The partnership combines dentsu’s first-mover campaign expertise with Adthena’s new ‘Decision Intelligence’ product to give advertisers the clarity they need to succeed

LONDON, July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dentsu, one of the world’s leading marketing networks, and Adthena, the award-winning search intelligence platform, today announced a strategic partnership in the UK to help brands navigate and compete in the world’s newest digital advertising channel.

By combining dentsu’s early hands-on experience running live campaigns in the channel with Adthena’s new Decision Intelligence capability, the partnership gives advertisers both the executional expertise and competitive visibility needed to enter the market with greater confidence and control.

Dentsu: first in, best positioned

As one of OpenAI’s four UK agency launch partners, dentsu was an early mover in the ChatGPT ad auction, with live campaigns already running for brands including Hilton. This early activity has given dentsu valuable first-hand performance data and real-market learnings from one of the newest and fastest-evolving digital advertising channels.

That experience means dentsu brings practical expertise across campaign setup, measurement, and optimization, helping clients launch and scale with greater confidence. Adthena’s data reinforces the strength of that early presence, with three dentsu clients currently ranking among the top nine ChatGPT advertisers in the UK.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of defining what effective, responsible advertising looks like in these new environments. ChatGPT is already changing how consumers research, compare, and make purchasing decisions, and our role is to ensure our clients’ brands are present, credible, and competitive from the very start. Partnering with Adthena’s Decision Intelligence backs that positioning with data and supports us in staying ahead as this channel scales.”
- Toby Benjamin, Chief Media Officer, Dentsu UK & Ireland

Adthena Decision Intelligence

Central to the partnership is the launch of Adthena Decision Intelligence, a new product designed specifically for the competitive dynamics of AI-native advertising environments.

ChatGPT’s native Ads Manager shows advertisers their own performance: cost-per-click, impressions, and click-through rates, but not the competitive landscape around them. As the UK auction opened and new advertisers rushed to establish positions, brands found CPCs swinging by as much as 39% to 278% with no explanation of why and no visibility of who just entered the auction against them. This context is the difference between spending efficiently and burning budget through budget indiscriminately.

Adthena’s ChatGPT Decision Intelligence solves exactly this problem. By monitoring paid placements across the ChatGPT ecosystem, Adthena identifies which competitors have entered specific prompt categories, when they appeared, and what effect their entry has had on auction prices. Crucially, the platform translates this intelligence into prioritised, actionable recommendations: whether to cap bids on inflated groups, redirect budget to uncontested prompt categories, or win high-value placements on creative strength rather than bidding power.

“OpenAI’s Ads Manager tells you what is happening to your campaigns. Adthena tells you why and what to do about it. Launching Decision Intelligence alongside a partner like dentsu, who already has live data and real clients competing in the UK ChatGPT auction, means our intelligence is being tested and validated against the most complex auction conditions in the market right now. UK advertisers now have access to advertising intelligence in combination with dentsu’s campaign expertise, and that combination is unmatched.”
- Kat Pouwer - Senior Director, Partnerships EMEA @ Adthena

How dentsu and Adthena Are Preparing UK Brands for Peak Season

With Q3 and Q4 approaching and ChatGPT’s self-service platform only recently opened to all advertisers, the window to establish strong auction positions before the peak season is narrow. Together, Adthena and dentsu UK&I are working to ensure brands can compete without overpaying, and build durable positions in an auction that rewards those who understand the competitive landscape around them.

About Adthena

Adthena is an award-winning search intelligence platform trusted by the world’s leading brands and agencies to win in paid and AI-powered search. Adthena’s patented Whole Market View delivers unrivalled competitor insights across Google, Bing, and ChatGPT, giving marketers the intelligence to outbid, outrank, and outperform. A Google Premier Partner and multiple Search Awards winner - including Global, UK, APAC, and European Search Awards - Adthena serves clients across retail, finance, travel, and technology. For more information, visit adthena.com.

About dentsu

Dentsu is an integrated growth and transformation partner to the world’s leading organisations. Founded in 1901 in Tokyo, Japan, and now present in approximately 120 countries and regions, it has a proven track record of nurturing and developing innovations, combining the talents of its global network of leadership brands to develop impactful and integrated growth solutions for clients. Dentsu delivers end-to-end experience transformation (EX) by integrating its services across Media, CXM and Creative, while its business transformation (BX) mindset pushes the boundaries of transformation and sustainable growth for brands, people and society.

Dentsu, Innovating to Impact.

Find out more: www.dentsu.com / www.group.dentsu.com.

Media Contacts

Adthena: adthena@kitehillpr.com
Dentsu: alexandra.james@dentsu.com

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