The news: In the wake of Google’s impressive earnings report, YouTube is getting more creative AI tools on YouTube Shorts for both creators and advertisers. YouTube added an image-to-video generative AI (genAI) tool to Shorts, which can turn a photo into a 6-second video, powered by Google’s Veo 2. It also introduced AI-powered tools that resize ads to fit Shorts’ format. Our take: These new tools could help YouTube outpace rivals by combining TikTok-style virality with Google’s deep AI infrastructure. Instead of recycling or repurposing long-form assets, marketers should push more budget to testing Shorts-first content. A/B testing with Shorts’ new AI resizing tool and audience-specific, unique content for mobile and CTV can help determine which content can be converted with AI for both platforms and which needs to be remade and retargeted.
The news: Magnite and Dentsu are expanding their partnership in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region to streamline video and connected TV (CTV) capabilities, per a press release. The agreement will use Magnite’s SpringServe video platform across markets like the UK and Spain to support Dentsu’s programmatic CTV offering, Total TV. Our take: Magnite and Dentsu’s partnership marks a critical expansion, giving advertisers a better opportunity to deliver impactful, precise, and measurable video and CTV experiences at scale across key markets.
YouTube is the No. 1 US media platform when it comes to time spent by US adult users, reaching 11.4 billion minutes per day in 2025.
The news: A report from DoubleVerify unveiled insights on the state of the digital ad landscape as audiences and brands go digital-first. More than three-quarters (77%) say short-form vertical videos (think Reels) perform better than marketers’ campaign baselines, while 75% say the same for social media feeds, 69% for connected TV (CTV), 67% for commerce media networks, and 58% for audio and podcasts. Our take: As time spent with digital grows, advertisers are pushed to invest—but with ad blockers and brand safety remaining concerns, advertisers must rethink how they earn attention and invest in meaningful, trustworthy, and well-placed experiences.
The news: Netflix and Fox are closing Upfronts on a high note, with ad success driven by live sports and original programming. Netflix anticipates that it will “roughly double” its ad revenues in 2025 from 2024 after a strong second quarter. Our take: Netflix’s and Fox’s success underscores that high-quality, tentpole programming still commands advertiser trust even as broader ad growth slows. Live sports remains a critical touchpoint for advertisers, delivering consistent audience growth and high engagement and attention. Channels that invest in sports—whether streaming or linear—will attract interest.
The news: Forecasters are mixed on the future of Elon Musk-owned platform X after CEO Linda Yaccarino, whose experience as an advertising executive at NBCUniversal helped X reclaim some ad revenues, stepped down. But things aren’t all gloom and doom: We forecast that X’s ad revenues will increase by 25% YoY in 2025. Our take: While X’s ad revenues will likely grow in the short term, the shift toward AI could alleviate long-term struggles resulting from a turbulent few years for the platform—and even if some advertisers shift away, many will feel pressured to stay or face consequences.
Criteo is modernizing retail media by launching a global auction-based ad platform and integrating with Mirakl to enable self-serve advertising for over 100,000 third-party sellers. This dual move addresses two persistent challenges: outdated fixed-price ad systems used by most retailers, and untapped ad spend from marketplace sellers. The auction system gives advertisers more control and performance insights, while Mirakl opens up a scalable, automated path for small sellers. Criteo also brings standardized attribution and reporting across retail partners—fixing transparency gaps. These changes position Criteo as a full-spectrum solution for brands, retailers, and sellers looking to compete in a fast-evolving market.
The news: Reddit’s ad business is on a path of steady growth, with ad revenues expected to reach $1.8 billion this year and grow 29% to reach $2.5 billion in 2026, per a new WARC forecast. Brand participation on Reddit shows promising results: One organic brand post per week increases positive mentions by 3.5%. Our take: Though Reddit’s massive growth is partially attributed to its smaller reach, its ability to reach users that aren’t frequenting more popular platforms warrants investment, and a diversified approach combining Reddit’s unique community-driven base with larger platforms’ massive reach is key.
The news: Audioboom agreed to acquire Adelicious, potentially creating the UK’s largest homegrown podcast network with 125 million monthly downloads, per Podnews. The deal will cement Audioboom’s expansion and amplify its global reach through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major platforms. Our take: As podcasting shifts from a fragmented space to a few dominant networks, smaller creators risk losing ad revenue and visibility. Advertisers that balance buys across major platforms and independent shows will stretch their budgets further—and stay closer to engaged, loyal audiences.
The news: CBS is ending “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” next year, an announcement the titular host made during taping for his Thursday show, sparking controversy and speculation. The move came days after Colbert criticized CBS parent company Paramount on air, saying it paid a “big fat bribe” when settling a lawsuit with Trump worth $16 million. Our take: Though politics and Paramount’s sink-or-swim pending merger may have influenced the swiftness of “The Late Show” cancellation, the ultimate cause likely boils down to the traditional TV model floundering.
The news: The connected TV (CTV) market is in flux as retail giants Amazon and Walmart escalate their fight for dominance—staking claims not just on content or devices, but on the operating systems themselves. Our take: Amazon and Walmart are racing to close the gap between attention and action. Controlling TV hardware and CTV operating systems while linking them to first-party retail data helps build seamless, closed-loop ad ecosystems where viewers can become buyers in a click. To stay competitive, marketers must optimize for closed-loop attribution, prioritize retail media integrations, and treat smart TVs as both screen and storefront as retail media and CTV ad spending surge.
Netflix's Q2 2025 earnings results came in at $11.1 billion in total revenues. The company’s shift away from reporting net subscriber growth now places investor focus squarely on margins, ad performance, and global monetization. While churn remains low and its brand strong, Netflix faces growing competition from YouTube and TikTok for user screen time. With hit content, live sports, and gaming on deck, the streaming giant’s next act will test its ability to monetize an already massive user base while retaining cultural dominance. For Netflix, growth now means doing more with what it already has.
The news: TikTok launched a beta suite of Songwriter Features, designed to credit and showcase the creators behind hit songs. Songwriters can now tag their profiles, curate music in a dedicated tab, and share the stories behind their work within TikTok’s music discovery ecosystem.
PubMatic has launched an AI-powered Live Sports Marketplace to enhance the value of live sports advertising by placing programmatic ads at high-engagement moments. The platform uses real-time signals—from viewer behavior to game dynamics—to time ads for maximum impact. With partners including FanServ, Roku, and major leagues like the NBA and MLB, the marketplace consolidates fragmented inventory across platforms. As digital sports viewership overtakes linear, and programmatic CTV spending continues to rise, PubMatic’s innovation offers flexibility, scale, and precision in a format where timing is everything. Advertisers gain tools to optimize performance at the moment audiences are most engaged.
The report: OpenAI is reportedly developing a checkout feature that would allow users to complete purchases directly within ChatGPT, according to The Financial Times. Merchants would pay OpenAI a commission on any resulting sales. Our take: At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, checkout integration could fundamentally transform the ecommerce landscape. Even before news of the feature began circulating, brands were exploring AI optimization, or “AIO”, to rank in AI-generated product recommendations. Now, with purchases just a click away, ChatGPT could emerge as a viable commerce engine—especially if it undercuts incumbent marketplaces’ take rates. And it likely won’t be alone for long. Rivals like Perplexity and Anthropic are almost certain to build similar transactional layers, creating a new crop of marketplace-like platforms for sellers in short order.
The news: Linear TV—already struggling amid the rise of digital—is at risk as US leaders across parties push for a crackdown on the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical ad market. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pursuing policies that would require advertisers to disclose drug side effects more transparently or risk losing the ability to deduct ad spending from their taxes, per Bloomberg. Our take: Restrictions on pharma advertising would isolate linear TV from omnichannel budgets and put it at a greater disadvantage against more data-rich platforms, accelerating the shift to digital.
NBCUniversal wrapped its 2025–26 Upfront with its highest ad sales volume in history, fueled by live events like the Olympics, FIFA World Cup, and Super Bowl LX. Sports volume rose 45% year over year, while Peacock grew 20%, now representing nearly a third of NBCU’s total Upfront commitments. Over $1 billion came from programmatic demand, with a 60% shift toward advanced audience buying. In a year where industry-wide Upfront spend is expected to shrink, NBCU’s performance showcases the power of premium content, audience precision, and diversified ad tech. Small business gains and cross-channel strategies helped NBCU stand out in a cautious market.
The news: Roblox debuted a licensing platform in collaboration with companies like Netflix and Lionsgate to give IP rights holders the ability to partner with Roblox creators. Launched on Tuesday, the platform allows brands to connect with Roblox creators and set parameters for use of their IP. Launch partners include Netflix, LionsGate, and Sega, offering access to IP like “Squid Game,” “Stranger Things,” “Saw,” “Twilight,” “Divergent,” and more. Our take: Roblox’s move could give the platform a better chance of achieving its 10% goal—but success hinges on whether the licensing platform can enhance, rather than interrupt, the gamer experience.
The news: Satellite radio company SiriusXM is launching a lower cost ad-supported option in its effort to compete against streaming music giants like Spotify and Apple Music. The ad-supported plan, known as SiriusXM Play, costs under $7 per month, with an ad load around half of traditional AM/FM radio stations’. Our take: SiriusXM’s ad-supported pivot marks its most direct challenge to major digital audio streamers like Spotify in an overdue push to modernize. By introducing an ad-supported, low-cost tier, SiriusXM is entering the same conversion funnel that drives Spotify’s growth—beginning with scale and monetizing with ads.