The 10 ADWEEK Stories Readers Loved Most

8. Molly Baz and Formula Maker Bobbie bring breastfeeding to Times Square

In May, cookbook author Molly Baz appeared on a Times Square billboard for breastfeeding brand Swehl, holding two cookies over a rhinestone bikini that covered her breasts. This image was too attractive for billboard owner Clear Channel, which flagged the ad for review. So Swehl’s media partner, Brex, replaced the ad with a more bland image — and he leaned heavily on controversy.

Cut to October, when baby formula maker Bobbie released a 45-foot-long billboard featuring Baz nursing her baby. It was a first: Never before has a Times Square ad featured a breastfeeding mother, ADWEEK’s TL Stanley reported Bobbie worked with Outfront Media to execute the billboard, quickly getting approval for the image, and blowing a potential takedown notice in the nose.

7. Google is paying publishers to test an unprecedented Gen AI platform

This was actually the year that AI companies started paying publishers to be guinea pigs. Google has also entered the mix, as has ADWEEK Mark Stenberg reported in February.

Google began paying pubs “a monthly stipend amounting to a five-figure sum per year, as well as the means to produce content relevant to their readers at no cost.”