In today’s Digest, we cover AppsFlyer raising USD$1bn with backing from major advertising industry players, plus the biggest announcements, deals, and talking points emerging from Cannes.

Cannes Day Two - Lego's CMO takes top honour, Omnicom and Paramount+ get sequential

Cannes Lions crowned its first European CMO of the Year: Julia Goldin of the LEGO Group, recognised as Europe's most influential marketing leader, with the brand's push into entertainment, gaming and sport via franchises like Star Wars and Fortnite cited as a key factor. Euronews

Elsewhere, Omnicom Media and Paramount unveiled a dynamic ad-insertion partnership for streaming premieres, letting brands tell sequential stories across episodes rather than repeat static spots. Princess Cruises is the launch client, with the format going live in Q3 in the US. The deal extends Omnicom's run of Cannes tie-ups, following similar moves with Disney and a first-ever Netflix pairing.

AppsFlyer raises $1bn backed by ad giants

AppsFlyer has secured more than USD$1bn (£5.77bn) in Series E funding at a USD$2.7bn (£5.77bn) post-money valuation, in a major investment round backed by advertising and technology leaders Google, Meta, Moloco and Unity. The funding reflects growing industry demand for independent measurement and attribution as AI increasingly automates media buying and campaign optimisation. According to CEO and co-founder Oren Kaniel, the investors share a belief that advertising measurement must remain impartial and trusted as AI-driven advertising systems become more influential.

The investment also strengthens AppsFlyer’s path toward a future public listing, with Kaniel describing the funding round as an important step toward becoming a publicly traded company. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval.

Walmart to buy Vibe.co

Walmart is buying Vibe.co, a French self-serve CTV ad platform, for $1.4 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. The deal adds Vibe's tools to Walmart Connect alongside Vizio, aiming to court small and medium-sized advertisers with easier access to streaming campaigns and closed-loop attribution tied to retail sales data.

It's the latest in Walmart's string of ad tech acquisitions, and part of a broader wave of CTV consolidation including Fox-Roku and Paramount-WBD