蘑菇AV

Every major streaming company鈥攁nd some not so major ones鈥攊s investing in live sports. As they compete for broadcast rights, they鈥檙e seeking advertisers. Exclusive inventory is a draw, but benefits like first-party data and the ability to execute on lower-funnel objectives are also helping streamers woo live sports advertisers.

As consumers increasingly cut the cord, connected TV (CTV) has emerged as a key platform for advertisers, with US brands expected to spend over $28 billion on CTV in 2024, according to 蘑菇AV. CTV鈥檚 performance-driven features, like precision audience targeting and detailed reporting, are transforming TV advertising and making it accessible for businesses of all sizes.

鈥淔ragmentation creates a headache in determining meaningful performance. That puts a lot of weight in the trust of the attribution models across all of your CTV ad buys,鈥� Erik Gray, director of product analytics at MNTN, said at our recent 蘑菇AV Summit. But with a growing market, with more streaming channels and viewers, comes more opportunity to reach the right audience. Here are three ways to boost the success of your CTV ad campaigns amid fragmentation.

With its shift to digital, political advertising is increasingly programmatic. US digital political ad spend will grow by 156.3% this year over 2020, the last presidential election year. That growth outpaces the 28.7% growth overall US political ad spend will see, as noted in our US Political Ad Spending Forecast 2024 report.

Sports streaming momentum keeps building: Roku and NBA team up on FAST channel as Peacock and Prime Video win more exclusive streaming deals.

YouTube moves away from third-party measurement for co-viewing: The platform鈥檚 decision to use its own data for trading purposes has advertisers worried.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what's most to blame for this sustained ad spending rebound, what concerns us about it, and what we expect to see from ad spending in 2024. "In Other News," we talk about why ad-blocking rates are experiencing a gradual uptick and a cord-cutting milestone. Tune in to the discussion with our director of forecasting Peter Newman and vice president of content Paul Verna.

Walmart makes a huge acquisition in hopes of taking on Amazon鈥檚 retail media dominance, while Amazon keeps churning out generative AI innovations. Plus, Target tries to steal share from Walmart鈥檚 prowess on attracting deal-seeking shoppers. Find out who else earned a spot in our Unofficial鈥� Most Interesting Retailers List, a monthly ranking revealed on an episode of the 鈥淏ehind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail鈥� podcast.

Instacart adds AI-powered tools for advertisers as ad growth slows: The new features make it easier for brands to create and optimize campaigns.

On today's episode, we discuss what to make of the mixed signals surrounding the US ad market, how much the space will grow in 2023, what's driving it, and what's holding it back. "In Other News," we talk about whether Universal Pictures鈥� premium video-on-demand success has reshaped the movie distribution model and what we spend our time watching on our TVs. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Paul Verna.

On today's episode, we discuss whether AR will ever have a less gimmicky and more utilitarian use case, whether Roku is the biggest player in connected TV (CTV), if Apple can successfully move further into financial services, whether "dumb" flip phones might have a mini renaissance, what the world's busiest airports are, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of reports editing Rahul Chadha, vice president of Briefings Stephanie Taglianetti, and analyst Max Willens.

Despite the rise of connected TV, over-the-air programming remains a vital part of the television ecosystem, engaging millions of viewers outside the scope of big data. Learn how comprehensive measurement strategies can ensure that every viewer counts, no matter how they choose to watch.

On today's episode, we discuss the significance of Netflix saying it has 5 million monthly active users on its ad tier, the biggest impacts of the new streaming service Max, and how much noise a combined Paramount+ and Showtime offering can make. "In Other News," we talk about the current state of esports and what the best connected TV (CTV) ad formats are. Tune in to the discussion with our director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman.

More subscription video streaming services are pushing advertising. At the same time, free ad-supported streamers are gaining viewers. These developments provide advertisers with more options to find audiences.

Just as television evolves, so does its advertising potential. With a significant increase in viewership for ad-supported streaming services and FAST channels, the opportunity for advertisers is immense. Discover how the shift towards legacy and rerun content is reshaping strategies.

For the second half of 2023, US retail media ad spending will reach $46.38 billion, per Insider Intelligence鈥檚 forecast. Meanwhile, connected TV (CTV) ad spending will also post growth of 20.0%. In response, marketers in 2024 will create dedicated retail and media strategies to leverage retail data sets in CTV.

Disney and NBCU signal a major shift in CTV ad buys: Both are working with The Trade Desk to make inventory available programmatically.

41.2% of virtual multichannel video programming distributor (vMVPD) viewers watch on YouTube TV, making it the most popular service of its kind.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what was behind the streaming giants staggering subscriber growth, how Prime Video's new ad-tier will affect Netflix, and how a deal with the WWE changes its sports strategy. "In Other News," we talk about an important milestone for ad-supported video streaming. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Daniel Konstantinovic.

On today's podcast episode (part 1), we discuss what publishers can do about GenAI that summarizes answers, how to strike the right ad load balance, and who has the best 'what-to-do-about-social-media' strategy. "In Other News," we talk about what social app BeReal's next move will be and why X (formerly Twitter) is pivoting to CTV. Tune in to the discussion with our director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman and analyst Daniel Konstantinovic.

Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services like The Roku Channel, Tubi, and Pluto TV will bring in tens of millions of viewers this year, though time spent with the platforms isn鈥檛 comparable to that of Netflix or YouTube, according to our forecast. Still, marketers should keep an eye on these streaming services, especially those with parent companies like Paramount or Fox that may be able to spin free viewers into paid members.

As US smart TV ownership climbs to 70.6%, Nielsen is leveraging larger, more diverse data sets to refine its audience measurement for the 2024鈥�2025 TV season. This strategic enhancement aims to deliver more accurate and actionable audience segmentation to better support media stakeholders.

NBCUniversal highlights Peacock at upfront: Media titan reflects the industry's digital tilt amidst picketing and leadership changes

Amazon debuts at Upfront Week, showcasing its ad-supported streaming services and more: It鈥檚 a strategic move to expand its digital advertising reach.