In today's Digest, we discuss Nielsen acquiring DoubleVerify in a $2.15 billion deal, eBay leaning into live shopping as it chases Whatnot and TikTok Shop, and AANA and ADMA merging to form the new Marketing Association of Australia.

Nielsen to acquire DoubleVerify

Nielsen announced on Thursday it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire DoubleVerify in an all-cash transaction valued at roughly USD$2.15bn (£1.61bn). The deal follows Integral Ad Science being taken private in a USD$1.9 bn (£1.41bn) deal with PE firm Novacap last year.

The acquisition is expected to close by the first quarter of 2027, at which point DoubleVerify will exit the public markets and operate as part of Nielsen, though it will retain its own name and brand identity.

eBay leans into live shopping 

eBay is stepping up its investment in live shopping as it works to compete with rivals like Whatnot and TikTok Shop, following what the company described as record results for the format. On its second-quarter earnings call Wednesday, eBay revealed that gross merchandise volume for eBay Live jumped roughly eightfold year-over-year across seven markets, alongside growth in viewers, watch time, and items sold, and said it plans to expand the feature into more international markets in the coming weeks and months. 

CEO Jamie Iannone told investors the results have reinforced the company's confidence that Live can deepen engagement, broaden discovery, and increase sales velocity across the wider eBay marketplace, though the company stopped short of disclosing the actual GMV figures, making it difficult to independently judge just how significant the growth really is.

AANA and ADMA to merge into new Marketing Association of Australia

Two of Australia's leading advertising industry bodies are joining forces, with the Australian Association of National Advertisers and the Association for Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising set to combine into a single organisation called the Marketing Association of Australia. The merger was unveiled at the RESET 2026 conference, where AANA CEO Josh Faulks framed the move as an evolution rather than an ending for either group. "This is not the end of AANA or ADMA," Faulks said. "It is the evolution of two proud organisations into something even stronger, built to meet the moment our industry is in."

Faulks said the newly combined body aims to give the Australian marketing industry a stronger, more connected, and more influential voice, going beyond a simple rebrand.