Getting Granular

Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson unpack the biggest month in digital advertising this year, with a deep dive into the major announcements from Google Marketing Live 2026. They break down Google's push toward AI-powered search, agentic commerce, conversational shopping experiences, and predictive measurement, including updates to AI Mode, AI Max, Demand Gen, Merchant Center, and new lead generation tools. The episode also explores Universal Cart, AI-powered creative workflows, evolving attribution models, and Google's growing reliance on first-party data and modeled conversions. Throughout the discussion, Jeremy and Emily separate the hype from the practical takeaways, highlighting what advertisers should test now, what remains experimental, and how marketers can prepare for a future where AI plays a larger role across search, shopping, creative, and measurement. Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates every month.

January didn’t ease into 2026, it accelerated it. Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson break down OpenAI officially testing ads in ChatGPT, TikTok’s sweeping Smart Plus automation updates, and Google’s push into agentic commerce with AI-native checkout and a new Universal Commerce Protocol. They also react to this year’s AI-heavy Super Bowl ads from OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), and Google Gemini — and debate who actually communicated value best. They also react to this year’s AI-heavy Super Bowl ads from OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), and Google Gemini, and debate which brand actually demonstrated real value for everyday users. If December was quiet, January made it clear: AI-driven advertising is moving fast and the commerce experience is changing with it.

Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson break down November’s biggest developments in AI creative, unified ad platforms, and AI-assisted shopping. Google’s launch of Gemini 3 and its high-fidelity image model Nano Banana Pro marks a major leap in AI-generated production assets. Amazon announced a unified Ads + DSP console alongside new AI creative agents, and ChatGPT stepped directly into the purchase journey with personalized, agentic shopping research. They also cover Performance Max expanding into Waze inventory for store-focused campaigns. Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates every month.

In this September 2025 episode of The Click Brief Podcast, Jeremy and Emily unpack the latest digital advertising updates shaping Q4 strategies from Google’s new campaign total budgets and AI-driven ad innovations to Amazon’s new AI Ad Creator and Meta’s expanded Reels and Threads formats. They also share insights, reactions, and predictions for how these updates will impact advertisers heading into the holiday season.

In this exciting inaugural podcast episode of The Click Brief, hosts Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson dive into the latest digital advertising and Martech updates from July 2025. They kick things off with a deep dive into OpenAI's new ChatGPT Agent, an advanced tool that can browse the web, use APIs, and automate multi-step tasks. The hosts explore its potential to save time and make work more efficient, sharing their personal experiences with grocery shopping and campaign management using the tool. Next, they discuss Google's AI-powered shopping upgrades, including virtual try-ons for apparel, smarter price alerts, and outfit inspiration. Emily emphasizes the need for e-commerce businesses to get their product feeds in top shape to stay ahead of the curve. As they move on to Instagram's new partnership with Google, the hosts highlight the value of SEO for social content, encouraging businesses to optimize captions and hashtags for better visibility. The episode continues with exciting updates from Google Ads, including the launch of localized forecasts in Keyword Planner, Meta’s new ad performance breakdowns, and the rollout of asset-level metrics for responsive search ads. The hosts reflect on the need for caution when using AI-driven features and the importance of strategic decision-making in campaigns. Closing out the episode, Jeremy and Emily discuss Google’s Smart Bidding Exploration, a new feature aimed at optimizing ROAS with more flexible bidding. They share their thoughts on the potential impact for e-commerce brands, while acknowledging that further testing is needed to fully understand its effectiveness. Tune in for all the insights and takeaways to keep your digital advertising strategies on the cutting edge!

In episode 46 of Getting Granular, host Chris Cesar sits down with Kelsea Smart, a Paid Media Manager at Granular, to talk about her career journey and unique experiences in paid media. Hailing from Florida, Kelsea brings her insights on the challenges and evolution of digital marketing. She shares her path from working in a full-service agency to specializing in PPC at Granular, the role of AI and machine learning in shaping the industry, and her favorite parts of driving results for clients. Alongside her professional insights, Kelsea recounts an incredible personal story of surviving a near-boat sinking, highlighting her quick thinking and resilience. Tune in for a mix of professional expertise, industry trends, and lighthearted anecdotes from Kelsea’s life.

In this episode of "Getting Granular," Chris Cesar sits down with Tim Reed, a Paid Media Specialist at Granular, to dive into Tim’s journey in digital marketing and his experiences with PPC. Tim opens up about how he found his way from an undecided major in college to a career focused on e-commerce and Amazon advertising. He shares what drew him to Granular, fueled by a passion for digital strategy and the psychology behind marketing. Tim also digs into the evolution of paid search, from the early days of simpler platforms to today’s world of AI and automation, which he believes bring both opportunities and challenges. With a mix of humor and insight, he highlights the value of data-driven decisions, building strong client relationships, and staying adaptable in a constantly shifting industry.

In episode 42 of the "Getting Granular" podcast, Chris welcomes Lauren Roloff, a manager of Paid Media at Granular, to discuss her background, journey in the industry, and thoughts on the future of PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising. Lauren shares insights into her career trajectory, starting from her college days at UW-Whitewater to her experiences in different industries before joining Granular.

All of us have wondered at one time or another "Why am I getting served this ad?" while scrolling through various social media channels, but few of us actually take action to remove said ads. So at Granular, we asked ourselves the extreme question, "What would happen if we block ALL the ads?" Well, our very own Mark Lee used Instagram to find out.

At first glance, Programmatic advertising may seem as complicated as trying to solve a Rubik's Cube, understanding quantum mechanics, or even how Google works. But don’t fear, Granular is here! We are departing on a five-part series of deep dives into the inner workings and magic of Programmatic. For Part V, Chris and Anna wrap up the series by touching on all things audio-related. Yes, it’s a podcast about podcast advertising + more!

At first glance, Programmatic advertising may seem as complicated as trying to solve a Rubik's Cube, understanding quantum mechanics, or even how Google works. But don’t fear, Granular is here! We are departing on a five-part series of deep dives into the inner workings and magic of Programmatic. During Part III we venture outside and take a closer look at Out-Of-Home (OOH) advertisement in the Programmatic space.

At first glance, Programmatic advertising may seem as complicated as trying to solve a Rubik's Cube, understanding quantum mechanics, or even how Google works. But don’t fear, Granular is here! We are departing on a five-part series of deep dives into the inner workings and magic of Programmatic. This week is our maiden voyage, Part I, as Chris and Anna take a closer look at all things CTV & OTT.