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MediaMath acquires Akamai’s ad platform
MUMBAI: MediaMath, the leading global digital media-buying platform, has acquired Akamai Technologies Advertising Decision Solutions (ADS) which will augment MediaMath‘s industry-leading data management platform (DMP).
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The companies have also signed a multi-year relationship whereby MediaMath will have exclusive rights to leverage Akamai‘s pixel-free technology for use within digital advertising and marketing applications.
As part of the agreement, MediaMath will acquire substantially all of the assets associated with Akamai‘s ADS business, and will integrate the Akamai ADS team into its workforce.
"MediaMath‘s exclusive use of Akamai‘s pixel-free technology will enable clients to scale their business more effectively, and help us make that happen quickly," said MediaMath CEO Joe Zawadzki. "We‘re thrilled to welcome such a talented group of technologists, data scientists and online advertising professionals from Akamai‘s ADS team. The technology and talent, along with the data co-op, will further improve our platform‘s capabilities, and further improve our clients‘ business results."
"We‘re excited to partner with MediaMath," said Akamai‘s Senior Vice President & General Manager of the Web Experience Division Mike Afergan. "Together, we‘ll be able to provide our joint customers with an even more effective set of tools to manage their data, understand their audience, and help enhance the quality of online marketing campaigns."
As a result of the pixel-free technology partnership, MediaMath‘s clients will gain access to more data for audience segmentation, retargeting, and optimization, with quick and easy activation. Advertisers currently on the Akamai Platform will not have to integrate other pixels for audience and media performance tracking when using TerminalOne, removing significant workflow and technology hurdles facing media buyers and other technology platforms.
Pixel-free also provides advertisers the ability to capture audience and transaction intelligence from 100 percent of their online pages. This is a major increase compared to the 30 percent of traffic capture achieved by pixel-based systems. The pixel-free approach is consistent with privacy best practices, offering consumers a simple opt out choice.
MediaMath‘s acquisition of the Akamai allows advertisers to improve the effectiveness and sophistication of audience analysis while using predictive insights to drive greater marketing performance across digital channels.
Advertisers will also be able to build and leverage their own bespoke data co-ops. The co-op platform will continue to enable advertisers to control exactly how their data is used, bringing a level of efficiency and transparency not available through existing co-ops or opaque networks.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
