Outbrain Inc. has completed its acquisition of Teads, merging their branding and performance advertising solutions under the Teads name. This transformative deal establishes one of the largest optimized supply paths for the premium open internet, connecting advertisers with curated media environments through AI-driven, data-enhanced creative experiences.

What This Means for Advertisers & Media Owners

The new Teads platform will empower advertisers with:

1. Expansive Reach & Direct Access

• 96% open internet audience reach across premium environments.*
• 10,000+ media partnerships with direct publisher relationships.
• 50 billion monthly CTV ad opportunities, including exclusive homescreen inventory.

2. AI-Powered Predictive Advertising

• 1 billion predictions per minute for optimized ad performance.
• 50 live AI models processing 4 billion signals per minute.
• Teads Omnichannel Graph (OG) extends audience targeting into the CTV landscape.

3. Data-Driven Creative Solutions

• Beautiful, high-impact ad formats optimized for audience engagement.
• 74% higher attention rates for unique CTV native creatives.
• Seamless storytelling across screens—from CTV to premium editorial content.

Industry Leaders on the Merger

David Kostman, CEO, Teads:
"This merger bridges a major industry gap—creating a scaled, end-to-end platform that delivers results from awareness to conversion across screens."

Jeremy Arditi, Co-President & Chief Business Officer, Teads:
"By prioritizing creative excellence, trust, and measurable outcomes, we’re building a stronger, more transparent advertising ecosystem."

Sital Banerjee, Global Head of Media, Lipton Teas & Infusions:
"This merger unlocks new ways to engage audiences with full-funnel solutions and improved business outcomes."

The newly formed Teads is set to redefine omnichannel advertising, offering AI-driven, full-funnel marketing capabilities across premium content and CTV environments. This marks a major step forward in scaling open internet advertising while delivering superior audience engagement and brand outcomes.

Rakuten Advertising, a leader in affiliate marketing, has announced a strategic partnership with Marcode to enhance brand protection against link hijackers, fraudsters, and trademark infringers. This collaboration aims to safeguard brand keywords and improve security across Rakuten Advertising's publisher network.

Highlights of the Partnership

1. Advanced Fraud Detection with Marcode

• Marcode’s Brand Protection module detects fraudulent affiliates and link hijacking attempts.
• Uncovers affiliate details hidden within deceptive websites.
• Identifies and bypasses link cloaking platforms for greater transparency.

2. AI-Powered Anomaly Detection

• Uses AI-driven search intelligence to monitor niche subnetworks.
• Enhances detection of anomalies in difficult-to-track affiliate activities.
• Accelerates takedown of fraudulent affiliates to protect advertisers.

3. Multi-Layered Protection for Advertisers

• Complements Rakuten Advertising’s partnerships with AdPolice and The Search Monitor.
• Provides flexible, tailored protection services to meet advertiser needs.
• Ensures the integrity of affiliate programs with continuous monitoring.

Industry Insights

• Nick Stamos, CEO of Rakuten Advertising, emphasized the need for varied protection solutions tailored to different advertisers.
• Andy Cooney, Co-Founder of Marcode, highlighted Marcode’s advanced fraud detection capabilities and commitment to stamping out affiliate fraud.

This partnership reinforces Rakuten Advertising’s commitment to securing its network, ensuring advertisers can operate with confidence. With Marcode’s AI-powered tools, affiliate fraud detection and prevention reach new heights, setting a benchmark for brand protection in the affiliate marketing industry.

Freshpaint, the creator of the Healthcare Privacy Platform, has unveiled the Ad Performance platform designed to provide healthcare marketers with full visibility into the patient's journey. This platform links ad platform data with actual appointment outcomes, allowing marketers to measure ROI while maintaining compliance with patient privacy regulations.

Features of Freshpaint Ad Performance

1. Connecting Ad Data to Real Outcomes

• Integrates appointment data with digital ad performance.
• Provides visibility into critical actions like booked appointments, attended visits, and generated revenue.
• Enables healthcare marketers to track the true ROI of their marketing campaigns.

2. Privacy-First Approach

• Ensures compliance with HIPAA and other privacy regulations.
• Protects patient privacy while providing actionable insights for healthcare marketers.

3. Improved Google Ad Performance

• Leverages appointment data to optimize Google Ads campaigns with advanced strategies like tROAS (Target Return on Ad Spend).
• Maximizes return on ad spend, with plans to support additional ad platforms in the future.

4. End-to-End Patient Journey Insights

• Visualizes the entire patient journey from the first ad click to the in-office visit.
• Uncovers valuable insights into customer acquisition cost (CAC) and ROI across all service lines.

5. Optimized Marketing Budgets

• Provides privacy-compliant ROI data that justifies budget increases.
• Helps marketers allocate budgets precisely for high-ROI service lines.

Testimonial

"Without Freshpaint's ROI data, I'd have assumed some campaigns weren't converting as well, when they were actually outperforming on the backend," says Justin Olson, CMO of Fast Pace Health.

The Freshpaint Ad Performance platform empowers healthcare marketers to make data-driven decisions while safeguarding patient privacy. By providing clarity on ROI and marketing performance, healthcare marketers can optimize their strategies and improve customer acquisition costs, all while adhering to strict privacy regulations.

Socure, a leader in AI-driven digital identity verification, fraud prevention, and sanctions screening, achieved remarkable growth in 2024, outperforming industry expectations. As the threat landscape evolves with AI-based fraud tactics, Socure’s innovative platform has delivered enhanced solutions while competitors faced challenges in maintaining accuracy.

Key Achievements in 2024

1. Unprecedented Growth

• Verified over 2.7 billion identity requests, doubling 2023 totals.
• Expanded customer base by 42%, now serving 2,800+ organizations across multiple sectors, including financial services, telecom, insurance, and government.
• Public sector partnerships grew by 193%, covering 13 U.S. states and multiple federal agencies.

2. Financial Performance

• GAAP revenue increased by 54% YoY.
• Exceeded financial goals, achieving 108% of new bookings and 121% of adjusted operating profit plans.

3. AI-Powered Performance Excellence

• Socure's platform outpaced AI-driven fraud solutions by improving speed and accuracy.
• The Risk Insights Network Consortium enables continuous improvement, with each identity decision enhancing the platform's effectiveness.

Performance Highlights

4. Fraud Prevention

• The Sigma Fraud Suite captured 92% of ID fraud in the riskiest top 3% of users, compared to the industry average of 37%.
• Achieved a 40% YoY reduction in false positives, enabling more legitimate consumers to be approved.

5. Identity Verification

• Socure Verify achieved 99% verification rates for mainstream populations, a 3% YoY increase.
• Verified 30% more 18-year-olds and 92% of Gen Z consumers compared to competitors.

6. Document Verification

• Socure's DocV solution led the industry with a 98.2% true accept rate, completing verifications in just 1.5 seconds (p99 speed).

7. First-Party Fraud Consortium

• The industry's first and largest consortium now includes 190 million contributed identities, 325 million accounts, and 20 billion transactions, leading to better fraud detection.

New Innovations and Expanded Capabilities

8. Cutting-Edge Innovation

• Filed 16 new patents in 2024, with two patents granted for fraud prevention and document verification.
• Launched enhancements to the prefill solution, achieving first-time prefill rates of over 90%, outperforming competitors by 40%.

9. Addressing New Identity Vectors

• Expanded multi-factor authentication, Zelle enrollment, and profile change detection, with fraud capture rates exceeding industry standards by 20-25%.

10. AI-Powered Sanctions Screening

• Reduced sanctions screening review time from 15 minutes to less than 1 minute using Socure's GenAI explainability agent.

CEO Perspective

Johnny Ayers, Founder and CEO of Socure, highlights the company’s commitment to transforming how businesses verify customers in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. “Our growth reflects the massive demand for certainty in identity verification, and no one delivers the performance or value like Socure.”

Acquisition and Industry Expansion

• In late 2024, Socure acquired Effectiv, a real-time risk decisioning company, expanding into the $200 billion enterprise fraud industry.
• Customers can now access complete no-code flexibility for building and deploying fraud prevention workflows.

Socure’s breakthrough performance in 2024 underscores its leadership in identity verification, fraud prevention, and AI-driven solutions. As businesses face increasingly sophisticated fraud threats, Socure remains the trusted partner for ensuring accurate and secure customer verification.

Cloudflare, a leading connectivity cloud company, unveiled a groundbreaking solution for content creators and publishers: Content Credentials. This tool enables the seamless preservation of an image’s digital history, from creation to edits, across the global Cloudflare network. This initiative is a response to the growing concerns about verifying the authenticity of images, especially in an age where AI-generated content is on the rise.

Features of Content Credentials

1. Digital ‘Nutrition Labels’ for Images

Content Credentials provide a digital "nutrition label" that details the origin and edits of an image, offering transparency for both creators and consumers. This includes:

• Creation details: Who created the image and how it was made.
• Edit and resize tracking: Any modifications made to the image throughout its lifecycle.
• Consumer verification: Easy access for viewers to verify the authenticity and provenance of an image.

2. Industry Standards for Content Provenance

• Content Credentials are based on the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) standard.
• Cloudflare has joined the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), a global community led by Adobe, to support the widespread adoption of Content Credentials.

The Challenge of Verifying Image Authenticity

As AI technology advances, so does the ease of creating convincing fake images and videos, raising concerns about trust in digital content. Cloudflare’s solution addresses this challenge by providing verifiable metadata for every image, making it easier to distinguish between authentic content and AI-manipulated media.

Real-World Application

• Consumers can now easily verify if an image or video—whether it’s a celebrity endorsement or viral content like UFO sightings—is authentic or generated by AI.
• Example: A viral image of a celebrity can now be traced to its source, showing whether it was created with a smartphone or manipulated by AI tools.

Cloudflare’s Impact on Content Creation and Management

3. Empowering Publishers and Creators

Cloudflare’s integration of Content Credentials across its network ensures that media and news organizations can maintain the authenticity of their work, regardless of where it is shared online. This fosters trust and helps publishers protect ownership of their content.

4. Easy Integration with Cloudflare Images

• One-click solution: Cloudflare Images users can easily enable Content Credentials with a single click.
• Global preservation: Once activated, the metadata is embedded and preserved across Cloudflare's entire network, including any image transformations, which are recorded using public key cryptography.

5. Verifying Image Transformations

• Any image resized or transformed through Cloudflare Images retains its metadata, ensuring that consumers can trace every alteration back to the original image.
• Verification is simple: Users can check an image’s digital history using the Adobe Content Authenticity Inspect tool.

Expert Perspectives

Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare

“The future of the Internet depends on trust and authenticity. By integrating Content Credentials, we are empowering publishers to preserve the integrity of their content and maintain trust with their audience in the face of rapidly evolving AI technologies.”

Andy Parsons, Senior Director Content Authenticity at Adobe

“Cloudflare’s integration of Content Credentials strengthens the integrity of digital content. This is especially important in the era of generative AI and deepfakes, helping media organizations, journalists, and creators ensure proper attribution and trustworthiness.”

Cloudflare's introduction of Content Credentials marks a significant step towards ensuring the authenticity and provenance of digital content. By enabling creators and publishers to protect their work while giving consumers the tools to verify authenticity, Cloudflare is setting the stage for a more transparent and trustworthy digital future.

MediaGo, a leading deep learning-based intelligent advertising platform, has received GDPR 2025 compliance validation from TrustArc, a globally recognized privacy protection certification organization. This authoritative certification underscores MediaGo's commitment to data security, privacy protection, and upholding the highest standards of data privacy in the advertising industry.

Highlights of GDPR 2025 Compliance

1. Commitment to Data Privacy and Security

MediaGo’s GDPR 2025 compliance validation from TrustArc confirms its dedication to:

• Protecting user privacy and securing personal data.
• Adhering to the highest data protection standards in the industry, in line with GDPR's rigorous regulations.

2. TrustArc’s Rigorous Review Process

The compliance certification followed an extensive review by TrustArc, which evaluated MediaGo’s:

• Data collection and processing practices
• Implementation of security standards
• Comprehensive compliance arguments

This validation solidifies MediaGo’s position as a trusted entity in the global data privacy space.

Understanding GDPR Compliance

3. Importance of GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the strictest regulation for personal data protection within the EU and European Economic Area (EEA). It:

• Establishes clear guidelines for collecting, processing, and transferring personal data.
• Is a crucial requirement for any company operating in or serving EU customers.

Adhering to GDPR is not just a legal obligation but also a trust-building mechanism that reassures users about the protection of their personal data.

4. MediaGo’s GDPR Compliance Impact

MediaGo’s commitment to GDPR compliance ensures:

• Protection of users’ personal data while interacting with the platform.
• A secure advertising ecosystem, enhancing both user and advertiser trust.

MediaGo’s Ongoing Commitment to User Privacy

5. Alignment with ISO 27001 Standards

In addition to GDPR compliance, MediaGo aligns with ISO 27001, the International Standard for Information Security Management Systems, ensuring:

• Continuous security monitoring and protection of all user data.
• Robust information security protocols embedded into their advertising services.

6. Pioneering Data Privacy in the Advertising Industry

MediaGo has made significant strides in protecting user privacy, enabling advertisers to achieve high ROI through deep learning technology while maintaining ethical standards in advertising.

Industry Recognition and Awards

7. Prestigious Awards

Over the past year, MediaGo has garnered multiple accolades for its innovative advertising solutions, including:

• Global Tech Awards
• Gold Stevie® Award from the American Business Awards®
• Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award

These awards recognize MediaGo’s commitment to advancing advertising technology and its significant impact on improving advertising performance.

Expert Statements

Peter Jinfeng Pan, Head of MediaGo

“The importance of data privacy protection in the advertising industry is growing. Receiving the GDPR compliance certification again this year reinforces the effectiveness of our long-standing efforts. We remain committed to safeguarding user privacy and maintaining a secure advertising ecosystem.”

MediaGo's GDPR 2025 compliance is a testament to its unwavering commitment to data security, user privacy, and adherence to industry-leading standards. By upholding these principles, MediaGo continues to set the benchmark for ethical advertising and user data protection, ensuring advertisers can thrive in a secure and trustworthy environment.

The SOC-as-a-Service (SOCaaS) market is set to expand significantly, projected to reach USD 14.66 billion by 2030 from USD 7.37 billion in 2024, with a CAGR of 12.2% from 2024 to 2030, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The market growth is largely driven by increasing cybersecurity threats, particularly in industries such as BFSI, healthcare, and government, coupled with rapid technological advancements in AI, IoT, and blockchain. These innovations are streamlining threat detection and response systems, reducing human dependency and accelerating response times, pushing organizations toward adopting SOCaaS solutions.

Key Drivers of SOC-as-a-Service Market Growth

1. Rising Complexity and Frequency of Cyberattacks

As industries face growing cybersecurity threats, including ransomware, phishing, and breaches, the need for advanced security measures is becoming paramount. Key sectors like BFSI, healthcare, and government are especially vulnerable and are accelerating their investments in SOCaaS to protect their critical digital assets.

2. Technological Advancements in AI, IoT, and Blockchain

Emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, and blockchain are reshaping the cybersecurity landscape. These innovations facilitate predictive threat analysis, automated response systems, and Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) tools, improving efficiency and reducing operational complexity. The growth of digital transformation initiatives further boosts the adoption of SOCaaS as companies seek to secure their digital infrastructures.

SMEs to Drive Market Growth with High CAGR

3. SMEs Adopting SOCaaS for Cost-Effective Security Solutions

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. SMEs often lack the resources for in-house cybersecurity management, making SOCaaS a cost-effective and scalable solution. SOCaaS enables SMEs to access advanced threat detection, monitoring, and incident response services, thus enhancing their cybersecurity posture without hefty investment in infrastructure.

4. Digital Transformation and Remote Work Fueling SOCaaS Adoption

As SMEs continue to undergo digital transformation, embrace remote work, and rely on cloud services, they face increased exposure to cyber threats. SOCaaS offers comprehensive solutions that secure cloud infrastructure and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, providing SMEs with the robust protection they need.

Cloud Security to Dominate the Market

5. Cloud Security Solutions Leading the SOCaaS Market

Cloud security is expected to grow at the highest market size during the forecast period due to the increasing use of cloud-based infrastructure across industries. With the rise of hybrid work environments, cloud adoption, and digital transformation, organizations are prioritizing SOCaaS solutions to secure their cloud assets and ensure data integrity while meeting regulatory demands.

North America to Lead the Market

6. North America’s Dominance in SOCaaS Market Growth

North America is projected to lead the market, driven by its advanced technological infrastructure, stringent regulatory frameworks, and rising cybersecurity threats. Countries like the United States and Canada are major adopters of cutting-edge technologies such as AI, blockchain, and IoT, which are integral to SOCaaS solutions.

Moreover, government initiatives, such as the adoption of cloud-based solutions and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, are propelling SOCaaS adoption across the region. The rapid pace of digitalization and the increasing prevalence of cyberattacks further cement North America's leadership in this market.

Key Players in the SOC-as-a-Service Market

Top companies in the SOCaaS market include:

• Thales (France)
• Airbus Cybersecurity (France)
• NTT (Japan)
• Lumen Technologies (US)
• Fortinet (US)
• Cloudflare (US)
• Check Point (US)
• Kaseya (US)
• Trustwave (US)
• Arctic Wolf Networks (US)
• Proficio (US)
• LRQA (UK)
• Inspirisys (India)
• Eventus Security (India)
• Cyber Security Hive (India)

The SOC-as-a-Service market is poised for significant growth, driven by the increasing complexity of cyberattacks, digital transformation efforts, and advancements in emerging technologies. As organizations, particularly SMEs, seek cost-effective and scalable cybersecurity solutions, SOCaaS is becoming an essential service to secure digital assets, safeguard data, and comply with evolving regulatory requirements. With North America leading the charge, the market is set for continued expansion through 2030.

GBK Collective, a leading consultancy specializing in marketing strategy, consumer behavior, and analytics, has appointed Randi Ochs as its new Senior Vice President. With over 25 years of experience in consumer insights, brand, and marketing strategy, Ochs will play a pivotal role in advancing GBK’s mission of delivering data-driven insights and strategic guidance to its global client base.

Randi Ochs’ Expertise and Leadership Role

Ochs brings a wealth of experience from her leadership roles in Consumer and Marketing Insights at renowned firms like Collage Group, Kantar, Ipsos, OTX, and Marketing Evolution. She has managed large teams and P&Ls, leading hundreds of research programs in over twenty countries. Ochs’ expertise in consumer insights and brand strategy will enhance GBK’s ability to provide actionable, high-impact solutions for its clients, helping brands to refine strategies and better connect with consumers.

Jon Greenwood, GBK’s Co-Founder and CEO, expressed excitement over the appointment:
“We continue to invest in hiring the industry’s best marketing strategy and insights leaders, and Randi’s expertise is an incredible addition to our team,” said Greenwood. “Her extensive background in research and consumer insights, combined with her deep understanding of brand strategy, strengthens our ability to deliver actionable solutions.”

Ochs’ Impressive Client Portfolio

Throughout her career, Ochs has worked with some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including Warner, NBCU, Fox, Google, Netflix, Meta, Nestlé, Starbucks, Red Bull, Disney, Lowe’s, Nissan, Volvo, Geico, and more. Her ability to refine strategies and guide brands through complex marketing challenges will be invaluable to GBK’s client base.

Ochs’ Vision for GBK Collective

“I’m thrilled to join the exceptional team at GBK Collective,” said Ochs. “GBK’s unique approach—blending rigorous academic insights with real-world experience—truly sets it apart in the industry. I look forward to working alongside this talented group to help brands navigate complex marketing challenges and drive meaningful business impact.”

Educational Background

Ochs holds a Master’s degree in Social/Organizational Psychology from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Queens College.

With Randi Ochs joining as Senior Vice President, GBK Collective continues to strengthen its team and its ability to offer data-driven insights, helping brands succeed in an increasingly complex marketing landscape. Ochs' vast experience and leadership will empower the team and further solidify GBK’s position as a leader in the marketing consultancy space.