Labels on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads content that has been edited or manipulated using generative AI will be less prominent. Meta announced in a blog post that its “AI Info” tag will appear within a menu in the top-right corner of images and videos edited with AI instead of directly beneath the user’s name. Images generated entirely by AI will continue be marked with an “AI Info” label directly on the post.

Meta, Snapchat and TikTok are partnering for a program called Thrive, designed to flag and securely share information about harmful content. “Like many other types of potentially problematic content, suicide and self-harm content is not limited to any one platform,” reads a Meta blog post. “That’s why we’ve worked with the Mental Health Coalition to establish Thrive, the first signal-sharing program to share signals about violating suicide and self-harm content.” Participating tech companies will be able to share signals about violating suicide or self-harm content so that other companies can investigate and take action if the same or similar content is being shared on their platforms.

Lionsgate struck a deal with applied AI research company Runway that includes the creation and training of a new AI mode, customized to Lionsgate’s proprietary portfolio of film and television content. The technology will be used to augment the work of creative talent in the pre- and post-production process. “We view AI as a great tool for augmenting, enhancing and supplementing our current operations,” said Lionsgate Vice Chair Michael Burns. And also save “millions and millions of dollars,” he told The Wall Street Journal.

YouTube is also all in on generative AI. At its Made on YouTube creator event on Wednesday, the company said it will start integrating Google DeepMind’s Veo generative AI video model into YouTube Shorts later this year. In addition to enabling enhanced backgrounds, DeepMind’s Veo will let creators generate 6-second standalone video clips for Shorts. Generative AI also will curate suggestions for creators in the YouTube Studio app via the Inspiration Tab.

It’s back to the office for Amazon workers. “We’ve decided that we’re going to return to being in the office the way we were before the onset of COVID,” said Amazon CEO Andy Jassy in a message shared with employees. “When we look back over the last five years, we continue to believe that the advantages of being together in the office are significant.” Jassy explained that “collaborating, brainstorming and inventing are simpler and more effective; teaching and learning from one another are more seamless; and teams tend to be better connected to one another,” in a work environment. The order takes effect January 2.

Media solutions company Active Media Services is repositioning its businesses and rebranding to AMS. “Over the last year, our leadership team has been hard at work across our organization to ensure we were meeting the demands of the evolving media marketplace and the consumer,” said Bill Georges, CEO. “Our promise is to be a partner in growth. To us, this means that we offer sustainable, growth-oriented solutions to our people, clients and partners both today and in the future.”

Multi-channel advertising platform StackAdapt has formed a strategic collaboration with Experian to integrate Experian’s identity graph and 2400+ syndicated/custom audiences for activation within StackAdapt’s platform. The collaboration will enable marketers to upload and onboard their first-party data.

Zeta Global, the AI-powered marketing Cloud, and Yahoo announced plans to migrate Yahoo’s email marketing to the Zeta Marketing Platform. The partnership will result in intelligence-powered marketing on ZMP; integration of Yahoo DSP into the ZMP; and joint intent-powered audiences.

Mediacom Communications is implementing OpenVault’s Profile Management Application technology to drive peak levels of available bandwidth and network performance for subscribers using DOCSIS 3.1 or higher modems. “Our goal throughout the broadband era has been to keep our Xtream internet capabilities ahead of customer expectations,” said J.R. Walden, SVP Technology and CTO for Mediacom. “OpenVault PMA ensures that we continue to maintain our competitive edge by giving our subscribers an outstanding experience whenever they are online.”

RETAIL MEDIA

Publicis Groupe is acquiring retail media agency Mars United Commerce. Said Arthur Sadoun, Publicis Groupe CEO, of the company, “Their innovative spirit and proprietary platforms will further connect and complement our existing capabilities, to deliver industry-leading, end-to-end commerce solutions for our clients, both online and offline.” It’s not the holding company’s first retail media grab – Publicis acquired e-commerce software company Profitero in 2022, and CitrusAd in 2021.

IAB released a study that shows 95% of commerce video advertisers use those ads more often now than any other media to drive purchases. According to the study, “Unconnected Commerce: The Disconnect Between Brands and Consumers in Digital Video Shoppintg,” 75% of consumers feel that Commerce Video ads are more relevant to their purchase process than other ad types, and there is a disconnect on how consumers prefer to shop using video and how advertisers create and deliver Commerce Video ads. About 96% of advertisers say they believe their messaging strategies are effective at driving purchases, but 70% of consumers report feeling annoyed or negative monthly or more often with Commerce Video ads, and one-third at least weekly.

IAB Europe and IAB have collaborated on the release of the first industry definitions and measurement standards for in-store Retail Media. The standards, which are open for public comment until November 1, have been developed to address the rapidly expanding in-store Retail Media opportunities and offer unified definitions, measurement standards, and guidelines for ad formats and store zones. The standards cover a range of essential areas including:
· Definitions: Clear terminology for in-store digital Retail Media components
· Formats: Recommended formats for in-store advertising placements.
· Store Zones: Standardized classification of key areas within stores where media can be deployed (e.g., entry, checkout, aisle).
· Measurement: Guidelines for tracking, reporting, and analyzing campaign performance across various in-store formats.

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The FTC issued a report about the data practices of social media and video streaming services, saying they engage in “surveillance advertising.” Not so, responded the Interactive Advertising Bureau. “While we are still digesting the report, we are disappointed with the FTC’s continued characterization of the digital advertising industry as engaged in ‘mass commercial surveillance,’” said David Cohen, CEO, IAB. “This charged statement suggests that the personal data of consumers is covertly collected and used for advertising purposes. Nothing could be further from the truth, as countless studies have shown that consumers understand the value exchange, and welcome the opportunity to have access to free or highly subsidized content and services.”

Roku announced the launch of Roku Ads Manager, a direct self-service solution designed for CTV performance. “In order to meet growth marketers’ needs across all direct-to-consumer brands, we built a seamless solution to buying CTV video ads for brands of any size,” said Louqman Parampath, VP of Product Management, Roku. “Roku Ads Manager is uniquely positioned to offer data, optimization, and ad formats that no other CTV self-serve solution has, like native shoppable campaigns with Shopify, all while providing a familiar buying experience similar to search and social.”

Fifty-eight percent of marketers say they will run holiday ads on CTV this year, with 57% stating their primary goal for CTV campaigns is to drive lower funnel performance across KPIs like sales and ROAS, according to tvScientific’s 2024 Holiday Advertising Trends report. Additionally, the survey found 57% of marketers anticipate reduced spending this holiday season. They need to make the most of their limited spend—and CTV has become a priority channel. “As marketers finalize their holiday advertising plans, it’s important to remember that an adaptable strategy will drive the most meaningful outcomes,” concludes the report.

Amazon Ads unveiled a new feature that uses generative AI technology to help advertisers create more interesting and relevant video ads for customers, at no additional cost. Using a single product image, Video generator curates custom AI-generated videos tailored to a product’s distinct selling proposition and features, leveraging Amazon’s insights to bring a product story to life. Amazon Ads also introduced a new live image capability that makes it fast and easy for brands to create short, animated campaign images.

Amazon-owned Twitch announced “The Glitch,” a game world inside Fortnite that will include brands whose products will impact gameplay within the world. “The Glitch is going to be the next step in Twitch being able to provide aligned brands with meaningful access to a very highly coveted and enthusiastic audience,” said Amazon Ads Head of Brand Partnership Studio Andrea Garabedian. “The Glitch is really a new evolution for the world of branded games through this franchise. Brands have the opportunity to be a true part of that experience.”

StackAdapt, a multi-channel advertising platform, announced a new direct integration with L2, a provider of voter and consumer data. The integration enables political advertisers to create, launch, and activate voter audiences within the same day. “Political advertisers must connect with the right voters quickly, especially during the intense pace of an election cycle,” said Mark Positano, Head of Political for StackAdapt. “Our integration with L2 enables immediate audience activation, enhancing both operational efficiency and campaign effectiveness.”

Viant Technology has launched ViantAI, an advanced AI-powered platform that handles every stage of programmatic advertising, from building campaign plans to optimizing execution. “ViantAI is a breakthrough for our industry,” said Tim Vanderhook, CEO. “It acts like a digital advertising expert, taking over the difficult, data-intensive work so advertisers can focus on high-level decision-making and creativity.”

IPG Mediabrands’ MAGNA revised its 2024 US ad growth estimate upwards, to 11.4% (8.9% excluding cyclical events such as the Olympics and elections). Key findings in the report found:
· Non-cyclical advertising revenues grew by approx. +11% in the first and second quarter of 2024, in line with MAGNA’s expectations.
· A stronger macro-economic outlook, the momentum of digital media and streaming TV, and the impact of cyclical events, lead MAGNA to raise its second-half ad spend forecast.
· Full-Year non-cyclical ad spend will grow by +8.9% (previously: +8.2%), one of the best performances in twenty years.
· Adding an expected $10 billion in incremental ad revenues due to cyclical events (presidential cycle and summer Olympics) total media owners ad revenues will increase by +11.4% to reach $377 billion this year (MAGNA’s previous forecast: +10.7% in June 2024).
· Digital Pure Players (search, retail, social, and short-form video) capture most of the market growth, with non-cyclical advertising sales to grow by +13.6% to $264 billion (a 72% market share).
· The ad revenues of Traditional Media Owners (cross-platform long-form video, audio, publishing, and out-of-home) will grow by +5.1% to $111 billion as the influx of cyclical dollars in TV will more than offset a -1.5% decline in non-cyclical ad sales.
· Ad-funded streaming TV is the fastest growing ad channel this year, with ad spend growing by nearly +20% so far, stabilizing cross-platform TV/video ad revenues.

STREAMING

Netflix users streamed 94 billion hours of programming in the first half of 2024, up from 93 billion the same period in 2023, shared the company at last week’s Fast Company Innovation Festival. The most-viewed TV shows were limited series “Fool Me Once” (108 million views), “Bridgerton” S3 (92 million), “Baby Reindeer” (88 million), “The Gentlemen” (76 million) and “Avatar The Last Airbender” Season 1 (71 million).

YouTube TV is reorganizing channel content on its connected TV app into seasons and episodes, making it easier for viewers to tune in. In a blog post Wednesday, YouTube Chief Product Officer Johanna Voolich said the company is “making other improvements to the TV experience with immersive content that plays directly from a creator’s channel, streamlined subscription options and easier access to links in descriptions.” The updates will roll out over the next few months, with the seasons/episodes reorg slated for 2025.

Digital first Hispanic media company Adsmovil has revamped its AVOD platform Nuestra.TV, expanding its reach and upgrading the platform to enhance subscriber experience. In addition, Adsmovil announced the launch of two FAST channels – Nuestra Romance and Nuestra Suspense – are now available on rlaxxtv, Roku, Fire TV, YouTube, Apple TV, Distro TV, and Nuestra.TV.

Fox Weather is now available to DirecTV customers. “As the fastest growing weather service, we are excited to expand our relationship with DirecTV to bring our crucial coverage to their audience,” said Fox Weather President Sharri Berg. The channel is available to all DirecTV customers with the Entertainment package or higher on channel 363 and by using the DirecTV App.

Philo TV has added six new FAST channels to its lineup – PBS | Antiques Roadshow; BUZZR; CineLife; Baywatch; CraftsyTV; and The Price is Right: The Barker Era – bringing the total number of channels on the service to more than 90.

About 70% of Asian Americans believe that streaming TV ads are more relevant than traditional TV ads, 45% more than the general population, according to LG Ad Solutions’ new study, “The Inclusive Screen: Asian Americans.” The study, which surveyed 1,435 CTV users, found that 54% say they pay more attention to ads on streaming TV, 61% higher than the general population. Additional findings from the report include:
· 96% of Asian CTV users say they multitask, with top activities including social media (55%), messaging (55%), gaming (49%), and shopping (44%).
· 47% of Asian Americans report visiting a website after seeing an ad, with 42% stating they searched for a product online and 27% confirming they bought an advertised product.
· 75% of Asian CTV users prefer streaming free video content with ads instead of paying for a subscription without ads.
· While most Asian Americans rely on word of mouth for content recommendations (44%), the homepage of an app (42%) and the TV home screen (39%) are also top sources for discovering new content.

According to CreatorIQ’s recent study, “Winning Strategies in Streaming: How Industry Leaders are Harnessing Creator Marketing,” Spotify led all streaming brands with $4.8 billion in Earned Media Value (EMV, a proprietary metric that tracks creator marketing value), over five years, driven by creators and celebrity deals with Joe Rogan and Alex Cooper. Netflix and Prime Video also benefitted from long-term relationships with top influencers. Overall, streaming brands generated 56% EMV growth year-over-year, with average engagements up by 245%.

CTV viewership is back up to pandemic highs, according to a report by Wurl, with average daily user hours of viewing (HOV) up about 5% year-over-year. The next quarter is on track to be one of the best quarters ever for CTV viewership. Average session lengths remained elevated compared to pre-COVID times, with the current quarter’s average session length up nearly 7% compared to the same quarter last year. While holiday channels perform best in December, with viewership increasing to 4x that of other months, the holiday spirit continues into the new year: May ranks fourth highest. A core 25% of viewers continue to watch holiday content throughout the summer; October is the least festive month of the year. In 2024, ad fill rates are noticeably lower, likely due to an explosion of supply in the market, indicating that demand is not keeping up with supply.

While live TV (cable, vMVPD or antenna) is still a default destination for 38% of viewers, major SVODs combined now surpass live TV as the “first place to turn to watch,” according to Hub Entertainment Research’s “Decoding the Default” report. Netflix is the top SVOD default – 26% of respondents say that Netflix is the first place they turn to when they want to watch something, on par with the 26% of viewers who say traditional cable (excluding vMVPD and antenna) is their default source. As the chart below notes, different kinds of content anchor viewers to SVODs, live TV and FAST services.