The news: Advertisers are prioritizing interactive video ads to capture users and boost engagement as social media and YouTube consume ad spend. 52% of advertisers expect to use interactive features in at least 26% of their ads this year, per Digiday and PadSquad’s 2025 State of the Industry survey. Only 7% neither use and nor plan to use interactive video features in their ads. Our take: In a saturated media market, getting and keeping consumers’ attention is a difficult endeavor. Integrating gamified features and personalized media elements can help ensure that marketing campaigns are seen and not just scrolled past.
Over 260 million people in the US—more than 77% of the population—will watch over-the-top (OTT) video this year, according to a March EMARKETER forecast. Of these, nearly all will be watching YouTube.
The news: US adults are increasingly dependent on digital platforms for news, with social media and video overtaking traditional news outlets for the first time. 54% of US adults get their news from social media, per the Reuters Institute’s 2025 Digital News Report, compared with 50% from TV news and 48% from news websites and apps. Our take: Linear platforms could offer personalized news digests and mobile- and social- friendly content to reengage younger users, while advertisers should diversify their campaigns across social media platforms to follow fragmented user engagement.
The news: Podcasts are becoming a popular way for brands to reach engaged audiences, with viewership mounting and new platforms throwing their hats in the ring. Podcast viewership is thriving, reaching over 140 million US listeners in 2025, according to our forecast. Listeners will surpass 150 million by 2027. Our take: Podcasts are shaping up to become a strong contender in media consumption, with nearly 70% of US adults ages 18 to 24 listening at least one per month, per our forecast. As platforms battle to be the leading home for podcasts, advertisers need to pay attention and tailor strategies.
Almost a third (32%) of US and UK game players actively ignore in-game ads, while the same number finds them helpful, according to May data from Attest.
The news: Ad quality has a big impact on whether gamers will stay in the game or walk away from a session. Over half (52%) of gamers in the US, the UK, Germany, and Japan would quit playing if they encountered multiple disruptive ad features, per Deloitte’s Quality Drives Value: A Look into Mobile Gaming Ads survey. Our take: Prioritizing features like rewards and skip options can help players feel in control and properly compensated for their time, helping mobile gamers to stay engaged, click through, and return. Poorly timed or deceptive ads, on the other hand, risk alienating gamers and increasing churn.
Connected TV (CTV) is booming in households and becoming significantly more important for advertisers.
The news: The gaming industry is doubling down on handheld consoles. Nintendo’s Switch 2 shattered single-day sales records with an estimated 3 million units sold at launch, outpacing the Sony PS4’s historic numbers. Meanwhile, Microsoft announced its first handhelds—the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X—partnering with Asus to blend Xbox and PC gaming in a portable format. They’re expected to launch during the holidays. Our take: As cloud and console experiences merge into portable form, game design and ad models are set to evolve fast—opening up fresh real estate for marketers, game studios, and tech platforms alike.
Streaming now grabs nearly 44% of US TV time—mostly ad-supported—and more than half of marketers expect to raise connected TV (CTV) budgets in 2025, new research from Nielsen shows. As dollars flow from linear to streaming, unified cross-channel measurement is becoming the new must-have.
Apple’s appeal against DMA rules frames interoperability as a privacy risk, testing how far regulators can go in dismantling its tightly guarded ecosystem.
e at last: Microsoft’s update kills default Edge and Bing prompts, giving rivals room to breathe—and forcing marketers to rethink how they reach EU users.
Publishers are shifting from ad-driven models to licensing and subscriptions: AI is accelerating the end of traffic-chasing media economics.
Most consumers divide their time across gaming, music, podcasts, and social, but streaming remains on top—even as mobile becomes the default for short- and long-form video.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the potential of Amazon’s new Buy for Me feature, which of its new CTV ads will make the biggest impact, and how much tariffs might slow down the online shopping giant. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, and Analyst Rachel Wolff. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
US advertisers will spend 82% of their media budget on digital in 2025, and allocate 66% of that budget to mobile, per a March EMARKETER forecast.
Android XR gives Google a reboot, but the ghost of Glass lingers: Packed with features and a fashion-forward focus, Google’s smart glasses will have to outshine Meta—and escape its own past.
Meta pays creators for traffic, Spotify wins in-app freedom post-Epic ruling, and Amazon’s Zoox expands robotaxi testing despite software recalls.
Eurovision shows the importance of branding and timing: The music competition had notable brand activations with lessons to impart.
Tech’s new bet—low-cost EVs, ultra-thin phones, and vibe-driven music: Slate, Samsung, and Spotify each chase novelty—via price, design, and personalization—to win over convenience-hungry consumers.
layers browse, click, and buy real merch inside their favorite games, ushering in a new era of immersive ecommerce.