RPA is reworking its media buying and analytics strategy, using agentic AI and causal modeling to help brands make quicker, data-backed choices. Here’s what this means for clients.
RPA is betting that agentic AI and causal modeling will change how brands measure and optimize their marketing spend. Instead of making small adjustments, the agency is moving away from manual, slow analytics to a system built on automation and predictive tools that support faster, evidence-based decisions.
For years, marketers have struggled to show that their budgets actually drive business results. RPA’s partnership with Newton Research is meant to address that. By adding Newton’s "Unlimited Analytics" agentic AI layer, RPA can now provide detailed, causal analysis at every stage of the media process-from planning and activation to campaign optimization and performance tracking. Brands no longer have to wait weeks or months for third-party marketing-mix models or incrementality tests. With this setup, advanced causal models can run in days, showing which factors actually affect sales and results, as described in a MediaPost industry report.
Newton Research’s agentic AI enables teams to instantly model the impact of shifting marketing budgets between channels, such as reallocating 20% from social to programmatic, supporting real-time scenario analysis.
- MediaPost
Lisa Herdman, chief enterprise integration officer at RPA, says the agency’s focus has shifted from repetitive tasks to working more strategically with clients. Automation and AI let teams spend less time on reporting and more on decisions that matter. Herdman points out that the CFO’s view of marketing is changing: with agentic and causal strategies, marketing spend is now seen as an investment that can be proven, not just a cost. The goal is to help clients make faster, more confident choices using Newton Research’s technology, running predictive models that update as new data arrives.
The main difference with this system is its ability to link media activity directly to business outcomes. Newton’s causal intelligence goes beyond showing correlation-it identifies which actions actually drive results. RPA and its clients can now plan and act based on real evidence, not assumptions. Teams can use existing models or let Newton’s agentic AI build new ones, all while testing different budget scenarios in real time. For example, RPA can quickly model what happens if a brand moves 20% of its budget from social to programmatic, giving analytics, brand, and media teams a shared, data-backed basis for decisions.
The new causal-modeling workflow implemented by RPA and Newton Research reduces the setup and run time for marketing-mix modeling from weeks or months to just days, representing a significant operational gain for brands seeking faster insights.
- MediaPost
This shift is already changing how RPA works with brands. The agency says it can now deliver more predictive insights and highlight strategic opportunities that might have been missed with older workflows. Faster setup and analysis mean business results come sooner, and teams aren’t slowed down by traditional measurement methods. Instead, they can focus on what’s actually driving outcomes, not just what shows up in a dashboard.
RPA’s move reflects a wider trend among independent agencies using advanced analytics and automation to stand out. As recent reports show, major publishers are also testing AI-driven content and measurement to improve discoverability and licensing revenue. The advantage now goes to those who can turn data into action quickly, with fewer manual steps.
RPA’s adoption of agentic AI and causal modeling is more than a technical upgrade-it’s a strategic move. By shortening the time between collecting data and taking action, RPA aims to be a partner that delivers measurable, fast results. The agency’s investment in predictive analytics and automation shows a clear understanding: in a market where every marketing dollar is under scrutiny, those who can prove and speed up outcomes will stand out.
RPA (Rubin Postaer and Associates), based in Santa Monica, California, is one of the largest independent advertising and marketing agencies in the U.S. The agency manages campaigns for major brands in automotive, technology, and consumer sectors, and is regularly ranked among the top independent agencies by billings and client retention. Newton Research, its analytics partner, focuses on agentic AI solutions for advertising and media, with its "Unlimited Analytics" platform designed to speed up causal measurement and predictive modeling for enterprise clients.
