I’m coming to you fresh from Amazon’s Unboxed event in Nashville, where Amazon dropped a wave of updates that show just how far their advertising ambitions are reaching. Beyond retail, beyond search, and even beyond reality itself!

In this episode, I unpack the biggest product launches and innovations revealed at the event including AI-powered campaign tools, creative automation for Prime Video, and Amazon’s intriguing new “Crystal Box” transparency positioning. I also share my early reactions and what these changes could mean for advertisers, agencies, and third-party software providers.

If you want to stay ahead of what’s next in Amazon Ads — from AI-native analytics to the future of full-funnel campaigns — this recap will bring you right inside the action at Unboxed.

This episode is sponsored by Mirakl Ads

Timeline

[00:00] – Remembering the early days of Amazon Ads and reflecting on how far the platform has come.
[01:11] – Unified Campaign Manager – merging DSP and Sponsored Ads into one seamless platform for cross-format buying and measurement.
[02:30] – Ads Agent – Amazon’s new AI-powered campaign assistant that allows natural language queries, leveling the playing field for advertisers of all sizes.
[04:17] – Creative Agent – generative AI tools for display, audio, and video ads, with outputs now good enough for Prime Video inventory.
[07:30] – “Crystal Box” positioning – Amazon’s transparent alternative to the “black box” automation approach from Meta and Google.
[09:13] – Preview of full-funnel optimization campaigns coming in 2026, closing the loop between awareness and performance.
[10:00] – AI-native analytics – conversational data exploration within Amazon Marketing Cloud, no SQL skills required.
[10:45] – Final thoughts and teaser for my full column in The Drum on Amazon’s “Crystal Box” approach.

Links & Resources

Find the link to my new article about transparency within Amazon's new ad ecosystem on my profile for The Drum
Read my article Retail Media's Measurement Problem: It's Not Just the Retailers
Read my article Managing a Multi-Retailer RMN Stack: The Operational Reality
Are you based in Atlanta or be in the ATL area on Weds Dec 3rd? Join me and a couple dozen of your new retail media industry besties for a festive happy hour! Register here
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