Xandr, the ad-tech platform acquired by Microsoft in 2021, is getting out of political advertising later this year.

The company has updated its political advertising policy page, forbidding ads for “election-related content including election canvassing and election polls, political parties, candidates, and ballot measures.”

It also outlined other types of political advertising that aren’t allowed, like “fundraising for political candidates, parties, PACs, and ballot measures.”

Clients were informed of the change in an email, which also announced updated policies that restrict or disallow advertising around topics including alcohol and gambling in specific markets, as well as tobacco and vaping. Changes go into effect in September and October. In the email announcing the changes, the company said that the updates are an effort to align Xandr’s policies with Microsoft Advertising’s policies.

Microsoft-owned LinkedIn also prohibits political ads, according to its advertising policy website.

As Google and Meta have cracked down on political advertising, both companies announced restrictions on targeting, including political affiliation, in recent years, many political advertisers have turned to the open web and programmatic advertising to reach voters. Political ad spending during the 2022 election cycle reached $7.8 billion, according to the analytics company Adimpact.

Jake Sticka, a partner at the political ad agency Rising Tide Interactive that uses Xandr, told Marketing Brew that, among other things, platforms that accept political advertising “have to be prepared to ensure that the folks running the ads are legitimate advertisers. And I understand that there is work that goes into that.”

As for why platforms are cracking down on political advertising, he said it could be because they “don’t want to be in a position where they’re refereeing between the accuracy of the ads that they’re running and the political environment, in general.”—RB

Did you know there are almost 50m influencers in the world? With so many different voices—with audiences ranging from millions to niche communities of just a few thousand people—brands and influencers can build extremely powerful relationships.

If you’re a marketer interested in running a social influencer campaign, check out this resource to learn the ins and outs of collaborating with creators and social influencers. Find out how to better connect with your target audiences and ensure the mutually beneficial success of your partnership.

Download your copy here.

Thank Mario for Comcast’s better-than-expected earnings.

The company, which owns NBCUniversal and Universal Pictures, cleared Wall Street forecasts in its most recent quarterly earnings report Thursday, due in part to huge box office wins for The Super Mario Bros. Movie and, to a lesser extent, Fast X.

Let’s-a-go: Theatrical revenues rose 66% YoY to $913 million, and the company’s content and experiences division, which includes NBC and Peacock, reported revenue of $10.9 billion, a 4% uptick from last year. The company’s theme parks business also recorded revenue growth.

Bird brain: Peacock added 2 million subscribers in the quarter, bringing its subscriber count total to 24 million. Revenues from Peacock ballooned 85% to $820 million, but costs from Peacock in the quarter were $651 million. Execs previously said Peacock would see peak losses this year.

• “I’m optimistic about what the second half of the year brings, [and] feel pretty good about Peacock,” Comcast president Mike Cavanagh told investors Thursday.
• After the quarter’s close, Peacock announced a price increase, and earlier this year, the company disabled its once widely touted free tier for new users.

[B]ads: NBCU’s media segment reported a 4.9% decline in advertising revenue, to $2.03 billion, due to the tough ad market, and Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said the ad environment will continue to look tepid in the third and fourth quarters.

Elephant in the room: The writers’ and actors’ strikes continue to cast a long shadow over media companies, and Cavanagh said the company may feel bigger effects in the first quarter of 2024 if work stoppages continue.—KS

Each week, Marketing Brew recaps what people are talking about on social media, the trends that took over our feeds, and how marketers are responding.

X does not mark the spot: Earlier this week, for some unknown reason (but probably just because Elon Musk likes the letter), Twitter began a slow and not-yet-complete rebrand to “X.” The iconic blue bird logo has been replaced with the letter, but the site still says things like “Search Twitter” and “Tweet” to post. Marketers scratched their heads at the change, which appears to be the nail in the coffin for the Twitter we once knew after months of chaos. CNN’s Oliver Darcy even wrote a eulogy. Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino and Paris Hilton, on the other hand, seem optimistic about the change.

’Tok of the town: TikTok released a text post feature this week, but the bigger stories stemmed from the platform’s stars of the moment.

• Emily Mariko got married, making headlines in the process for the wedding’s “quiet luxury” feel. No word on whether they served salmon bowls at the wedding.
• The “Attenzione, Pickpocket!” woman, Monica Poli, whose voice has been trending on TikTok, was interviewed by the New York Times.
• Adam Jockle, the Eastern Seaboard’s most wholesome twentysomething, is having a moment and was covered by GQ. While he seems to be American Eagle’s biggest fan based on his OOTDs, Jockle told GQ he is not a plant for the brand. He has even made content for fellow mall outfitter PacSun, but that’s not stopping his fans from manifesting an AE collab.

Girl’s gotta eat: The “Girl Dinner” trend continues, with Popeyes offering a sides-only meal that capitalizes on the trend. For those who don’t know or aren’t a girl, Girl Dinner is eating lots of little snacks instead of a traditional meal. There’s even a TikTok filter now to BYOGD (build your own girl dinner).—KH

There are a lot of bad marketing tips out there. These aren’t those.

Watch this: How to up your TikTok views.

I’m not a robot: One copywriter’s guide to utilizing ChatGPT for social.

Teacher’s pet: Back-to-school shopping trends to keep an eye on.

Stories we’re jealous of.

• Bloomberg did a deep dive on what happened at Daily Harvest when customers fell ill and more than 40 had their gallbladders removed after eating lentil and leek “crumbles” from the brand.
• The Atlantic wrote about how some brands and consumers are skeptical of TikTok Shop, the platform’s in-app purchasing feature.
• The New York Times analyzed celebs’ Threads usage versus other apps to determine “if Threads has staying power.”