7 Media Buying Mistakes Agencies Make (and What Smart Brands Do Instead)

Infographic showing the media buying process including goal setting, audience targeting, media selection, negotiation, and performance optimization — created by a media buying agency.

Most ad campaigns don’t fail because the product is bad. They fail because the media buying process was flawed from the start. Let’s get something straight: media buying isn’t just “running ads.” It’s the tactical and financial engine that powers your entire paid media strategy. Weak agencies treat it like a checkbox—turning on campaigns, waiting […]

Cool Nerds Weekly Marketing Roundup: May 19–25, 2025

Teal background with bold white text that reads “The Brief by Cool Nerds” – marketing news series cover image

Top Stories 1. Publicis Groupe Acquires Captiv8 to Bolster Influencer Marketing Capabilities In a significant move to strengthen its position in the influencer marketing space, Publicis Groupe has acquired Captiv8, an AI-driven influencer marketing platform, for approximately $150 million. This acquisition expands Publicis’s reach to a network of over 15 million global content creators and […]