Despite a larger portfolio, 2027 revenues may barely budge, leaving marketers to weigh reach against CPMs.

Marketers could get simpler media buys but face higher CPMs and less pricing leverage.

"If you do not have a gaming strategy, it's clearly too big to ignore now," Charles Hambro, CEO and co-founder of GEEIQ, said at EMARKETER's Future of Digital summit last week. "But you should not get bamboozled by 'Oh my god, we're gonna build unbelievable worlds.' Be very, very self-disciplined with regards to what are my CPMs for this audience." Nearly 60% of US consumers will be digital gamers this year, according to EMARKETER's forecast, yet only 2.4% of total digital ad spend in 2026 will go to gaming. It's a delta that represents both a significant opportunity and a cautionary tale for marketers who rush in without proper measurement frameworks.

Advertisers could gain broader bundled reach but lose negotiating leverage.

Italy’s digital economy continues to expand as advertising investment grows and consumers spend more time across social, streaming, and connected media environments.

Marketers have more reason to consider FAST: Bigger audiences, improving content, and lower CPMs make FAST a reach extender.

Paramount-WBD merger tests regulators: DOJ appears receptive, yet state officials and 5,000 creatives warn of fewer jobs and pricier content.

A $40 million deal folds eyes-on-screen data into Viant’s DSP, letting advertisers transact on attention—not just impressions.

Criteo bets on ChatGPT commerce in a pitch deck as its new ad pilot promises fast setup and measurable AI traffic.

OpenAI is adding Criteo to its US ad pilot, seeking credibility and demand despite steep CPMs and thin proof.

PubMatic addresses publisher concerns with AI Insights, a tool that reveals buyer, DSP, and inventory trends to clarify where demand and value move.

Meta's Q4 revenues jumped 24%, but massive AI capex made it one of its costliest quarters.

Disney will fully fold Hulu content into Disney+ by 2026, transforming Disney+ into a broader streaming portal spanning family programming, general entertainment, news, and sports. Hulu’s brand will remain intact inside the app, but its slowing revenue trajectory—expected to reach nearly $12 billion by 2027—has accelerated the logic for consolidation. The strategy becomes more important as Netflix pursues its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, potentially creating the most powerful premium-content library in streaming. Disney must keep viewers inside its ecosystem longer, reduce churn, and strengthen its ad-supported tiers. Success depends on balancing Hulu’s adult content with Disney+’s family identity while expanding perceived value.

Digital ad spending remains resilient although economic signals are wobbly. AI-driven optimization, richer first-party data, and surging digital video will keep growth strong even as search shifts and traditional budgets fade.

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) rejected Paramount’s hostile acquisition bid Wednesday and told its shareholders the offer is “inferior” to Netflix’s bid. WBD’s board said Paramount’s offer carried "significant risks,” adding that it does not see a “material difference” in the risks Paramount will face compared with Netflix in receiving approval in the US and globally. Consolidation will reshape ad market dynamics regardless of WBD’s fate.

After Netflix announced its plans to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Friday, advertisers were left questioning the future of streaming advertising across two of the industry’s strongest ad-supported platforms. Even amid uncertainty on the deal’s future, the current strategy for advertisers is to prepare for a consolidated streaming market where a select few players command audience attention.

Creator partnerships are increasingly a necessity for driving strong marketing results, according to a TikTok report on influencer-led campaigns. Even as influencer marketing proves its value, consumers are becoming more inundated with influencer ads. This makes it paramount that advertisers tailor their strategies for the best results as the influencer marketing space becomes highly saturated.

The connected TV (CTV) landscape is evolving rapidly from an exclusive channel to a democratized medium that drives action for brands of all sizes. In a conversation with EMARKETER, Mike Laband, group SVP of revenue at Magnite, shared his insights on democratization, how Magnite is investing in innovation, and where CTV ad formats are headed. Marketers who ride the wave of CTV innovation will be best positioned to succeed as the medium becomes heavily saturated with ads.

Ad tech leader PubMatic and self-service connected TV (CTV) ad platform MNTN have teamed up to give smaller advertisers access to prime CTV property, per Adweek. Smaller advertisers can take advantage of the PubMatic-MNTN deal to initiate or accelerate investment in a high barrier to entry format with proven results as CTV evolves into a more inclusive marketplace.

Streaming is becoming a critical investment for marketers as the format evolves and continues to chip away at linear TV’s dominance. In an exclusive EMARKETER interview at Advertising Week New York, Reed Kiely, director of data insights and trends at the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB), outlined how marketers can tap into streaming’s potential and what will define success in a fragmented ecosystem. Marketers should follow audience attention and gradually allocate more budget to streaming services—but “prioritize quality content and ad experiences” as fragmentation heats up.