar: Leah Shin
Leah Shin is a Principal Product Marketing Manager at LinkedIn (Moonshots + Ventures), where she builds 0-1 human-centered consumer products and leads the marketing of LinkedIn’s first venture, LinkedIn games, played by millions of members worldwide. Previously at Microsoft, she launched consumer products and led creator-focused market research. Beyond her role, Leah creates content that…
Read MoreAAPI Heritage Month | Innovator: Karan Dang
Karan Dang is the Co-Founder and CEO of DANG, a consultancy dedicated to modernizing iconic global brands by forging authentic connections with the next generation of consumers. As a widely recognized creative leader, Karan was named Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 in 2021 and ranked #6 Creative Director in the world in the 2017…
Read MoreAAPI Heritage Month | Rockstar: Heather Blanthorn
Heather Blanthorn is a Group Account Director at Quigley-Simpson with over 20 years of experience in marketing and client leadership. Known for an attentive and proactive approach, she is a trusted partner to both clients and internal teams—serving as a strategic liaison who drives alignment, collaboration, and impactful work. Heather leads with empathy and approachability,…
Read MoreAAPI Heritage Month | Icon: Rei Inamoto
Named in Creativity Magazine’s annual “Creativity 50” as well as one of “the Top 25 Most Creative People in Advertising” in Forbes Magazine, Rei Inamoto is one of the most influential individuals in the marketing and creative industry today. A designer by trade, a minimalist at heart, Rei’s superpower is to help clients simplify the …
Read MoreYou Can’t Define the Sound of the World Cup–But You Can Be A Part of It
My first World Cup memory wasn’t of an awe-inspiring goal, a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out or an ill-timed red card. No. My first memory was of Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin performing “The Cup of Life” during the closing ceremony of the 1998 FIFA World Cup-singing as the crowd echoed the iconic lyrics “allez, allez,…
Read MoreThe International ANDY Awards Announces 2026 Winners
The International ANDY Awards Announces 2026 Winners This year’s winners reflect the true power of creativity, its ability to connect, challenge, and reimagine what’s possible. From intimate storytelling to bold, culture-shifting statements, the work recognized by the ANDY Awards proves that great ideas know no boundaries. To all of this year’s winners, congratulations. This recognition marks…
Read MoreThe Independence Manifesto: 5 Radical Truths from the Frontlines of the Unfettered Summit
Author’s note: This blog post is based on presentations at the Unfettered conference of independent creative agencies in New York on March 3, 2026 (https://www.theadvertisingclub.org/unfettered/). The advertising industry is currently witnessing a tectonic shift, but it isn’t the one you’ll read about in a holding company’s quarterly earnings report. While global conglomerates grapple with what industry analyst Michael Farmer describes as…
Read MorePrivacy, Trust and AI: What Consumers Expect Now
What do consumers really want from brands today? More relevance, certainly. But also more restraint. New research presented at ARF’s AudiencexScience suggests that privacy is now the baseline expectation, trust is conditional, and AI will only work for brands when consumers feel they still have visibility and control. The data presented here combine findings from two recent U.S.…
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