Closed Loop and Clover Win 3 Telly Awards for ‘Behind the Business’ Spot
Closed Loop and Clover earned three Silver Telly Awards for the “Behind the Business” campaign, celebrating standout creative across CTV and digital.
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Matt Umbro
Google Marketing Live best exemplifies what’s important to Google, and if it’s significant to Google, then it’s significant to advertisers. As usual, Google Marketing Live 2025 did not disappoint. Among the numerous updates announced, four themes that shape Google’s priorities stood out.
But it’s more than that. AI predicts why users search and generates results that meet these demands across all Google properties. It’s similar to how Netflix or YouTube recommends what you should watch next. Considering hundreds of signals, AI creates a personalized experience. Advertiser inputs aren’t the final outputs, but are signals that generate the most relevant ad.
Last year, Google marketed Performance Max and Search campaigns as the power pair. Used together, this “power pair” would show responsive ads across all of Google’s inventory. This year, the “power pack” is promoted as the way to leverage next-gen AI-powered solutions. Advertisers should run Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns alongside the newly created AI Max for Search campaigns.
In the early 2010s, mobile websites were not the common feature we take for granted today. As the smartphone movement grew, companies prioritizing the mobile experience found success. They adapted to the evolving landscape by providing customers with the needed experiences. The same holds for AI.
Many features that managers once controlled can now be handled by AI, including:
But it’s more than that. AI predicts why users search and generates results that meet these demands across all Google properties. It’s similar to how Netflix or YouTube recommends what you should watch next. Considering hundreds of signals, AI creates a personalized experience. Advertiser inputs aren’t the final outputs, but are signals that generate the most relevant ad.
Last year, Google marketed Performance Max and Search campaigns as the power pair. Used together, this “power pair” would show responsive ads across all of Google’s inventory. This year, the “power pack” is promoted as the way to leverage next-gen AI-powered solutions. Advertisers should run Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns alongside the newly created AI Max for Search campaigns.
In recent years, the significance of keywords has been deemphasized. Match types hold little importance, and Google has recommended broad match as the best way to utilize more user signals. AI Max exclusively employs broad match keywords, while Performance Max and Demand Gen do not utilize keywords at all. That’s why first-party data is vital for AI to make informed decisions. It’s more important to inform Google about your ideal customer profile rather than what keywords they are searching for. Keywordless targeting also places greater emphasis on excellent user experiences.
It has long been known that ads would appear in AI Overviews. Although it was primarily in beta for the past year, ads in AI Overviews will become more common moving forward. Likewise, AI Mode resembles the search results page but generates all listings from AI, including both paid and organic listings. Google describes AI Mode as an “end-to-end AI Search experience.” As we transition away from keywords and Google utilizes site content to generate both paid and organic search results, refining website architecture and content is increasingly important. In fact, Google has stated that advertisers who are already using Performance Max and broad match Search campaigns will be eligible to have ads appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode.
The power pack of campaigns employs customized content and asset creation features that draw from advertiser websites. In addition to keywordless or broad match keyword targeting, AI in these campaigns can dynamically update ad creatives and final URLs. For example, an advertiser may submit a headline of “Small Business Phone Service,” leading to a final URL showing phone services for businesses with fewer than twenty-five people. If Google believes the user will convert better with different parameters, it could change the headline to “Business Class Phone Service” and direct the user to a price comparison page.
Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) and Performance Max campaigns have always utilized organic functionality to display customized paid ads, but these AI formats are more comprehensive and prominent. Google effectively uses audience signals to present the right ad with relevant content.
While YouTube is a powerful platform, it isn’t often seen as a solution for creators and advertisers to showcase brands, at least not alongside social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Meta. Though many YouTube video campaign targeting options exist, advertisers struggle to showcase their products more organically. This is where the newly established Creator Partnerships hub comes into play.
Advertisers can request to link to a creator’s video that mentions their brand. For example, if a creator’s video discusses an Oracle solution, Oracle can request to use this video in their campaigns. The advertiser also gets to view the audience data and metrics. The video can now be utilized with various YouTube campaign types, including Demand Gen, Performance Max, and App campaigns. This new format is officially called Partnership Ads.
Content created by influencers feels more authentic. Partnership Ads resemble consumers who read reviews before deciding to buy. A brand can proclaim loudly how fantastic its products are, but shoppers are more likely to trust their peers. A content creator endorsing the brand will connect better with consumers.
Google provides an AI-powered chat agent designed to assist in writing ads. While it can be useful for generating assets, its capabilities are limited. It does not address common questions that advertisers face or proactively pinpoint areas of concern. Having an account assistant enables advertisers to concentrate on strategy and tackle these issues as they arise.
New agentic solutions are coming for Google Ads, Google Analytics, and a Chrome-based agent called Marketing Advisor. The value comes from the in-depth questions advertisers can pose, such as:
Automated rules and scripts have always assisted with these tasks, but they lack the back-and-forth that AI provides. A script can inform you that spending increased by 100% daily, but it can’t explain why. Agentic solutions help bridge the gap. Account managers will always need to ensure the AI is accurate, but it aids in pinpointing issues more quickly.
Google Ads is no longer just a “paid search” platform driven by user intent. AI and user signals now dictate the ad experience. Keywords don’t hold the same weight they once did. Organic content through websites and videos plays a significant role in achieving success on the platform. AI won’t replace account managers, but it gets smarter every day. Advertisers need to utilize AI to complement their efforts and stay on the cutting edge for clients.
Closed Loop and Clover earned three Silver Telly Awards for the “Behind the Business” campaign, celebrating standout creative across CTV and digital.
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