|
|
| Wednesday November 5, 2025 |
 IN THE NEWS |
In its latest Media Trends report, dentsu examines the key trends and challenges set to shape 2026. Some highlights:
· Search optimization takes over: As search becomes more conversational and multi-modal, new requirements will emerge to best reach audiences and support them through the entire user journey.
· Digital delegation: Although AI agents hold the promise of unprecedented convenience for consumers, deploying them without strategic thinking will not solve marketing challenges, it will multiply them.
· The friction paradox: As the consumer journey becomes increasingly non-linear, marketers must manage friction strategically, using it to spark desire, simplify shopping, and tailor experiences to audience moods and contextual cues.
“In 2026, brands will face a media landscape shaped by uncertainty, algorithms, and evolving cultural dynamic,” concludes the report. “Success and growth will hinge on their ability to anchor strategy in the enduring human truths of simplicity, sociability, and attention, while embracing new technologies and formats.”
The long and short of it: Focusing on YouTube Shorts has helped LEGO hit new highs in terms of both unique US viewers and minutes watched, according to data from Tubular Labs. LEGO’s 14.1 million YouTube viewers nearly doubled month-over-month, and minutes watched grew by 19%, to 93.7 million. Last September, 16.8% of LEGO’s YouTube videos were Shorts, but this year, that number jumped to 46.3%, with videos that more resemble user-generated content. Meanwhile, to-date in 2025, iSpot data shows that LEGO has spent $6.9 million on national TV, similar to the $6.5 million spent in the time period last year. |
 |
Ad investment in the global retail media market is projected to surpass $200 billion by 2027, according to WARC Media. In its “Future of Commerce” report, WARC found:
· Global retail media ad spend is set to reach $196.7 billion in 2026, overtaking the combined linear and connected TV spend next year, having amounted to barely a quarter of the total TV market in 2019.
· Topline growth rates are steadily decelerating towards single-digit levels – from 38.6% during the pandemic in 2021, to 13.7% this year, to a forecasted 11.6% in 2027.
· Two in five (40%) of agency-side executives who buy retail media see it as a full-funnel solution, and another 7% agreed it is an upper-funnel opportunity.
· Amazon maintains a 15% year-on-year ad revenue growth.
· The total addressable market for agentic commerce has an estimated value of $136 billion in 2025 and is forecast to hit a potential $1.7 trillion by 2030.
“Retail media has evolved from a US and China-driven trend into a global phenomenon, with European spend now growing at double the rate of the broader digital advertising market,” said Alex Brownsell, Head of Content at WARC Media. “As the sector expands beyond traditional sponsored search into visual display, audio, social, and television partnerships, it has never been more important for advertisers to have clarity on the scale and the suitability of the commerce media opportunity.” |
 |
Only 22% of marketers strongly agreed with the statement, “I have the measurement insights I need to justify value to my CFO,” in a study from Perion and Advertiser Perceptions. Other findings from “Bridging the Divide: Solving Fragmentation Between Marketing and Finance” include:
· 21% of respondents completely agree their CFO is aligned around marketing
budgets and metrics.
· 62% say they need better tools to demonstrate marketing’s impact on the bottom line clearly.
· Nearly three in four selected a “unified tracking system” as a “must-have” for the future of marketing performance
The upshot, according to the report: Marketers with a unified performance system face fewer barriers in proving internal value, outperform peers on key business metrics, and are more likely to align successfully with finance leadership.
In a move accelerating FOX Entertainment’s agnostic strategy, the company has acquired audio romcom platform Meet Cute. “Innovation in digital storytelling is shaping the future of entertainment, and with Meet Cute, we’re building a space where creators can move fast, take risks, and shape what’s next,” said Hannah Pillemer, Head of Scripted at FOX Entertainment Studios. “It’s a creative lab for storytelling – developing and testing new voices and IP in real time and connecting bold emotionally resonant stories to audiences everywhere.” |
 |
| CYNOPSIS SPONSORSHIPS
Don’t Let It Go Unspent
You’ve worked hard for that 2025 budget — make it count.
Reach 75K+ media and marketing leaders with Cynopsis digital campaigns, newsletters, and spotlights.
Limited Q4 inventory available.
INQUIRE ABOUT 2025 PLACEMENTS TODAY |
| NEW & RETURNING SERIES |
| Bravo welcomes back “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” for a 15th season on Thursday, December 4 at 8p. Kyle Richards, Dorit Kemsley, Erika Jayne, Sutton Stracke, and Bozoma Saint John are set to return as main housewives.
Telemundo sports competition “Exatlon Estados Unidos” returns for season ten on Tuesday, December 2 at 7p. The season will feature new personalities, including Olympic medalists, professional athletes, and international sports champions.
“Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials” premieres Thursday, January 15 on Netflix. The mystery series stars Helena Bonham Carter.
Model and mom, Kimora Lee Simmons stars in new series, “Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane,” premiering Tuesday, December 2 at 10p on E!.
Netflix has renewed “Nobody Wants This” for a third season. In its first 11 days, season two of the romantic comedy has topped the list of Netflix’s most-viewed English-language shows. |
Today’s Premieres
Discovery: Expedition Unknown at 9p; Expedition Files at 10p
Food Network: Tournament of Champions: All-Star Christmas at 8p
Hulu: The Manipulated
Netflix: Just Alice; Hewliusz |
| CYNOPSIS JOBS LISTING
Hire Smarter. Lead Stronger.
Tap into Cynopsis’ network of 85K+ media experts across content, marketing, sales, and strategy. Discover the talent that drives performance and growth.
INQUIRE NOW |
| TECH |
| Roku announced the Roku Ads API, a fully open, self-serve developer platform for CTV advertising that gives developers direct access to Roku’s first-party ad capabilities. The Roku Ads API allows developers to register applications, obtain credentials, and build integrations without manual approvals. At launch, available endpoints include reporting, audiences, and conversions, with campaign management and creative APIs coming soon. “Advertisers increasingly expect CTV to integrate seamlessly with the tools they already use,” said Peter Hamilton, Head of Ad Innovation at Roku. “The Roku Ads API makes that possible by giving developers an open platform to build new functionality and deeper integrations across the ecosystem.”
DoubleVerify has introduced DV AI Verification, a new offering designed to help advertisers identify and manage AI agent interactions and avoid low-quality AI-generated content. “Advertisers are being challenged to navigate a digital ecosystem populated by a new generation of opportunities and threats,” said Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify. “Add to that a content landscape increasingly flooded with low-quality, AI-generated material, and marketers are facing a surge of brand suitability concerns and wasted impressions. DV AI Verification delivers greater transparency across transactions and stronger content alignment for brands.”
Amid the battle against device spoofing, IAB Teck Lab has released the Device Attestation support in the Open Measurement SDK (OM SDK). This new capability is currently supported on Apple devices and FireTV. “OM SDK gave buyers standardized, consistent measurement metrics across screens and devices,” said Anthony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab. “The Device Attestation capability builds on that and provides a critical next step for CTV growth. Buyers should prioritize the OM SDK because it is the only measurement standard built on device-native signals, not inferred data. And with attestation, they can be confident the inventory they are measuring is real.”
AdLib announced a strategic partnership with Curated.Media that will give AdLib customers direct access to Curated.Media’s curated supply libraries, all within the DSPs they already use. “Programmatic buying has grown increasingly complex, creating inefficiencies for agencies and missed opportunities for brands,” said Mike Hauptman, founder and CEO of AdLib. “By partnering with Curated.Media, we’re empowering our customers with curated, brand-safe supply that drives measurable results – while keeping the buying process simple and transparent.”
The Moving Out of Home Association shared the results a brand study measuring the effectiveness of a recent moving out-of-home media campaign with Xumo. Key results from the brand study include:
· +24% lift in Ad Recall among exposed users
· +21% lift in Awareness
· +18% lift in Message Association
· +26% lift in Consideration
“Because the campaign’s goals were focused on both awareness and direct engagement, it was an ideal choice for this study, which could measure lifts in brand metrics and website visitation,” said Noah Klas, MOOHA’s executive lead and VP of membership at the DPAA. “The results clearly demonstrate the campaign’s success, showing that moving OOH can drive both perception and behavior in a measurable way.” |
| COMING UP |
| ABC shared its slate of holiday programming, starting Monday, November 27 with “The Wonderful World of Disney Presents ‘Mary Poppins.’” In addition to festive episodes of series, “Dancing with the Holidays” will join ABC’s annual holiday specials, which include “CMA Country Christmas,” “The Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade,” and “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” among others. ABC will also nationally broadcast a day full of NBA action on Christmas, including a special edition of “Inside the NBA” at 7:30p. All five games will also be available to watch on ESPN. |
| SPORTS REPORT |
Bob Trumpy, Cincinnati Bengals tight end-turned-broadcaster, has died at the age of 80. Trumpy did color commentary on four Super Bowls and three Olympics, among other events, for NBC.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment struck a new multi-year, multi-hundred-hour output license agreement with Claro Sports to deliver TNA Wrestling content to viewers throughout Mexico and Latin America. The action kicks off January 1.
The 2025 NHL Veterans Appreciation Night broadcast presented by Navy Federal Credit Union will be taking place on Tuesday, November 11 (Veteran’s Day) on TNT. It will be a doubleheader featuring the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Boston Bruins and the Anaheim Ducks vs. Colorado Avalanche.
All Women’s Sports Network and Ringette Canada have teamed to bring the 2025-2026 season of the National Ringette League (NRL) games to live, global television audiences, beginning on Saturday, November 29 at 10:30a. |
| RATINGS |
| FOX News Media closed out October as the top news brand in the competitive set on YouTube for the sixth straight month, with 377 million video views, according to Emplifi. MSNBC was next with 329 million, followed by 186 million for CNN. |
| EXECUTIVE MOVES |
| George Cheeks, Chair of TV Media at Paramount, shared the leadership for the company’s “newly aligned” TV Media division. Laurel Weir will lead programming for cable networks, as well as oversee the Global Programming Acquisitions Group across TV Media. Sitarah Pendelton will oversee MTV series and specials, while Jeannie Scalzo will head the MTV business alongside Weir. Nickelodeon veteran Jules Borkent will oversee Nickelodeon Kids & Family’s business and strategy, while Ashley Kaplan and Alec Botnick oversee its animation studio. “Our cable brands will focus on a more curated slate, optimizing programming and marketing resources to amplify what resonates most,” said Cheeks. “That means leaning into franchises like ‘SpongeBob,’ ‘Paw Patrol,’ ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ ‘South Park,’ ‘Ms. Pat’ and ‘The Daily Show,’ while continuing to develop new IP across our studios and seeking new ways to amplify and connect with audiences.”
GlassView has tapped James Moore to serve as its first Chief Revenue Officer. Moore joins Glassview from Simpli.fi. |
|
This Day in History
1895 – The first US auto patent for a gasoline-driven car was granted to George B. Selden.
Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which 1960s sitcom focused on a psychiatrist teaching a beautiful robot how to behave like a human? “My Living Doll” (1964-65). Kudos to: Fr. Mark Wajda/Clermont, FL; Marc Goldstein-Marc Goldstein Media Solutions/NYC; Andrew Goldman-Phanes Funding Group/NYC; Jane Pook/Brooklyn, NY; Dan Whitford-WTTW/Chicago; Lorrie Shilling/El Segundo, CA; Wendy Holmes/Denver; Justin Pierce-JP Consulting Group/LA; Darren Wadyko-Margate and Chandler/LA; John Kukla-KDFW Fox 4/Dallas
Today’s Trivia Question
Who replaced Erik Estrada on “CHiPs” (1977-83) when the actor went on strike over a financial dispute? (Email your answer to trivia@cynopsis.com and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four answers per time zone.) |
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER>>
HEARST MEDIA PRODUCTION GROUP/CHARLOTTE, NC:
Oversee daily sales pipeline operations focused on national sponsorships, integrations, and branded content tied to unscripted programming. Manage and coach the Business Development team, drive outbound activity, shape proposals and pricing, and lead CRM strategy, reporting, and optimizations via Salesforce. Full info HERE
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER >>
NTD/WASHINGTON, DC:
Pitch story ideas and write scripts/segment outlines as well as research guests and interview topics. Book guests and coordinate interviews. Help with logistics and sometimes field production. Support shoots and ensure production runs smoothly. Review footage and work with editors to shape final episodes. Write headlines, teasers, and social posts. Full info HERE
DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES AND ADMINISTRATION >>
THE JIM HENSON COMPANY/HOLLYWOOD, CA: Responsible for all HR functions and oversight of administrative and management needs. This strategic role is charged with operating from a customer service driven viewpoint that prioritizes employee satisfaction as well as enforce legally compliant policies, increase efficiency by implementing administrative and record-keeping best practices. Full info HERE
SENIOR DESIGNER >>
REELZ CHANNEL/ALBUQUERQUE, NM: Responsible for the concept, design and execution of various motion graphics projects for on-air promo and sales presentations. Will be required to design and create graphics for social media, digital and print. Must be able to follow brand guidelines and expand and change the brand look when necessary. Full info HERE
EVP, COMMERCIAL & TECHNOLOGY TRANSACTIONS, LEGAL & BUSINESS AFFAIRS >>
A+E GLOBAL MEDIA/NY(HYBRID): Oversee the three major areas of commercial transactions (comprised of supporting the Distribution, Total Media Solutions and Global Content Sales divisions) and the adjacent areas supported by the attorney teams that principally support those divisions (including vendor management and privacy). Full info HERE
SR. DIRECTOR OF SALES, KSTU & KUPX >>
THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY/SALT LAKE CITY: Leverage our suite of advertising solutions to unlock growth opportunities for local and national businesses. Play a role in driving the station’s revenue goals as well as serving as the home station for Utah’s new NHL team. Collaborate with our production team to create campaigns that connect our clients with their customers in meaningful ways. Full info HERE
DIGITAL MEDIA BUYER >>
FURMAN ROTH ADVERTISING/NY(HYBRID): Plan, launch, and optimize digital marketing campaigns across various paid media channels (including Display, Google products, Paid Social, CTV, and Programmatic, etc.) while managing budgets effectively. Support the execution of media plans across platforms, overseeing targeting, budget allocation, and performance tracking to drive campaign success. Full info HERE
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR; CTV BRAND PARTNERSHIPS – MID WEST/WEST COAST
FUTURE TODAY
REMOTE
Build, maintain and expand a pipeline of sales targets, contacts, and sales opportunities leveraging your relationships with a heavy focus on new business revenue. Build/nurture relationships with the investment, strategy, precision and digital agencies as well as clients. Also maintain an ongoing knowledge of the streaming media landscape. Full info HERE
DIRECTOR, AD MARKETING & SALES >>
THE SHADE ROOM/REMOTE: Develop and execute a revenue growth strategy to drive direct advertising, branded content, and sponsorship sales as well as lead the development of compelling advertising and branded content offerings tailored for TSR’s audience and cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key advertisers, media agencies, and brand partners. Full info HERE
PROFESSIONAL LECTURER OF COMMUNICATION/SPORTS BROADCASTING >>
MARIST UNIVERSITY/ POUGHKEEPSIE, NY: Teach studio and field broadcasting and new media courses in sports media and journalism as well as be able to teach a studio course on producing a newscast and help students live stream a podcast or produce short-form feature content suitable for social media streaming. Also demonstrate through their teaching, professional activity, and service. Full info HERE
SALES LEAD – AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS
UPWAVE
NEW YORK, NY
Build and manage relationships with our agency partners – mostly targeting media buyers and planners – and help them see the value of adding Upwave measurement to The Trade Desk campaigns. You will both leverage your existing network and open new doors to achieve aggressive but achievable sales targets. Full info HERE |
|
|
