What Meta’s latest social-media-addiction loss means: SCOTUS’ refusal to hear Meta’s appeal sets the stage for a paradigm shift.

After years of uncertainty, TikTok is regaining momentum with efforts in commerce, creators, and entertainment. But rising competition, regulatory pressure, and changing user behavior threaten its next phase of growth.

Singles Day began as a prank at a Chinese university in 1993, when students created an "anti-Valentine's Day" to celebrate being single. Alibaba transformed it into a shopping holiday in 2009, and it has since become the world's largest retail event, complete with Taylor Swift performing at the 2019 Singles Day Gala.

Hispanic consumers are driving digital engagement across video, audio, and social. While their media habits stand out, their shopping largely aligns with the total population—forcing brands to rethink how they connect culture to conversion.

Meta builds creator cadence: New planner and bulk Reels tools steer creators toward steady, original output at scale.

Snapchat courts creators: A new study touts deeper fan ties and longer ad views, but influencer spending still trails rivals by billions.

This is the latest installment of our “UK Ad Spending Benchmarks” series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.​

TikTok upgrades its ad stack: New search hubs, AI capabilities, and creator tools aim to turn discovery into direct purchases.

Meta tops $240 billion in ad revenues: AI-fueled gains and Reels lift revenues as the company cements its pull with marketers.

Global ad spending is accelerating again, despite geopolitical shocks. Digital is tightening its grip, even as traditional media gets a temporary boost from major events. The sources of growth are shifting across regions—and among platforms.

Instagram pushes into the living room: Long-form CTV plans could pit it head-on with YouTube’s cross-device dominance.

A rebound year is taking shape in Canada’s ad market. Growth is shifting toward CTV, retail media, and social. But tighter budgets and economic pressure are forcing advertisers to rethink channel mix and performance priorities.

"Marketing is less about persuasion now, it's more about participation," said Justin Breton, head of partnerships, content and emerging experiences at Walmart, at the IAB Connected Commerce Summit last month. "How do you actually get consumers to participate with your brand?"

This FAQ explores the evolving brand safety landscape, risks in creator partnerships and synthetic content, and the tools marketers need to protect their brands in 2026.

Ad spending will surge in 2026 as AI-driven gains and a packed events calendar offset mounting economic strain. Social will lead the way as Meta overtakes Google in net revenues and the wider ad industry closes in on the half-trillion-dollar milestone.

This FAQ breaks down how these shifts are converging in 2026 and what they mean for marketers planning local media strategies across search, CTV, and OOH.

Snapchat’s young audience and distinct ad products keep it relevant, even as usage slips and regulatory pressure builds. Marketers should use it with strategies built for messaging, creators, and commerce.

Online ads near $1.5 trillion as social outpaces all channels and Meta proves its scale.