N

NBCUniversal

Produces TV, film, and streaming content

Technical Product Manager

Full-Time
$110k - $145k/yr
Senior
Bachelor's
Stamford, CT, USA
HybridAt least four days per week in the office.
ProductTechnical Product Management

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
  • At least five years of relevant professional experience in product management, product development, or related technical roles.
  • Proven experience working as a Product Owner or Technical Product Manager on complex, technology-driven products.
  • Ability to translate technical concepts and system behavior into clear product requirements for technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Experience partnering closely with engineering and data science teams to deliver AI- or data-driven products.
  • Organizational ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Solid understanding of agile methodologies and modern product development practices.
  • The position requires working from the office at least four days per week.
Responsibilities
  • Collaborate with Engineering, Data Science, Program Management, Product, and Scrum teams to scope, develop, and deliver generative AI-powered product capabilities.
  • Develop a deep understanding of stakeholder workflows and business needs to define clear, actionable product requirements and user stories.
  • Own one or more defined product areas, driving work from discovery through delivery and iteration.
  • Partner with cross-functional teams to define and maintain an outcome-based roadmap grounded in customer insights, technical constraints, and business priorities.
  • Conduct product testing to validate functionality, accuracy, and performance, and support demonstrations and product reviews.
  • Own and maintain product features after launch, incorporating feedback to continuously refine and improve capabilities.
  • Drive execution of product roadmaps, ensuring alignment with near- and mid-term priorities.
  • Partner with internal stakeholders and external vendors across the end-to-end generative AI use-case lifecycle.
  • Prepare and present product updates, documentation, metrics, and recommendations to stakeholders and leadership.
  • Evaluate tradeoffs among model quality, performance, cost, and latency in partnership with technical teams.
  • Stay informed about emerging artificial intelligence, large language model, and machine learning technologies and relevant vendor offerings.
  • Contribute to identifying reusable generative AI patterns and capabilities to support future product development.
  • Identify opportunities to enhance product capabilities, improve operational processes, and drive efficiency.
  • Provide mentorship and day-to-day guidance to junior Product Managers through collaboration, feedback, and shared execution.
Desired Qualifications
  • Familiarity with product management tools such as Jira, Confluence, and Airtable.
  • Proficiency with Lucidchart, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and SharePoint.
  • Experience in the Media and Entertainment industry.
  • Knowledge of data governance, privacy, legal compliance, cybersecurity, and ethical AI best practices.
  • Experience writing, reviewing, or contributing to codebases in modern programming languages.
  • Collaboration skills and the ability to build effective working relationships across teams.
  • Advanced analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.
  • Ability to operate independently in an evolving and ambiguous problem space.

About the company

N

NBCUniversal

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Website

NBCUniversal operates as a global media and entertainment powerhouse with a portfolio spanning television, film, streaming, theme parks, and news under Comcast. It creates and distributes content across multiple platforms, including NBC for primetime and daytime TV, Telemundo for Spanish-language programming, NBC News for global coverage, film releases, streaming services, and park experiences at Universal Orlando and other properties. Revenue comes from advertising, subscriptions, box office, theme park tickets, and licensing of content to other outlets. The company differentiates itself through a large, cross-platform library and monetization network, plus integrations with Comcast to reach a wide audience. Its goal is to produce and distribute compelling content while growing audience reach and revenue across television, digital, film, streaming, and experiential channels.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

Private

Total Funding

$30.5B

Headquarters

New York City, New York

Founded

1926

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Peacock's Q2 2026 EBITDA reached $189 million, a $290 million year-over-year swing.
  • Fast & Furious, The Traitors, and Eddie Murphy's The Chairman deepen Peacock's IP moat.
  • Universal theme parks and theatrical franchises feed streaming, merchandising, and advertising across one portfolio.

What critics are saying

  • Comcast is spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky around mid-2027, forcing stand-alone accountability.
  • NBCUniversal cut several hundred streaming-technology roles on September 30, 2026, exposing cost pressure.
  • Peacock depends on expensive sports and franchise hits; a 2028 flop crushes growth momentum.

What makes NBCUniversal unique

  • NBCUniversal owns Peacock, Universal Pictures, Bravo, Telemundo, and Universal theme parks.
  • Donna Langley pushed franchise reuse, greenlighting Fast & Furious TV for Peacock in 2028.
  • Peacock reached 48 million paid subscribers and first-ever adjusted EBITDA profitability in Q2 2026.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • Paid Vacation
  • Hybrid Work Options
  • Tuition Reimbursement

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

10%

1 year growth

10%

2 year growth

10%
Global Legal Post
Oct 16th, 2026
'I came to this from the chaotic world of media and tabloid journalism': Brunswick Group GC Kavi Reddy.

'I came to this from the chaotic world of media and tabloid journalism': Brunswick Group GC Kavi Reddy. Kavi Reddy discusses her role as general counsel at global advisory business Brunswick Group and managing a 'small but mighty' legal team 16 October 2026 Brunswick Group general counsel Kavi Reddy Following in-house spells at NBCUniversal and Gizmodo Media Group, and nearly seven years in litigation at Boies Schiller Flexner, Kavi Reddy swapped the media world for high-stakes global advisory work in 2019 as general counsel and chief compliance officer at Brunswick Group in New York. The Global Legal Post spoke with Kavi about her role, managing a small in-house team and the potential for AI to help mitigate some of those resource constraints. What are your key responsibilities as GC and chief compliance officer at Brunswick Group? It is everything from our core work, which is commercial contracts with our clients, but also anything else that comes up. That could be, on the less interesting side, real estate leases and expansions, and on the more interesting side, considering whether a new piece of work for a client constitutes lobbying, or has any implications under the Foreign Agents Registration Act or similar schemes in any of the jurisdictions that we operate in. I also look at issues around conflict and exclusivity - does taking on a piece of work for an existing client create a conflict with another existing client, and therefore should we or should we not take on a particular mandate for a client? We have a terrific specialist team that handles all those questions, but I serve as an adviser to that team, advising on the laws around lobbying and disclosure around the world. It is some of the most interesting work that I get to do, because it gives a front-row seat to some of the most critical issues that our clients are facing. In a business where we don't physically make anything, people are really our only asset, so I also spend a fair amount of time on labour and employment matters. And then everything else, such as IP and copyright; we have an in-house creative studio, so they come up with a lot of really interesting questions around preparing for and shooting radio and television commercials, involving talent, licensing of IP, and so on. It is a really broad mix on any given day. How is your legal department structured? Advertisement When I first joined Brunswick, we were structured as having two co-general counsels, myself and another co-general counsel who sat in London, but that has changed, so I now oversee all of legal globally and have done this since 2024. We have a very small but mighty legal team: we've got two excellent lawyers that focus on commercial contracting that sit with me in New York, and we've got another lawyer - who is out on maternity leave - who also focuses mostly on commercial contracting. In fact, she's a great Brunswick story because she started as an administrative assistant and then took on a paralegal role, and then she went to law school part-time while working for us full-time, before she became a lawyer. We also just had another staff member join us, who was our legal intern last year. And we have a great ops person in the US and a wonderful deputy GC, who is a former litigator like myself, who sits in DC and picks up a lot of labour and employment and thorny IP issues. And then in London we have a strong commercial lawyer and two terrific paralegals. Though we are a tiny team, we punch above our weight, covering all time zones in our 27 offices, handling most work in-house. What I love is that we work really cohesively as a team. What are your legal team's key operational priorities over the next 18 months? Getting to the right size. Our team is stretched pretty thin, so if somebody's sick or somebody's on vacation, the rest of the team is essentially paddling like ducks frantically. So, it will really be about making sure that we have the right number of people doing the right things for the team. We are also trying to figure out AI. We really want to harness AI like everybody else, but using it in a way that makes sense for us. Whether that is tackling low-value work to get it off our plates, or providing us with valuable intel and a good first run at other work we are doing, we want to really test drive and see what fits our needs. I also want to make sure that we're still taking the time to do a lot of mentoring and providing growth opportunities, particularly for our junior lawyers. My goal for this team is for every junior lawyer to have the confidence and training to go be a GC or a deputy GC somewhere else, and really have the tools that they need to do that well. What originally attracted you to joining Brunswick Group? This is the most grown-up and straight-laced job that I've had since I became a lawyer. I came to this from the chaotic world of media and tabloid journalism. I learned a lot from doing that work, but I thought it would be really interesting to try something new. I love that I am working with very smart, talented and driven people who are incredibly committed to helping their clients through their most critical moments. That is almost infectious. You can't not be excited about trying to help them do that for their clients and help them in whatever way you can. LAW OVER BORDERS COMPARATIVE GUIDES Arbitration Law Guide The Law Over Borders Comparative Guide to Arbitration provides a comprehensive understanding of the current complexities of international arbitration... | 1yr. What are the biggest legal issues impacting your business at the moment that you are most focused on? We're well-tuned to what's happening in Washington and London and changes in global leadership across the world, because anything that affects our clients is something that, in turn, is going to be top of mind for us. We're really just living and breathing those issues along with them and figuring out how to help them through their tough moments. And given that we're a business that's really focused on people, any changes to the labour and employment landscape throughout the world - because we are a global organisation - are really going to be important and have my focus. How important will AI be in solving some of those resource constraints as a small team? It's something that's going to be helpful to us, and we're in the process of figuring out which tools we're going to use for what purpose, whether it's creating a playbook that we can use to compare contracts and have it do a first draft, or reviewing contracts and edits, or wholesale drafting of unusual contract clauses or agreements. But, especially for junior lawyers, it's important to understand that they still need to have a good concept of fundamentals and what certain clauses mean. It's one thing to say to AI, 'Ok do a markup of this indemnity clause,' but it's quite another to really understand what that indemnity clause means and what the risks are behind it that it's intended to solve. You can't really delve into AI and be able to use it well without having that fundamental understanding. Who would be your top three dinner party guests and why? First would be Francesco Clemente, my favourite living artist, a painter who's had such a long career across many geographies. I would really like to hear his stories, and I think he'd have some incredible ones. Next would be Leo Strine [former chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery] because I'm a huge Delaware Chancery Court nerd. Finally, Rahm Emanuel [former Chicago mayor and ambassador to Japan], because what dinner party wouldn't be better with Rahm Emanuel? As a born and raised Chicagoan - yes, that is a word - I admire his no-nonsense attitude. I once read that the Japanese public used a word to describe him that translated into something like, "speaking honestly to the point that worries one's boss". In any case, what a legend.

Dark Futures Pty. Limited
Oct 15th, 2026
Netflix replaces its biggest content executive.

Netflix replaces its biggest content executive. Thursday, October 15th 2026 4:30 pm In a major shake-up at streaming giant Netflix, the company's chief content officer Bela Bajaria is out. Puck News broke the story, indicating she will be replaced by former Disney and Fox executive Peter Rice. Rice will now lead Netflix's global content organisation - overseeing scripted and unscripted series, film, live events and more across all regions. Netflix's film VP Doug Belgrad and film director Sheroum Kim are also gone. Bajaria served as president of Universal Television before she joined Netflix in 2016 as head of unscripted and scripted content before moving up to global head of television in 2020 and then chief content officer in 2023. Her exit comes as Netflix has cut around 6% of jobs at the company with around 1,000 employees laid off this week - the streamer's largest axing to date. Bajaria joined Netflix in 2016 after she was let go from NBCUniversal, where she had served as president of Universal Television. In that role, she had produced shows that aired on Netflix, including "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "Master of None." Sarandos first brought in Bajaria to help Netflix launch an unscripted division, as well as licensing and studio co-productions. Bajaria was later elevated to head of global in 2020 as Cindy Holland exited the company, and was named chief content officer in January 2023. Under her watch, Bajaria oversaw popular TV series including "Bridgerton," "Squid Game," "Adolescence," "Beef," "Stranger Things" and "Wednesday," and films such as "KPop Demon Hunters" and "Frankenstein." Under her reign, she pushed Netflix into more live sports and events but also oversaw a slate that has lost some critical lustre after taking just 16 Emmy Awards this year - down from 30 last year and 44 five years ago. In a memo to staff, Ted Sarandos says: "I know this is a big change in a year that has already had its share. But I also see an opportunity to take our slate to the next level, especially in UCAN [United States and Canada] where we have an outsize impact in creating big, buzzy hits that our members love and drive conversation around the world." Rice is a beloved veteran studio executive who was ousted at Disney a few years ago during Bob Chapek's brief tenure. Most recently he's served as a producer on films like "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple," "Warfare" and the upcoming "Elden Ring".

Indian Broadcasting World
Oct 14th, 2026
The Peacock Hub partners JioHotstar for final season of 'Koffee With Karan'

The Peacock Hub partners JioHotstar for final season of 'Koffee With Karan' New Delhi,14 Oct 2026, By IBW Team JioHotstar has announced a collaboration with The Peacock Hub for the ninth and final season of 'Koffee With Karan', marking the first time NBCUniversal and JioHotstar have partnered to support a locally produced Indian show. Hosted by Karan Johar, the season premieres on October 14, 2026, bringing the popular celebrity chat show to its conclusion. NBCUniversal and JioHotstar, formerly JioCinema, launched The Peacock Hub in India in 2023. Since then, the platform has built a catalogue of international entertainment, featuring Peacock Originals such as 'All Her Fault', 'PONIES', 'The Copenhagen Test' and 'The Five Star Weekend'. Its library also includes content from Universal Studio Group, DreamWorks Animation, Universal Pictures, Focus Features, Sky and Bravo. Until now, The Peacock Hub's presence in India has primarily focused on content distribution and acquisition. The partnership with 'Koffee With Karan' marks a shift towards supporting Indian-produced programming, reflecting a broader approach to collaborations between global studios and local entertainment platforms. Alok Jain, Head - Hindi & English Entertainment Business (Streaming, TV & Studios), JioStar, said the collaboration represented a significant moment for Indian intellectual property. He noted that while 'Koffee With Karan' has long been one of the platform's key properties, this is the first time a global studio has partnered with JioHotstar around the show rather than solely distributing content. Jain added that the partnership reflects JioStar's ambition to develop Indian formats that can reach international markets and be shaped and celebrated globally. Host Karan Johar said the show began with a simple idea centred on coffee, honest conversations and candid exchanges with people he knows and admires. Reflecting on its journey, he said the show's core instinct had remained unchanged over two decades, even as its audience and reach expanded. Johar also described The Peacock Hub's decision to collaborate on the final season as a humbling moment, adding that the show belongs as much to its viewers as to the celebrities who appear on its iconic couch. Chris Taylor, Managing Director, APAC, NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution and International Networks & DTC, said the company was delighted to partner with JioHotstar for the landmark final season of one of India's celebrated entertainment properties. He added that the collaboration expands The Peacock Hub's offering beyond its established US and UK film and television catalogue into locally produced programming. According to Taylor, the show's distinctive format and perspective on the entertainment industry made it a fitting choice for the company's first such collaboration in India. The partnership also signals a potential shift in how international studios engage with India's entertainment industry. Beyond bringing global content to Indian audiences, the collaboration highlights growing interest in supporting locally developed intellectual property with the potential to attract audiences beyond its home market. 'Koffee With Karan' has established a recognisable place in Indian pop culture through celebrity conversations that frequently generate entertainment headlines and circulate widely across social media. Its established format and cultural presence make the show a prominent choice for The Peacock Hub's entry into locally produced Indian programming. Season 9 will feature a refreshed format and a guest lineup that has already generated interest. The final season marks the culmination of the show's reported 22-year journey, bringing the curtain down on one of India's best-known celebrity chat shows. 'Koffee With Karan' Season 9 premieres on October 14, 2026, on The Peacock Hub via JioHotstar.

First Comics News
Oct 9th, 2026
Transformers! G.I. Joe! Turok! Skybound Visions is HERE!

Transformers! G.I. Joe! Turok! Skybound Visions is HERE! Skybound, Image, Hasbro & Universal Announce New Line of Comics Featuring The Biggest Icons & Biggest Creators! LOS ANGELES 10/09/2026 - Today at New York Comic Con, Skybound Entertainment and Image Comics, in collaboration with Hasbro, a leading games, IP and toy company, and Universal announced "Skybound Visions," a new line of standalone, limited comic series featuring bold reimaginings of pop culture icons, exploring who those characters are - and who they can be. Bringing together the biggest comic characters and the biggest creators, Skybound Visions issues will tell complete, evergreen stories showcasing new sides of these beloved icons. Their stories serve as perfect jumping-on points for new readers, while also rewarding lifelong fans. The Skybound Visions line will launch in 2027 with Transformers: Bumblebee - Lost Planet in January, G.I. Joe: The Island of Dr. Mindbender in February, and Turok: Son of Stone in March. Each issue will be printed on deluxe newsprint, and feature variant covers by top talent. "Skybound Visions pairs beloved comic book characters with the most interesting comic book creators working today, to present their personal takes on these fan-favorites" said Sean Mackiewicz, SVP, Skybound. "Visions is all about surprising creators, surprising characters, and surprising storytelling, and we have plenty more in store for 2027 and beyond." Skybound also revealed the storylines and creators for the first three series in the Skybound Visions line. Transformers: Bumblebee - Lost Planet by writer Tate Brombal (Batgirl, Everything Dead & Dying) and Matt Emmons (The Council of Frogs), colorist Giovanna Niro (Absolute Catwoman), and letterer Becca Carey (Radiant Black) arrives in comic shops on January 27, 2027. After a devastating Decepticon attack, Bumblebee is stranded on an uncharted planet. Lost in the galaxy, with no way to call for help, the so-called "weakest of all the Autobots" must tackle the biggest mission of his young life. But beneath its surface, this strange planet holds a secret that's already begun to corrupt and change its indigenous life. Now, the Autobots' greatest hope must come from the evolution of its most unexpected warrior... if Bee can survive being hunted by the deadliest Decepticon of all! Then, just one new comic book day after Transformers: Bumblebee - Lost Planet #1 debuts, G.I. Joe: The Island of Dr. Mindbender by writer Karl Kerschl (Gotham Academy) and Doug Mahnke (Batman: The Man Who Laughs), inker Jaime Mendoza (Superman), colorist David Baron (JLA), and letterer Tom Napolitano (Kaya) lands in stores on February 2, 2027. The last team of Joes sent to the Island of Dr. Mindbender never came back... Now, Codename: Flint must return to active duty to lead a fresh batch of recruits to the isolated compound of a madman. A mad scientist who's grown madder every year-and his creations more monstrous. In the deadliest mission of his career, Flint just wants to rescue his old friends and get back to his family. But on this island, survival isn't just half the battle-it's the whole damn war! The first Gold Key character in Skybound Visions, Turok: Son of Stone by writer Stephen Graham Jones (The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, Earthdivers) and Leandro Fernández (The Old Guard), and colorist Lee Loughridge (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero) with letterer Tom Napolitano (Kaya) hits comic shops on March 10, 2027. Turok wanted to dig up the past. Now, he must survive it. Turok dreamed that his dig in New Mexico would make his name legendary. But when the ground gave way, he fell through history and landed in a valley that shouldn't exist. Where the Ice Age sits on top of the time of dinosaurs, and at every turn he discovers an era older and hungrier than the last. In a relentless quest to return to his son, Turok must unearth the truth about this hidden world and not lose his grip on a shifting reality that threatens to consume him. Sometimes a dream coming true is a nightmare beyond imagination... To celebrate this brand-new initiative, a special Skybound Visions ashcan will be available in comic shops on Wednesday, November 11th, providing readers with a sneak peak of character designs and what to expect from all three series in the first slate of Skybound Visions titles. Fans will soon be able to pre-order their copies of Transformers: Bumblebee - Lost Planet #1, G.I. Joe: The Island of Dr. Mindbender #1, and Turok: Son of Stone #1 at their local comic book shops. Here is what the creative teams are saying: Transformers: Bumblebee - Lost Planet Tate Brombal: "What an honor to be a part of this first wave of Skybound Visions! With its bold mandate in mind, we wanted to make a Transformers comic unlike any other...so get ready as Bumblebee takes center stage on an alien planet hellbent on killing him. This is Scavenger's Reign meets Horizon Zero Dawnvividly illustrated by your new favorite artist (if he isn't already) Matt Emmons and the inimitable Giovanna Niro." Matt Emmons: "I'm so thrilled unveiling Transformers: Bumblebee - Lost Planet, and especially our new Bumblebee design for this new journey! We went all out filling this strange, beautiful, and dangerous world with all sorts of bizarre plants, animals and a few... other beings to make a Transformers comic the likes of which has never been seen before. Working with Tate, Ben, Giovanna, and Becca has been a dream come true. Everyone brought their best to this book. I'm so excited to share what we've made and couldn't be more proud to be a part of the first wave of Skybound Visions." G.I. Joe: The Island of Dr. Mindbender Karl Kerschl: "As a kid who grew up watching the G.I. Joe cartoon and obsessing over the comic books, I spent a lot of time making up my own characters. Now I have the opportunity to do that for real. The Island of Dr. Mindbender is a nightmare-fueled version of everything that I love about G.I. Joe-it's a freight train of 80's-inspired action and horror." Doug Mahnke: "Working with Karl on GI Joe: The Island of Dr. Mindbender has been one helluva ride. When I signed on to do the book, the rough concept of Joes going to save more Joes from a twisted version of Dr. Mindbender on a distant and hidden island seemed simple enough, but as each script unfolded it was far from simple as the story submerged further and further into chaos and horror, two things I'm absolutely qualified and happy to draw! This is definitely not your father's G.I. Joe story, and it's entirely awesome." Turok: Son of Stone Stephen Graham Jones: "Don't we all want to go be in a Turok comic book? Don't we all want to see dinosaurs, mammoths, prehistoric birds and snakes and fish? Writing this, it was close as I can get to that. It's been a thrill, an honor." Leandro Fernández: "I got hooked into this story automatically, right after reading the first script. It feels so exciting for me to have the chance to work with Stephen on this new approach to this classic character. It's both fun and very inspiring. A perfect starting point - let's enjoy the ride!" Transformers: Bumblebee - Lost Planet #1Cover A by Matt Emmons & Giovanna Niro | | Transformers: Bumblebee - Lost Planet #1 Preview Pages | | G.I. Joe: The Island of Dr. Mindbender #1Cover A by Doug Mahnke & David Baron | | G.I. Joe: The Island of Dr. Mindbender #1 Preview Pages | | Turok: Son of Stone #1 Cover A by Leandro Fernández & Lee Loughridge | | Turok: Son of Stone #1 Preview Pages | | / Your First Place For Comics News since October 18, 1998

AdExchanger
Oct 7th, 2026
AI agents are coming for CTV; it's cheaper for politicians to buy national ads than to target Texas.

AI agents are coming for CTV; it's cheaper for politicians to buy national ads than to target Texas. Wednesday, October 7th, 2026 - 12:03 am Agents, Agents Everywhere Agentic media buying is all the rage, including for streaming TV. A new joint effort announced Tuesday will use custom agents to help brand marketers get more from their streaming TV investments, including upfront commitments. The initiative brings together NBCUniversal, its SSP FreeWheel, Dentsu-owned agency Carat and research firm Newton. So, how does it work? Custom buying agents pair identity data from NBCU and FreeWheel with audience intelligence from Dentsu and Newton. The agent uses that audience data and ad performance data to recommend NBCU ad inventory based on an advertiser's desired outcome. An unnamed luxury retailer working with Carat is the first marketer to use the solution, although the joint offering will eventually be available to all Dentsu clients. In the meantime, Carat is busy building custom agents for specific advertiser KPIs, everything from search lift to incremental reach. The promise is that agents could bring outcomes-based buying closer to the mainstream in CTV. Great, right? But if every buy is judged by immediate results, advertisers could end up sacrificing long-term brand building for short-term gains. Everything's Bigger In Texas Did you happen to catch any ads for Texas Attorney General - and Republican senatorial candidate - Ken Paxton during Fox's "Sunday Night Football" broadcast last weekend, despite not living in Texas where he's running? On Sunday, viewers reported seeing multiple pro-Paxton ads from Texas PAC during not just the Cowboys-Texans game on Sunday night but also during the Eagles-Rams game, the Packers-Buccaneers game and the Jets-Bears game. According to Texas-based news outlet Chron, Texas PAC likely bought national advertising time because it was cheaper than trying to break into the crowded Texas TV market. An estimate from political ad platform Medium Buying suggests it would've cost more than $2 million to buy campaigns for a single 30-second ad spot in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin during the Cowboys-Texans game. But cost may not have been the only factor. Perhaps Paxton's supporters wanted to counter the growing national attention on his opponent, James Talarico, since he won the Democratic primary in March. Talarico's interviews with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel - and the fact that neither segment could air on broadcast TV - made headlines nationwide. Talk about doing more with less. Claim To Fame Just yesterday, this newsletter looked at brands testing the limits of claims like "Keto-friendly," "sugar-free," "gut-healthy" and "Protein!" Well, Adexchanger has got some related news to share about how the pursuit of a compelling marketing claim can send household product and food and beverage brands down some pretty strange paths. Pet food makers, for example, are investing in major research facilities to measure and demonstrate claims like "preferred by cats," as The New York Times reports. (Apparently, cat adoption rates are way up, while dog food purchase rates are flat, so a lot of the research is cat-centric.) Candy giant Mars, meanwhile, is undertaking a costly and tricky overhaul of M&M's production - which has essentially remained unchanged since World War II - so that it can put the words "no artificial colors" in ads and on packages. This is such an expensive and challenging process because to get blue or brown coloring it needs a great deal of spirulina - but spirulina is an algae-like substance that gunks up its machines. Without blue and brown, the remaining yellow, green, red and orange candies look distinctly tropical. Oh, and then there's Procter & Gamble, which has cut marketing budgets in recent years and shifted more spending to product R&D, including innovations, such as crotch deodorant and woven-tile laundry detergent. Guess sometimes the product itself is the pitch. But Wait! There's More! It's official: Skydance has closed its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. [Deadline] What human in the loop? S4 Capital's Monks agency lets its AI agents run unsupervised for days at a time. (By the way, the company has cut 800 jobs so far this year.) [Digiday] San Diego County files a lawsuit alleging that AppLovin shows graphic ads in apps marked appropriate for kids. [Bloomberg] A British class-action suit claims Google drove up costs for Android developers and users through its 30% Google Play Store fee. [Bloomberg] Tagged in: