It’s no secret that AI “slop” is taking over the internet, prompting many internet users to look for actual human insights. For now, that often means adding “Reddit” to the end of Google search queries.

Reddit, which operates as a collection of forums for people to engage with topics ranging from TV shows to relationship advice, has reported growth in overall users and time spent on the platform since going public last year, and search traffic seems to be playing a big role in that growth. Executives have previously described the relationship between the platform and the search engine as “symbiotic.”

“People are getting tired of algorithms, they’re getting tired of AI-generated content and things like that,” Rob Gaige, director of global insights at Reddit, told us. “We’re giving them a real human platform, a place where they can connect with other people.”

There’s just one challenge: brands have been a bit slow to embrace the platform, perhaps due in part to Reddit’s reputation as a place where users are not exactly welcoming—and sometimes outright hostile—to sponsored content. It’s a perception the platform has sought to overcome as it rolls out new ad tools and continues to court advertisers. In a March report from eMarketer, Reddit’s ad revenues were found to be growing faster YoY than other social platforms, even though its overall share of social ad spend, as well as its revenue projections for the year, remain smaller. There’s a lot of room for improvement: as of December, 93% of brands in the Americas were not posting on Reddit in any capacity, per data intelligence platform Meltwater.

For brands that have chosen to use Reddit, some told us that the community insights and engagement as well as existing uncertainties on other social media sites make it worth diving into—as long as they approach the platform with care.

Read more here about what brands are learning as they lean into the platform.—KH

There was a new kid in town at NewFronts this year.

On Monday evening, LinkedIn hosted its first-ever NewFront presentation, helping to kick off the annual gathering of media and tech companies working to woo advertising execs with new product announcements, celebrity appearances, and eye-catching content.

The kind of content that’s typical on LinkedIn, though, tends to look a little different than what is common on platforms like YouTube and TikTok—meaning the kinds of advertisers LinkedIn is courting are a little bit different, too.

“There’s a handful of platforms that have a billion users that can drive really concrete results at scale—you can count them on probably one hand,” Matthew Derella, VP of LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, told Marketing Brew the morning after the presentation, which was closed to the press. “LinkedIn is the only one of those…with a platform that’s purpose-built for B2B advertisers.”

Read more about the presentation here.—AM

Ally Financial has been all over women’s sports since 2022, when the company committed to splitting its media spend equally between men’s and women’s sports within five years. Since then, the financial services brand has carved out a significant presence across leagues from the NWSL to Unrivaled, and major sporting events from the Women’s World Cup to March Madness to the Super Bowl.

There was one major women’s sports property that Ally didn’t have a big presence in, though: the WNBA. That’s about to change.

“The WNBA is one of the crown jewels, so you’ve got to be investing there to reach those fans [of women’s sports] in the right way,” Stephanie Marciano, Ally’s head of sports and entertainment marketing, told Marketing Brew.

When Ally broke into pro women’s basketball last year, the W already had an official bank in US Bank, but when that deal came up for renewal and the league was permitted to enter into conversations with other potential sponsors, Ally jumped at the chance. The partnership, which was announced last month in the short window between the end of March Madness and the WNBA draft, is already paying off, she said.

Continue reading here.—AM

From print ads to platforms, the last 25 years have revolutionized the marketing industry. Marketing Brew maps the industry’s biggest shifts in an interactive timeline, exploring how we got here—and where we’re headed next.