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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. With billions committed to live sports rights, media companies may further deprioritize scripted programming in favor of lower-cost unscripted content, putting creative innovation at risk.

Two-thirds of US TV viewers (66%) would rather watch ads and save $4 to $5 a month than spend the money to ditch ads, according to June 2024 data from Hub Research. That鈥檚 up five percentage points from June 2023. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Max all have ad-supported tiers now, and consumers benefit by saving a few dollars along the way. Advertisers can capitalize on these cost-saving behaviors by reaching consumers with messaging that emphasizes discounts and deals.

Netflix, Patreon explore podcast potential: As competition in the podcast space heats up, brands are looking for unique value propositions to draw audiences.

Despite commanding 21% of US streaming minutes鈥攎ore than Netflix (17%), Disney (11%), and Amazon (7%)鈥擸ouTube trails in ad revenues per streaming hour. Our take: The shift in YouTube鈥檚 market position is more than financial鈥攊t鈥檚 foundational. What started as a user-generated video hub is now outpacing traditional studios in both audience and monetization.

Original content still drives growth: 鈥淎dolescence鈥� proves Netflix can win with high-quality dramas that spark cultural conversation and dominate viewer engagement.

Netflix. Paramount. Pinterest. Reddit. Roku. Snap Inc. Walmart.

Zooming out: Streaming CPMs have steadily declined in recent years as major services including Netflix and Disney+ have debuted ad-supported offerings. Last year鈥檚 introduction of ads on Prime Video further drove prices down.

More creator content: Netflix already has a history of licensing made-for-YouTube content, mostly in children鈥檚 entertainment. As the studio content production slowdown continues into 2025, original content from popular creators can also provide a cheaper, audience-tested way for streamers to fill in any gaps.

Over the past five years, Peacock launched, while Max, Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video introduced ad tiers. With so much additional CTV inventory now available, marketers are paying less for streaming ad space than they used to. In H1 2024, US connected TV (CTV) ad impressions served by FreeWheel grew 14% YoY.

But they also indicate that advertisers investing heavily in SVOD and ad-supported video-on-demand platforms like Netflix and Hulu might need to rethink their ad spend. Our take: The shift represents the need to restructure how advertisers reach their target audiences.

Netflix wants to turn your TV into a game console: By ditching AAA ambitions and betting on casual, connected TV games controlled by phones, Netflix is playing the long game to capture Gen Z gamers.

US eCPMs for digital video, display, and audio formats fell in Q2 2024鈥攖he average decrease was slight on a QoQ basis but more pronounced on a YoY basis.

If Netflix and others want to remain dominant, they鈥檒l have to compete not just with prestige TV, but with an endless feed of engaging, low-cost, creator-first content that doesn鈥檛 stop refreshing.

Companies large and small will net hundreds of billions in US incremental ecommerce and digital ad dollars in the next two years. Who will be the big winners?

Balancing losses: While Apple鈥檚 profits are big enough to swallow these Apple TV+ losses, its strategy may not make sense to other executives: Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said he doesn鈥檛 see a game plan for Apple TV+ beyond it being a marketing play but admitted that 鈥渕aybe they see something we don鈥檛,鈥� per Variety.

Stop us if you鈥檝e heard this before: Streaming TV is really popular. Sounds obvious, right? Once a nascent technology dominated by Netflix and Hulu, today鈥檚 streaming landscape reached new heights in recent years鈥攂olstered by pandemic-driven viewing habits. Now there are hundreds of channels, with major media companies creating their own Netflix competitors鈥攆rom Max to Disney+ to Peacock and beyond.

Despite their push into AI, their latest Netflix film, 鈥淭he Electric State,鈥� was largely made using traditional methods apart from AI voice modulation. Why it matters: AI in entertainment is a growing concern.

Netflix sells out WWE Raw sponsorships: Ad inventory is booked for months, proving brands see value in wrestling.