Escalated.io Partners with TAG to Strengthen Ad Fraud Defense

Escalated.io, a rising player in the ad fraud detection space, has officially joined TAG’s (Trustworthy Accountability Group) Data Center IP (DCIP) program as a Qualified Data Contributor (QDC)—a move that bolsters both the company’s credibility and the broader industry's arsenal against invalid traffic (IVT).

The DCIP list, published monthly by TAG, aggregates high-risk IP addresses associated with invalid traffic across the digital advertising ecosystem. Companies in the supply chain—from DSPs to ad networks—can use the list to audit transactions and block fraudulent impressions before damage is done.

As a QDC, Escalated.io will contribute verified IP data each month, feeding into one of the most critical shared resources in the digital ad world.

“We’re excited to be contributing and giving back to the community in this manner,” said Kyle Smith, CEO of Escalated.io. “This partnership helps ensure that the intelligence shared across the ecosystem remains accurate and actionable.”

Why This Matters: Fighting Ad Fraud Needs Collective Action

Invalid traffic is more than a line item—it's a multi-billion-dollar leak in the digital ad economy. Fraudulent traffic inflates campaign metrics, skews performance insights, and robs publishers and platforms of legitimate revenue. Worse, it undermines trust between advertisers, agencies, and supply-side platforms.

While many vendors offer proprietary detection tools, TAG’s DCIP list functions as a neutral, industry-vetted defense layer, regularly updated with contributions from vetted players like Escalated.io.

“The effectiveness of shared tools like the DCIP list depends on the support of companies like Escalated.io,” said Lisa Gansky, Director of Product Management at TAG. “Their role as a QDC highlights leadership and a genuine commitment to protecting the digital advertising ecosystem.”

Escalated.io’s Growing Role in Ad Integrity

This move marks a significant step for Escalated.io, a company gaining traction for its ability to detect sophisticated, evasive forms of IVT across channels and platforms. Unlike generalized fraud blockers, Escalated.io emphasizes granular detection and real-time insights, helping both buy-side and sell-side players safeguard campaigns without sacrificing scale.

Becoming a QDC gives Escalated.io a stronger voice in industry standard-setting, and positions the company as a trusted partner for brands, agencies, and platforms seeking transparency in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

The Bigger Picture: Shared Data, Shared Defense

As ad fraud grows in complexity—spanning spoofed traffic, data center IP abuse, and evolving bot networks—shared intelligence becomes not just helpful, but essential. With TAG’s DCIP list acting as a shared firewall and companies like Escalated.io contributing to its upkeep, the industry moves a step closer to real-time threat mitigation.

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Retail Gets a Reality Check: Listrak’s H2 2025 Outlook Arms Brands with Survival Tactics for an Uncertain Second Half

If the first half of 2025 taught retailers anything, it’s that flexibility beats foresight. Now, Listrak, the marketing automation platform known for its people-first, data-smart approach, is offering retailers a compass for the chaotic terrain ahead.

With newly released Retail Outlook Reports tailored for Fashion, Beauty, and General Retail, Listrak is equipping brands with strategic, data-informed guidance to maintain momentum through the year’s most volatile shopping season. Spoiler: the second half of 2025 won’t be business as usual—and that’s precisely the point.

“Retail success isn’t about prediction anymore—it’s about preparation,” says Jamie Elden, Chief Revenue Officer at Listrak. “We built these reports to help retailers adapt, not react.”

From inflation-fatigued shoppers to an AI-assisted buying journey, Listrak’s insights double down on what’s actually changing—and what to do about it.

Price Sensitivity Rules Holiday Strategy

Consumers are tightening belts. 37% of shoppers say they’ll cut non-essential spending, which spells opportunity for private labels, resale markets, and value-first marketing. Think price drop alerts, personalized discount journeys, and dynamic clearance promotions.

Listrak’s take:
Trigger-based messaging is king. Brands should deploy automated price drop alerts across email, SMS, and app notifications, and segment out sale-hunting users for specialized journeys. Even the email nav bar needs a tune-up—clearance and secondhand sections deserve premium real estate.

Supply Chains Still Wobbling

A 65% YoY drop in imports from China and a 60% spike in canceled orders (vs. 2020) show that supply chain disruptions haven’t gone anywhere. Product availability is already stretched—and that’s before the holiday rush.

Listrak’s fix:
Retailers need to rethink inventory triggers and alerts. Raise low-stock thresholds to reflect faster sell-through, and extend “back in stock” timelines to account for longer restock windows. Smart merchandising beats panic discounting.

AI Becomes a Retail Channel, Not Just a Tool

More than half of shoppers—53%—plan to use AI to guide purchases this year. Search behavior is migrating from traditional engines to assistants like ChatGPT and other AI shopping tools.

The playbook:
Listrak urges brands to personalize onsite pop-ups for users coming from AI referrers, and segment journeys by channel affinity—meeting customers on their most active platform, first. With AI-driven product recommendations, retailers can adapt in real-time as users browse.

What This Means for Retailers

The thread running through Listrak’s outlook is clear: reactive retail is dead. Today’s winners will be the ones who:

• Automate intelligently, not blindly

• Align messaging with economic realities

• Leverage AI not just in ops, but in the customer journey

While many retailers are still trying to stabilize after pandemic-era whiplash, Listrak’s H2 2025 playbook points to a sharper, more tech-enabled strategy. And with shopping behavior becoming more fragmented and AI-influenced by the day, the retailers that thrive will be the ones who optimize not just for sales, but for agility.

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Swoop Hires Health Content Veteran to Lead MyHealthTeam’s Next Chapter

Swoop, the AI-powered healthcare marketing firm behind MyHealthTeam, is doubling down on patient-centric content with a major leadership hire. The company has named Sara Michael as Executive Vice President of Content, tapping the seasoned health journalist to lead a unified content strategy across editorial, design, video, and operations.

The move signals Swoop’s intent to scale MyHealthTeam’s medically verified, patient-focused media engine, while deepening engagement across its 60+ chronic and rare disease-specific patient communities—already the largest opt-in network of its kind in the U.S.

Michael joins from Dotdash Meredith, where she oversaw editorial and business strategy for some of the internet’s top health brands, including Verywell Health, Verywell Mind, and Health.com. Her track record of building high-impact, medically reviewed content experiences with commercial alignment makes her a strong fit for Swoop’s patient-first, privacy-compliant engagement model.

“This role brings together my passion for health journalism and innovation with a mission that truly matters,” said Michael. “I’ve long admired MyHealthTeam’s impact—and I’m thrilled to join a team so committed to empowering people with trusted information.”

Beyond Content—A Patient Media Model That Scales

Michael will lead efforts to:

• Expand content depth and reach across web, mobile, and social

• Integrate medical reviews and patient insights for richer engagement

• Elevate patient storytelling, reflecting the diversity of lived experiences

• Support privacy-safe brand engagement that aligns with patient needs

Her appointment comes as Swoop’s healthcare marketing model gains traction among pharmaceutical and life sciences brands seeking ways to authentically connect with condition-specific audiences. Unlike traditional healthcare media, Swoop’s omnichannel approach leverages AI and real patient data, while staying privacy-compliant.

A Strategic Bet on Credibility and Connection

The MyHealthTeam platform isn't just content—it’s community. That makes editorial leadership a strategic differentiator, especially in a space often flooded with unverified or generic information.

“Sara’s arrival marks a major step forward in scaling our patient-first model,” said Eric Peacock, Chief Patient Officer of Swoop and Co-founder of MyHealthTeam. “Her leadership will accelerate our ability to deliver authentic, high-quality content at scale—meeting patients where they are, and helping our brand partners engage with purpose.”

As misinformation and health fatigue grow online, Swoop’s latest move highlights a broader trend: quality, credibility, and human connection are becoming core assets in healthcare marketing. And with Sara Michael now at the helm of content, Swoop is making a clear bet that content strategy is patient strategy.

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In a SaaS world obsessed with headcount and hustle, TitanX just proved something radical: outbound sales can scale—without scaling your team. The startup, which launched in June 2024 with zero venture capital, is now boasting $5 million in ARR, a customer list including Workday, Hitachi, and Vanta, and triple-digit growth. And they did it all without asking a single investor for a dime.

At the core of TitanX’s growth story is Phone Intent™, the company’s predictive AI engine that figures out which prospects are most likely to pick up the phone right now. Instead of pushing sales reps to make more calls, the platform drives connect rates of up to 25%, obliterating the industry standard of 2–5%. That’s not just better—it’s revolutionary.

Turning Cold Calling into a Data Game

Sales teams have long accepted cold outreach as a numbers game: more dials, more pain, minimal return. TitanX challenged that premise by giving reps what they actually need—timing. With Phone Intent, outbound isn’t about volume anymore; it’s about precision. That precision has turned cold calls into warm opportunities and SDR teams into revenue machines.

“In just 12 months, we’ve proven that predicting behavior beats pushing volume,” said Joey Gilkey, Founder and CEO of TitanX. “There’s a mandate from the boardroom to scale without bloating your team—and we’ve hit $5M in ARR proving that’s possible.”

TitanX is walking the walk: no VC backing, no hyperinflated burn rate, and a product that not only works—it sells itself. Much of the company’s growth has come from internal use of its own platform, customer referrals, and proof-driven adoption by tech-savvy GTM teams across SaaS, tech services, and enterprise.

Customers Are Doubling Output—With Smaller Teams

Just ask Kevin "KD" Dorsey, CRO at Finally. “In the last 6 months, we’ve quite literally doubled SDR production,” he said. “The team is smaller, but they’re producing twice the pipeline.”

That kind of ROI doesn’t come from dialing harder—it comes from dialing smarter.

Building for Scale: Strategic Hires Signal What’s Next

To meet demand, TitanX is beefing up leadership across revenue, product, and engineering. New additions include:

• Rob Anderson, CRO – Formerly with Gong and Docebo, Anderson brings deep outbound expertise. Interestingly, he was once a TitanX customer—and now he’s in the driver’s seat.

• Eduardo Moreno Justiniano, Head of Engineering – Previously at Marriott, he’s set to lead the charge in scaling product infrastructure.

• Evan Dunn, Head of Marketing – Known for his GTM leadership at Airwallex, Pixis, and Rep.ai, Dunn will build TitanX’s paid growth and brand strategy.

• David Scott, Head of Product – Formerly Co-founder at Duality Consulting, Scott brings AI-native thinking to product roadmap strategy.

Why This Matters

TitanX isn’t just riding a wave—it’s making one. The company’s growth is a microcosm of a broader B2B shift: sales leaders want leaner, more intelligent GTM operations, and they’re done chasing brute-force tactics. Efficiency, not expansion, is the new growth model.

At a time when investor capital is harder to raise, and teams are being asked to do more with less, TitanX is showing what’s possible when innovation actually delivers. Cold calling may never be “cool,” but with TitanX, it’s finally effective.

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Elgato, the content creator tech brand under Corsair, has officially launched the Game Capture 4K S — a next-gen external capture card designed to meet the evolving demands of professional streamers and creators across platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok.

Priced at $159.99, the plug-and-play device supports cinematic 4K60 real-time capture, ultra-low latency (as low as 30ms), and is fully compatible with Windows, macOS, and iPadOS. Elgato’s latest release positions itself as a versatile tool for streaming from PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and even the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.

Built for the Modern Creator Economy

The 4K S is more than just a spec bump. It builds upon Elgato’s top-selling HD60 X and introduces key enhancements:

• 4K60 zero-lag passthrough, HDR10 capture support (up to 1080p60), and VRR for smoother gameplay.

• High frame rate recording, including 1440p at 120fps and 1080p at 240fps — ideal for competitive and cinematic streamers alike.

• USB-C connectivity and UVC compliance, ensuring seamless operation with OBS, Streamlabs, Zoom, and TikTok Live Studio.

The device also arrives alongside the new Elgato Studio app, offering tools for creators like low-latency previews, a snapshot tool for social media thumbnails, and minimal system resource use — key for mobile creators working with iPads.

Executive Insight

“Our new 4K S is a game-changer for both professional and aspiring content creators,” said Thi La, CEO of Corsair. “With cinematic 4K60 capture, ultra-low latency preview, and support for high frame rates, it delivers the visual fidelity today’s streamers demand. Its plug-and-play compatibility and ecosystem integration make it one of the most versatile solutions available.”

A Legacy of Innovation

Elgato has long held a leadership position in creator-focused tech. Since releasing the first capture card made for gamers in 2012, the company has expanded its portfolio to include microphones, studio lighting, and modular control systems. The launch of 4K S marks another step in Elgato’s mission to empower creators and streamline their content pipelines.

Backed by Corsair’s global infrastructure and R&D capabilities, Elgato continues to capitalize on the booming creator economy — a market projected to exceed $480 billion by 2027, driven by Gen Z’s preference for user-generated video content.

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As synthetic media races ahead of detection capabilities, Cyabra is pushing back with a powerful new AI weapon: a deepfake detection tool that analyzes images and videos in real time to verify authenticity. Built into its broader disinformation detection platform, the solution is designed for governments, media, and enterprises looking to defend against the escalating threat of hyper-realistic AI-generated content.

In a digital environment where a convincing fake Zoom call cost one company $25 million, and deepfakes of public figures like Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy momentarily duped global audiences, Cyabra’s launch couldn’t be more timely—or more urgent.

Two AI Models, One Mission: Truth

Cyabra’s detection system runs on two proprietary AI models:

• PixelProof, which uses spatio-frequency analysis to spot pixel-level inconsistencies invisible to the human eye in static images.

• MotionProof, which scans video for telltale signs of forgery like unnatural movements, frame glitches, and lip-sync errors.

Both deliver results in seconds and include visual heatmaps that show users exactly where manipulation likely occurred—providing not just a verdict, but forensic transparency.

“Our detection tool acts as a digital magnifying glass,” said Dan Brahmy, CEO and Co-founder of Cyabra. “As digital manipulation evolves, our defenses must keep pace. This tool helps customers preserve trust, safeguard discourse, and defend democratic institutions.”

Why It Matters: From Fake News to Financial Fallout

The economic and geopolitical implications of deepfakes are no longer theoretical. In 2024 alone, the World Economic Forum highlighted synthetic media as a top-tier risk, warning organizations to fortify defenses against the rising sophistication of attacker techniques.

In a now-infamous Hong Kong incident, an employee was tricked into wiring $25 million during a Zoom meeting populated entirely by deepfakes, including a replica of the company’s CFO. That breach of trust was made possible by the believability of AI-generated video—something Cyabra aims to dismantle.

Meanwhile, corporations face another threat: manufactured scandals. Deepfakes of executives delivering false statements could crater a stock price overnight. Brand safety, once the domain of social listening and PR response, now depends on real-time forensic detection of synthetic content.

Not Just a Tool—A System

Unlike standalone detection software, Cyabra’s deepfake tool integrates with its full disinformation intelligence platform, offering customers:

• 24/7 monitoring

• Narrative tracking

• Bot and fake account detection

• Authenticity analysis across networks

This holistic architecture matters because deepfakes rarely work alone. They’re often part of orchestrated campaigns involving bot networks, social media manipulation, and false narratives. Cyabra’s integrated model enables detection in context, which is essential for identifying not just the fake—but the who, where, and why behind it.

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As AI-driven search platforms reshape how users discover content, Alelo has launched a timely new solution: AI-powered Content Navigators. These tools are designed to help both content consumers and creators thrive in an increasingly "zero-click" world—where conventional search traffic is dwindling and AI assistants now decide what content gets seen.

The debut product, built for the Dr. Laura Schlessinger program, features an AI assistant named Stacy who helps listeners navigate thousands of podcast episodes and videos to find content that matches their personal concerns. It’s more than just search—Stacy engages, probes, and recommends, mimicking Dr. Laura’s own on-air approach to help users connect deeply with existing content.

And early adoption is promising: Stacy has already clocked over 10,000 page views—all before official promotional efforts have even begun.

Why Search is Breaking—and Creators Are Feeling It

As tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini become go-to discovery engines, users are no longer sifting through search result pages—they’re reading summaries, often without clicking through at all. This has led to a sharp rise in zero-click searches, a trend that’s choking traditional visibility for creators.

If a show, article, or video lacks an AI-readable summary, it might as well not exist.

Alelo’s Content Navigators are designed to fight that. They not only summarize content using generative AI, but do so in a way that centers on user intent—focusing on the problem a user is trying to solve, rather than simply listing what's covered.

“In the age of AI summaries, if your content isn’t findable or understandable by the bots, it disappears,” said Dr. Lewis Johnson, CEO of Alelo. “Our Content Navigators not only surface content more intelligently—they create a more engaging discovery experience.”

AEO Meets Conversational Discovery

Alelo’s solution addresses a growing need in Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)—the evolving SEO equivalent for AI tools. Instead of relying on creators to rewrite descriptions for every podcast or video, Alelo’s platform automatically transcribes and summarizes content to make it searchable, surfacable, and skimmable by AI.

The result? Smarter discovery for users. More engagement for creators. And a system built to complement—not compete with—how AI tools like ChatGPT interact with online media.

"Stacy is making a big difference for Dr. Laura listeners," said Ron Hartenbaum, Managing Member at Crossover Media Group, which manages the program. “Listeners come with a problem, and Stacy delivers personalized content that keeps them engaged and drives ad revenue.”

A Blueprint for Podcasters and Streamers

Alelo isn’t stopping with Dr. Laura. The company is now offering Content Navigators to other podcasters and streaming platforms, promising quick setup and deep customization. According to Johnson, the platform can rapidly create a navigator tailored to any show—or entire libraries of content—without requiring editorial teams to lift a finger.

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Hotwire, the global communications and marketing consultancy, has appointed Charlotte Harvey as its new UK Managing Director, signaling a strategic play to deepen its influence in the tech and innovation sectors. Harvey’s arrival marks a defining leadership moment for the agency’s UK growth ambitions—and it comes with serious pedigree.

With over 15 years of experience spanning corporate giants, global agencies, and her own consultancy, Harvey brings a rare blend of strategic clarity, creative fluency, and deep sector insight. From managing accounts like Microsoft and P&G at Edelman to leading communications at Amey and later shaping narratives for brands like FedEx and Balfour Beatty, her track record reads like a blueprint for modern leadership in corporate communications.

From Tactical to Transformational

At Amey, Harvey elevated the communications function from a support desk to a boardroom player—reporting directly to the CEO and driving alignment between communications and business outcomes. Her later consultancy work and agency leadership at Grayling and Good Relations further solidified her reputation as a go-to advisor for complex organizations undergoing transformation.

“Charlotte is an exceptional leader whose ability to blend creativity with commercial focus makes her uniquely positioned to drive Hotwire’s next chapter in the UK,” said Laura Macdonald, Chief Growth Officer at Hotwire Global.

Harvey’s appointment also underscores Hotwire’s commitment to inclusive leadership and social value, both of which have been key tenets of her career. A proud Trinidadian, she is a passionate advocate for equity in the workplace and known for aligning communications strategy with purpose.

Leading Through Tech-Driven Change

Harvey takes the helm at a critical time for Hotwire UK, where the consultancy is expanding its presence in the tech, innovation, and AI sectors. She’ll be responsible for overseeing strategy, client success, and team development—while also working closely with clients to unlock reputation, relationship, and revenue growth.

“I’m joining Hotwire at a defining moment for the tech and communications industries,” said Harvey. “The UK has long been a hub for bold ideas and brave brands. I look forward to helping our clients navigate what’s next while building a culture where people thrive and do their best work.”

The appointment coincides with rapid momentum across the agency. Hotwire’s AI Lab continues to develop tools like Hotwire Spark and Hotwire Ignite, aimed at helping brands gain faster, smarter insights and make bolder strategic moves. The lab’s European efforts are also expanding, with Sven Winnefeld returning to lead AI sector growth across the continent.

In short, Hotwire isn’t just hiring leadership—it’s building a future-facing consultancy designed for the new era of intelligent communications. And with Charlotte Harvey now leading the charge in the UK, it’s making a confident bet on strategy, inclusivity, and bold growth.

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