Media Intelligence

Women's Sports Are Booming — But Is Your Brand Keeping Up?

This week on the WPP Media Intelligence Podcast, hosts Kate Scott-Dawkins, Jeff Foster, and Nidhi Shah are joined by special guest Denise Ocasio, Executive Director and Head of Investment at WPP Media, to unpack three of the biggest conversations shaping media and advertising right now.

First, they dive deep into women's sports — still on a record-breaking trajectory despite a quieter 2025 calendar. Denise shares why authentic storytelling, the creator economy, and smarter holistic video strategy are the keys to unlocking this still-undervalued media asset.

Then, as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East ripple through energy markets and newsrooms, the team examines what it means for advertisers — from out-of-home disruption in MENA to cable news preemptions in the US — and how brands navigate uncertainty without pulling back.

Finally, they break down the 2025 Top 50 Global Ad Sellers leaderboard — who climbed, who slipped, and what the rise of commerce media players like Uber, Netflix, and Reliance Industries signals about where the industry is headed.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Intro & episode overview
• 00:41 – Welcome: Denise Ocasio, Head of Investment, WPP Media
• 01:45 – Women's sports viewership trends: 2025 in review
• 03:13 – The power of athlete storytelling (Caitlin Clark effect)
• 04:31 – Brand authenticity in women's sports sponsorship
• 06:11 – Navigating fragmented video: reach vs. engagement
• 07:25 – The creator economy as the "new Hollywood"
• 08:27 – Are athletes exhausted by content creation demands?
• 10:51 – Sports rights fragmentation & the future of leagues
• 12:00 – AI, new platforms, and where sports media is headed
• 15:52 – Geopolitical tensions: economic and advertising impacts
• 17:31 – Energy prices, inflation, and central bank pressures
• 20:06 – MENA advertising: OOH, news demand, and cautious messaging
• 21:37 – US market signals: EVs, gas prices, cable news preemptions
• 24:08 – Versant Q4 earnings: $6.7B revenue, 9% ad decline
• 25:52 – 2025 Top 50 Global Ad Sellers leaderboard breakdown
• 29:05 – New entrants: Uber, Netflix, Reddit, Reliance, Globo
• 30:34 – Who fell: legacy TV broadcasters and newspapers
• 32:36 – Commerce media's growing dominance (9 of top 50)
• 34:10 – International Women's Day: female CEO & board representation
• 35:10 – What the team is watching next week

The ad market is starting to look like a three-body problem: streaming growth, linear decline, and event-driven spikes (sports + politics) — all colliding as deal rumors swirl around Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).

Kate Scott-Dawkins hosts Jeff Foster and Nidhi Shah (WPP Media Business Intelligence) to break down Paramount and WBD earnings: Paramount+ up 17% with 78.9M subs, Pluto TV down 16% on monetization headwinds, and WBD streaming ad revenue up 20% (just over $1B) with 131.6M global streaming subscribers — plus the aftershock of losing NBA rights and the looming NFL renewal.

They also scan Europe’s pressure points (TF1, Atresmedia) as broadcasters raise streaming ad minutes and broaden advertiser access, then look at TelevisaUnivision (U.S. ad softness, tentpole demand, political and World Cup tailwinds).

Finally: Mercado Libre’s +67% ad growth and why shifting tariffs and de minimis rules are complicating 2026 planning.

00:00-Deal rumor backdrop, tariffs uncertainty, what’s on the docket
01:13-Paramount earnings: DTC growth, Pluto monetization slump, ad declines
07:07-Sports and NFL renewal: why local reach still matters
08:06-Warner Bros. Discovery: streaming ads +20%, subs 131.6M, NBA loss fallout
13:08-Europe: Atresmedia & TF1 declines, streaming monetization and ad-load strategy
16:30-TelevisaUnivision: US down, Mexico steadier, political + World Cup tailwinds
19:17-Mercado Libre +67% ads, retail media momentum, tariffs and de minimis “whack-a-mole”
23:37-Next week’s earnings and podcast recommendations

Post-recording update: WBD’s board deemed Paramount Skydance’s sweetened offer “superior” to the $83B Netflix deal; Netflix will not match and has withdrawn.

Advertising Intelligence Framework: https://www.wppmedia.com/thought-leadership/research-business-intelligence/advertising-intelligence-framework-first-edition?utm_source=media_intelligence&utm_medium=podcast

Ad revenue is still holding up in key quarters—even as some US economic signals flash stress and platform reporting gets a bit murkier. Kate Scott-Dawkins joins Jeff Foster and Nidhi Shah to break down fresh earnings signals (Roku, Walmart/eBay, Pinterest, travel platforms, Reddit), then brings in WPP Media search experts Katelyn Taylor and Teddie Cowell for a fast-moving conversation on how “search” is expanding beyond the box into AI discovery, answer engines, and agentic commerce.

Topics include: Roku platform growth and OS advantage, retail media’s continued surge (Walmart’s $6.4B ads and eBay near $2B), AI shopping assistants and order value lift, Pinterest monetization and international user mix, travel advertising divergence (Booking/Expedia vs Tripadvisor) under AI-driven traffic shifts, Reddit’s ad growth and changes to user reporting, why AI search isn’t a zero-sum threat to traditional search, “total search” (paid + organic + social + commerce), EEAT/source-worthiness and third-party signals (PR/UGC/reviews), the human vs machine content tension during the agentic transition, and the five pillars of the Advertising Intelligence Framework (inputs, processing, distribution, monetization, content/media).

00:00 — Opening: ad signals, “search is everywhere,” what it means for advertisers
00:25 — Agenda: earnings highlights + Advertising Intelligence Framework
01:00 — Roku earnings + TV OS advantage
02:39 — Retail media: eBay/Walmart ad growth + AI/agentic commerce
04:29 — Pinterest earnings: growth, user mix, monetization trends
05:39 — Travel platforms: Booking/Expedia vs TripAdvisor; AI’s impact on traffic
07:54 — Reddit earnings + AI citations; debate on logged-in metrics
12:00 — Deep dive: the future of search (paid + organic + new AI entrants)
18:52 — Myths/realities: AI search vs traditional search; Google’s role
20:47 — Becoming “source-worthy”: EEAT, PR/UGC, content for humans vs AI parsing
29:45 — Advertising Intelligence Framework: 5 pillars, companies scored, why it matters
38:49 — Wrap: what they’re watching + outro/contact info

Advertising Intelligence Framework: https://www.wppmedia.com/thought-leadership/research-business-intelligence/advertising-intelligence-framework-first-edition?utm_source=media_intelligence&utm_medium=podcast

The Super Bowl isn’t just football—it’s the biggest advertising marketplace in American TV. Kate Scott-Dawkins (live from Levi’s Stadium) joins Jeff Foster and Nidhi Shah to break down Super Bowl commercials, the cost of Super Bowl ads, and why brands still pay for the last truly mass, shared TV moment.

They also unpack a major earnings week—Amazon, Alphabet (Google/YouTube), Uber, Disney, and Fox—and the theme cutting across everything: AI investment and rising capex, plus what it means for retail media, streaming ads, and sports rights economics.

Topics include: Super Bowl ad “hacks” (prediction markets and skywriting), the “AI Super Bowl” creative playbook, Amazon advertising and Prime Video, Google search growth and retail ad spend, Uber’s $2B ads run-rate and AV data partnerships, Disney’s shifting profit mix, Fox/Tubi growth, and why sports rights keep squeezing margins.

0:00 – Intro: inside Levi’s Stadium vs the “advertising Super Bowl” at home
01:22 – Watching the game + what commercial breaks feel like in-stadium
02:34 – Prediction markets ad ban: Kalshi skywriting and “hacking” the Super Bowl
04:00 – San Francisco OOH: why every billboard says “AI”
04:39 – Super Bowl creative takeaways: Gemini, Alexa, celebrities
05:53 – Halftime show moments and cultural impact
07:05 – Early ratings chatter + why this reach is hard to replicate
08:17 – The reach math: what it would cost to match Super Bowl scale elsewhere
09:23 – Retail/commerce media: Walmart’s milestone and resilient growth
10:31 – Amazon results: ads, Prime Video, and audience scale
11:31 – AI capex surge: 2025 vs 2026 spending acceleration
12:07 – Alphabet/Google: $400B year, search growth, YouTube signals, CapEx jump
16:13 – Uber: $2B ads run-rate, AV strategy, Nvidia partnership, expansion
20:01 – Disney: earnings, streaming economics, and CEO succession signals
25:18 – Fox: sports rights pressure, Tubi growth, and ad category strength
29:44 – Europe: AI adoption in marketing/sales and budget implications
32:25 – Wrap-up + what to watch next (Snap note)

Meta’s ad engine keeps accelerating—even as legal and regulatory pressure builds. Kate Scott-Dawkins is joined by Jeff Foster and Nidhi Shah to break down a packed earnings week and the theme they see everywhere right now: concentration and consolidation—of ad spend, audience attention, and especially AI investment.

They unpack Meta’s surprisingly strong growth and a striking geographic disclosure (why Singapore suddenly shows up as a top billing market), Microsoft’s mixed ad signals across Search and LinkedIn (including rapid growth in paid video ads), and what Comcast/NBCU’s results say about the economics of streaming—where sports can lift subscribers and advertisers, but also widen losses. Plus: what luxury earnings reveal about an uneven recovery (China stabilizing, other markets shifting) and why jewelry looks more resilient than other categories.

We explore:

• Meta earnings: strong growth, the “billing address vs. user geography” disconnect, and why Singapore stood out.
• AI capex arms race: Meta’s major 2026 investment plans vs. Microsoft’s narrative challenge linking AI to ad growth.
• Microsoft ads + LinkedIn: Search/news resilience, marketing solutions, and the surge in paid video ads.
• Comcast/NBCU: mostly flat ad trends, tough comps, and the coming change as Versant assets roll out of reporting.
• Peacock: subscriber lift, NBA-driven advertiser gains, and what bigger sports bets mean for profitability.
• Luxury: uneven normalization, China’s importance, broader growth pockets, and LVMH’s lower ad/promo spend.

Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: Super Bowl, Olympics, and the week’s earnings theme
02:23 – Meta: growth stays strong
03:30 – Meta disclosure: why Singapore appears as a top billing market
06:22 – AI capex: Meta’s 2026 ramp and monetization paths (ads + subs)
07:17 – Market reaction: why Meta and Microsoft were read differently
10:30 – Meta headwinds: lawsuits and platform pressure vs. advertiser momentum
12:08 – Comcast/NBCU: Q4 ads, tough comps, and scale questions
14:01 – Peacock: subs, ad growth, NBA impact, and widening losses
15:58 – Microsoft: Search/news ads, LinkedIn momentum, and video growth
19:20 – Advertiser takeaways: efficiency, AI, and consolidation
21:17 – Luxury: uneven recovery, jewelry strength, and ad spend trends
24:13 – Tech preview: Apple/Samsung notes and what to watch next
26:45 – Closing

Netflix says ads are booming—but are viewers actually watching more? Kate Scott-Dawkins and Jeff Foster dig into Netflix’s latest earnings: ~$3B in projected ad revenue for 2026, 325M paid memberships, and a surprisingly modest lift in hours watched. We unpack what that gap could mean for advertisers, why big IP (including Warner Bros. Discovery/WBD) suddenly looks even more valuable, and where Netflix may go next on content and sports.

Plus: what P&G’s results suggest about a more disciplined year for CPG ad spend, the latest on TikTok’s new U.S. ownership structure (and the still-open questions around the algorithm), and OpenAI/ChatGPT testing ads—with an early focus on transparency and user control.

We explore:
Netflix’s 2026 ad revenue guidance (~$3B) and what it takes to scale a young ad business.
Why 96B hours watched in 2H 2025 only grew ~2%—and the “attention per member” problem.
Content strategy and competition: ~$18B implied 2026 content spend, sports optionality, and the pull of major franchise libraries (WBD).
P&G earnings and why the company isn’t planning a big media ramp—what that signals for CPG budgets in 2026.
TikTok’s U.S. divestment outcome: who owns what, what likely stays the same for advertisers, and how pressure is rising on social platforms globally.
OpenAI begins testing ads: early guardrails, what “AI-native” advertising could look like, and why this launch matters.

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: Netflix, P&G, TikTok U.S. deal, OpenAI ads
00:42 – Netflix: ad revenue forecast to double to ~$3B in 2026
01:51 – Netflix: 325M paid memberships (first update in a year)
02:20 – Engagement: 96B hours watched in 2H 2025 and what it implies
04:29 – Content + sports: 2026 spend plans and rights questions
07:30 – The hardware challenge: Netflix vs OS-controlled platforms
08:38 – P&G: growth, pricing, category performance, and ad spend tone
12:32 – TikTok: new U.S. ownership structure and open algorithm questions
16:12 – Social pressure: under-16 bans, lawsuits, and brand risk
20:29 – OpenAI/ChatGPT: testing ads, transparency, and what’s next
25:27 – Weekend recommendations: AI reads/listens
28:41 – Next week preview: key earnings to watch
29:00 – Closing + contact

Is your next big purchase going to be made by AI? In this “super pod” crossover between WPP Media Intelligence and Madison & Wall, Kate Scott-Dawkins, Brian Wieser, Luke Stillman, Jeff Foster, and Nidhi Shah unpack the week’s biggest shifts in media and marketing.

We explore:

• Google & OpenAI’s new agentic commerce protocols — and what AI shopping means for brands.
• Why US banks grew ad spend 12.5% in 2025 despite economic uncertainty.
• TikTok’s World Cup deal and what it signals for sports media rights.
• The evolving creator economy and where the dollars are really coming from.
• Insights into app advertising & mobile gaming following LiftOff’s IPO filing.

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: AI shopping & what’s ahead in media and marketing
01:20 – Agentic commerce: Google vs OpenAI protocols & retail media impact
08:36 – US economy: Bank earnings and why ad spend is still rising
17:28 – Sports media rights: TikTok’s global World Cup video partner deal
20:40 – Creator economy: Where the money comes from and industry effects
25:53 – App advertising & gaming: LiftOff IPO, AppLovin, mobile ad quality
31:52 – Market outlook: Risks, opportunities, and sector growth potential
32:13 – Next week preview: Key earnings, inflation data, and major events
34:56 – Closing thoughts & outro

WPP Media Global Advertising Forecast, Dec 2025: https://www.wppmedia.com/news/report-this-year-next-year-december-2025

Cross-over episode disclaimer: The views of Madison & Wall do not represent the opinions of WPP or WPP Media

Smart glasses everywhere, robots in your living room, and 73.9% of global ad spend concentrated in just 25 companies.

Kate Scott-Dawkins, Jeff Foster, and Nidhi Shah break down what really matters for advertisers from CES: the explosion of robotics and smart home ecosystems, a wave of smart glasses and next-gen TVs, and what this growing “surface area” for media means for targeting, measurement, and creative. They also unpack WPP Media’s latest Top 25 Global Media Owners update, where those players are now expected to account for 73.9% of total ad industry revenue — and how consolidation, regulation, and AI could reshape that landscape.

We also look ahead to 2026: the impact of a packed sports calendar and US midterm elections on ad pricing and inventory, rising youth-focused social regulation (inspired by Australia and Europe), and new AI-driven business models on both the content and media owner side.

Listen for:

• What CES 2026’s robots, smart homes, and smart glasses really signal for brands
• How the Top 25 media owners reaching 73.9% share changes planning and partnership strategy
• Where new ad opportunities may emerge in ecosystems like autos, connected homes, and creator platforms
• Key risks and catalysts for 2026: regulation, labor negotiations, mega-deals, and sports/election cycles

00:00-CES recap: robots, smart homes and health tech
03:29-Macro backdrop: jobs, inflation and retail context
05:39-Next-gen TVs and hardware ecosystems
09:23-Autos, energy tech and AI infrastructure
13:10-Creators, fandom and sports at CES
14:50-Top 25 global media owners and consolidation
18:22-Smart glasses boom and new ad surfaces
20:49-2026 outlook: deals, sports, elections and AI
26:16-Advertising Intelligence framework and earnings preview

Host Kate Scott-Dawkins is joined by Jeff Foster and Nidhi Shah to break down WPP’s newly released global advertising forecast across 60+ markets and every major media channel.

Discover why 2025 global ad revenue is now projected to grow 8.8% to $1.14 trillion, how AI is driving a shift toward “intelligence” advertising, and what the milestone of commerce surpassing TV ad spend means for brands worldwide.

We explore:

• The rise of proactive, AI-powered advertising and the $400B expanded search opportunity by 2026.
• Category shifts, including retail media’s slowing growth amid consolidation, and the emergence of financial services, travel, and gaming networks.
• Regional trends in North America, LATAM, EMEA, China, and India.
• Sector-specific insights for automotive, technology, and media entertainment.
• Key challenges — from concentrated consumer spending, to diminishing retail media returns, to the threat of “agentic shopping.”

Whether you’re a marketer, media buyer, or brand strategist, this episode delivers actionable intelligence to prepare for the evolving advertising landscape in 2025 and beyond.

See the forecast here: https://www.wppmedia.com/news/report-this-year-next-year-december-2025

Earnings season meets forecast crunch time | Kate Scott‑Dawkins, Jeff Foster, and Nidhi Shah break down the latest media and marketing shifts: European broadcasters in decline, OOH gains from travel rebound, Amazon’s surge in cloud and streaming ads, Tubi’s early AVOD profitability, and the mixed fortunes at Peacock, Paramount+, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Disney. From sports rights battles to identity‑based targeting and looming M&A moves, the team unpacks what’s driving TV and streaming ad revenues — and what brands and advertisers need to know now.

Listen for:
• Trends in linear TV vs. streaming ad revenue growth
• Why sports rights remain top-tier ad inventory
• AVOD’s profitability milestone and what’s next
• How consolidation could reshape the media buying landscape

00:00 – Introduction and forecast season overlaps
02:27 – European broadcaster earnings, consolidation moves, and OOH trends
09:35 – Amazon earnings: Cloud, advertising, Prime Video reach, and sports rights
15:03 – Fox earnings: Tubi’s growth, early profitability, and login strategy
18:52 – Comcast: Peacock’s subscriber trends, ad revenue, and M&A speculation
21:11 – Paramount/Skydance: Ad revenue decline, price hikes, and theatrical expansion
24:32 – Warner Bros. Discovery: Revenue and ad declines, streaming subs, strategic options
26:07 – Disney highlights and advertiser implications
27:30 – Forecast wrap‑up and upcoming focus areas