Brandtech vs Canva

Jellyfish Research: AI Shopping Reshapes Brand Competition

New research from Jellyfish, a global digital marketing company within The Brandtech Group, reveals that AI shopping assistants are dramatically reshaping competitive dynamics. The Share of Model™ tool analyzed AI recommendations across eight categories in the US, UK, Australia, and Singapore, spanning ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, and Amazon Alexa. Key findings show there is no single 'AI shelf'—different assistants recommend vastly different brands and products for the same query. AI can erase brand leadership, as seen in US fashion where the top brand held only 7% of the shelf across 120 brands. AI also ignores traditional price positioning, with men's suits in the UK ranging from £27 to £3,295 in one response. The company launched Shopping Optimization, a new capability within Share of Model, enabling marketers to analyze AI recommendations at the SKU level and optimize for agentic commerce.

• Jellyfish research analyzed AI shopping recommendations across eight categories in the US, UK, Australia, and Singapore.
• ChatGPT accounted for roughly 80% of AI product recommendations, Google's AI Mode around 20%.
• In US fashion, recommendations spanned 120 brands, with the top brand holding just 7% of the shelf.

Insurers Become New AI Accountability Players in Ad Tech

At the Programmatic I/O conference, industry leaders discussed the emerging role of insurance companies in AI governance for advertising. Betty Louie of The Brandtech Group noted that insurers are becoming 'a new player in the AI discussion,' with policies that will add a layer of protection but also fragmentation. Executives from Yum! Brands and BBDO shared their approaches to AI oversight, emphasizing the need for auditability and clear internal guidelines. They highlighted the challenges of navigating a fragmented regulatory landscape, including the EU AI Act and various state laws, and stressed the importance of human oversight to prevent cost overruns and errors in AI-driven advertising workflows.

• Gartner survey from April 2026 found 60% of companies using AI will face unexpected charges or exceed budgets due to lack of human oversight.
• More than half (56%) of companies using AI tools implemented them without clear policies, according to Gartner.
• Betty Louie of The Brandtech Group stated insurance underwriters are becoming a 'new player in the AI discussion' at Programmatic I/O.

Google Unifies YouTube Shorts and Open Web Buying

Google Marketing Platform announced its Unified Vertical Video strategy at Programmatic IO, enabling advertisers to buy YouTube Shorts and open web inventory through DV360. Previously, Shorts could only be bought via Google Ads with Demand Gen or PMax. The new approach aims to extend walled garden budgets to the open web. Gemini AI will handle creative resizing and campaign optimization across formats. The article also discusses Meta's self-promotion of its Muse AI agent and the potential risks of AI agents, including bank runs, as theorized by Apollo's chief economist. Additionally, it notes the launch of AgenticAdvertising.org's first board and the appointment of Will Hanschell as group CTO at Brandtech.

• Google Marketing Platform announced Unified Vertical Video strategy at Programmatic IO.
• Advertisers can now buy YouTube Shorts and open web inventory via DV360.
• Gemini AI handles creative resizing and campaign optimization across formats.

Craft, upgraded: introducing the Canva ProSuite

Affinity, Cavalry, Flourish and Leonardo are coming together as one connected suite for professional creatives. Here's what's new, and why we think craft matters more than ever.

AI exposes unsaid assumptions in brand guidelines

This article discusses the impact of AI on brand management, arguing that traditional brand guidelines, which rely on human interpretation of adjectives like 'premium' or 'customer-first', are ill-suited for AI-driven execution. With AI personalizing and automating customer interactions, brand drift can occur at scale. The author suggests that brands must make their implicit judgments explicit, defining behavioral rules and decision frameworks that AI can follow. Drawing on the 'Canva principle' for design consistency, the article suggests extending this to brand behavior, making brand strategy an operational system rather than a static document.

• AI can propagate unresolved brand assumptions across thousands of interactions at speed.
• Traditional brand guidelines rely on human interpretation and are now insufficient for AI execution.
• The article proposes shifting from adjective-based guidelines to explicit behavioral rules.

Canva Study: 74% of Workers Anxious Presenting Despite AI

Canva's global study, 'The Presentation Paradox', reveals that while AI tools like Canva AI streamline presentation creation, 74% of professionals still experience anxiety when presenting. The study, based on a survey of over 20,000 workers, found that 91% use AI monthly to build slides, but 86% believe great presentations hinge on human connection. Gen Z workers are most affected, with 90% reporting anxiety. Despite AI's role in slide generation, 68% link strong presentation skills to career advancement, and 55% would allow an AI avatar to present on their behalf. The findings underscore a growing divide between AI-assisted creation and the enduring need for human presentation skills.

• 74% of professionals feel anxious about presenting, with 90% of Gen Z affected.
• 91% of workers use AI to build or draft presentation slides each month.
• 68% of respondents link strong presentation skills to a recent pay rise or promotion.