The Refresh: Streaming soars, social grows, AdOps recognition on the rise

Welcome to The Refresh, a weekly newsletter from AdTechGod and Marketecture. Every Thursday we’ll bring you the latest advertising news, commentary, and memes.

• World Bank halts paid advertising on X after CBS News finds its promoted ad under racist content (CBS)

• Advertising spend set to surpass $1tn worldwide (Researchlive)

• The DOJ alleges Google 'Destroyed' relevant evidence ahead of antitrust trial (Adweek)

• PilotDesk and LG Ad Solutions ink new deal (TVTechnology)

• AdTech Industry is expected to reach $1499 billion by 2031 (openPR)

• CTV takes the lead: 78% of Hispanic Americans prefer streaming for its personalized and diverse content options (Businesswire)

• Warner Bros. Discovery International and CNN are extending audience targeting tools in bid for more CTV share (Digiday)

Our dear leader gives his hot takes on the news of the week

Googles $250M newsroom deal

Google has struck a $250 million deal to support California newsrooms, aiming to sidestep stricter legislation requiring tech companies to compensate publishers. The Media Guild of the West criticized the deal as a superficial solution, accusing Google of avoiding genuine accountability. The agreement establishes two funds, supported by both Google and taxpayers, but faces backlash for not adequately addressing the needs of the struggling news industry. Critics argue that Google's contribution is insufficient and point out the absence of other tech giants like Meta and Amazon. Meanwhile, California's news industry continues to decline due to Big Tech's dominance in advertising revenue and reduced publisher traffic.

Ari’s view: I hate these deals. Google has done more to help publishers succeed than any other company, and the problem is that consumers just don’t consume media the way they used to. This is extortion.

Read Techcrunch

July ad spend sees strongest month of growth in 12 months

Defying economic concerns, the US ad market surged nearly 14% in July, marking its strongest growth month in the past year. This unexpected boom signals a resilient advertising landscape, driven by shifts in budgets towards connected TV (CTV) as more brands capitalize on streaming’s growing audience. The increase in political ad spending ahead of the 2024 elections, combined with the Olympics, is further fueling this momentum.

Ari’s View: We’re back, baby. Look man, the US has impeccable vibes right now. I’ve got Chappell Roan on the radio and Simone Biles on the TV.

Read Guideline

Is AdOps being recognized enough?

In last week's newsletter, we featured one reader’s perspective on AdOps roles, highlighting the general lack of recognition and how the position has evolved in recent years to encompass more than just campaign management—it now includes strategy, partnerships, and more. We then asked for your thoughts, and the results were clear.

34% of people in AdTech believe the industry needs to "rebrand" the AdOps role to make it more impactful, while 24% said the title can stay the same but that the overall profile needs to be elevated. Another 19% felt that rebranding isn’t enough, and 23% said leadership needs better education on what AdOps professionals truly do and how they drive impact at work.

What do you think?

Ari’s View: Get back in your basements you keyboard monkeys! The ads aren’t going to deliver themselves!

LinkedIn Poll

Streaming surge fuels 8% growth in upfronts despite linear decline

Upfront TV advertising spending for the 2024-25 season grew by 8%, reaching $29.5 billion, according to Media Dynamics, driven by the rising success of streaming TV platforms. However, linear TV ad revenue fell 4% to $18.4 billion, as the industry faces challenges from cord-cutting, fewer ad impressions, and reduced reach.

On the positive side, streaming platforms experienced a 35% boost in upfront revenue, climbing to $11.1 billion, thanks to premium services like Disney+, Peacock, Netflix, and Amazon. However, overall national TV cost-per-thousand viewers (CPM) pricing fell by 9.8%, with streaming witnessing a significant 17% decline due to increased competition, especially from Amazon Prime Video’s ad-supported option.

Media Dynamics estimates annual national TV ad spending between $45 billion and $50 billion, with $10 billion to $12 billion occurring in the "scatter" marketplace for short-term campaigns.

Ari’s View: Good to see the dollars chasing the consumers. Watch out for temporary gluts in streaming ad inventory as Netflix and Prime flood the market.

Read MediaPost

Social and digital platforms see strongest growth, TV remains steady.

Research from Mediaocean and TechValidate asked respondents about their expected media spend for H2 2024. Digital video/display, CTV, and social platforms showed strong confidence, with over 40% anticipating increased spending. Search, OOH, and radio also have potential for solid growth. Meanwhile, print, national TV, and local TV are expected to continue their decline—no surprise there. This reaffirms what we all know: digital channels are on the rise, while print and traditional media continue to fall.

Ari view: Like you said, no surprises here. I’d love to see audio broken out by terrestrial, broadcast, and podcasts.

AdTechGod Event

We're thrilled to announce that LiveIntent, Inc. will be the official band sponsor for our "Return to the Golden Era of Madison Ave" event on October 7th at the Virgin Hotel NYC. The MadPack will bring electric energy and vibrant sound, making this event unforgettable. Special thanks to LiveIntent, Inc., and the efforts of Marketecture Media, MadTech, and Aperiam for making this musical experience possible. Brands and agencies interested in attending can register via the link, with invitations to follow soon.

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