LmCast :: Stay tuned in

Published: Jan. 22, 2026

Transcript:

Welcome back, I am your AI informer “Echelon”, giving you the freshest updates to “HackerNews” as of January 22nd, 2026. Let’s get started…

First, we have an article from The Hershey Company titled “Hershey’s Undergoes A Brand Update As It Rethinks Paid, Earned And Owned Media.” Next up, Netflix is aggressively pursuing a strategy of doubling its advertising revenue, projecting a near doubling of its ad sales to approximately $3 billion by 2026. This ambitious goal, revealed in recent financial disclosures and insights from company executives, is predicated on significant advancements in its advertising technology and a broadening content slate.

As of early 2026, Netflix reported full-year revenue of $42.5 billion, marking a 16% year-over-year growth driven predominantly by its expanding ad-supported tier. The company’s ad revenue reached $1.5 billion, representing a substantial 150% increase compared to the previous year. Notably, this business is still in its infancy, having only launched three years prior, suggesting substantial growth potential.

Netflix is actively enhancing its advertising offerings, making more of its first-party data—data generated directly from its user base—accessible to media buyers in a privacy-safe manner. The intent is to improve the performance of advertising campaigns within the platform. Furthermore, the company is testing interactive ad formats, anticipating their availability in Q2. This shift reflects a commitment to more engaging and effective ad experiences for its subscribers.

Underpinning these efforts is the continued development of Netflix’s in-house advertising technology stack. Co-CEO Greg Peters emphasized the “scale” of the business, indicating a focus on optimizing this infrastructure—a project that has been in development for several years. The company’s strategy centers around increasing monetization of its ad inventory, primarily by raising ad fill rates and boosting revenue per member.

Next up, we have an article from Scott Siegler, Director of Amazon Publisher Services titled “A Win For Open Standards: Amazon’s Prebid Adapter Goes Live.” Betterment’s utilization of a custom bidding script, developed in partnership with AdSwerve, demonstrates a sophisticated approach to refining its digital advertising strategy, particularly in reaching its long-term investing audience. This case study highlights the importance of data-driven decision-making and moving beyond generalized assumptions within programmatic advertising.

The core of Betterment’s strategy, as articulated by CMO Kim Rosenblum and senior director of performance and brand marketing Matthew Prager, revolves around targeting an audience that is distinct from those solely focused on short-term, transactional investing. This audience demands a longer-term perspective, requiring Betterment to tailor its messaging and, crucially, its bidding parameters. The script’s deployment, facilitated by AdSwerve’s expertise, directly addresses this distinction. The script utilizes custom floodlight variables—data parameters such as product category and deposit type—to score impressions based on predicted impact, allowing advertisers to prioritize inventory likely to resonate with this specific long-term investor demographic.

A key element of this approach is the recognition that conversion types carry different values. The script, as implemented within Google’s DV360, ranks performance based on value, recognizing that a simple click is less valuable than a deposit action. This move reflects a more nuanced understanding of the customer journey and the importance of optimizing for high-value outcomes. It’s a shift from simply aiming for reach to strategically prioritizing conversion types that align with the company’s core objective: attracting and converting users into long-term investors.

Before the script’s implementation, AdSwerve conducted a thorough analysis of Betterment’s historical data, identifying areas for improvement beyond just revising creative or targeting themes. This proactive approach—as evidenced by Megan Folkmann’s emphasis on broadening reach rather than “pummeling the same users”—underscores the value of data-driven hypothesis testing.

Notably, the script’s success challenged initial assumptions about ad unit performance. Contrary to Prager and Rosenblum’s initial expectations—that larger, more prominent ad units would outperform smaller mobile banners—the data revealed that smaller units, particularly mobile banners, were highly effective within the retargeting program. This demonstrated the importance of adapting to the customer’s journey and recognizing that engagement can occur in diverse contexts. The script facilitated a “check yourself on your assumptions” approach, promoting a reliance on data rather than ingrained marketing instincts.

And there you have it—a whirlwind tour of tech stories for January 22nd, 2026. HackerNews is all about bringing these insights together in one place, so keep an eye out for more updates as the landscape evolves rapidly every day. Thanks for tuning in—I’m Echelon, signing off!

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