Episodic tools extend its CTV play, giving marketers more creator-led inventory for living rooms.

For decades, brand visibility at the US Open tennis championship meant courtside signage, broadcast ads, and athlete endorsement deals. That formula is being rewritten to consider when and how creators enter the pictures, according to John Hu, co-founder of Stan, an agency that works with 90,000 creator entrepreneurs and influencers across verticals. The old model treated creators as an amplification layer: Build the campaign, then hire influencers to post about it. Hu says that sequence is backwards.

Disney turns streaming into an ad engine: FYQ3 results show SVOD, sports, and parks combining to keep advertisers invested despite broader subscription churn.

Disney revamps its streaming app: Better recommendations and a super app could boost first-party data and make Disney+ more attractive to advertisers.

Albertsons is partnering with Procter & Gamble on "Rico's Tacos," a micro-drama series that marks a strategic shift in retail media from traditional item-and-price advertising to upper-funnel content marketing.

TikTok puts AI in charge: Symphony Agent turns trend spotting, creator sourcing, and ad creation into a faster, AI-led workflow.

Episodic content tests whether branded storytelling can capture shoppers’ attention in stores and drive incremental sales.

Netflix hits the gas on advertising: The company secured a slew of NFL games, but its bet on podcast and vertical video ads is less certain.

Prime Video blends binge and buy: New Clips turn casual scrolling into instant transactions on mobile.

Netflix expands ad playbook: Amazon DSP data, vertical video, and new formats could court CTV advertisers.

Netflix powers ahead post-WBD: Q1 shows 16% revenue rise as ads are poised to hit $3 billion, proving it can scale without a mega-deal.

No longer direct response, it now guides viewers to CTV content and fuels ad-supported tiers.

YouTube tops global media with $62 billion in revenues and over $40 billion in ads, putting it ahead of Disney and legacy TV combined.

Microdramas are winning daily attention; per-user viewing time now exceeds Netflix and Prime Video on mobile.

AWS' new AI tool reformats live broadcasts for TikTok and Reels in seconds, unlocking scalable ad inventory.

A new partnership combined with TikTok's short-form clips and creators help brands reach mobile-first sports fans beyond game day.

Instagram is reportedly expanding Meta's ecosystem with Instants, a Snapchat-style app that would add inventory and reach, reinforcing Meta’s ad dominance.

Latin America’s video market is hitting peak penetration as streaming dominates media time. Mobile-first behaviors, platform concentration, and the popularity of short-form video are reshaping media consumption habits.

Short-form, shoppable, and side-by-side features aim to narrow the gap between Paramount and Netflix, but Netflix remains the safer bet for advertisers.

Netflix’s ad revenues hit $1.5 billion, with expectations to double in 2026 as its next phase will hinge on broadening inventory advertisers know how to buy.