eMarketer analyst Blake Droesch, principal analyst Jeremy Goldman, and forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence Peter Vahle discuss whether the Super Bowl delivered, what's fueling Spotify, how the podcast and social media worlds are blurring together, if reducing politics in the News Feed can help Facebook, why the shopping mall might make a comeback, what is the most relaxing song ever (statistically), and more.

eMarketer senior analyst Jasmine Enberg and forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence Nazmul Islam discuss Twitter's stellar Q4 performance and how it managed to close out a terrible 2020 on a high note. They then talk about Snapchat redefining what friendship should mean, TikTok's fate in the Biden administration, and how much Shopify's "Shop Pay" could help boost Facebook and Instagram Shops.

Advertisers have never been under more pressure to prove ROI. Bob Ivins, chief strategy officer at cross-platform TV measurement firm TVSquared, joins eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Nicole Perrin to discuss the remaining deficits in linear TV ad measurement, why it's important to standardize metrics and definitions across traditional and digital TV and video, and why advertisers need to pay attention to the right metrics for their campaign objective.

eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Debra Aho Williamson discusses Snapchat's latest earnings, what stands out, and how this year will look. She then talks about which alternative social media platforms are most likely to rival the giants in the near future and why.

eMarketer principal analysts Jeremy Goldman and Jillian Ryan, along with senior analyst at Insider Intelligence Sara M. Watson, discuss what a reimagined workplace looks like, The New York Times digital transformation, what big tech can expect from the Biden Administration, whether the world is getting less colorful, podcasts as a direct line to consumers, how many people live underwater, and more.

In this episode, the 'Behind the Numbers' crew new and old—former eMarketer principal analyst and now vice president of content studio Paul Verna, former eMarketer senior analyst and now market strategy manager at Spotify Bryan Yeager, director of content studio Daniel Caridi, director of report editing Rahul Chadha, and podcast host Marcus Johnson tell the story of how and why 'Behind the Numbers' got started, our favorite episodes, and what we expect the future of podcasting to look like. We hope you enjoy. And thank you so much to everyone who's ever listened for helping to make this show what it is.

Measuring the effect of their messages is one of marketers' most vital tasks. Anne Hunter, vice president of product marketing at panel-based insights company DISQO, joins eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Nicole Perrin to talk about some of marketers' longstanding challenges with measuring ad effectiveness and understanding consumer journeys—and how a consumer-first approach can help.

eMarketer forecasting analyst Eric Haggstrom and principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Andrew Lipsman discuss Amazon's retail and ad businesses as well as Jeff Bezos stepping down as CEO. They then talk about Walmart's new partnership with The Trade Desk, whether vaccinated shoppers will want to return to stores, and what click and collect's future looks like.

eMarketer associate analyst at Insider Intelligence Blake Droesch discusses Facebook's latest earnings, new advertiser exclusion controls, and privacy battle with Apple. He then talks about a study analyzing last summer's Facebook ad boycott, what to make of the Oversight Board's first few rulings, and the key to success on Instagram.

eMarketer principal analysts Jeremy Goldman and Jillian Ryan, along with junior analyst at Insider Intelligence Blake Droesch, discuss the work-from-anywhere future, how this years' Super Bowl will be unique, why some retailers are skipping returns, Spotify's emotion-based recommendations, what customers want from chatbots, the ideal length of time you should dunk your Oreo in milk, and more.

eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Yoram Wurmser discusses Apple's unfathomable Q4 results and market position. He then talks about how Apple’s new privacy labels may influence the choices consumers make, Google's new mobile search redesign, and whether 2021 could see 5G smartphones fall below the $200 mark.

eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Nicole Perrin discusses whether major marketers will pull spending on social platforms because of brand safety and ethical concerns, what to make of Facebook's new advertiser “topic exclusion controls” test, and the types of content consumers prefer brands avoid the most. She then talks about tech companies introducing rules that favor their own business models, Facebook's relationship with political content, and whether Google is waving goodbye to Australia.

eMarketer junior forecasting analyst Zach Goldner and senior forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence Oscar Orozco discuss how US media use will change in 2021: Are fewer Americans watching TV, which digital devices are being used more, and how much time is spent with TikTok and Disney+? They then talk about how much people are willing to pay for TV streaming, virtually co-viewing digital content, and whether video games have replaced music as the most important aspect of youth culture.

eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Andrew Lipsman discusses how holiday shopping in 2020 actually went: how much was bought online, whether "shipageddon" came true, and the retail winners and losers. He then explains the implications of Walmart's ecommerce boss leaving, Poshmark's and Affirm's IPOs, and why Peloton is buying Precor.

eMarketer principal analysts Mark Dolliver and Sara M. Watson, vice president of research Jennifer Pearson, and junior analyst at Insider Intelligence Blake Droesch discuss the pivotal decision of Facebook's Oversight Board to ban former President Donald Trump, private search engines making a push, whether social media damages teenagers' health, whether baby boomers will want to shop online post-pandemic, Apple's reported paywalled podcast platform, what happens to astronauts when they're in space, and more.

eMarketer senior analyst at Insider Intelligence Jasmine Enberg discusses when travel (and travel advertising) will recover and some good and not-so-good examples of how travel advertisers are running campaigns. She then talks about whether Twitter can make a space for healthy conversations, our expectations for WhatsApp, and the significance of social platforms ending the year looking more alike than ever.

eMarketer senior analyst at Insider Intelligence Ross Benes discusses Netflix's Q4 earnings and market position. He then talks about whether lesser-known streaming services can make some noise, YouTube's shoppable videos, and how Peacock's exclusive streaming deal with WWE Network can make its content offering more attractive.

eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Debra Aho Williamson discusses TikTok's future: Can it keep operating in the US? If so, what will user growth and engagement look like going forward? She then talks about marketers' attitudes toward influencer marketing, major social media trends of 2021, and the prospects of live shopping on social media in the US.

eMarketer senior analyst at Insider Intelligence Audrey Schomer discusses important considerations when advertising on YouTube, the significance of Hulu's deal with ViacomCBS, whether there's a space in streaming land for Discovery+, and what cord-cutting will look like in 2021.

eMarketer principal analysts Mark Dolliver and Sara M. Watson, along with junior analyst at Insider Intelligence Blake Droesch, discuss the true power of the social media giants, how Gen Z viewers like to consume sports, Twitter leaning into audio, news use on social platforms, how the pandemic has reshaped children's screen time, why people get "red eye" in photos, and more.