Game developers, martech platforms, and agencies are increasingly trying to convince advertisers that consumers playing mobile games are worth reaching.

Gaming audiences are a powerful force in back-to-school shopping, influencing both digital and in-store purchases. Activision Blizzard Media’s latest research reveals how this often-overlooked group—many of them parents—are planning early, spending big, and responding to mobile-first ads.

Reward-based video ads are increasingly effective at reaching younger consumers, particularly those who play games.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how Mint Mobile was able to stand out before a celebrity like Ryan Reynolds joined the team, how he helped them break the marketing mold, and lessons learned along the way to becoming a billion-dollar valued company. Tune in to the conversation with Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, our Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, Vice President Suzy Davidkhanian, and Strategic Advisor to Mint Mobile Aron North. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Worldwide programmatic display ad spending will grow 14.6% in 2025. This report explains our programmatic forecasts for six countries to map global spending trends.

Top-line time spent with media will grow very little in the US going forward, making it essential to identify which formats and platforms are winning the newly zero-sum competition for consumer attention.

This week, consumers are concerned about tariffs but continue shopping via mobile and on low-price retailers associated with China. Consumers are also less focused on fast delivery and flocking to Google for reviews.

The mobile landscape is rapidly evolving, and a strong mobile strategy is essential for B2C brands. Brands must prioritize a unified mobile approach to stay competitive, according to new research from Airship in partnership with EMARKETER based on an October 2024 survey of 120 B2C global brands.

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.

Many notable data points emerged from this busy week, including Google's search usage, resounding global trust in influencer recommendations, and most Americans don't know they're using AI-enabled products (even though 99% recently have).

Marketers are under pressure to deliver seamless customer experiences across fragmented channels while addressing data deprecation and personalization demands. Strategies like mobile-first approaches and AI-driven personalization are opening new opportunities.

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.

86% of US adults have used self-checkout, and 70% have used mobile apps for shopping, per a September 2024 study from Morning Consult.

Organizations will prioritize governance in 2025 as they ramp up genAI investments in pursuit of business transformation.

Halfway through the current decade, retail media has bled into the wider concept of commerce media, which will be a $68.69 billion industry in the US this year, per our December 2024 forecast.

In 2025, retailers must prioritize data-driven measurement, seamless online-to-store experiences, and programmatic out-of-home (OOH) advertising. Seeking heightened measurement has nearly half of marketers emphasizing attribution, making actionable insights crucial. Meanwhile, bridging digital and physical shopping and leveraging real-time OOH campaigns can help retailers stay competitive. Here are three areas retailers should prioritize in 2025, according to industry experts.

Abandoning its EV ambitions, Apple focuses on AI-driven services and devices, aiming to lead on-device innovation while navigating fierce competition and regulatory battles

Capturing 88% of search traffic and 65.8% of browser use, Google shapes digital activity, though rising AI competitors and regulatory risks may challenge its supremacy.

People worldwide spent less time with media across all categories except mobile (which remained the same) in H1 2024 as compared with H1 2023, per GWI data.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss Meta’s new AI search initiative, what the 2023 “year of efficiency” has meant for 2024, and what to make of Threads at this point. Tune in to the discussion with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson and Vice President and Principal Analyst Jasmine Enberg.