News and Notes from Debra Aho Williamson

New research: The AI Ad Gap
Debra Aho Williamson Debra Aho Williamson

New research: The AI Ad Gap

Advertisers are eager to harness the power of AI for ad creation. Gen Z and Millennial consumers are far less convinced.

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Sonata Insights is 6 months old!
Debra Aho Williamson Debra Aho Williamson

Sonata Insights is 6 months old!

Woo hoo! Here’s what I’ve learned in my first 6 months as a solopreneur analyst, researcher and advisor. Also: exciting international travel news for 2025, and a yearend gift for all of my supporters!

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Perplexity’s ad strategy perplexes me
Debra Aho Williamson Debra Aho Williamson

Perplexity’s ad strategy perplexes me

Perplexity revealed a bit more about its fledgling ad business at Advertising Week New York this week. I'm going to go out there and say this: It's taking a risky approach.

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RMNs and creators are a power duo: New white paper!
Debra Aho Williamson Debra Aho Williamson

RMNs and creators are a power duo: New white paper!

Retail media can help marketers solve a thorny influencer marketing problem: understanding the impact on sales. And creators have the ability to liven up stale product pages, leading to more engagement and a better shopping experience. And yet .... retailers and brands haven't fully come together on this opportunity. Budget challenges, siloes and other issues keep standing in the way.

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Consumers, AI and the power of connection
Debra Aho Williamson Debra Aho Williamson

Consumers, AI and the power of connection

Yes, AI can make marketing more efficient, but if your consumers are moving in a new direction, all the internal cost-savings in the world won’t matter if you can’t meet them where they are. Read my opinion column on P&G Signal 360.

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Will Apple bring AI to the masses?
Debra Aho Williamson Debra Aho Williamson

Will Apple bring AI to the masses?

Apple Intelligence will likely cause a big uptick in the number of people using AI. And they may not even know they're using it.

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Talking AI with MediaPost
Debra Aho Williamson Debra Aho Williamson

Talking AI with MediaPost

I chatted with MediaPost’s editor in chief Joe Mandese about why it’s important to pay attention to consumer AI behaviors, and what marketers should know. Fun fact: Joe and I worked together when I was a copy editor at Ad Age way back when.

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So, Perplexity is selling ads?
Debra Aho Williamson Debra Aho Williamson

So, Perplexity is selling ads?

Just how big is Perplexity compared to Google and ChatGPT? Here are four stats to know now that Perplexity is starting to sell ads.

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Decoding the AI disruption
Debra Aho Williamson Debra Aho Williamson

Decoding the AI disruption

AI is starting to change the way people interact with content and search for information. Just like social media did - or maybe even more so. In this interview with M Agency’s Bobbie Bailey, I share the key action steps I recommend for marketers.

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Consumer search behavior in the age of AI
Debra Aho Williamson Debra Aho Williamson

Consumer search behavior in the age of AI

AI search isn’t the disruptive nemesis it’s been portrayed to be (yet). In my inaugural white paper with my client Datos, I explain why Google is still a powerhouse and which AI platforms have a chance of challenging it.

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