Media Buying

“Over the last 12 months, we’ve seen a flurry of [media advertising] activity from outside the retail sector,” our analyst Sarah Marzano said on an episode of the “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. Although retail kicked off the commerce media trends, financial services, travel companies, and intermediaries such as Instacart and Uber Eats are monetizing their customer data and setting up ad networks. The rise of commerce media networks is changing the way advertisers approach targeting and how consumers interact with brands. Here are four predictions on these emerging trends.

Among social networks, Reddit has seen the biggest growth of average time spent per day by US active users, according to our June 2024 forecast.

Netflix’s struggling ad business suffers another exec departure: Peter Naylor left the company after it softened its ad outlook for the next two years.

Biden's withdrawal boosts ad spending: Political ad spending projections rise to record highs with Biden stepping down, influencing 2024 campaigns.

Microsoft’s subscription strategy faces renewed regulatory pressure for exploiting titles like Call of Duty to charge consumers more

Netflix reports strong Q2 growth: Subscribers surged to 8.05 million, with ad-supported tier driving revenues and engagement.

The first contract protecting media jobs and salaries from genAI use could appease advertisers seeking authentic content sources.

Taboola partners with Apple: The native advertising platform will insert ads into Apple News and Stocks, helping Apple surpass $10 billion in ad revenues for the first time.

Google is still battling against made for advertising sites: A Pixalate report found that 72% of MFA sites sold ads via AdExchange in May despite industrywide improvements.

The line between digital out of home (DOOH) and connected TV (CTV) advertising is blurring as advertisers invest in small-screen formats at gas stations, in bars, on transit, and everywhere in between.

Warner Bros. Discovery layoffs indicate deeper issues: Analysts suggest asset sales or restructuring to manage debt and refocus on growth areas.

Charlotte Observer reduces print editions to three days weekly: The move reflects the shift towards digital content and changing consumer demands.

As China’s retail media advertising market begins to mature, off-site channels—including WeChat and Douyin, TikTok's sister app in China—will increasingly drive growth.

New NBA broadcasting deals with NBC and Amazon: These partnerships, pending approval, are set to enhance live sports accessibility and boost advertising revenue.

Retail media ad spending will be increasingly responsible for digital advertising’s double-digit growth. By 2028, the powerhouse channel will grow to represent nearly 1 in every 3 ad dollars spent.

Out-of-home (OOH) ad spend in the US will cross $10 billion for the first time in 2027, per our March 2024 forecast.

Is the auto industry losing faith in TV? Ad expenditures are still high on sports broadcasts, but a tough market is causing spending to contract.

CNN restructuring focuses on FAST and digital subscriptions: The news agency is laying off 100 employees and hoping to capitalize on growing media trends.

Social media platforms focus on outcomes: Executives cite pressure to deliver for advertisers as Q2 earnings reports approach.

US upfront TV ad spend will decline this year by 2.5% and again in 2025 by 4.5%, marking three years of decline, per our May 2024 forecast.