Advertisers are increasing their upfront commitments, particularly for connected TV.

The payfac model has catapulted into the mainstream, thanks to payments disruptors like PayPal, Square, and Stripe. The growth in the number of payfacs, and in the payment volume passing through them, is reshaping key relationships within the payments ecosystem. But the model bears some drawbacks for the diverse swath of companies adopting it, as well as for the merchants that work with them.

Digital account opening is on the rise after a pandemic slump.

The return of live sports produced a flurry of licensing activity from broadcast networks and streaming services—including digital video, social, and ecommerce platforms. It also reignited concerns about the sustainability of pricing models for sports video and TV.

The pandemic accelerated the increase in time spent with mobile activities in the US. Most of these gains will stick as people return to a more normal life in 2021.

Social media usage gains from 2020 have largely ended. Facebook will have its lowest growth rate ever, Instagram’s user base is getting older, and Twitter is coming down with a case of post-election malaise. However, TikTok and Reddit are still attracting users at an accelerated pace.

Service providers are using their existing relationships with small businesses to move into financial services, taking on financial institutions by offering solutions like lending and bank accounts that are powered by partnerships, digital banking developments, and even in-house banks.

This report explores our Q1 2021 estimates of time spent with media in the US and analyzes which behaviors will stick in 2021.

This report summarizes our forecasts for nine countries—the US, Canada, France, Germany, the UK, China, India, Japan, and South Korea—and offers comparative analyses of the major time spent numbers for each.

Average daily time spent with media shot past the 10-hour mark last year, pushing media consumption to new levels in Canada.

A semblance of normalcy will return in 2021 after a media-saturated 2020, fueled by the pandemic. But while media time will reset somewhat this year, digital’s influence will continue to grow.

Across brick and mortar and ecommerce, the customer experience landscape has changed dramatically—and permanently—during the pandemic.

Mobile proximity and peer-to-peer (P2P) payments have hit the mainstream, thanks to a pandemic-driven upswing in digital payments that is set to last. This trend is leading providers to diversify their offerings and compete for share of the market.

The TV upfronts look to bounce back in 2021 after a tough year resulting from disruptions wrought by the pandemic.

Digital trust—the confidence that bank customers have in their providers’ digital channels—is a precious commodity for banks. As competitive and cybersecurity threats abound, trust will be their advantage to lose.

Privacy is more than just a compliance concern—it’s an opportunity for differentiation. This report features four case studies that highlight how emerging technology platforms are establishing privacy and trust to gain a competitive advantage.

Interoperability has long been a pain point for the US healthcare system. While new federal regulations should spur payers and providers to adopt data-sharing solutions, ingrained information blocking practices, privacy concerns, and the demands of the pandemic may hamper efforts toward regulatory compliance.

Creators now have more ways than ever to make a living online. This report explores how brands should approach and engage creators for partnerships in the new monetization ecosystem.

The agency ecosystem is complex. This report explains how the pandemic affected the landscape while also reviewing long-standing challenges and opportunities that agency professionals face as they balance the needs of clients with the complexities of running their business.

Brands in Latin America are striving to be more inclusive, especially of groups who have been historically underrepresented, excluded, and stereotypically portrayed in advertising.

Last year, China was the only market to see overall ad spending growth, although digital ad spending performed well almost everywhere. This year, every country will see growth in almost every category.

An expected economic recovery in 2021 bodes well for Canada’s advertising market.

Digital advertising confounded the conditions of the past year or so and will attract more than three-quarters of total media ad spending in 2021—£19.23 billion ($24.66 billion). Video has been the biggest driver of digital spend during this time.

Total ad spending in France and Germany took a big hit in 2020, as a result of the pandemic. But digital advertising bucked that trend and will lead a strong double-digit recovery in ad outlays during 2021.

This report explores the impact the pandemic has had on our latest regional estimates and trends for total media, traditional media, digital, and mobile ad spending in six markets in Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru.