dfv Mediengruppe vs Ziff Davis

Ahead uses community and creators to reshape snacks

D2C snack brand Ahead is featured in HORIZONT's "Un:filtered" series, where co-founder and CEO Philip Brohlburg discusses the company's move from direct-to-consumer into grocery retail, its mission to normalise lower-sugar diets, and the strategic role of its community and creators who are integrated into the team. The article appears as part of the HORIZONT x Social Match Un:filtered collaboration and includes commentary from Martin Wroblewski of Social Match by We Are Era.

• Article published by HORIZONT Online on 2026-08-31.
• Ahead is described as a D2C company aiming to make lower-sugar nutrition the norm and to offer alternatives to classic confectionery.
• Philip Brohlburg is identified as Co-Founder and CEO of Ahead and is the interviewee in the Un:filtered episode.

Vodafone and BVB AI‑recreate 1963 Bundesliga Goal

Published by HORIZONT on August 29, 2026, Vodafone, Borussia Dortmund (BVB), and creative agency Jung von Matt have launched an AI-driven campaign titled 'The Unseen Goal' to reconstruct the Bundesliga's first-ever goal, scored in 1963 by Timo Konietzka. Since no original video or photographic footage of the historic moment exists, the team generated the moving images using artificial intelligence, leveraging historical media reports, weather simulation models, and interviews with eyewitnesses, including the scorer's brother. The reconstructed video debuted via a documentary at the BVB museum, on Sky Sports News, and on the YouTube channels of BVB and Vodafone. It was also shown on stadium screens during Dortmund's season opener. The campaign will continue to run across digital platforms, social media, print, and soccer podcasts in Germany, with Sky serving as the exclusive media partner.

• Vodafone, Borussia Dortmund (BVB), and agency Jung von Matt launched 'The Unseen Goal' campaign to reconstruct the first-ever Bundesliga goal from 1963 using AI.
• The historic goal by Timo Konietzka had no existing photographic or video records prior to this project.
• The creative team utilized eyewitness accounts, weather simulation models, and archive records to accurately generate the moving images.

Digital Receipt Mandate Threatened from 2028

Germany's Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) plans to end paper sales receipts from 2028 and replace them with a mandatory digital receipt. The proposal would require retailers to provide an electronic receipt for every sale. Trade associations and retailers are urging instead for a full abolition of the receipt requirement. The article, published by Lebensmittelzeitung (DFV Mediengruppe) on 28 August 2026, outlines the forthcoming policy shift and the retailers' opposition, which could have wide implications for point-of-sale systems, payment providers, and retail data capture.

• Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) plans to abolish paper receipts and introduce a mandatory digital receipt starting in 2028.
• The proposed rule would require retailers to provide an electronic receipt for every sale.
• Retail industry representatives are calling for the complete abolition of the receipt obligation instead of a digital mandate.

Publishers Turn GEO from Experiment into Business

Publishers are increasingly monetizing Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) as a branded content offering, with companies like Future, Ziff Davis, Time, and several European publishers securing clients and revenue. Future's GEO product has over 30 clients and renewals, while Ziff Davis reports multiple clients. Time's offering involves placing brand messages in markdown files read by AI agents, despite Perplexity's initial pushback. Publishers see GEO as a premium opportunity to capitalize on AI-driven discovery, though measurement and longevity remain concerns. The IAB is developing a framework to standardize AI advertising measurement. Publishers are guarded about revenue figures due to competition, but the overall sentiment is optimistic, with GEO perceived as a real commercial opportunity rather than a defensive play.

• Future's GEO product has more than 30 clients and secured renewals.
• Ziff Davis has multiple GEO clients, tacked onto branded content deals.
• At least a half dozen large digital publishers now offer GEO services.

Google Search Profiles Lower Follower Threshold, Add Multi-Profile Management

Google has updated its Search Profiles feature for publishers and creators, lowering the follower threshold to 10,000 on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, X, and TikTok. This marks the second reduction since the feature's rollout in June. Additionally, Google now allows managing multiple profiles under one account, which is beneficial for media houses with multiple brands. The article preview has been enhanced with improved thumbnails and longer headlines. Currently, the feature is only available to users 18 and older in the US, with a global rollout planned. Google's Robby Stein announced these changes, highlighting the increased utility for publishers. The profiles serve as a curated presence in search results, including a follow button that influences Discover visibility. This positions Google as a content hub, which could potentially reduce direct traffic to publishers' websites but also offers new visibility opportunities.

• Google lowered the follower requirement for Search Profiles to 10,000 on YouTube, X, Instagram, and TikTok, and 100,000 on TikTok previously.
• Search Profiles now support multiple profiles under one Google account.
• Improved article previews with new thumbnails and longer headlines.

Ziff Davis News: CEO Op-Ed, SpiceWorld 2026, Q2 Results, and More

Ziff Davis CEO Vivek Shah published an op-ed in Fortune on AI licensing; SpiceWorld 2026 announced; Q2 2026 financial results reported; RetailMeNot launched new rewards app; IPVanish added WireGuard/OpenVPN to Apple TV; Castle Connolly released Top Dentists list.