YouTube isn’t just for the smallest screens as more viewing takes place on other connected devices and mobile use declines. Streamers are taking in more upfront ad dollars. Netflix is shaking things up after subscription drops.

To make an Upfront commitment is to make a bet—a bet that buying inventory ahead of time is worth the discount and that buying closer to when ads run is not worth the premium. It’s a better bet to grab ad space now in case it runs out later.

US social network user growth has slowed to a crawl, and that means the social platforms will compete fiercely for users and engagement. Marketers should optimize their spending to take advantage of shifting consumer behaviors.

Total time spent with media per day in the US will decline slightly in 2022, but most pandemic-era gains will be retained. Digital video, subscription OTT services, and smartphones will be among the bigger winners this year.

On today's episode, we discuss the current diagnosis of Netflix—are their best days behind them, what will they need to do to keep the competition at bay, and what should we make of the rumored acquisition of Roku. "In Other News," we talk about YouTube making it easier to interact with the app on connected TVs (CTVs) and the prospect of its new frequency-capping solution. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Ross Benes.

US adults are spending more time watching YouTube on connected TVs and less time watching it on mobile devices. This year, for the first time since we began our forecast, less than half of time spent with YouTube will be on mobile, as viewers pivot to watching these videos on the same screen as their TV programming, separate from their TikToks and Instagram Reels.

Total time spent with media is more than 10 hours daily on average in Canada this year. In the years ahead, total time will shrink slightly, but digital formats will continue to steal time away from traditional media.

Spotify is the No. 1 digital audio service among US teens and adults, with 35% digital audio listeners ages 12 and older using that platform the most. YouTube Music comes in at No. 2, with 18%, while Pandora rounds out the top three at 15%.

Following a few turbulent years, upfront TV ad spending will maintain momentum from last year.

This year, TikTok will surpass YouTube in terms of time spent by their respective adult users in the US. The short-video app will see 45.8 minutes per day from its average adult user, edging out YouTube, at 45.6 minutes.

The beauty industry is getting a digital makeover, thanks to Gen Z, viral TikTok trends, AR capabilities, and new consumer behaviors. Brands will need to take a multichannel approach to keep up.

TikTok’s advertising suite is becoming more sophisticated with more ad formats, targeting techniques, and measurement capabilities. In 2022, its ad revenues will rise by 184.4% as new advertisers lean in and existing advertisers spend more.

As brands strategize on how best to engage consumers, Mint Mobile is looking to leverage event programming such as live news and sports. In this Q&A, Mint Mobile's Aron North, CMO, discusses the importance of experimentation, and why the brand allocates 10% of its budget for exactly that.

Our latest forecasts for ad spending in Canada, which include our first-ever estimates for Google and Meta, show strong growth overall and an accelerated shift to digital.

Digital ad spending is exploding in Latin America. It will grow by 34.8% this year to $20.86 billion—a figure more than double the amount spent in 2020. Mobile will be the main growth driver, propelling the region’s digital ad market to new heights over the course of our forecast period.

In analyzing the media landscape, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is reimagining the future of digital viewership. In this Q&A, the IAB's Eric John, vice president, media center, discussed continuous growth in video advertising and connected TV, why the old model of a million-dollar TV commercial playing once everywhere is gone, and how to make creative work better.

Whether it’s fluctuating viewership or leveraging data-driven technologies to identify the right time and place for brand awareness, there's power in being flexible. In this Q&A, Mediahub's Carrie Drinkwater, chief investment officer, shares where marketing attention is shifting, what clients are looking for, and where new obstacles are rising.

About two-thirds of the US population ages 12 and older listens to digital audio at least once per week, up 5 percentage points from 2021. Over the past decade, that share has grown by 38 percentage points, making the weekly listenership now 192 million strong.

US TikTok users will spend more time with the social media platform this year than YouTube users will spend on YouTube. This difference will be just about a fraction of a minute but will expand in years to come.