This report presents five of the most intriguing and/or under-the-radar forecasts for 2025 that clients should be aware of, as compiled by our forecasting team.

The net neutrality reversal makes deep pockets more important than relevance, threatening SMBs and reshaping the battle for online visibility.

2025 is a crucial year for Netflix’s future: The streaming leader’s first sports rights deal begins in days, teeing up future opportunities.

Mobile-first gaming leads the charge into 2025: Smartphones and portable consoles are reshaping gaming as enhanced hardware makes premium mobile games a competitive force.

Netflix's NFL debut sets records: Despite technical hiccups, Christmas Day games drew over 24 million viewers each, boosting the platform’s sports ambitions.

Digital sports viewership surpasses TV: Fragmentation challenges consumers, while younger audiences drive demand for highlights and streaming innovation.

Amazon’s ad launch will define streaming for years to come: In less than a year, Prime Video became a top dog in streaming advertising.

After a slew of technical failures during November's Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing match live stream, advertisers are more aware than ever of what can go wrong during a popular event. And with Netflix's "NFL Christmas Gameday" just around the corner, which will feature Beyoncé performing during the Ravens vs. Texans halftime show, brands can strategize to make the most of a potential broadcast outage.

Connected TV is no longer a niche ad channel—it’s the new normal. With streaming platforms adding ad-supported tiers and Amazon flooding the market with inventory, CPMs are dropping while ad opportunities expand.

By Q2 2025, Netflix and Max will be the only streaming services to have average CPMs higher than $30, per our September 2024 forecast.

The connected TV ad opportunity is growing significantly in scope. The promise of broad yet targeted reach, retail media tie-ins, campaign measurement, and ad interactivity are fueling strong spending growth.

OTT video is popular whether it’s free or paid. Every global region and country we track is engaged with these platforms, some very deeply. But new viewers will be hard to find.

Our latest forecasts for CTV and digital video viewers in Canada show that audiences are now a match for linear TV and exceed it in some age groups.

CTV inventory has surged, but the linear TV ad market remains much larger.

The holiday box office competes with the couch: Audiences are returning to theaters, but Netflix is offering blockbuster content.

Faced with booming media rights costs and legalized gambling, broadcasters, streaming services, and leagues are navigating how to stay innovative, remain profitable, and keep sports accessible for everyone. Media rights costs for major sports have surged dramatically, posing a significant challenge for traditional broadcasters like NBC and Disney.

Google and Meta landed slightly below expectations in Q3, allowing a collection of hungry competitors to inch ahead. But overall, the ad industry remains healthy. Sports events drove streaming and CTV to record gains, and retail media continues to be the sector’s fastest-growing ad channel.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss the takeaways from Netflix’s record-breaking boxing event, the chances of TikTok dodging a US ban under a Trump presidency, the future of “roadblock marketing”, Perplexity’s new feature that lets you buy things directly within its search engine, the true story that inspired the 1992 film “A League Of Their Own”, and more. Tune in to the discussion with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Director of Reports Editing Rahul Chadha, Senior Analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf, and Senior Director of Forecasting Oscar Orozco.

YouTube’s growing prominence on connected TV (CTV) will drive this shift.

From the rise of sophisticated AI-driven tools to new policies reshaping data privacy and competition, 2025 promises to be a year of relentless change. Companies that adapt will thrive, while others risk being left behind in a swiftly moving market.