Smartly vs TikTok

Horizon CEO Bob Lord Criticizes Holdcos’ FTE Pricing Models

At Smartly's Advance event in Lower Manhattan, Horizon Media Holdings president Bob Lord publicly criticized traditional full-time equivalent (FTE)-based pricing models used by major agency holding companies. He argued that such models, along with principal-based buying, are outdated and hinder client business growth. Lord emphasized the need for 'composable architectures' and monetizing technology investments rather than relying on legacy headcount-based pricing. He predicted that within five years, clients will stop paying for FTE-based models. His comments highlight a growing industry debate about agency compensation structures as technology and AI reshape the agency landscape.

• Horizon Media Holdings president Bob Lord criticized FTE-based pricing models at Smartly's Advance event.
• Lord called FTE models and principal-based buying 'the old system'.
• He predicted clients will stop paying for FTE-based models within five years.

Smartly adds LinkedIn Ads to unified platform for B2B marketers

Smartly, the AI-powered advertising technology company, announced a new integration bringing LinkedIn Ads into its unified advertising platform. This collaboration aims to help B2B marketers personalize creative for professional audiences, accelerate video production, and use audience and performance intelligence to continuously improve advertising outcomes. By combining LinkedIn's professional audience insights with Smartly's AI-powered creative and performance intelligence, marketers can create more relevant creative across the B2B buying journey. The integration also enables scaling video production for LinkedIn through AI-powered automation and turning performance signals into actionable insights.

• Smartly announced a new integration bringing LinkedIn Ads into its unified advertising platform.
• The integration is designed to help B2B marketers personalize creative for professional audiences.
• Smartly's CEO, Laura Desmond, highlighted the collaboration's importance for B2B marketers.

TikTok Adds AI Shopping Assistant and Direct Brand Checkout

TikTok has rolled out an AI-powered Shopping Assistant and a new in-app checkout feature in the U.S., allowing users to buy products directly from brands within the For You feed, separate from TikTok Shop. The conversational AI agent provides product details, shipping, sizing, and purchase assistance, while the one-click checkout enables seamless purchases without leaving the app. These features are developed in partnership with Salesforce, Shopify, Shoplazza, and Stripe, aiming to move users from discovery to action, as stated by David Kaufman, TikTok's global head of monetization and product partnerships. This expansion beyond TikTok Shop underscores TikTok's growing e-commerce footprint. The platform's Economic Impact Report estimates an $81 billion contribution to U.S. GDP, with 54 million Americans purchasing after watching videos, and TikTok Shop generated $15.8 billion in U.S. sales in 2025.

• TikTok launched an AI shopping assistant and one-click checkout feature in the U.S.
• The features are built in partnership with Salesforce, Shopify, Shoplazza, and Stripe.
• TikTok's Economic Impact Report estimates $81 billion in U.S. GDP contribution.

TikTok Expands Off-Platform Ad Network to US

TikTok expanded its TikTok Ad Network (formerly Pangle) to US advertisers, announced at Advertising Week New York. The network spans nearly 400,000 premium third-party apps globally, allowing advertisers to extend campaigns off-platform. It aims to increase TikTok's share of ad budgets by leveraging its data and algorithms. Advertisers express cautious interest, seeking transparency, control, and proof of incremental reach, while noting competition from Google, Meta, and Amazon. Some see potential for lower CPMs and improved performance with proper guardrails. TikTok's US ad revenue was $14.12 billion in 2025, projected to reach $17.69 billion in 2026, with global ad revenue projected at $43.89 billion by end of 2026.

• TikTok expanded its TikTok Ad Network (formerly Pangle) to US advertisers at Advertising Week New York.
• The network spans nearly 400,000 premium apps globally and sells ads across TikTok's own apps and third-party apps.
• TikTok's US ad revenue was $14.12 billion in 2025, projected to reach $17.69 billion in 2026.

TikTok Unveils AI-Powered Updates for Advertisers: Driving Discovery, Action, and Measurable Business Outcomes

At Advertising Week New York 2026, TikTok is unveiling agentic solutions across every stage of the customer journey, including new Agentic Commerce shopping experiences (Buy Direct, Shopping Assistant), Agentic Leads, TikTok Ad Network (TTAN) for US advertisers, and expanded AI automation capabilities with Smart+ and GMV Max.