The Advertising Economic Forum on Wednesday and Thursday this week isn't built for publishers. It's built for the people who decide where capital flows in this industry – VCs, PE firms, equity analysts, corporate development teams. And in those rooms, publishers come up constantly. Which business models are defensible? Which revenue streams are drying up? Which companies are acquisition targets and which are being written off? These conversations are happening whether you're there or not. The only variable is whether you're in the room.
Publishers are the subtext of almost every session on the agenda. When investors debate which ad tech companies are winning or losing, when PE firms explain what makes a company acquisition-ready, when agency CEOs map where media money is actually flowing – you are the implicit variable in every equation. The question isn't whether your business is being evaluated. It's whether you're present when it happens, or whether you find out later when it shows up in your revenue.
The AI conversation makes this even more urgent. Most publisher events focus on AI in terms of content and workflow. AdEF is talking about it in terms of money – where VC is flowing, how agentic commerce is restructuring product discovery, and what M&A teams are actually prioritizing. That's a different and more consequential conversation. If AI agents start mediating how audiences find content and make purchase decisions, the publishers who were never in those capital rooms won't just be late to adapt. They'll be the last to know the decision was already made.
Be in the room where they will talk about the future of publishing, whether we are there or not: https://www.adeconforum.com/
In less than two months (yes, that’s crazy), we’re coming to New York City with two working sessions across two days that connect to a much bigger conversation about where publishing is headed and what publisher teams need to do next…
On May 5, you already know that Navigator NYC is returning …
Navigator is designed for the people navigating the business and operational realities in front of them right now: revenue pressure, market complexity, shifting buyer expectations, and the need to make smarter decisions without wasting time on noise.
That’s why we’re thrilled that leaders from Automattic, Better Collective, NASCAR, Everyday Health Group, Time Out Group, Weatherbug, MediaNews Group, Tribune, Yahoo!, Crain, Duplex, and TeamSnap will be joining us.
Together, we’re tackling the big questions:
- How do editorial and ops teams build a shared measurement framework when they have been optimizing for different outcomes?
- How is AI changing the way brands plan, buy, and measure media, and what do publishers need to understand about that shift?
- How are publishers maintaining or growing revenue even as traffic declines?
- In commerce media, who is actually winning, who is falling behind, and why?
- Are publishers solving the identity problem buyers actually care about, or the one the industry told them to solve?
- Does doing the right thing in programmatic actually pay, or does it still cost too much?
- What happens when bots are buying ads and AI agents are shopping on behalf of consumers?
- Is social media revenue worth the dependency and platform risk that comes with it?
- Where does brand safety go wrong, who benefits when it does, and what would a healthier model look like?
👉 Take a look at the full agenda (we’re adding more each day), and then raise your hand to join us now.
Then, on May 6, our new event AI Publisher Response is happening…
AI Publisher Response is a one-day event built for cross-functional publisher teams (ad ops, leadership, content and editorial, marketing, legal, and more). Together, we’ll focus on the questions that actually matter to you: what should be automated, what must stay human, how your org should evolve, and how you protect your content and revenue in a market moving faster than your resources.
To prepare for the event, here’s what you need to know:
- Review the full agenda. Yes, we’re still continuing to expand and strengthen it. But we already have planned should excite you. This is where the most meaningful and actionable conversations publishers can have about AI will begin, and you need to be there. We need your voice.
- Teams from The Weather Company, WeatherBug, Thomson Reuters, Automattic, Better Collective, Cox Automotive, TeamSnap, and The New York Times are committed to join us. We look forward to adding you to this list!
- Join us for AI Publisher Live on March 20 with Shay Brog (Burt Intelligence) In this episode, we'll share the latest updates on our upcoming AI Publisher Response event, including a preview of the speakers and conversations shaping the agenda. We'll also discuss what we’re hearing across the industry as publishers continue to navigate rapid changes driven by AI. Special guest Shay Brog (CEO, Burt Intelligence) will also join to discuss the launching of Burt Intelligence’s new MCP Server.
- Join us for AI Publisher Response Live: Publisher Feedback from San Antonio on April 10 As you know, we just got back from Base.Camp San Antonio. Was AI a hot topic during our time with our community? Absolutely. So, we’re going to come together to discuss the hottest AI topics from the publisher perspective, the challenges we’re facing, and what solutions are actually worth looking at.
👉 If you’re ready to learn more, check out AI Publisher Response, and then raise your hand to join us now.
Here’s the latest news, and yes, it’s all true:
- LAST CHANCE: AdEF is THIS WEEK! (March 18 & 19) The Advertising Economic Forum is designed to push beyond the status quo narratives and boilerplate keynotes into the underlying economics of advertising: capital allocation, business-model durability, and where advantage is forming across the ecosystem. And this year, AdEF has expanded into two high-impact days: day one is our popular founder and investor pitch event, and day two is our famous Finance Continuum. Review the agenda and register while you still can. There are only a few spots left!
- Save the date: Post-San Antonio Camp.Fire on March 24 Camp.Fire is where publishers and partners come together to talk about the top topics within our community monthly. In this edition of Camp.Fire, we’ll come together to discuss the big takeaways and action items from Base.Camp San Antonio. Camp.Fire is exclusive to our existing publisher and partner community
- DEAL: Landmark Executive Roundtable Series on March 20 (Virtual) In a landscape defined by constant disruption, DEAL – Dialogue on Exits, Acquisitions & Landscape– offers a rare forum for unfiltered conversation and strategic connection. Curated and hosted by Landmark Ventures’ Investment Banking team, this off-the-record series is designed to illuminate what’s next: from emerging market signals to transformative deal opportunities.
- The DanAds Summit is coming to Stockholm on April 15, 2026 The DanAds Summit is where the future of ad sales takes shape, offering a unique perspective on the European market, comparing and contrasting trends with North America, and providing actionable insights tailored to today’s global ad tech landscape.
Here's the latest:
- The internet didn’t evolve, it broke Everyone is obsessed with predicting the "Big AI Shift." Conferences are packed with futurists talking about how AI will reshape marketing, creativity, and entire industries. But while everyone is staring at the horizon, they’re missing the ground crumbling beneath their feet. We need to stop talking about what AI will do, and start dealing with what it has already done. An exclusive industry editorial from Kueez CEO and co-founder Ori Mendi.
Want to get caught up on everything we’ve published? Start here.
A full list of all 2026 events we’re involved in, all in one nice little package:
- Advertising Economic Forum NYC - March 18-19, 2026 this week!
- Digital Day Camp: Spring - April 15 & 16, 2026
- Navigator NYC - May 5, 2026
- AI Publisher Response Event - May 6, 2026
- Navigator London - June 9, 2026
- Base.Camp La Jolla - October 4-7, 2026
- Digital Day Camp: Fall - October 21 & 22, 2026
- Base.Camp Madrid - November 8-11, 2026
⭐ Chicago AdTech Happy Hour
🗓️ March 18, 5:00 PM CT
📍 The Publican @ 837 W Fulton Market in West Loop
Sponsored by our friends at Burt.
⭐ TWIPN USA International Women’s Day Event
🗓️ March 19, 5:00 PM
📍 The Trade Desk - NYC
In honor of International Women’s Day, join us for a powerful conversation about what it takes for women in AdTech to move beyond having a seat at the table — and into setting the agenda.
This is a must-attend event for anyone passionate about leadership, equity, and the future of women in AdTech. All women and men in the industry are welcome.
Join the Community!
Thousands of professionals, of all ages, worldwide turn to Beeler.Tech as their meeting place for all things publisher revenue operations. Join the Beeler.Tech Community here! Your teams and colleagues are welcome, too.
Looking for your next opportunity? Know someone else that is?
Check out our job board. Also - sign up for our Jobs Newsletter (delivered every Thursday). Subscribe here.
Join the Women’s Space
Our Women’s Space continues to grow, and we’re developing a Code of Conduct for all Beeler.Tech events: something every attendee will agree to, and something we hope the wider industry adopts. The goal is simple: raise the bar on respect and professionalism for everyone.
We have a Slack channel and a WhatsApp group. The WhatsApp chat is more active, but you’re welcome in either (or both) if you want to be part of the conversation. Please reach out to Melissa if you would like to join one or both.
Team.Beeler Out