Traditional search includes advertising that appears on desktop and laptop computers as well as mobile phones, tablets, and other internet-connected devices for all formats mentioned; includes contextual text links, paid inclusion, paid listings, and SEO. Gaming excludes advertising on esports or gaming video content; includes advertisements placed within games on mobile platforms.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the speed of AI adoption, what to make of ChatGPT's engagement lull, and how Nvidia is shaping AI's future. "In Other News," we talk about how Roblox's AI assistant could transform gaming and how Amazon is using its neural network to improve the NFL's game-watching experience. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Jacob Bourne and Gadjo Sevilla.

On today's episode, we discuss password sharing and live sports on Netflix, what the definition of "convenience" is, if awards shows have turned things around, where we spend time with connected devices, sweetgreen's plan to automate all stores in five years, who invented the card game Uno, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of forecasting Oscar Orozco, vice president of Briefings Stephanie Taglianetti, and analyst Max Willens.

On today's episode, we discuss if Twitter is actually getting worse, whether folks will want to become "Meta Verified," what it looks like to digitally insert yourself as a player into a live basketball game, whether Airbnb's recent performance is reflective of the overall travel market, what paid family leave looks like in the US and in different countries, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of reports editing Rahul Chadha, director of forecasting Oscar Orozco, and analyst Max Willens.

Are recent video and gaming outages a sign of an overburdened infrastructure? The increase in high-resolution 4K video and demanding multiplayer games could be bogging down network connections.

Ad spend across digital channels has been mixed so far this year, with spend on social networks slowing and connected TV spend boosted by new ad-supported subscription tiers. Meanwhile, retail media is diversifying at a rapid rate as nonendemic retailers get in the game

Likewise, an Ad Age analysis of Super Bowl commercials found waning progress in DEI representation for that marquee event. Of 74 celebrities the publication confirmed had appeared in this year’s Big Game ad spots, 22 were Black, five were Hispanic, and none were Asian American or Pacific Islander. The report also noted that LGBTQ+ representation in Super Bowl ads eased since 2020.

Netflix is the perfect testing ground for Microsoft’s adtech: The tech giant lacked a high-demand, growing catalog of content to flesh out its ad offerings.

It and other podcasting companies purchased users via in-game ads to inflate their listener figures by millions, according to a Bloomberg investigation—calling their CPM rates into question.

Article: Roblox will be one of the first major platforms to launch in-game ads. Article: Media and entertainment on opposing sides of search ad dollar spend growth. Read yesterday’s Chart of the Day here.

While advertising areas like connected TV and retail media boast strong potential, other channels, like social media and linear TV, are losing some steam. That’s why it’s important to explore other ad channels. For example, digital out-of-home advertising has made technological and creative leaps in the past few years, while the women’s sports ad opportunity is expanding. Here are some areas within digital advertising where you may be missing out on unlocking potential.

“Creators are really branching off of social media, while celebrities are behaving like creators,” appearing increasingly outside of the big screen, such as on social media, video games, or ads. For example, a continuation of Dunkin’s commercials that debuted during the Super Bowl features Ben Affleck receiving dance choreography from TikTok-famous Charli D’Amelio.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the travel rebound and how tech is helping it out, how Black Friday football (with a side of online shopping) performed this year, will X (formerly Twitter) go bankrupt next year, a new way to stream NBA games post-cable, what to expect from ChatGPT next year, why your passport is the color it is, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, forecasting analyst Zach Goldner, and director of forecasting Oscar Orozco.

Amazon will push Fire TV Omni Series via deep Prime Day discounts and ramp-up voice-enabled shoppable ads to bring performance advertising to TV. Look for Instacart to ink major CTV partnership—possibly with Microsoft. Instacart has fallen behind its peers in the CTV realm, but the company could become the CPG data source for Xandr and its in-game advertising portfolio.

In the last year, Meta—and the overall US digital ad market—have changed significantly. Here are seven strategies from our “The Future of Meta” report that marketers should embrace in the new year.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss why regulators changed their mind on approving the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal, how the gaming industry will react, and what the deal means for advertisers. "In Other News," we talk about how much of political ad spending has gone digital and how Google is tightening the reins on bulk email senders. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Daniel Konstantinovic and Gadjo Sevilla.

Nearly half of US adults who have made a purchase via shoppable commerce have done so on social media, according to our February 2024 survey conducted by Bizrate Insights. But budding partnerships between brands and streamers may shift more commerce toward connected TV (CTV) platforms, especially around live events. For example, Paramount piloted a shoppable experience during the CMT Music Awards, NBCUniversal launched a new shoppable ad format ahead of this Summer’s Olympics, and Amazon added shoppable ads to its Amazon Prime platform.

Winning the New Zero Sum Game

Combining loyalty programs with retail media could help retailers secure additional advertiser dollars—53% of advertisers would like to see loyalty, promotions, games, and sweepstakes combined with retail media offerings, according to an August 2023 survey by Merkle. This was originally featured in the Retail Media Weekly newsletter. For more marketing insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.

It’s a waiting game for advertisers. And Google’s not the only player with a ball in its court. The verdict in this year’s landmark antitrust case against Google is still outstanding, and long-standing market dynamics hang in the balance. In the meantime, there are still big changes afoot as marketers rework their search strategies to account for new touchpoints on retail media and social networks.

Problematic creator funds are a thing of the past: TikTok is sunsetting its creator fund one year after YouTube changed the game with a revenue-sharing model.

A November 2022 survey by Comscore found that while 34% of mobile gamers said they will only play free games, 23% said that ads negatively impact their gaming experience. To see the full interactive forecast, click here.

How it works: Effect House allows creators to design AR elements, ranging from apparel to interactive games. Why it matters: TikTok's foray further into the AR space pits it directly against competitors Snap and Meta, who have established AR creation studios of their own.

Meta's strategy to bolster Threads: Given Threads' declining user base, Instagram's promotional push could be a double-edged sword in the engagement game.