Observed Signal · May 12, 2026 · Event Coverage · Source: Digiday · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Duluth Uses AI Agents for Bidding, Not Storytelling
Duluth Trading Company is adopting agentic AI in parts of its programmatic workflow while keeping core brand storytelling under human control, according to Ellie Uberto, Duluth’s director of marketing. Speaking at Digiday’s Programmatic Marketing Summit (May 6–8, Palm Springs) during a live Digiday Podcast recording, Uberto said the brand allows AI agents to handle tasks like bidding and creative-iteration management via its agency partner (unnamed), but reserves brand voice, humour and overall brand ethos for human oversight. The article contrasts Duluth’s approach with Bayer’s Glenniss Richards, who said Bayer’s in-house team is not yet comfortable entrusting AI agents with ad dollars. The piece highlights industry debates around trust, transparency, agency compensation and the appropriate scope for agentic media buying.
Practical brand-level adoption and debate around agentic AI at a major industry summit signal real-world integration of AI agents into programmatic workflows, affecting agency practices, transparency and campaign governance.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Duluth Trading Company uses AI agents for bidding and creative-iteration management in programmatic workflows.
- Ellie Uberto is Director of Marketing at Duluth and discussed the company's AI approach at Digiday’s Programmatic Marketing Summit.
- Duluth’s agency partner manages agentic bidding on behalf of the brand; the agency’s name was not disclosed.
- Glenniss Richards, Senior Director of Digital Media Activation at Bayer, said Bayer’s in-house media team is not ready to let AI agents control campaigns.
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Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Marketers Trust AI to Buy Media, Not Build Brands
Marketing leaders are increasingly using AI to automate programmatic media buying, bidding and creative iteration, but remain cautious about letting AI define brand meaning, voice or core creative strategy. Executives from agencies and brands — including Motto, Ally Bank, Duluth and Mondelez — say AI is valuable for efficiency and scale (bidding, brainstorming, asset scaling) but that human oversight is required for brand insight and messaging. Consumer research cited (Canva’s 2026 report) shows mixed sentiment: many shoppers accept AI-driven relevance but a larger share prefer human-made ads. Platform vendors such as Google and Canva have released AI marketing tools, yet adoption for full creative ownership remains limited across marketers.
Agencies Push Agentic Media, Address Client Rogue Fears
At Advertising Week, media agencies are advancing agentic advertising initiatives while addressing client concerns about rogue AI activity. Dentsu's Carat partnered with NBCUniversal, Freewheel, and Newton to launch a planning, buying, and optimization agent for upfront investments, with a luxury retail client already using it. Tinuiti launched a 'Bliss Point Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server' to integrate measurement with AI agents. Stagwell relaunched Assembly as Stagwell Media with its agentic system Machine OS. Executives emphasize human oversight, governance, and approval thresholds to build trust. Additionally, the article discusses the importance of 'moments' in commerce media, with examples from ExxonMobil, Dollar General, and Pepsi's Nordic campaign with Wolt.
Agentic AI Discussed as Marketing Tool at ADWEEK Panel
At an ADWEEK House Possible group chat co-hosted with Mutinex on May 5, 2026, adtech and brand leaders discussed how agentic AI is being applied across marketing funnels. Panelists — including representatives from PubMatic, The Hershey Company, Breeze Airways and Mutinex — emphasized that a strong data foundation is required before applying AI, that AI can free teams from routine work to focus on strategy, and that human judgment (taste, creativity, oversight) must remain central. Hershey described speeding media-mix-model data preparation from six months to 24 hours after working with Mutinex. The session highlighted practical uses (measurement, workflow speed, creative production) and cautioned against over-automation.
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