Performance Or It Didn’t Happen
Upfront week is right around the corner. While the presentations themselves will revolve around new streaming titles and live sports, expect measurement and performance to dominate behind-the-scenes discussions and negotiations, Ad Age reports.
This year’s edition of Nielsen drama relates to the apparently questionable credibility of the company’s newest measurement currency, combining bigger viewing data sets with legacy panels. Nielsen reportedly decided to postpone the integration of the Advertising Research Foundation’s DASH TV Universe Study to later this year, after a recent Nielsen Gauge report suggested a decline in streaming viewership.
Combined with the lack of measurement standardization, continued pressure to justify media investments is driving buyers to put proof of performance at the top of their wish lists for networks and streamers heading into this year’s upfront season.
“Brands will only work with us if we have some outcome capability,” one anonymous seller tells Ad Age.
“I see that as a prequel to guaranteeing with some sort of outcome-based analytics,” the seller adds.
Pay No Attention To The AI Behind The Curtain
Unlike many of the other companies at IAB NewFronts last month, Tubi emphasized its content during its presentation, such as a slate of upcoming creator-produced originals meant to appeal to Gen Z audiences.
However, according to the Wall Street Journal, Tubi is primarily banking on AI investments, not just its content, to reach younger viewers.
That might come as a surprise to NewFronts attendees, since AI didn’t feature prominently during Tubi’s presentation. While the company’s leadership team highlighted its contextual ad tools and recommendation engine, both of which are powered by machine learning systems that Tubi has used for years, they didn’t dwell on the underlying technology.
Tubi also didn’t mention any plans for AI-generated content at NewFronts, but both CEO Anjali Sud and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mike Bidgoli told the WSJ that the company is open to creators and production partners using AI tools as part of their workflow.
Given that the WSJ’s average digital reader is 43 years old and that Gen Z’s feelings toward AI have worsened over the last year, maybe Tubi was hoping to have its AI-generated cake and eat it, too.
Except, oh well – people are already mad at the ChatGPT-powered recommendation app Tubi also announced on Thursday morning. So, guess that didn’t work.
Anti-Social Media
If you’re looking for people who have been negatively impacted by social media, a good first place to look would be – you guessed it – social media.
A number of national law firms, including Morgan & Morgan and Sokolove Law, ran ads on Meta seeking plaintiffs who had been harmed by social media while under the age of 18, Axios reports.
On Thursday, Meta began removing the ads from its platforms, justifying the actions according to its terms of service. The terms dictate that Meta can remove content that is “reasonably necessary to avoid or mitigate misuse of our services or adverse legal or regulatory impacts to Meta.”
However, that restriction isn’t listed in Meta’s advertising standards, Axios notes. Though the ad standards are also subject to the terms of service.
The legal ad takedowns come at a fraught time for Meta, which just last month was found liable for intentionally manipulating users into growing addicted to its platforms, as well as neglecting child safeguards. It’s not shocking to see the company removing ads that encourage lawsuits against its platforms.
“We will not allow trial lawyers to profit from our platforms,” a Meta spokesperson told Axios, “while simultaneously claiming they are harmful.”
But Wait! There’s More!
Will posting more on Reddit help your brand’s GEO strategy? [Search Engine Journal]
Why it feels like every streaming service has its own podcast strategy now. [Adweek]
Expect lots of Disney layoffs soon. [WSJ]
The Washington Post is now asking nonsubscribers to pay a one-time charge of $2 to read individual articles. [post]
Canva doubles down on AI and marketing infrastructure with its acquisition of Simtheory and Ortto. [release]
The FTC might’ve given up on its “Click to Cancel” rule, but New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani hasn’t. [The City]
Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here.
