Smartly

Do you know that India is the global leader in AI usage? 90% of consumers in India use GenAI. 41% use AI everyday. 87% of enterprises actively use AI solutions. So, it is fitting that we brought our first ever Smartly Connect India to Bengaluru, a global technology hub for India's high-tech industries, and home to multinational corporations. We hosted India’s leading brands such as Amazon India, Flipkart, Myntra, FirstCry KSA, Zepto, Instamart and Shopsy where they showed how working with Smartly and their 'AI first, AI every day and being AI curious' have helped to accelerate creativity, commerce, and brand performance. Together we are shaping the next era of advertising in India.

We’re excited to kick off the Smartly Leadership Series, quick, candid perspectives from the people shaping where we’re headed next. We’re starting with a topic that’s redefining our industry at every level: AI. To open the series, we asked our CEO, Laura Desmond: “How do you see AI reshaping leadership in technology and advertising over the next few years?” Her take? Big shifts, bigger opportunities, especially for leaders ready to move fast. Watch below.

We’re heading to CES 2026 and so is our leadership team. From accelerating creative automation to transforming CTV, we’re ready to share what’s next for Smartly. Swipe through to meet the team joining us in Las Vegas ➡️ If you're attending CES and want to explore how Smartly can help you scale and optimize your marketing across social and CTV, we’d love to connect. Request a meeting with our team: https://bit.ly/4pRK16s

The 2026 Digital Advertising Trends Report is here. And the signals are clear: marketing is evolving faster than ever. Smartly’s 7th Annual Digital Advertising Trends Report uncovers how top brands are fusing AI, data, and creativity to stay ahead in a rapidly shifting landscape. Built from insights from 450 marketing leaders worldwide, this year’s report highlights the breakthroughs shaping 2026. Inside the report: • 46% of marketers now use AI to scale creative • 33% run AI across creative, media, and measurement • Up to 30% of marketing budgets are wasted, according to most marketers • How teams are planning video investment and allocating budgets across digital channels If you want to understand where digital advertising is headed — and how to stay competitive — this is your roadmap. Download the 2026 Digital Advertising Trends Report: https://bit.ly/4oJT9Jo

Smartly x Spotify: Now GA! We’re thrilled to announce that Smartly’s integration with Spotify Ads Manager is now available, giving brands and agencies the power to run Spotify audio, video, and display campaigns directly through Smartly. With this partnership, advertisers can now: Build Spotify-compatible ads in minutes using GenAI-powered creative tools Optimize spend and performance across channels from one unified view Measure outcomes seamlessly with AI-guided insights and cross-channel reporting As marketers diversify their media mix, Spotify’s highly engaged audience and cultural reach create new opportunities to connect in the moments that matter. With Smartly’s AI, those moments can now be scaled, personalized, and measured like never before. The future of advertising is connected, intelligent, and creative, and it just got louder. Learn more: https://bit.ly/49zv1W1

Tchibo set out to answer a clear question: Could stronger creative drive better Pinterest performance without increasing costs? By partnering with Smartly and Pinterest, they reimagined their catalog ads using Smartly’s Image Templates, elevating simple product images into branded, Pinterest-native creative. The result was a streamlined setup, faster iteration, and ads that felt purposeful rather than generic. The outcome was hard to ignore: • 38% lift in CTR • 23% reduction in CPA • 39% increase in revenue A great reminder that when creative and performance sit under one roof, channels like Pinterest can scale far more efficiently, and deliver results that speak for themselves. Read more: https://bit.ly/48NAHe8

AI has become foundational to modern marketing, and Brand Innovators’ latest piece highlights how top brands are scaling its impact across creative, media, and operations. Smartly’s CMO, Brianna Gays, explains how AI is now powering the entire marketing workflow, from streamlining production to helping brands deliver more relevant, intelligent experiences. Smartly’s 2026 Digital Trends Report reinforces this shift, with 90% of marketers saying AI is transforming how they connect with consumers. Brands are using it to work smarter, accelerate insights, and scale on-brand creative across markets. Brianna also underscores the importance of responsible adoption, building the right guardrails and transparency as AI becomes core to marketing strategy. AI is redefining what’s possible in marketing, and the leaders embracing it are setting the pace for the industry. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/48g3pUO

At #ADVANCE2025, innovation met impact. One of these standout moments came from our activation with the Amazon Ads Partners team exploring how brands can combine creativity, commerce, and data to drive growth in an ever-evolving retail media landscape. As a Smartly partner, Amazon continues to redefine how advertisers engage shoppers through seamless, omnichannel experiences from discovery to purchase. Together, we’re helping brands harness automation, insights, and storytelling to deliver performance that matters. The energy and collaboration at ADVANCE are a testament to the power of partnership driving the future of advertising. Here’s to what’s next together with Amazon Ads Partners.

Smartly x Spotify We’re thrilled to announce that Smartly’s integration with Spotify Ads Manager is now available, giving brands and agencies the power to run Spotify audio, video, and display campaigns directly through Smartly. With this partnership, advertisers can now: Build Spotify-compatible ads in minutes using GenAI-powered creative tools Optimize spend and performance across channels from one unified view Measure outcomes seamlessly with AI-guided insights and cross-channel reporting As marketers diversify their media mix, Spotify’s highly engaged audience and cultural reach create new opportunities to connect in the moments that matter. With Smartly’s AI, those moments can now be scaled, personalized, and measured like never before. The future of advertising is connected, intelligent, and creative, and it just got louder. Learn more: https://bit.ly/49zv1W1

Tchibo set out to answer a clear question: Could stronger creative drive better Pinterest performance without increasing costs? By partnering with Smartly and Pinterest, they reimagined their catalog ads using Smartly’s Image Templates, elevating simple product images into branded, Pinterest-native creative. The result was a streamlined setup, faster iteration, and ads that felt purposeful rather than generic. The outcome was hard to ignore: • 38% lift in CTR • 23% reduction in CPA • 39% increase in revenue A great reminder that when creative and performance sit under one roof, channels like Pinterest can scale far more efficiently, and deliver results that speak for themselves. Read more: https://bit.ly/48NAHe8