FTC escalates Omnicom-IPG merger review: The $13 billion deal faces regulatory scrutiny over potential impacts on media competition and pricing power.
Unilever invests big in social channels: The company plans to spend half of its media budget on a new strategy that puts influencers front and center of its marketing.
Nearly all marketers are concerned about Trump’s tariffs: The trade war is putting pressure on marketers—but there are some options to mitigate the damage to brands.
Spotify keeps Bill Simmons on board: The Ringer founder extends his contract as Spotify pivots toward video podcasting and sustainable ad-driven content.
FAST streaming is growing fast: The number of active channels has nearly doubled in several key markets, with the US showing the most growth, but user experience remains key.
Women’s sports advertising is thriving: TV viewership is up 140%, ad spend has doubled, and in-game ads drive 40% more engagement than primetime TV.
"Media saturation is here," said our analyst Ethan Cramer-Flood in a new episode of "Behind the Numbers," describing a fundamental shift in how Americans consume content. "We have always been able to count on Americans spending an ever-increasing amount of their day with media… We're basically saying that this is now coming to an end."
Google, OpenAI explore ads: The moves indicate that ads will be a crucial part of how AI search engines generate future revenues.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss why Netflix viewers are spending less time on the platform, how the free ad-supported streaming players are getting on, and how a less discussed social platform has fast become one of the places Americans spend most of their social media time. Tune in to the episode with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Principal Forecasting Writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, Senior Forecasting Analyst Zach Goldner, and Senior Director of Forecasting, Oscar Orozco. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Stricter age restrictions and bans on unauthorized gambling links take effect March 19, reflecting both child safety concerns and shrinking sports-betting ad revenue.
Senators urge DOJ probe into X’s advertising efforts: The group of five Democratic senators allege that Elon Musk leverages his political power to bully advertisers into returning.
Mobile ad fraud is evolving: A new scheme exploited bid requests and fake installs, highlighting why marketers must invest in fraud detection to protect ad spend.
With a Trump-led DOJ expected to be softer on antitrust, Google is leveraging national security concerns to fend off calls for Chrome’s divestment, banking on shifting regulatory winds
Modelo’s college basketball ad spend grows 48%: The investment highlights the lucrative opportunity of advertising during live sporting events.
Acquiring Vistar and Blis strengthens its ad capabilities, but turning its mobile data advantage into ad dominance won’t be easy—especially in a market controlled by digital giants.
Microsoft brings AI ad features to Copilot: It’s vying for ad dollars in an increasingly competitive chatbot space.
First-party data is becoming essential: As third-party cookies disappear, brands like The New York Times, Disney, and McDonald’s are leveraging direct consumer relationships to improve ad targeting and measurement.
Pinterest will start labeling AI-generated images: The change is likely an attempt to maintain the platform’s user base without sacrificing the lucrative potential of AI.
Time spent with digital media is still climbing, but mainly in tandem with declining traditional media
Nextdoor bets on AI-driven content to fuel long-term growth: The platform’s NEXT initiative will transform past user discussions into monetizable recommendations, prioritizing engagement over short-term ad revenues.