On this week's episode of the MadTech Podcast, Snigdha Nandan, director digital and social marketing APAC, Mastercard, joins ExchangeWire's research lead Mat Broughton and COO Lindsay Rowntree to discuss United Airlines' mulling targeted ads, record Black Friday online spend, and Google sending 36% of Safari search revenue to Apple.

United Airlines Weighs Using Passenger Data to Sell Targeted Ads

United Airlines is considering using its passenger information to help brands serve targeted ads to its customers. These ads could appear on its in-flight entertainment system or on its app used to book journeys and check-in.

However, an official decision reportedly hasn’t been made and United could still decide not to make the move, and the company would reportedly allow customers to opt out, as is required by privacy laws.

Is everything an ad network? Would passengers appreciate this, and is it a good opportunity for brands?

USD$9.8bn Black Friday online spend record

Black Friday online buying hit a new record in the US, with total online spend coming to a record USD$9.8bn (£7.7bn). Smartphones represented 54% of all online sales. Sales increased by 7.5% from 2022, according to Adobe Analytics, bypassing their own predictions for the day. Globally, total online spending came to USD $70.9bn (£56bn).

What should marketers consider around Black Friday promotions?

Google sends 36% of Safari ad revenue to Apple

According to an expert testifying on behalf of Google, the platform reportedly sends 36% of the advertising revenue it makes on the Safari Web browser to Apple. Prosecutors involved have declared that the dealings between both tech giants have illegally restricted competition. 

The ongoing legal proceedings have also revealed that Google paid over USD $26bn (£21bn) to other companies, including Apple, Samsung and Mozilla, to be installed as the default search engine. 

What does this mean for Google and Apple’s relationship?