Brunner has acquired Pittsburgh-based AdSkate, adding artificial intelligence-powered creative analytics to its integrated marketing platform. The deal, announced July 16, 2026, gives the independent agency technology that analyzes why advertisements perform as they do - not just how they perform - helping creative teams make faster, more informed decisions about their work.
Financial terms were not disclosed. AdSkate's proprietary platform examines creative assets across images, video, messaging and audience segments to pinpoint the factors driving campaign performance. This moves beyond traditional reporting, offering marketers insights that support faster optimization and smarter investment choices.
What the acquisition brings to Brunner
Brunner will fold AdSkate's technology, engineering talent and product expertise into its marketing intelligence platform. The combined offering will deliver AI-powered creative analysis, predictive performance modeling, audience insights and campaign optimization tools. The goal is to improve decision-making throughout the marketing lifecycle, from early creative development to real-time media adjustments.
Kevin Amos, partner and chief media and data officer at Brunner, said marketers are increasingly looking for "actionable intelligence rather than larger volumes of data." He said AdSkate's platform helps explain not only which campaigns are performing but also the creative factors driving those results, enabling brands to make faster and more confident marketing decisions.
The acquisition underscores the growing importance of AI for Creatives in advertising. As brands demand stronger returns on ad spending, agencies are weaving artificial intelligence into creative development, audience targeting and media optimization. The deal reflects a broader trend in AI for Marketing, where tools that justify spending and improve campaign effectiveness are becoming essential.
Rooted in Pittsburgh's AI ecosystem
AdSkate emerged from Pittsburgh's technology scene, with leadership and technical roots connected to Carnegie Mellon University. Its platform uses machine learning to evaluate advertising performance across multiple creative formats, identifying the elements that drive engagement, conversions and return on ad spend.
As part of the transaction, AdSkate co-founder and CEO Akaash Ramakrishnan will join Brunner as senior director of AI and innovation. Co-founder and CTO Shreyas Venugopalan will serve as an AI and technology consultant, while creative technology specialist Max Rosen becomes a creative technologist at the agency.
Ramakrishnan said AdSkate was founded on the belief that artificial intelligence could help marketers make better creative and business decisions. "Joining Brunner provides the opportunity to scale the platform, accelerate product development and deliver expanded capabilities to brands operating in an increasingly data-driven marketing environment," he said.
Why this matters for creatives
For designers, copywriters and creative directors, the acquisition signals a shift toward tools that explain the "why" behind ad performance. Instead of relying solely on A/B testing or post-campaign reports, creatives can get near-real-time feedback on which visual elements, messages or formats resonate. This means fewer rounds of guesswork and more evidence-based creative choices.
Brunner's client roster includes brands like Aerie, Church's Texas Chicken, Fred Rogers Institute and Mitsubishi North America. AdSkate will continue supporting its existing customers - which include Infosys, Abbott Laboratories and the Illinois Lottery - while serving as the foundation for new AI-enabled products Brunner plans to introduce. For creatives working on these accounts, the combined platform promises sharper insights into how their work performs and how to improve it.
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