Google's master plan to replace privacy-challenged browser cookies for user tracking and targeting with a troubled alternative, FLoC, has flopped. But the tech giant reckons “Topics”, its new user interest-based advertising initiative will fly. Publishers will need to opt in to Google's next iteration where online audiences will be sorted into up to five groups each week and advertisers can target audiences based on their interests. 

As Google rebuts a major US court case alleging market manipulation and bid rigging, advertisers and agencies in the US are being drawn deeper into two forensic investigations into the tech giant's ad operations. Sources state "the entire industry [has been] formally requested to provide information to assist the investigations" being led by the Department of Justice and the 17 US States now trying to prove allegations that Google rigged the market, undercut competition and harmed publishers’ revenue while colluding with Facebook to kill header bidding.

Myer is pitching its search business, with holdcos and independent agencies aiming to land the account, thought to be worth up to $10m in spend.

IPG has expanded its production and operation remit with BMW and Mini after the carmaker consolidated the regional account via a pitch.

Toyota has hired a new CMO, bringing 20-year company stalwart Vin Naidoo back from Singapore. Naidoo said the firm – which is miles ahead of competitors in Australia – must now prepare to "navigate once-in-a-century transformations".

Strong growth and a rapidly expanding team has led This is Flow founder and CEO Jimmy Hyett to appoint the agency's first ever managing director. He's promoted former Ticketek, Mindshare and MediaCom manager Matt Papasavva to help lead the business.

Aussie food tech firm hired The One Centre to create its brand. Now the firm is tasking the agency with helping it crack global markets in a bid to scale its plant-based protein products.

Nick Reid is new marketing boss at Audi, stepping up from the Volkswagen Group's commercial vehicle division as GM Marketing and filling the role vacated by former CMO Nikki Warburton.

Australia's media agencies are 500 staff short, despite reporting record headcount. The situation is getting worse, latest data shows, with churn increasing by almost 50 per cent on last year as staff shrug off Covid uncertainty and seek new challenges.