The Current Report

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Feb 2025

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The Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition — everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity — offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community.

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February 10, 202515 min

Behind the scenes of Ram's $16 million Big Game commercial with Glen Powell

Celebrities reigned once again in many commercials for the Big Game, including Glen Powell doing his own version of Goldilocks in a spot for Ram Trucks.Two executives at the agency that created the ad, GSD&M’s Kate Rush Sheehy and Chelsea York Vargas, joined The Current Report to share the inside story of the strategy behind the ad._______To read the full stories included in this episode:Disney teases ESPN’s expansive sports streaming future: https://bit.ly/3Cvuiap_______The Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition — everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity — offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/45HIaXH_______Each week, The Current gives you the most critical innovations in advertising that are happening on the open internet — identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing — all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place: https://bit.ly/3SAM0wR Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

February 5, 202511 min

CPG brands use big data to increase brand loyalty ahead of Big Game

We’re days away from the Big Game, and with that, watch parties full of snacks.Grocery prices are going up, as everything from bird flu to bad weather are hiking up prices at the highest pace in more than a year. The cost of groceries increased nearly 2% in December compared to the year before, according to the Labor Department.A way to help stem those costs? Discounts and cash-back offers, which is where a company like Ibotta comes in. Over 50 million people use Ibotta to save money in exchange for their purchase data.For marketers, Ibotta unlocks real-time transaction data to connect measurement and campaign performance. The company’s founder and CEO, Bryan Leach, joins The Current Report to discuss the CPG environment and share how marketers can unlock results with big data ahead of the game._______To read the full stories included in this episode:Food Prices Are Rising Again: https://bit.ly/4hJG2F6Super Bowl LIX spending for the big game: https://bit.ly/40LaLKPRetailers, grocers look to score big on Super Bowl sales: https://bit.ly/42GqoFZ_______The Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition — everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity — offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/45HIaXH_______Each week, The Current gives you the most critical innovations in advertising that are happening on the open internet — identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing — all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place: https://bit.ly/3SAM0wR Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

February 3, 202512 min

Tubi streaming Big Game is full circle moment after infamous ad

Two years after Tubi's ad during football's Big Game stole the attention of millions, the FAST platform is streaming the game itself.It's an incredible turn of events and another landmark moment in the evolution of live sports streaming. Of course, the game will still be broadcast on Fox, but for the first time ever, the Big Game will be shown for free on a FAST platform.Tubi CMO Nicole Parlapiano joins The Current Report to share its strategy for marketing the news._______To read the full stories included in this episode:Tubi Has Some Momentum. The Super Bowl May Give a Big Boost to the Free Service: https://bit.ly/40ThYdkTubi’s Nicole Parlapiano on sustaining growth after virality: https://bit.ly/4aCBBJPSuper Bowl updates—weight loss drugs, potty breaks and cash giveaways: https://bit.ly/40I4zDoSuper Bowl Ads Hit $8 Million; Expect More AI and Fewer Movies: https://bit.ly/42Diddz_______The Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition — everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity — offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/45HIaXH_______Each week, The Current gives you the most critical innovations in advertising that are happening on the open internet — identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing — all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place: https://bit.ly/3SAM0wR Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

January 27, 202512 min

Where TikTok ad spend might go if it gets banned in the U.S.

The TikTok party didn’t stop in the U.S. as President Trump signed an executive order to keep it active for 75 days. With the clock ticking, marketers are strategizing their next move in case the social media platform does go dark.Michelle Castillo joins The Current Report to discuss the entire industry's realization that even if a platform seems to be the holy grail of marketing, it’s not worth putting all your budget and efforts behind one thing._______To read the full stories included in this episode:Will they, won’t they ban TikTok? Advertisers mull alternatives: https://bit.ly/40lPaIUU.S. Ban of TikTok Is Set to Deal a Major Blow to ByteDance, Its Chinese Owner: https://bit.ly/40LT0N1TikTok Ban 2025: https://bit.ly/3CnhYZGNielsen Earns Accreditation for ‘Big Data + Panel’ Ratings Measurement: https://bit.ly/4hrfKat_______ The Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition — everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity — offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/45HIaXH_______Each week, The Current gives you the most critical innovations in advertising that are happening on the open internet — identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing — all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place: https://bit.ly/3SAM0wR Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

January 20, 202520 min

Grading VML's merger a year in with CEO Jon Cook

To read the full stories included in this episode:US Forecast Trends to Watch in 2025: https://bit.ly/4g5zsHAThe Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition — everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity — offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/45HIaXH_______Each week, The Current gives you the most critical innovations in advertising that are happening on the open internet — identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing — all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place: https://bit.ly/3SAM0wR Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

January 13, 202515 min

How Initiative thinks about maximizing brands ad dollars

Still fresh off the news of Omnicom and IPG merging, all the agencies that work within the holding companies are plugging along. IPG’s Initiative is one of those agencies. It counts Amazon, Nike, Unilever and Nintendo among the brands it serves.Initiative U.S. CEO Stacy DeRiso joined The Current Report at CES to talk about retail media networks' emergence at the conference, maximizing clients' dollars and the agency's approach to awareness and performance called fame and flow._______To read the full stories included in this episode:Beyond the gadgets, ad tech and AI are center stage at CES 2025: https://bit.ly/4j6WdxzComcast to launch Universal Ads in bid to win smaller advertisers over from tech: https://bit.ly/3C6CVrBDisney Brings New Biddable Ad Capabilities to Live Sports and Entertainment: https://bit.ly/42bcOKC_______The Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition — everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity — offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/45HIaXH_______Each week, The Current gives you the most critical innovations in advertising that are happening on the open internet — identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing — all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place: https://bit.ly/3SAM0wR Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

January 10, 202516 min

CES 2025: Spotify's Lee Brown on matching media investment to audio's consumption

Ad tech dominated the CES experience again, with ease as a key tenet of conversations across the week.Making the advertising experience easy for brands and agencies is a top priority for Spotify in 2025. The digital audio giant has opened up programmatic capabilities for advertisers of all sizes by testing its own ad exchange.Still, according to WARC, In 2024, audio will account for 24.5% of ad-supported media consumption in the US but just 8.4% of ad spend.Spotify's VP and global head of advertising, Lee Brown, joins The Current Report to break down why that is._______ To read the full stories included in this episode: Beyond the gadgets, ad tech and AI are center stage at CES 2025: https://bit.ly/4j6WdxzThe first TV merger of 2025 could be a sign of things to come: https://bit.ly/3Pyn9sFSpotify launching an ad exchange: https://bit.ly/4fVAEgJAddressing the audio investment gap: https://bit.ly/40DebAR_______ The Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition — everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity — offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/45HIaXH_______ Each week, The Current gives you the most critical innovations in advertising that are happening on the open internet — identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing — all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place: https://bit.ly/3SAM0wR Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

December 23, 202420 min

Streaming, Google and podcasts: Recapping the year in ad tech

It’s the final episode of The Current Report for the year, so we’re recapping the biggest stories and topics of 2024 – from streaming to potential fallout with both of Google’s antitrust cases, the state of news advertising and the landmark year for podcasting.To help us get a handle on this dramatic year in ad tech who better than Lou Paskalis. Lou has decades of experience in the advertising industry as an executive for American Express, Bank of America and the trade body MMA Global._______To read the full stories included in this episode:The power of news advertising: A win-win for marketers and democracy: https://bit.ly/3P9fsZIGroupM 2024 Global End-of-Year Forecast: Open link in new tabhttps://bit.ly/3P5GD7xGlobal ad market to surpass $1 trillion for first time: https://bit.ly/41KeNFpUS streaming revenue to overtake pay TV in 2024: https://bit.ly/3BuexjvWhy experts say this election showed the power of podcasts: https://bit.ly/3P8XeaSRequiem for a friend: https://bit.ly/40fb69XGoogle and the DOJ spar in court on the last day of the ad tech trial: https://bit.ly/3V7KwfW_______The Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition — everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity — offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/45HIaXH_______Each week, The Current gives you the most critical innovations in advertising that are happening on the open internet — identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing — all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place: https://bit.ly/3SAM0wR Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

December 16, 202412 min

The Omnicom IPG merger and agencies in the 21st century

The news of Omnicom and IPG merging lit up the advertising world last week. The holding companies had a combined revenue of more than $25 billion in 2023, and merging could make the new-faced Omnicom the largest holding company in the world.Madison and Wall CEO Brian Wieser joins The Current Report to break down the implications, from the increased scale to how AI plays into the deal._______To read the full stories included in this episode:Omnicom Makes Play to Become Biggest Holdco After Acquiring Interpublic Group For $13.25 Billion: https://bit.ly/3VFbStTHere are the numbers to know in Omnicom’s potential purchase of IPG: https://bit.ly/4g4LB0lWalgreens’ Caroline Liu on how retail data demystifies the customer experience: https://bit.ly/41DTLZn3 trends reshaping retail media in 2024: Search holds its value, while competition heats up: https://bit.ly/3BhMzaB_______The Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition — everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity — offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/45HIaXH_______Each week, The Current gives you the most critical innovations in advertising that are happening on the open internet — identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing — all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place: https://bit.ly/3SAM0wR Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

December 9, 202413 min

Why the Walmart VIZIO deal opens up whole new world of advertising

Walmart finalized its $2.3 billion acquisition of VIZIO. And for for Walmart, this deal is clearly about more than selling TVs.Walmart can match its shopping transaction data with Vizio’s data on who’s watching what to make things like ad targeting much more precise.And that’s a big deal for the retailer, as almost a third of its operating income in the last quarter, about 2 billion dollars, came through advertising. This sets up Walmart’s business of the future.Joel Cox, co-founder and EVP of innovation and strategy at media agency Strategus, breaks down this fusing of retail media and streaming on this week's episode of The Current Report. Cox says this deal is bigger than might initially meet the eye because non-endemic advertisers can connect to Walmart and Vizio's data to leverage their strategies._______To read the full stories included in this episode:Walmart Completes Acquisition of VIZIO: https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2024/12/03/walmart-completes-acquisition-of-vizioProgrammatic ad platform market projected to hit $117bn by 2034: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/programmatic-advertising-platform-market_______The Current Report is our weekly news roundup of what’s happening in the world of digital media. We headline topical stories every edition — everything from connected TV to retail media networks to new initiatives around identity — offering our fresh take on why it's relevant for the marketing community. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/45HIaXH_______Each week, The Current gives you the most critical innovations in advertising that are happening on the open internet — identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing — all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place: https://bit.ly/3SAM0wR Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.