YouTube is becoming TV. As its viewing shifts to TV screens and ad budgets blur across channels, marketers need to rethink where TV ends and digital video begins.

Disney expands AI into CTV advertising: The move could make TV creative more accessible, but only if brands keep tight oversight and quality assurance.

Disney+ eyes free streaming: A no-cost tier could draw more viewers, challenge YouTube's lead, and broaden Disney's ad-supported reach.

Disney’s AI ad tool: Disney opens AI-powered TV ad creation to smaller brands as disclosure emerges as a trust advantage.

BuzzFeed plots YouTube rival: Incoming CEO and majority owner Byron Allen, bets free streaming can revive BuzzFeed, but scale favors YouTube.

YouTube courts brands with TV-style creators: Upfront pitch pairs stars and CTV scale as linear TV time slips.

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.