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By 2028, the number of Gen Z social network users will surpass the number of digital video viewers. Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok lead this demographic’s social network preferences, but LinkedIn is gaining significantly as the cohort ages. Social commerce is a key trend for Gen Z shoppers.

ESPN’s new platform marks a bold digital pivot: Meanwhile, Fox is launching Fox One to stay competitive in the streaming era.

The news: Anime is gaining popularity across the globe, per a recent Dentsu report highlighting anime viewership trends, proving that marketers who haven’t yet paid attention to the medium need to tap in. 50% of Gen Z watches anime weekly, with 14% watching daily. Millennials also tune in frequently, with nearly half (48%) watching daily or weekly. Our take: Savvy marketers will pay attention to anime as a prime chance to reach the demographics driving the future—but going beyond a surface-level understanding of the medium will determine which marketers succeed and which fall behind.

The news: NBCUniversal will charge $8 million for 30-second Super Bowl LX spots, per an Adweek report citing those familiar with the matter. Ads for Super Bowl LX were reportedly going for around $7 million for 30 seconds—but that number has been increased due to high demand. Our take: The Super Bowl is likely the most lucrative advertising opportunity for US brands, as football continues dominating live TV—meaning advertisers are willing to invest despite the high cost. Live sports events, especially the Super Bowl, offer a rare combination of scale, immediacy, and viewer engagement.

Indy 500 hits viewership record in its first time airing on Fox: The event highlights the ongoing battle for media companies to secure sports rights.

New forecasts for US Amazon CTV ad revenues and ad-supported viewers for select streaming services.

Looking at advertisers: As streaming platforms continue to erode traditional TV viewership, the merger positions the combined entity to better compete by offering bundled services and enhanced content delivery—potentially opening avenues for advertisers to engage audiences as they shift away from traditional TV.

Sports viewership is relatively predictable compared with other types of programming, making it a safer investment for media companies and strategically important for retaining viewers and attracting new subscribers. Sports are highly valuable, if expensive, commodities with stable financial payoff.

Digital eclipsed traditional pay TV among live sports viewers in 2023. As that lead grows, the growth of women’s sports and betting apps provides marketers with opportunities to reach new audiences.