Advertising & Marketing

On today's podcast episode, we discuss whether YouTube Shorts are cannibalizing long-form content, Instagram and Facebook users potentially being able to pay to avoid ads in Europe, how Netflix's password crackdown is getting on, whether serving multiple ads at once is a good idea, the impact of the Digital Services Act's arrival, how long it would take you to drive around every road in the US, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, analyst Bill Fisher, and forecasting analyst Zach Goldner.

Google will require strict disclosures from AI-generated political ads: The company announced the rule change ahead of the most expensive election season yet.

A new study outlines how AI could target white-collar roles earning above $90,000, but not all roles face extinction. Upskilling is crucial.

Intel joins tech giants like Apple in investing in Arm and focusing on low-power chips for AI. A successful partnership could accelerate chip production.

Installing 20,000 EV chargers across 2,000 North American hotels can capitalize on soaring demand for EV charging in the post-pandemic travel boom.

Subway hops aboard the multi-tiered rewards program trend: The MVP Rewards program offers additional incentives for consumers who spend $200 and $400 annually.

Key stat: Among US consumers ages 18 to 44, 53% prefer digital to phone when receiving help with a product- or service-related question, while just 35% of consumers ages 45 to 75 favor digital to phone, per Verint.

Brand marketers have to be strategic as a challenging 2023 has taken its toll on marketing budgets. CMOs worldwide expect to spend 9.1% of company revenues on marketing compared with 9.5% in 2022, according to May data from Gartner. And considering revenues are also lower for many companies, that pie is getting even smaller.

On today's podcast episode, our vice president of Briefings Stephanie Taglianetti hosts a mock-debate-style analyst showdown on Meta versus TikTok. Analyst Debra Aho Williamson and director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman go head to head, advocating on behalf of Meta (Debra) and TikTok (Jeremy) to prove which social platform is the bigger threat in three areas: getting people to spend time on each app, meeting advertisers’ needs, and AI innovation.

While Meta, Google, Apple, and programmatic display are all investment areas for M&C Saatchi Performance, the agency is shaking up some approaches for 2024. “We’re investing in all the tried-and-true performance basics,” said Jonathan Yantz, managing partner at M&C Saatchi Performance. “But we’re most excited about the CTV [connected TV] and influencer/creator spaces, since both are so dynamic now.”

A study exposes glaring privacy risks in connected cars. Just two out of 25 brands offer data deletion; most collect and share sensitive personal information.

Slack and Zoom integrate AI and offer features like conversation summaries and virtual assistance. But siloing these capabilities may hinder interoperability.

A developers conference could accelerate product development and solidify OpenAI’s industry lead. The timing, post-Big Tech fall events, allows strategic response to industry trends.

Nearly 96% of advertisers worldwide will include attention-based metrics in at least some of their media buys this year, according to May data from DoubleVerify.

Competition in the VR/XR ecosystem is heating up, and strategic hardware-software alliances could accelerate competition for Apple's premium products.

Social media fatigue is rising as users seek genuine connections over algorithm-driven content. Tech companies aren’t taking the hint.

Globalstar's $64 million partnership with SpaceX sharpens Apple's edge. Business pragmatism prevails despite regulatory disputes—for now.

On today's podcast episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss what we are paying close attention to this holiday season, how much more the holiday season has been pulled forward, and besides being earlier than everyone else, which holiday strategies will work? Then, for "Pop-Up Rankings," we rank one projected winner and one retailer that needs help this holiday season. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman and analyst Zak Stambor.

The Media Rating Council says YouTube needs an audit: The industry group is trying to broaden its scope to help build trust in advertising’s pivot to digital video.

Apple and Microsoft are targeted in new probes. Failure to comply with DMA rules could result in loss of business and alter Big Tech’s balance of power.