Press Release
Broadsign Hires Manuel Ameneiros to Lead OOH Media Sales and Service in Latin America
MONTREAL (April 29, 2026) – Out-of-home (OOH) ad tech provider Broadsign announced the hire of Manuel Ameneiros as Head of Latin America (LATAM) Media Sales and Service. Expanding Broadsign’s regional presence, the newly formed role is designed to provide additional support to customers and partners in LATAM and grow and scale the business. Working out of Mexico City, Ameneiros will cultivate and advance strategic relationships with agencies, advertisers, and media owners across LATAM. With programmatic digital OOH (pDOOH) still developing in the region, he will also help customers navigate the shift toward more automated, data-driven OOH buys that integrate seamlessly with omnichannel campaigns. Ameneiros brings over a decade of experience working across the LATAM advertising ecosystem to Broadsign. Most recently, he served as Chief Commercial Officer at OLA Media, where he scaled revenue and drove market expansion. Previously, Ameneiros held roles across brands, agencies, and adtech companies, including Retargetly and Boletia, where he built expertise in data-driven marketing, programmatic adoption, and go-to-market strategy. “Momentum for OOH advertising is building quickly in LATAM as digital and programmatic OOH infrastructure expands, technological innovation accelerates, and more brands look to the medium to reach audiences in different ways,” said John Dolan, VP, Revenue and Partnerships, International, Broadsign. “This shift brings incredible opportunities to media owners and buyers who want to achieve greater efficiency, scale, and flexibility. Manuel’s experience and leadership can help them meet this moment and drive the next phase of OOH growth for the region.” “Broadsign’s work to make buying, selling, and delivering OOH media easier and more effective will be crucial to Latin American media owners and buyers. Having spent my entire career supporting innovation in this market, I look forward to this next chapter with the Broadsign team and continuing this mission,” explained Ameneiros. About Broadsign Broadsign empowers media owners, media buyers, and retailers to harness the power and reach of out-of-home (OOH) to connect with audiences in ways unlike any other advertising channel. More than 2.8 million static and digital signs along roadways and in airports, shopping malls, health clinics, transit systems, and more run on Broadsign and Place Exchange by Broadsign. The Broadsign Platform helps media owners and retailers, such as Outfront, Pattison Outdoor, Global, oOhMedia!, Intersection, Sainsbury’s, Woolworths, Stellar Ace, and Douglas, maximize revenue opportunities and automate business operations. It also enables agencies like Talon, OMD Worldwide, Havas, Starcom, dentsu, Omnicom Media Group, and Publicis Groupe to seamlessly plan and execute dynamic OOH campaigns that resonate with audiences. Brands spanning AB InBev, Disney, H&M, Honda, HP, Johnson & Johnson, KLM, Uber Eats, Sea-Doo, Samsonite, and many more have run successful programmatic DOOH campaigns enabled by Broadsign technology. https://broadsign.com
business 29 Apr 2026
Databricks Appoints Davinia Simon as Public Sector Lead for Australia and New Zealand
Sydney, Australia, April 29, 2026 – Databricks, the Data and AI company, today announced the appointment of Davinia Simon as Public Sector Lead for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), reinforcing its commitment to supporting government agencies in scaling responsible data and AI adoption. The appointment comes as governments across the region accelerate AI initiatives, including Australia’s National AI Plan, with increasing focus on delivering improved public services through data-driven innovation. Davinia brings more than 20 years of experience across enterprise technology and the public sector, with senior leadership roles at Accenture, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Adobe. Most recently, she served as Managing Director at Accenture, where she led complex, high-impact engagements with major government and enterprise clients. In her new role, Davinia will lead Databricks’ public sector strategy across ANZ, deepening partnerships with government agencies, including New South Wales and Queensland, while driving regional growth. She will work closely with customers to modernise data platforms, enable advanced analytics and scale AI apps and agents to improve service delivery to citizens, increase productivity and enable better policy outcomes. “Davinia’s experience at the intersection of technology and the government will be critical as we increase our support to meet the growing needs of public sector organisations across ANZ,” said Adam Beavis, VP and Country Manager for Databricks ANZ. “Agencies are under real pressure to deliver tangible outcomes from their data and AI investments, and Davinia brings the expertise to help them do that at scale.” “I’m excited to join Databricks at such a pivotal time. What drew me to Databricks is the ability to unify data and AI on a single platform, helping public sector organisations move faster and deliver real impact. I look forward to working with customers and partners to realise that value,” said Davinia Simon, Senior Director and Public Sector Lead for Databricks ANZ. “Public sector organisations globally are looking to unify their data and AI strategies to deliver more responsive and efficient services,” said Molly Just-Behr, Global Public Sector GTM Leader at Databricks. “The opportunity to support government agencies in the ANZ region has never been higher and I’m excited to have Davinia onboard to lead and help governments across ANZ accelerate this journey and deliver more intelligent, responsive services for citizens.” This appointment underscores Databricks’ continued investment in ANZ and its mission to help organisations democratise access to data and AI, and to build and scale data and AI. About Databricks Databricks is the Data and AI company. More than 20,000 organizations worldwide — including adidas, AT&T, Bayer, Block, Mastercard, Rivian, Unilever, and 70% of the Fortune 500 — rely on Databricks to build and scale data and AI apps, analytics and agents. Headquartered in San Francisco with 30+ offices around the globe, Databricks offers a unified platform that includes Lakebase, Genie, Agent Bricks, Lakeflow, Lakehouse, and Unity Catalog. To learn more, follow Databricks on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Instagram.
business 29 Apr 2026
Audion raises $15 million for US expansion and global scaling of AI-based ‘performance audio’ tool
London; Monday 27 April, 3pm (BST): Audion, an AI-powered advertising platform specialising in digital audio, announces $15 million in Series B funding. This will enable it to build on its UK and European growth with a launch in the United States; it will also accelerate the development of its proprietary technology, Audion AI, which delivers outcome-driven audio advertising campaigns. Funding partners for this next phase of growth are Elevation Capital Partners, Founders Future and Bpifrance. Founded in 2018 by Arthur Larrey and Kamel El Hadef, and now with over 1,500 clients worldwide, Audion has established itself as a pioneering European player in digital audio. Following initial funding of €1.1 million in 2019 and a second capital injection of €6 million in 2022, the company has developed innovative and high-performance technology solutions for advertisers and their media agencies. In early 2026, Audion launched Audion AI, the first AI solution dedicated to audio performance; the tool is designed to automate and optimise campaigns at scale and maximise the business impact of brands and media agencies through delivering tangible outcomes. This proprietary suite meets the needs of the rapidly evolving market, which is being reshaped by the convergence of audio, video and AI. Through specialised AI agents, Audion AI enables audience qualification and activation across multiple channels, devices and formats, AI-generated ad creative, and continuous campaign optimisation to maximise brand ROI. With the new funding, Audion aims to become a global leader in digital audio; it will build on its already well-established positions in Europe - notably in France, the UK, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands - and its forthcoming expansion into the United States. ??Marc Menasé, chief investments officer at Founders Future, says: “Audion combines standout fundamentals, a world-class team, and a bold product vision. As audio converges with video and expands the market opportunity by an order of magnitude, its new AI core product unlocks audio as a scalable performance channel, positioning the company to become a global leader.” Co-founder and co-CEO Arthur Larrey will lead Audion's US operations in order to structure its commercial and operational development. The company plans to hire around ten additional digital experts by the end of the year to support this strategic rollout. "This funding marks a turning point: the convergence of audio, video and AI is redefining the market and enabling audio as a genuine performance channel. The United States, the world's leading market, is our next step to accelerate and confirm the traction of Audion AI on an international scale," says Larrey.Kamel El Hadef, co-founder and co-CEO of Audion will head up the company’s European operations. He says: "The US launch is a natural continuation of our development in Europe, where we already work with numerous advertisers and media agencies. This expansion will allow us to deploy our expertise at greater scale and to support our clients in a market evolving at tremendous speed."
business 28 Apr 2026
Edible Blooms launches Australia’s largest hamper marketplace on Shopify
SYDNEY, Australia, 23 April, 2026 — Edible Blooms, one of Australia's most recognised gifting brands, has recently acquired three gifting sites - Dessert Boxes, Gift Baskets, and Hampers.com.au - bringing them together to launch Australia's largest unified hamper marketplace, built on Shopify. The multi-brand marketplace consolidates more than 700 products into a single destination, while each brand still retains its own storefront and identity. By consolidating operations, reducing technology overhead, and owning the search landscape across Australia's key gifting categories, the group is positioned for 43% growth in 2026. Founded in 2005, Edible Blooms has built its reputation on fast, personalised gifting at scale, supported by strong B2B and wholesale capabilities. After migrating to the Shopify Plus plan, and acquiring three complementary brands already on the platform, the business was able to bring everything together quickly into one unified commerce experience. “Twenty-one years ago I started Edible Blooms with my sister from a small store in Brisbane with a simple idea - make gifting more personal, more creative, and more accessible,” said Kelly Jamieson, Founder of Edible Blooms. “Relaunching Hampers.com.au as a marketplace is a genuine milestone for us. For the first time, we’re bringing four brands, same-day delivery nationwide, and thousands of gifting options into one place. Having all the acquired brands on Shopify from the get-go made it possible to move quickly, but more importantly, it sets us up for what comes next.” Unification to accelerateWith all four brands already operating on Shopify Plus, Edible Blooms avoided the typical complexity of post-acquisition integration. Instead, the team replicated proven storefronts, reused themes, and scaled what was already working. “Edible Blooms shows what becomes possible when unification is built in from the start,” said Shaun Broughton, Managing Director, APAC & Japan at Shopify. “Because each brand was already on Shopify Plus, the team could reuse templates, transfer learnings, and launch faster with every acquisition. That repeatability matters. It means every new brand or capability builds momentum, rather than adding complexity.” One platform, multiple growth leversThe unified marketplace is already delivering impact. By aggregating product feeds and consolidating search authority across four brands, Edible Blooms is strengthening its visibility across high-value gifting categories. Hampers.com.au has recorded a 97% increase in conversion in its first 30 days, outperforming typical benchmarks. Operationally, Shopify has reduced the need for custom development, enabling the team to test and roll out improvements across brands quickly. Features like shared themes, native tools, and centralised management allow Edible Blooms to iterate faster while maintaining consistency. Boosting B2B buying at scaleThe platform also underpins the company’s growing B2B offering, with bulk gifting tools and streamlined checkout flows enabling corporate customers to send personalised gifts at scale. Businesses can manage multiple recipients, customise individual messages, and complete large orders in a single transaction, removing friction from what is traditionally a complex process. Combined with its national same-day delivery network, Edible Blooms is able to deliver speed, flexibility and consistency for corporate customers, turning bulk gifting into a seamless, repeatable experience. With a unified foundation now in place, Edible Blooms is focused on expanding its marketplace, optimising customer experiences, and continuing to scale its house of brands strategy.
business 23 Apr 2026
AIR+ATOMO Announces Expansion to Meet Global Demand for Content Production
SÃO PAULO, April 23, 2026 – Brazilian production studio AIR+ATOMO has launched a new operating model and secured U.S. investment to scale its production capabilities, responding to growing demand from global brands for technology-driven creative content. AIR+ATOMO – which already works with a roster of international and local clients including Jeep, Peugeot, Unilever, Samsung, and The Coca-Cola Company, among others – is integrating: AIR, Brazil’s first creative production company specializing in generative AI; ÁTOMO, a leader in audiovisual post-production; AIRTECH, which focuses on developing AI-based platforms and solutions. This new structure positions AIR+ATOMO as a true end-to-end creative partner, combining creative expertise across AI integration, live action, audiovisual production, VFX, and CGI. This enables AIR+ATOMO to move beyond its traditional role as a production company and become a strategic partner for clients seeking creative, operational, and scalable solutions. The announcement also comes alongside AIR+ATOMO’s new partnership with Surreal Hotel Arts, a São Paulo-based creative production company that recently opened its first headquarters in New York with a U.S. investor group. The partnership gives AIR+ATOMO greater capacity to handle large and varied production volumes while continuing to drive high creative standards. “AIR is a 360° director-led studio. We focus on the art of directing and creating, whether through full AI, hybrid, or live-action. Our goal is to push the boundaries of storytelling, using generative technology to visualize narratives that were previously impossible to create.” — Marcos “Boca” Ceravolo, Partner and co-CCO “At ÁTOMO, our focus is on the highest tier of post-production and VFX. We act as a high-performance hub for the entire Industry. By integrating AI-enhanced workflows into our VFX pipeline, we provide our partners with a level of craft and technical sophistication that meets the high standards of both advertising and entertainment.” — Caio Montanari, Partner and co-CCO “AIRTECH is the group’s innovation engine. We develop proprietary and tailor-made AI platforms that allow our teams and clients to scale with absolute precision. We aren’t just using tools; we are building the operational backbone that ensures brand and production consistency across the board.” — André de Souza, Partner and CTO Day-to-day, the studio will be led by partners Caio Montanari, Marcos “Boca” Ceravolo, and André de Souza, supported by a reorganized internal coordination and post-production team. Joining as Executive Producer is Roberta Frederico, who brings over 20 years’ experience in production companies, working with agencies and global brands. “Together, AIR, ÁTOMO, and AIRTECH form a self-sufficient powerhouse: AIR+ATOMO. We have eliminated the friction between creative vision, technical execution, and scalable technology.” — Roberta Frederico, Executive Producer ABOUT AIR+ATOMO AIR+ATOMO is a full 360° creative production studio. Combining human expertise with cutting-edge AI technology and post-production, we deliver projects from start to finish, seamlessly integrating AI, live action, post-production and animation. With a team boasting over 20 years of experience in creative production, we transform concepts into tangible realities. From immersive storytelling and high-impact visuals to innovative digital experiences, we push the creative boundaries to deliver unique mixed-reality content. Follow AIR+ATOMO on LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Website: https://airatomo.com/ ABOUT SURREAL HOTEL ARTS Surreal Hotel Arts is a Brazilian audiovisual production company with offices in São Paulo and New York. We operate in both national and international markets, creating content for advertising, entertainment, and branded media. Since January 2021, our mission has been to tell stories with relevance, creative freedom, and sensitive listening. We believe in the power of imagining, creating, and building solutions that reflect the diverse voices of the world, always in dialogue with agencies, brands, distributors, platforms, and other industry partners. As signatories of the UN Global Compact, we remain committed to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, aligning our projects with a more diverse, responsible, and people-connected future. Follow Surreal Hotel Arts on LinkedIn, Instagram. Facebook, and YouTube. Website: https://www.surrealhotelarts.com/
business 23 Apr 2026
Broadsign Partners with JB Hi-Fi to Accelerate Retail Media Network
SYDNEY, April 22, 2026 – Broadsign announced that leading Australian consumer electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi is deploying the Broadsign Platform to build and scale its in-store retail media network (RMN), which spans over 200 stores across Australia. The technology will streamline operations, enabling JB Hi-Fi to seamlessly plan, execute, optimise, and measure in-store media and ad campaigns across locations from one central hub. With the Broadsign Platform providing real-time availability, intuitive ad serving, and robust campaign reporting out-of-the-box, JB Hi-Fi will be able to unlock impactful in-store opportunities and deliver measurable results across its network. An open API also allows JB Hi-Fi to integrate with its preferred retail systems, platforms, and processes, while still maintaining complete ownership and control over its network. “We’re seeing strong interest in retail media from advertisers and brands who want to reach local audiences where purchase intent is high. We already had the screens to deliver in-store, and now with Broadsign, we have access to the same advertising toolset that major media owners use, and the ability to scale,” explained Gary Siewert, Director of Marketing and e-commerce, JB Hi-Fi. “Broadsign’s open API has also proved more valuable, allowing us to select the partners we want to work with as we build our omnichannel RMN, such as Retail Media Works and Criteo.” “As Australia’s leading consumer electronics retailer, JB Hi-Fi is home to some of the world’s biggest brands. By partnering with best-in-class solutions such as Broadsign, JB Hi-Fi are not only maximising the potential of their retail media network, they’re setting the strongest possible foundation for themselves in an increasingly competitive space,” said Ben Allman, Regional VP of Platform Sales at Broadsign. For more information about Broadsign’s in-store media network offering, visit: https://broadsign.com/retail-digital-signage/ About BroadsignBroadsign is the leading out-of-home (OOH) advertising technology platform, transforming how retailers, OOH media owners, and ad buyers reach and connect with audiences. More than 2.8 million static and digital signs along roadways and in shopping malls, grocery and convenience stores, airports, transit systems, and other OOH venues run on Broadsign. The Broadsign platform helps customers seamlessly plan, deliver, and optimize dynamic, data-driven in-store and OOH campaigns. Through Broadsign’s programmatic SSP, Place Exchange, and integrations with 50+ omnichannel and OOH DSPs, the company offers advertisers and media buying agencies the largest footprint of global OOH inventory, enabling them to intuitively execute guaranteed and non-guaranteed OOH campaigns across a variety of OOH formats. Interoperability with retail POS systems, loyalty programs, and omnichannel media platforms allows retailers to create engaging, measurable in-store experiences that tie into on- and off-site campaign strategies. https://broadsign.com/retail-digital-signage/
advertising 22 Apr 2026
SurveyMonkey makes continuous listening accessible with guided programs
SAN MATEO, Calif., April 21, 2026 – SurveyMonkey, the world’s most popular platform for surveys and forms, today announced the launch of a new way for organizations to run continuous, connected feedback initiatives without starting from scratch. Expert-curated programs for everything from employee engagement to customer experience and market research help users collect and act on feedback while tracking how sentiment evolves over time. More than a dozen pre-built programs are available now, and users can also build custom programs of their own. One-off surveys have long helped teams guide decisions by capturing a single moment in time. But as employee sentiment, customer experience, and market dynamics shift faster than ever, those snapshots can quickly become outdated. SurveyMonkey programs leverage the company’s decades of expertise and more than one billion questions answered on the platform to help teams move from episodic feedback to ongoing understanding without the stress. "Running a great listening program isn't just about asking the right questions,” said Kelly O'Connell, vice president, product management at SurveyMonkey. "It's about staying in tune with how the answers change. Programs give every team, especially those without dedicated research operations, a proven path to continuous understanding." Programs help teams: Get started instantly with curated, ready-to-use collections of survey programs aligned with common goals. Stay in sync with what’s changing through recommended survey timing and built-in workflows that guide when and how feedback is collected. See the full picture by connecting surveys and tracking trends over time for better decision-making. The shift from episodic surveys to continuous listening unlocks earlier signals and clearer context. An HR leader can track employee sentiment from onboarding through key milestones, surfacing early signs of disengagement before they lead to turnover. A customer experience manager can monitor feedback across the customer journey, spotting friction before it impacts retention. A brand researcher can follow changes in perception over time, rather than relying on a static snapshot. And because programs are expert-curated, teams can do all of this without having to figure out what to ask or when. The expert-built programs available today span key business needs, including: Improving HR and people experience (employee engagement, inclusion and belonging, faculty and staff engagement) Elevating customer experience and loyalty (customer experience, NPS, community feedback) Strengthening marketing and brand insights (market research, brand health, campaign success) Gathering product and technology feedback (technology feedback) Enhancing education experiences (student experience, school community) Capturing insights from events (event feedback) Learn more about the available programs at /curiosity/surveymonkey-programs. About SurveyMonkey SurveyMonkey is the world’s most popular platform for surveys and forms, built for business and loved by users. We combine powerful capabilities with intuitive design, effectively serving every use case, from customer experience to employee engagement, market research to payment and registration forms. With built-in research expertise and AI-powered technology, it’s like having a team of expert researchers right at your fingertips. Trusted by millions—from startups to Fortune 500 companies—SurveyMonkey helps teams gather insights and information that inspire better decisions, create experiences people love, and drive business growth. Discover how at surveymonkey.com.
business 21 Apr 2026
Haute Jets and 5WPR Publish The Haute Jets Wealth Migration Report, Documenting the Largest Single-Year Millionaire Relocation on Record
NEW YORK and MIAMI, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Haute Jets, the on-demand private aviation brand founded by Haute Living, and 5WPR, one of the largest independently owned PR and digital marketing firms in the United States, today published The Haute Jets Wealth Migration Report — a research report examining the largest single-year international wealth migration on record and the private aviation corridors that have formed around it. The report synthesizes data from Henley & Partners, New World Wealth, Knight Frank, Bank of America, Campden Wealth, RBC, McKinsey, Mordor Intelligence, ARGUS TRAQPak, Avi-Go, WingX, the Internal Revenue Service, and leading trade press. Every claim is linked to its source. The full report is available free at https://www.hautejets.com/the-haute-jets-wealth-report, with no registration required. Key findings: 142,000 millionaires are projected to relocate internationally in 2025 — the largest single-year figure on record, per the Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2025. Projections rise to 165,000 in 2026. The United Kingdom is projected to lose –16,500 millionaires in 2025 — the largest single-year millionaire exodus from any country on record. Combined wealth leaving: $91.8 billion. Top destinations: UAE, United States (especially Florida), Italy, Switzerland, and Monaco. The United Arab Emirates leads global wealth attraction with +9,800 net millionaire inflows, the fourth consecutive year at #1. Dubai alone is forecast to add 7,000+ new millionaires in 2026. 241,700 crypto millionaires now exist globally per Henley's Crypto Wealth Report 2025 — up 40% year-over-year. 145,100 Bitcoin millionaires (up 70%), 450 crypto centi-millionaires, 36 crypto billionaires. Florida captured $20.7 billion in net AGI through US interstate migration in 2023 — nearly four times second-place Texas. Miami-Dade luxury home sales above $1M surged 147% between 2019 and 2024. West Palm Beach luxury home prices rose 187.3% over the past decade — the fastest luxury price growth of any major US metro. Global business jet departures reached a record 3.88 million in 2025, 34% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels. NetJets alone flew nearly 12% of all global business jet trips. Charter services lead the private aviation market with 51.88% of 2025 revenue. Fractional ownership is the fastest-growing segment, projected at 12.18% CAGR through 2031. The US Great Wealth Transfer is projected to move $124 trillion through 2048. Family offices now oversee more than $3 trillion globally. "What the data shows in 2025 is not a softening of wealth migration — it is an acceleration and a diversification," said Ronn Torossian, Founder and Chairman of 5WPR. "The old pattern of UK to Switzerland, New York to Florida, is now layered with crypto wealth moving to Dubai, Latin American capital landing in Miami, and a new generation relocating for tax structure as much as lifestyle. Every one of these migration events is a multi-home lifestyle being built. The private aviation industry sits at the intersection — and that intersection has never been more active." "For Haute Jets, this research confirms what we see every day at the operational level," said Kamal Hotchandani, CEO of Haute Jets. "The New York-to-Miami corridor, the London-to-Dubai corridor, Miami-to-São Paulo, Miami-to-Caracas — these are not just private aviation routes. They are the physical connective tissue of a global UHNW class now living across three or four residences. Understanding where the wealth is moving is prerequisite to serving it." The report also documents the institutional transformation of Miami into what market participants now call "Wall Street South": Citadel relocated its global headquarters from Chicago in 2022 and is building a $2.5 billion Norman Foster-designed tower on Brickell Bay, joined by Thoma Bravo, Point72, Elliott Management, Apollo, Starwood Capital, Blackstone, and Banco Santander. Miami Alts Week now draws 6,000+ attendees annually. The private aviation volume story is equally stark. Part 91K fractional departures are up 75.5% since 2019. Ultra-long-range jet activity is up 70% versus 2019. Latin American private aviation grew 11% in 2025 — the second-fastest regional growth globally — with Brazil posting +45% year-over-year, Colombia +42%, and Venezuela +34%. About Haute Jets Haute Jets is the on-demand private aviation brand founded by Haute Living, the luxury lifestyle media company. Haute Living has been the authoritative voice in luxury media for two decades, connecting high-net-worth audiences with the brands, destinations, and experiences they value. About 5WPR 5WPR is a full-service PR and digital marketing agency, known for cutting-edge programs that engage businesses, issues, and ideas. Founded more than 20 years ago, 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by leading industry publication O'Dwyer's, named Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards®, and honored as a Top Place to Work in Communications in 2026 by Ragan. The agency continues to deliver a resourceful, bold, and results-driven approach to communications for leading businesses, with more than 250 professionals serving clients across B2C sectors including Beauty & Fashion, Consumer Brands, Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, Travel & Hospitality, Technology, and Nonprofit; B2B specialties including Corporate Communications and Reputation Management; as well as Public Affairs, Crisis Communications, and Digital Marketing, including Social Media, Influencer, Paid Media, GEO, and SEO. In addition to its business accolades, 5W was named to the Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year list. For more information and to join our team, visit 5W Careers.
business 20 Apr 2026
5WPR Releases Inaugural Gaming Trust Index, Exposing a $3.9 billion Spend Misallocation Across the U.S. Gambling and Gaming Market
NEW YORK, April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 5WPR, one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, today published the Gaming Trust Index — the first annual study dedicated to analyzing marketing spend allocation and brand credibility outcomes across the U.S. sports betting, online gaming, and land-based casino markets. The index is built on publicly available market data, advertising spend figures from Kantar Media, MediaRadar, and iSpot.tv, public financial disclosures from Flutter Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, Penn Entertainment, and DraftKings, and earned media analysis of more than 47,000 articles published over a 12-month period. The Central FindingThe U.S. sports betting and online gaming industries spent an estimated $3.9 billion on advertising and marketing in 2025. Television advertising received $1.42 billion — 36% of total spend. Celebrity and athlete ambassador programs received $520 million. Earned media and PR received $90 million — 2.3% of the total. Responsible gambling programs received $60 million, or 1.5%. Channel Est. 2025 Spend Share of Total National TV $1.42 billion 36.4 % Digital performance $980 million 25.1 % Celebrity / athlete partnerships $520 million 13.3 % Sports sponsorships $410 million 10.5 % Paid social $280 million 7.2 % Out-of-home $140 million 3.6 % Earned media / PR $90 million 2.3 % Responsible gambling programs $60 million 1.5 % TOTAL $3.90 billion 100 % "The gambling industry has built enormous awareness over the past five years. What it has not built, in proportion to that spend, is credibility. Those are different investments — and the industry's current allocation reflects a market that hasn't fully recognized the shift from acquisition to retention that defines where the competition now lives."— Matt Caiola, CEO, 5WPR The Celebrity Partnership GapThe industry spent $520 million on celebrity partnerships in 2025 — nearly nine times its investment in responsible gambling communications. The index documents this ratio as both a brand credibility gap and an emerging regulatory and investor exposure, as ESG analysts covering publicly traded operators have increasingly included RG investment as a proportion of marketing spend in published research. Land-Based Casino: The Digital GapThe index extends its analysis to the $67.8 billion land-based casino market. Major operators including MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts, Hard Rock International, Penn Entertainment, and Boyd Gaming have invested minimally in the digital content and earned media infrastructure that determines how their brands appear in AI-generated search results — a vulnerability the index identifies as a generative engine optimization (GEO) gap that is widening every quarter. Online Gaming: Most Underspent SegmentU.S. online gaming generated $12.8 billion in GGR in 2025 across seven legal states, with New York, Illinois, Indiana, and Virginia in active legislative consideration. The segment receives the lowest communications investment per GGR dollar of any segment in the analysis. "Every state that legalizes in the next two years is a communications competition as much as a product competition. The operators building earned media presence now — before those markets open — will have a structural advantage that advertising spend at launch cannot replicate."— Matt Caiola, CEO, 5WPR AvailabilityThe full Gaming Trust Index 2026 is available at no cost and without registration at 5wpr.com/research/gaming-trust-index-2026. About 5WPR 5W PR is a full-service PR and digital marketing agency, known for cutting-edge programs that engage businesses, issues, and ideas. Founded more than 20 years ago, 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by leading industry publication O'Dwyer's, named Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards®, and honored as a Top Place to Work in Communications in 2026 by Ragan. The agency continues to deliver a resourceful, bold, and results-driven approach to communications for leading businesses, with more than 250 professionals serving clients across B2C sectors including Beauty & Fashion, Consumer Brands, Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, Travel & Hospitality, Technology, and Nonprofit; B2B specialties including Corporate Communications and Reputation Management; as well as Public Affairs, Crisis Communications, and Digital Marketing, including Social Media, Influencer, Paid Media, GEO, and SEO. In addition to its business accolades, 5W was named to the Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year list. For more information and to join our team, visit 5W Careers.
business 17 Apr 2026
Hookflash wins UK CRO account from world famous darts company Nodor Group
LONDON, 13th April, 2026 – Digital optimisation agency Hookflash has won the conversion rate optimisation (CRO) account, for Nodor Group, owner of Winmau dartboards and Red Dragon Darts, in the UK following a pitch. Hookflash has been appointed to optimise the company’s ecommerce approach and increase value from its website. Central to the brief is a data-led CRO and experimentation approach, with a particular focus on scaling its D2C e-commerce offering. At the end of last year, Nodor won investment from mid-market private equity company Inflexion and is now entering a new phase of growth. The world-famous darts brand was founded over 100 years ago and is headquartered in the UK. It employs over 1,000 people across three continents and exports to over 100 countries worldwide. Its products are manufactured in-house and Nodor is recognised as the most advanced manufacturer of premium dartboards, darts and related products globally. Oliver Walker, Managing Director, Hookflash, said: “Nodor is the market leader in a growing category with darts gaining popularity all the time. Their approach to focus on D2C ecommerce plays to our strengths and it is fantastic to be working with such a progressive marketing team who have given us a clear remit to obtain more value from their website through data-led CRO.” Dan Cure, E-Commerce Lead, Nodor Group, said: “Hookflash delivered a joined-up approach to CRO and User Experience – not just in technical execution but in helping shape the broader customer experience. The clarity and confidence in their thinking demonstrated they are well-suited to a brand looking to build lasting capability.” MNC Club, the consultant to challenger brands, advised Nodor on the pitch. About Hookflash Hookflash is an independent, London-based, digital optimisation agency, specialising in Analytics, Experimentation and SEO. Launched in January 2023, our co-founders have been working in digital analytics for over 15 years, when organisations were still making the switch from Universal Analytics to the original Google Analytics product. We launched Hookflash to enable disruptive brands to maximise the potential they get from their website by better leveraging data to diagnose and understand areas of opportunity. We support a diverse range of clients globally, from FTSE 100 organisations through to UK-based regional charities and are proud to work with over 50 clients in our first 18 months. What all our clients share is a passion for putting data at the heart of decision-making. They include: Barbour; Clarion Events, Lovat Parks; Ooni; Staysure; Tala and XP Factory. https://www.hookflash.co.uk/
business 17 Apr 2026
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