Shoppable ads will be a focus for brands in 2025 as they test new formats offered by retail media networks and their media partners.

The digital landscape in Europe is slowing, but opportunities for advertisers, brands, and retailers still exist. Knowing where to look to achieve the best outcomes will be paramount.

A lot happens in a week, so every Friday we're going to analyze all the new data and provide you with some of the key takeaways. Welcome to Friday 5.

Disruption is imminent for programmatic. The market teeters on the brink of several seismic shifts around identity and audience data. And a landmark antitrust ruling could energize an already hot ad tech consolidation streak.

Nearly every major retailer (and many smaller ones) has already launched media networks, but it’s not just for retailers anymore. While networks beyond retail have already begun to launch, 2025 will see more financial institutions, payment networks, travel companies, fitness centers, and more launch or revamp their own media networks. And as commerce media expands, so do the places ads are being served.

Instead of only relying on pre-scheduled ad breaks, advertisers are finding ways to engage viewers when they hit pause.

Programmatic accounts for the vast majority of digital display ad spending across the major markets we track in Western Europe. The UK holds a significant lead in terms of overall spend, but France and Germany are growing quicker.

tvScientific raises $25.5 million in a series B: The CTV ad tech firm has attracted major brand and measurement partners as the sector continues to grow.

Streaming video prices were up 12.6%, well above the 3.6% consumer price index (CPI) increase, per an EMARKETER analysis.

Connected TV (CTV) and streaming services will make new inroads this year to further capture audiences and enhance offerings to marketers. Precise measurement and predictable buys are giving those that opted out of linear TV the confidence to invest in streaming.

Nielsen earns a big measurement accreditation: Its Big Data + Panel product will help it remain on top in 2025 Upfronts.

X hopes video can reverse declines: A video tab is part of the company’s bet to attract users and advertisers.

DoorDash aims to transform how brands connect with customers through two new partnerships intended to make ads more relevant and shopping more personalized.

Repetition can make for a successful campaign, like when Temu played the same ad five times during last year’s Super Bowl and saw a 45% spike in app downloads, per Harris Poll. However, overexposure runs the risk of irritating your audience.

The National Retail Federation (NRF)’s Big Show is happening in New York City this weekend, and will offer an opportunity for retail media networks (RMNs) to pitch themselves to advertisers. Even though retail media is huge—exceeding $62 billion in US ad spend this year per our forecast, most of those ad dollars will go to the biggest RMNs. The remaining players are vying over the same $8.58 billion that isn't scooped up by Amazon, Walmart, or Target.

In 2025, digital advertising will be shaped by connected (CTV) consolidation, stricter data privacy measures, and AI-driven marketing. CTV growth may spark mergers, while privacy regulations push brands to rely on first-party data. AI will continue to enhance campaign performance and creativity, transforming how marketers engage audiences.

Don’t count Roku out: The CTV provider hit 90 million US households, cementing its leadership even as the sector undergoes major consolidation.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) starts tomorrow, but companies have already begun announcing their latest consumer technology innovations. Here are two recent announcements and what they could mean for retail media.

The influencer marketing industry finds itself at an inflection point in more ways than one, and agencies must adapt to stay afloat.

CTV display ad spending will reach $33.35 billion in 2025, with 98.4% of those dollars going to video ads. Total CTV ad spending will see solid double-digit annual growth rates through our forecast period to reach $46.89 billion in 2028.