Walmart dominated the US retail landscape in 2024: The mass merchant鈥檚 ability to offer savings and convenience won over shoppers, and its growing ecommerce and advertising businesses are helping it make inroads against Amazon.
Why it matters: Media companies are especially exposed to shifts in consumer behavior and ad spend鈥攁nd both are now under pressure. Ad budgets face new headwinds. As costs rise, consumer brands in retail, tech, and CPG may scale back marketing鈥攂ad news for platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Roku, which increasingly depend on advertising. Content spending will tighten.
A new report from INCRMNTAL, based on $3 billion in verified ad spend across 100+ brands in their client base, found that podcast ad spending tripled from H2 2024 to H1 2025, rising from from $2 million to $6 million. That trend was "fueled by privacy-safe, opt-in environments that offered both reach and intent while attracting the most desirable demographics," according to INCRMNTAL's analysis.
Netflix's NFL debut sets records: Despite technical hiccups, Christmas Day games drew over 24 million viewers each, boosting the platform鈥檚 sports ambitions.