American Express debuts ad network boasting contextual targeting prowess

Group 1 - Payments giants are expanding into commerce media, with American Express and Mastercard launching competing ad networks within a week [3][6] - American Express reported that its offers segment generated $15 billion in spending last year, primarily from the U.S. market, providing a strong foundation for Amex Ads [4][6] - Early pilots by brands like Marriott and Tumi showed positive results, with Marriott achieving a 300% return on investment and Tumi generating a return on ad spend 30% higher than benchmarks [5][6] Group 2 - Amex Ads leverages first-party data from 34 million U.S. cardholders and includes measurement and brand-safety features [6] - The launch of these ad networks reflects the growing trend of commerce media, where companies utilize first-party customer data to enhance digital advertising monetization [6]