Meta's new genAI tools speed production and improve performance, but consumer trust still challenges payoff.

17.9M tuned in to the Oscars ceremony, down 9% YoY, as social clips and second screens siphon live TV’s once-captive crowd.

79% of Gen Zers miss pre-ad days on TikTok as distrust, algorithm gripes, and ad overload dent the app’s credibility.

Short-form, shoppable, and side-by-side features aim to narrow the gap between Paramount and Netflix, but Netflix remains the safer bet for advertisers.

Creator programs become table stakes: Pacsun and David’s Bridal are the latest retailers to rely on social commerce and user-generated buzz to boost sales.

As audiences show a preference for user-generated content in ads, brands have an opportunity to showcase credibility across social advertising strategies.

Audiences say TV is the most acceptable place for advertising, but amid the shift to digital for younger buyers, a balanced approach is critical.

Meta has rolled out major upgrades to partnership ads on Facebook and Instagram, introducing new AI-enabled tools, broader creator discovery surfaces, and an API that lets advertisers programmatically convert UGC and creator posts into paid ads at scale. Partnership ads already outperform standard formats—19% lower CPAs and 13% higher CTRs—and with Gen Z more receptive to creator messaging and most consumers taking action quickly after seeing creator content, Meta is formalizing the path from organic influence to paid performance. For marketers, the message is clear: creator content is now a foundational performance lever, not an experimental add-on.

Disney will invest $1 billion in OpenAI and allow Sora users to create short-form videos featuring more than 200 Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars characters. User-generated material opens a new potential spigot of low-cost content for Disney+, which is under increased pressure to compete with YouTube. The move marks a major shift for a conglomerate that has historically held its IP close to the chest.

Authenticity (35%) and track record (32%) are the top two factors US adults consider when deciding which online product reviewers to trust, according to Ipsos data from October 2025.

Despite the rise of artificial intelligence in advertising, marketers worldwide still overwhelmingly rely on user-generated content (UGC) for engaging audiences, per a new study from PhotoShelter. Authenticity is the clear differentiator that makes ads connect with audiences, necessitating continued reliance on UGC.

The news: Gamers are more involved in gaming content than ever before, thanks in large part to titles like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite. And they’re not keeping that interest solely on-platform. 46% of gamers say their time spent creating in-game video game content has somewhat or significantly increased over a year ago, per Bain & Company’s Gaming Report 2025. About 20% say they spend less time. 27% of gamers’ social media time and 25% of their streaming video time is spent focused on gaming-related content. Our take: The gaming audience is growing, and it’s not focused on a single platform or console. Gamers’ interests reach through the game and into social media, streaming, TV, and audio, giving marketers a wide path to reach gamers where they are.

Creators get Cannes spotlight in 2025: With rebranded awards and new categories, Cannes Lions acknowledges the growing impact of creator-driven marketing.

Content creation has relied on manual processes—marketers, writers, and designers crafting messages that resonate with audiences. The introduction of generative AI has revolutionized these workflows. Three-quarters (75%) of professionals who use generative AI say the technology saves them between one to 10 hours per week, according to the recent Contentful survey.

Sephora-related content resonated best with Gen Z consumers, but legacy brands like Neutrogena struggled to maintain relevance. Cultural moments like Pride and back-to-school drove Q3 UGC, while video tutorials on platforms like TikTok provide more effective ways for brands to connect with Gen Z. Here are four insights into how beauty brand-related, UGC performed among Gen Z consumers in Q3, according to research firm dcdx’s Gen Z's Top 50 Beauty Brands Report Q3 2024.

Last month, JCPenney announced it was partnering with Bazaarvoice Visual Syndication Network to collect and post user-generated content (UGC) on its website’s product display pages. The department store is hardly the first retailer to recognize the value of UGC—over a quarter (28.4%) of ecommerce marketers in North America believe that images/video from real customers (aka UGC) is the type of visual content that impacts purchase decisions the most, according to a May 2023 survey from Nosto.

GenAI could help marketers more easily generate creative, bringing a host of benefits and cost savings. To fully take advantage of the technology, advertisers should understand the key use cases of genAI for creative—and their potential downsides.

Roblox plants deeper roots in the creator economy: The video game platform is at a fascinating crossroads of gaming and digital advertising.

Video marketing is essential for B2B success. From short-form social media videos to AI-driven content, this report explores strategies, platforms, and innovations shaping B2B video marketing in 2024.