Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This week on Ad Age Insider's Weekly Report: Taco Bell's Cyclospora outbreak and what it reveals about crisis communications, food safety, and brand trust. Plus, four Madwell alumni launch independent agency Five Cherries; ChatGPT's advertising platform shifts toward conversion-based pricing; creators Grant Gibbs and Ashley Gill talk brand partnerships without sanitizing their content; and Plato's Closet's immersive back-to-school campaign with agency Tombras.
Host Parker Herren breaks down what each story means for marketers navigating food safety and crisis response, the shift toward senior-led independent agencies and creator partnerships built on trust over reach. Subscribe for weekly industry news roundups, plus biweekly deep-dive conversations with Ad Age reporters.
Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode on AdAge.com:
~How the cyclosporiasis outbreak is testing Taco Bell’s brand
~Four former Madwell executives launch their own agency
~How ChatGPT advertising works now—and what marketers still need
~‘A Twink and a Redhead’ on landing brand deals without sanitizing their risqué comedy
~Plato’s Closet built a high school hall inside a store for kids to test their outfits
This week on Ad Age Insider's Weekly Report: Taco Bell's Cyclospora outbreak and what it reveals about crisis communications, food safety, and brand trust. Plus, four Madwell alumni launch independent agency Five Cherries; ChatGPT's advertising platform shifts toward conversion-based pricing; creators Grant Gibbs and Ashley Gill talk brand partnerships without sanitizing their content; and Plato's Closet's immersive back-to-school campaign with agency Tombras.
Host Parker Herren breaks down what each story means for marketers navigating food safety and crisis response, the shift toward senior-led independent agencies and creator partnerships built on trust over reach. Subscribe for weekly industry news roundups, plus biweekly deep-dive conversations with Ad Age reporters.
Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode on AdAge.com:
~How the cyclosporiasis outbreak is testing Taco Bell’s brand
~Four former Madwell executives launch their own agency
~How ChatGPT advertising works now—and what marketers still need
~‘A Twink and a Redhead’ on landing brand deals without sanitizing their risqué comedy
~Plato’s Closet built a high school hall inside a store for kids to test their outfits
