In this week’s Week in Review: CTV tipped for another bumper year in 2025, RTL AdAlliances launches SMB ad tools, and NBCU pairs with Walmart for shoppable units in live sports.
Top Stories
CTV Stars as Global Ad Spend Tipped to Top $1 Trillion in 2024
Total annual global ad expenditure is predicted to pass $1 trillion for the first time in 2024 according to WARC’s latest data. Total growth for the year is expected to sit at 10.8 percent, with digital media channels once again seeing the highest growth rates.
CTV has seen the highest growth rates of any media channel across recent months, according to WARC data, topping 19 percent year-on-year growth in both August and November. This trend is expected to continue in the next two years, though growth is expected to start slowing down – pegged at just over 15 percent in 2025, and around 15 percent in 2026.
Linear TV meanwhile grew by over two percent in August and November, though a steep decline of over five percent is predicted for 2025, before a return to growth in 2026.
James McDonald, director of data, intelligence and forecasting at WARC, said that the current regulatory landscape means there’s quite a lot of uncertainty around future ad expenditure predictions. “Whether this boom will sustain remains unclear, however, as 2025 presents a sliding doors moment due to heightened regulatory pressures on Google and TikTok – together a quarter of the ad market outside of China,” he said. “This, alongside an increasingly challenging geopolitical climate, may spell uncertain times ahead for the businesses that rely on advertising trade.”
RTL AdAlliance Launches SMB Tool for Localised Linear TV Campaigns
RTL AdAlliance, the European media group’s sales house, has unveiled a tool for small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) to deliver localised linear TV campaigns. The tool enables FMCG brands that are listed at local retailers to localise addressable TV ads for region-specific retailer campaigns, allowing them to direct consumers to the point of sale (POS) by featuring grocery stores in the vicinity.
“With this innovative format we prove that consumer brands without their own store network can promote their products at the POS,” said Fabian Burgey, Director SME Business at RTL AdAlliance. “Via an innovative ATV retailer solution on TV – using distinct target groups and varying budgets per location – brands can raise awareness with consumers.”
NBCU Launches Shoppable Capabilities with Walmart
US broadcaster NBCUniversal has launched new shoppable experiences and measurement capabilities across its live sports coverage, which kicked off on Thanksgiving, running shoppable elements created with Walmart across both its linear and streaming sports coverage.
NBCU already has a partnership with Walmart’s retail media business Walmart Connect for ad targeting, measurement, and shoppable units. But this is the first time the two have run shoppable capabilities across live and linear TV. Shoppable units shown during the sports streams use QR codes to direct users to buy on-screen items, while NBCU also offers ‘text to shop’ capabilities within one of its formats.
The broadcaster says that advertisers will be provided with closed-loop measurement to attribute sales across linear and streaming media displayed during programming, through Walmart Connect and NBCUniversal’s data collaboration.
The Week in Tech
Brightcove Acquired by Italian Tech Firm Bending Spoons
Brightcove, a streaming tech company, is to be acquired by Bending Spoons, an Italian tech firm, in an all-cash transaction valued around $233 million. The agreement gives Brightcove shareholders $4.45 per share in cash, representing a 40 percent premium at the time of the announcement. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2025, subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. Read more on VideoWeek.
CMA Hones in on Apple and Google in Mobile Browser Investigation
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published provisional findings of an investigation into mobile browsers and cloud gaming. The regulator found that Apple’s policies “restrict other competitors from being able to deliver new, innovative features that could benefit consumers”, while revenue-sharing agreements between Google and Apple “significantly reduces their financial incentives to compete in mobile browsers on iOS.” The watchdog also reported concerns that “Apple did not allow cloud gaming apps to be available on the App Store”, but noted that Apple changed these restrictions during the course of the investigation, and the CMA said there was no need for intervention in mobile cloud gaming. However, it will recommend that the CMA board investigates Apple and Google’s activities in mobile ecosystems under new digital markets competition rules coming into force next year.
Disney Makes CTV Inventory Biddable with Viant
Disney has partnered with ad tech business Viant to allow advertisers to bid on its CTV, video and display inventory. The companies said the collaboration is underpinned by Disney’s Clean Room technology and BridgeID solution, paired with Viant’s Household ID, enabling addressable audiences at scale. “By bringing more opportunities to the table for midmarket buyers, we continue to level the playing field by providing more flexibility, choice and control to advertisers,” said Matt Barnes, VP Programmatic Sales at Disney Advertising.
Canadian Competition Regulator Calls for Google to Sell Ad Tech Tools
Canada’s Competition Bureau is suing Google over alleged anti-competitive conduct in online advertising, and is seeking an order requiring Google to sell its ad tech products. Following an investigation, the watchdog found that Google “abused its dominant position through conduct intended to ensure that it would maintain and entrench its market power.” Google responded that it would fight the order. “Our advertising technology tools help websites and apps fund their content, and enable businesses of all sizes to effectively reach new customers,” said Dan Taylor, VP Global Ads at Google.
ShowHeroes and TVision Expand Attention Measurement to CTV
ShowHeroes, a video and CTV ad tech business, has expanded its Attention Index model to CTV. In partnership with TVision, an attention measurement firm, the Attention Index will track ad engagement in CTV environments. “By expanding our Attention Index to CTV in partnership with TVision, we’re setting a new standard for how advertisers measure and optimise their media investments on a global scale,” said Kay Schnider, SVP of Global Product & Business Development at ShowHeroes Group.
Microsoft Faces FTC Antitrust Probe
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is launching an antitrust investigation into Microsoft, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. The probe is expected to cover the tech giant’s cloud computing, software licensing, cybersecurity and AI businesses. The news comes one year on from the completion of Microsoft’s takeover of Activision Blizzard, which the FTC continues to fight in court.
Amazon Develops Own Gen AI and Boosts Anthropic Investment
Amazon is developing a generative AI product for images and video, The Information reported on Thursday. The ‘Olympus’ tool is seen as a move by Amazon to reduce its reliance on Anthropic, a competitor to OpenAI and Google in the AI space. Last week, the company invested an additional $4 billion in the AI startup, bringing its total investment in Anthropic to $8 billion.
The Week in TV
TF1 and All3Media Among Potential Buyers for ITV Studios
A number of potential suitors have emerged to buy “parts or all” of ITV, according to Sky News, following reports that the UK broadcaster was looking to sell off ITV Studios. The prospective buyers include CVC Capital Partners, Mediawan, RedBird Capital-owned All3Media, and a major European broadcaster thought to be French company TF1. ITV’s stock price gained 14 percent in light of the reports.
Eight Percent of European Consumers Plan to Cancel Streaming Subscriptions
Growth in European video streaming subscriptions is slowing, according to a study from consulting firm Oliver Wyman. The report found that 8 percent of consumers across the UK, Spain, France, Germany and Italy are planning to cancel SVOD subscriptions, primarily due to a lack of compelling content. In contrast, just 2 percent intend to add new services in 2025. However, 70 percent of consumers currently subscribe to at least one streaming service, averaging 1.5 subscriptions per person.
DAZN Targets Foxtel Acquisition in Australia
DAZN, a sports streaming service, is interested in acquiring News Corporation’s majority stake in Australian pay-TV business Foxtel, according to the Australian Financial Review (AFR). DAZN is reportedly drawn to Foxtel’s portfolio of Australian sports rights, including domestic cricket, the Australian Football League (AFL) and the National Rugby League (NRL). News Corp confirmed in August that its two-thirds stake in Foxtel was up for sale, while minority shareholder Telstra has also indicated its support for a sale.
Married At First Sight UK Tops UK Streaming Services
Married At First Sight UK was the most-streamed title across all UK streaming services in October, according to Channel 4, racking up 1.7 billion minutes across the month. Channel 4 streaming also grew by 12 percent YoY in October, the broadcaster revealed. “Taken together with our social audience growth, with a trebling in UK views of full episodes of our programming on YouTube, it is clear Channel 4 remains the go-to for audiences on any device and via any platform, flocking to our compelling mix of well-loved brands and fresh made-for-streaming shows,” said Kiran Nataraja, Director of Streaming & Content Strategy at Channel 4.
The Week for Publishers
Preferred Bidder for The Telegraph Given Extended Deadline
The auction process for UK newspaper The Telegraph has been extended, as current preferred bidder Dovid Efune has been given at least an extra two weeks to raise the money required to fund a takeover, according to a report from the Financial Times. Efune, owner of the New York Sun, is the most likely buyer, and has reportedly secured backing from former UK chancellor Nadhim Zahawi.
Axel Springer Unites WELT, POLITICO Germany, and Business Insider Germany into PREMIUM GRUPPE
European publishing powerhouse Axel Springer has announced the launch of PREMIUM-GRUPPE, which will unite WELT Group, POLITICO Germany, and Business Insider Germany under one leadership. Each news brand will continue to run independently, but they will further specialise into specific types of content: broadcast, video, and debate for WELT, political reporting for POLITICO, and economic reporting for Business Insider. Axel Springer says the new structure will foster innovation and experimentation across the titles, and strengthen their unified positioning from an advertising perspective.
Media Concierge Makes Takeover Bid for National World
Irish direct marketing and publishing business Media Concierge has made a takeover offer for National World, the UK’s third largest local news publisher, according to reports this week. Media Concierge already owns over 27 percent of National World’s shares, and is offering to buy remaining shares in a £56 million takeover bid.
Publishers See Bluesky Outperforming X for Referrals
Several publishers have claimed they’re already seeing healthier traffic referrals from open source social platform Bluesky compared with X, according to a report from Press Gazette this week. The Guardian’s Australian audience editor Dave Earley said that The Guardian’s own posts on Bluesky delivered more traffic to its website during the publisher’s first week on Bluesky than its posts of X did during any week of 2024.
Hearst Magazines Undergoes Mass Layoffs
Hearst Magazines has laid off over 190 staff, New York Magazine reported this week, covering editorial, ad sales, product, and PR. Hearst Magazine’s president Debi Chirichella said in an internal memo that the layoffs came after “a thorough review” of the business, as part of an effort to focus on digital innovation and long-term growth.
Reach Merges Staff at Daily Mirror and OK!
UK publishing group Reach is merging staff across national newspaper the Daily Mirror and celebrity magazine OK!, as part of a cost cutting initiative, according to The Guardian. The move won’t result in layoffs, according to a memo from the Mirror’s editor-in-chief Caroline Waterston, but is framed as a way of driving growth through consolidating resources and expertise across the two brands.
The Week for Brands & Agencies
Reports Emerge of Publicis Considering IPG Acquisition, Quickly Dismissed
Rumours emerged this week that French holding group Publicis is weighing up a takeover bid for rival group Interpublic Group, a deal which, if it were to materialise, would represent a seismic shift in the agency world. But these rumours, which surfaced on dealmaking rumour mill Betaville, were quickly dismissed by industry sources, according to a Campaign report.
Publicis and WPP Split Sky’s European Media Account
Sky has split its European media duties between WPP and Publicis, following a competitive review, according to a report from Campaign this week. Publicis Media will handle the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, while WPP will run Sky’s media in Italy.
Mother Moves into Media with Paul Hutchison Hire
Independent creative agency Mother is spinning up a media business, and has hired Paul Hutchison, previously of Wavemaker and Bohemia Group, to head up the new media practice. “We’re sure that Hutch will bring radical accountability to how we approach media, he has high standards and is primed to bring a bit of media rebelliousness to the UK market – for clients and for creativity, the need has never been greater,” Katie Mackay-Sinclair, partner at Mother told Campaign.
Dentsu Launches New Meta Analytics Tool ‘Tobiras’
Japanese holding group Dentsu has announced the launch of ‘Tobiras’, a solution which it says combines advertisers’ first-party data with Meta’s Advanced Analytics data to deliver insights and drive growth. Dentsu says Tobiras delivers extra insights which aren’t available via the standard business manager UI, giving more visibility into how Meta media is performing throughout the funnel.
Walmart Scales Back DEI Commitments
Walmart has joined a number of major brands in scaling back its diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and commitments, Adweek reported this week. Walmart will no longer use the term DEI in its official communications according to Adweek, is not renewing its racial equity centre commitments, and is reviewing grants to Pride events.
Multinational Brands Struggle with Supplier Diversity Measurement
Almost one in four major multinational brands has been working for more than a decade to increase their supplier diversity, according to research from the WFA, as they seek to resonate with broader audiences. But many still say they struggle to identify diverse suppliers and to measure their progress. The WFA has launched a new Supplier Diversity Playbook to help brands navigate these challenges.
Wizz Air Ad Banned for Green Claims
An ad for budget airline Wizz Air has been banned by Advertising Standards Authority over a claim to be “one of the greenest choices in air travel”, as the ad did not provide any means for consumers to compare Wizz Air’s green credentials against competitors. The ASA said that Wizz Air has not provided any basis for the claim, and must not use the phrase again in the same form in any of its marketing materials.
Hires of the Week
IPA Nominates Karen Martin as Presidential Candidate
Karen Martin, Chief Executive of advertising agency BBH London, has been nominated as IPA President-elect. Martin would succeed GroupM UK & EMEA CEO Josh Krichefski following the election on 27th March 2025. Martin has spent more than eight years at BBH, following 14 years in the Australian ad industry.
Wingstop UK Names First CMO
Wingstop UK, a fast food chain, has appointed Dirujan Sabesan as its first Chief Marketing Officer. Sabesan has been working with Wingstop UK since 2018, having founded the company’s agency partner, Creative Nerds. The appointment sees the business look towards its “next era of growth”.
This Week on VideoWeek
Principal Media Represents an Unhealthy State of Affairs, Says Nick Manning
How Hightouch is “Streamlining” First-Party Data Activation in CTV
Transparency Means “Many Things to Different People”
From TikTok Troubles to AI Scraping: UK Publishers Spell Out Their Biggest Gripes
Brightcove Acquired by Italian Tech Firm Bending Spoons
Ad Breaks in Live Events Pose Planning Challenges
Xperi Gears Up for In-Car Video
New Samsung Ads Report: Targeting the Right ‘TV Moments’ is Key to CTV Success
Facebook and TikTok Pose Online Harms in Ofcom Report
The Sell-Side View: Q&A with Axel Springer’s Miriam Zand
Ad of the Week
The Family Portrait, JD Sports
