蘑菇AV

Google鈥檚 Q4 revenue fell short of estimates for the first time in two years: Strong growth in AI and cloud services highlights its shift beyond ads.

Disruption is imminent for programmatic. The market teeters on the brink of several seismic shifts around identity and audience data. And a landmark antitrust ruling could energize an already hot ad tech consolidation streak.

From ad analytics to secure data crunching, Google鈥檚 AI shows promise鈥攖hough wide adoption hinges on performance, not just benchmarks

The news: Quality control is a growing fear for advertisers as an Adweek investigation found ads from major brands appeared near offensive and inappropriate content. Ads from brands like Amazon and Verizon were found near sexual or racially offensive content on the Android short-form video app XShorts. Our take: Advertisers are increasingly faced with a digital landscape where programmatic ad buying lacks the quality control required to keep up with rapid innovation and demand for ad space鈥攑rompting renewed calls for transparency, verification, and human oversight in automated systems.

As advertisers navigate Google鈥檚 recent search changes that favor its emerging AI models, retail media strategies could offer them heightened visibility and control.

The news: Roblox鈥檚 lack of third-party measurement tools is becoming a hurdle for advertisers. The platform has minimal independent insights into standard metrics like reach and performance outcomes, per Digiday. As a result, potential customers are hesitant to start investing in ads on Roblox, which could dampen company growth. Our take: Roblox commands enormous engagement, especially with younger users, and it has a wealth of assets to attract advertisers and bolster its revenue. However, without accessible measurement offerings that meet industry standards, Roblox鈥檚 growth as a major ad channel may remain limited.

Lens integration sidesteps users to search without leaving the app. It sets up future monetization even if beta excludes ads and affiliate links鈥攆or now.

The news: Global ad spend growth is slowing but staying positive, with WARC projecting a 6.2% rise to $1.16 trillion in 2025 and MAGNA forecasting a 4.9% climb to $979 billion. Retail media is outpacing linear TV for the first time, and Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon continue to control the majority of digital revenues. Measurable channels like short-form video, retail media, and ad-supported VOD are gaining ground. Our take: Amid economic pressures and trade concerns, advertisers are prioritizing performance, shifting budgets geographically and platform-wise. With elections, AI, and major global events on the horizon, platforms that prove outcomes鈥攏ot impressions鈥攚ill shape the next era.

Canada鈥檚 comparatively high share is common in smaller ad markets where domestic publishers have a harder time competing in key digital sectors. However, there has been a decline in share for the duopoly (Meta and Google) as buying local media has gained momentum in Canada. Google commands the highest advertising share of any media company.

That makes ad-supported models critical to long-term viability for most Google challengers鈥攊ncluding OpenAI, which is reportedly considering ads for ChatGPT. For now, Perplexity is the only genAI-first upstart monetizing with ads. Microsoft Copilot and Amazon鈥檚 Rufus chatbot also have ads. This year, we expect advertisers to spend just over $1 billion in those environments.

WPP, Publicis, and others are buying data-rich firms to outmaneuver Google and Amazon but risk creating the same closed systems they鈥檙e rebelling against.

Tools like Smart+ and Content Suite help brands find trending creator content, predict ad success, and target more precisely.

Turbulence in trade relations is changing how China鈥檚 ecommerce platforms do business in the US, with spillover effects on US retail and advertising.

Digital ad giants beat Q1 expectations, but tariffs, regulation, and slowing growth signal choppy waters ahead. This report breaks down which platforms are thriving, which are stalling, and what鈥檚 next for search, social, streaming, and retail media.

YouTube has more users than Facebook, Netflix, or Spotify. But its advertising revenues do not match its vast reach. This report contextualizes the opportunities and scope for growth in various media spheres.

That reliability should also help Google and Amazon more than generative search newcomers like ChatGPT and Perplexity. Retail media networks (RMNs) will remain the fastest-growing major channel under any tariff scenario. Over 60% of US RMN ad revenues will come from search this year.

Google, Meta, and Amazon will control over 61% of the market in 2025, and that share may rise under adverse economic conditions. Skittish advertisers will likely retreat to known quantities, benefiting the incumbent leaders. Unstable economic conditions have led to heightened uncertainty for advertising.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss how Google embedding an AI chatbot into search changes things, why Anthropic鈥檚 Claude API could reshape search, and why tech companies might not be the winners of the AI search war. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, and Senior Analyst鈥檚 Gadjo Sevilla and Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

This is the Q1 2025 installment of our quarterly 鈥淎d Spending Benchmarks鈥� series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.鈥�

This is the Q1 2025 installment of our quarterly 鈥淎d Spending Benchmarks鈥� series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.鈥�

Strong Q1 ad results show resilience: But AI, tariffs, and antitrust pressures will reshape how and where marketers spend in 2025.