In this episode of The MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire's head of marketing, Grainne Reid, is joined by CEO Rachel Smith and COO Lindsay Rowntree to discuss Netflix Ad Suite, Meta's $25bn fine, and Anthropic's new consultancy.

The first story this week covers Netflix's ad measurement updates and the role of streaming and CTV in media plans. The second is Meta's $25 billion fine tied to the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal. The conversation examines why people are still spending on Meta, and if the penalties will have a significant enough impact for the company to change their business practices.

Finally, Anthropic is backing a new European consultancy selling AI expertise to companies in the region. How might this impact the agency model, and is it the agencies' job to advise clients on AI strategy?

Netflix announces ad measurement updates

Netflix has announced several updates to its in-house advertising platform, Netflix Ad Suite, including an enhanced Conversion API and the new Netflix Pixel. The features let advertisers test conversion lift, attribution, and A/B testing with Netflix’s first-party measurement solutions and improve audience targeting.

The Trade Desk will also become part of Netflix’s programmatic offering, alongside the Yahoo and Amazon DSPs.

Meta fined massively – again!

A New Mexico judge has fined Meta $25 billion following a September jury verdict that found the company misled users about their data privacy. The ruling comes years after the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke in 2018, with New Mexico becoming the only state to take its claims to trial after 48 others settled. 

Meta’s chief legal officer told Axios that the ruling, and the Attorney General's approach to its enforcement, “makes it all but impossible to do business in the state of New Mexico.”

Anthropic to launch European consultancy

Anthropic has agreed to back a new European consultancy with London-based private equity firm Hg. It is Anthropic’s first move to create an independent business selling AI expertise to companies in the region. The venture will embed AI consultants and engineers into client businesses, where they will lead the design of new products using AI or support existing efforts.