Next in Media

Next in Media spoke with Ronan Shields, who covers ad tech for Digiday, about how the DOJ's case against Google is going in the ongoing ad tech trial, and whether he thinks this case will really reshape the digital ad market anytime soon. 

Ronan also discussed why some publishers are worried about a potential Google loss, and what Meta and Amazon might be thinking.

Sponsored By Moloco

Takeaways:

• Google's Antitrust Case: The current trial is focused on Google's ad tech business, specifically regarding accusations of monopolistic practices. 

• DOJ's Strong Case: The Department of Justice (DOJ) seems to be in a favorable position due to damaging internal communications from Google executives. 

• Damning Evidence: Internal Google emails suggest the company used its dominant position to force publishers into using its ad tech stack, thus limiting competition and harming alternatives in the market.

• Impact on Publishers: Many publishers are rooting for Google's loss, but some are concerned about the immediate impact on their monetization strategies if Google is forced to divest its ad tech stack.

• Google’s Defense: Google argues that competition exists from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and others. Their defense suggests they are simply better at what they do, not monopolistic.

• Future Ramifications for Other Tech Giants: If Google loses, it could set a precedent for future antitrust actions against other big tech players like Meta (Facebook) and Amazon, who are also in the crosshairs of regulators.

Guest: Ronan Shields

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsor: Moloco

Producer: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke to Karen Benson, EVP of integrated media at Deutsch New York about why she's worried that some brands have gone overboard on spending with ROI-friendly vehicles like social platforms and retail media.  Benson also discussed the realities of AI in the agency world, and why it's not so easy to figure out how to fund creator programs.

Takeaways:

• Fragmentation of Media Choices: The biggest change in media has been the fragmentation of options. This shift impacts both media planning and creative development, making media and creative teams more intertwined in their efforts.

• Over-Rotation to Performance Marketing: Benson discusses how there’s been an over-focus on performance marketing, which can limit a brand’s ability to grow long-term. 

• Challenges with Over-Reliance on Platforms like Amazon and Meta: Many businesses rely heavily on platforms like Amazon and Meta for the bulk of their sales, leading to difficulties in scaling or diversifying their business if they don’t invest in brand building.

• TV's Role in the Media Mix: While some claim that TV is dead, Benson highlights that TV still has a role in mass marketing, though targeted digital media like YouTube or CTV is more effective for specific audience segments.

• Navigating TV Currency and Metrics Changes: The TV industry is changing in terms of accountability and metrics, but these transitions are happening more slowly than anticipated. 

• Importance of Creator and Influencer Marketing: Deutsch New York’s Sochi Studio specializes in social media, with a focus on creators and influencers. 

• Artificial Intelligence in Media: AI is making significant impacts in media planning, particularly in optimizing campaigns for meaningful metrics like brand awareness, rather than just clicks or views. 

• Balance Between Brand and Performance: One of the ongoing challenges is finding a balance between performance and brand marketing. 

Guest: Karen Benson

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsored by: Precise TV

Produced by: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke with Rob Sands, Crunchyroll’s Senior Vice President of Business Development, about how the anime-centric media company became an under the radar juggernaut in streaming, gaming and events. Sands talked about why anime has had such a massive breakout in the US, and what brands need to know about this growing audience.

Takeaways:

• Crunchyroll's Growth and Business Model: Crunchyroll has evolved from a user-generated video site to a global anime streaming platform with over 15 million paying subscribers.

• Sony Ownership and Strategic Fit: Crunchyroll is owned by Sony, which aligns well with its Japanese background and expertise in storytelling, innovation, and technology.  

• Anime's Global Popularity: Anime is not a niche genre but a storytelling medium that transcends genres. Its global influence is seen across industries like sports, music, and fashion.

• Audience Demographics: Crunchyroll's audience is diverse, with 42% of Gen Z watching anime weekly.  

• Diverse Content Offerings: Crunchyroll offers a wide range of content, from action and drama to comedy and female-driven stories.  

• Business Development and Partnerships: Rob Sands leads global business development, focusing on areas like streaming services, theatrical releases, gaming, e-commerce, and live events.  

• Live Events and Brand Collaborations: Crunchyroll hosts over 200 live events annually, including major conventions like New York Comic Con.  

• Gaming Synergies: Anime and gaming have a strong affinity, with Crunchyroll offering free-to-play mobile games for subscribers. 

Guest: Rob Sands

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsored by: Precise TV

Produced by: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke with former Google executive Denis Crushell, CCO of Precise.TV, about the early days of YouTube's ads and programming strategy, and how the company is doing surging into TV while fighting off TikTok.

Takeaways:

• YouTube's Growth and Evolution: Denis discussed YouTube's transformation from a platform for user-generated content to becoming a major player in TV watch time.

• YouTube's Strategy for Ads and Monetization: In the early days, YouTube was cautious about ads, but over time, ads became integral. Skippable ads helped balance the experience for viewers, creators, and advertisers.

• Safety and Contextual Advertising: Denis emphasized the importance of brand safety and contextual advertising, stating that Precise TV focuses on ensuring ads are placed in suitable environments, helping brands gain better results and avoid inappropriate content.

• Competing with TikTok: YouTube’s introduction of Shorts was a response to TikTok’s success. Denis believes YouTube has done well in competing, especially by leveraging its existing user base and search data, offering a broader reach.

• Challenges with Premium Content: There is still skepticism about YouTube’s premium content when compared to traditional TV. Competitors like Netflix, Disney, and Amazon are considered stronger in offering premium content, but YouTube’s vast addressable ad inventory is unmatched.

• The Creator Economy: YouTube has focused more on supporting creators, providing them with tools to monetize effectively, unlike earlier when it sought to attract celebrities and traditional media figures.

• Contextual Relevance on Platforms: Precise TV is working with advertisers to create contextually relevant personas and target audiences more precisely on platforms like YouTube.

• Challenges with In-App and CTV Advertising: Denis highlighted how in-app advertising and CTV platforms like Roku, Samsung, and LG are growing but still face issues related to measurement and targeting that need improvement.

Guest: Denis Crushell

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsored by: Precise TV

Produced by: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke with Sean Cunningham, president and CEO of the Video Advertising Bureau, on the industries debate over what constitutes premium content, and why in his view brands should demand far more control and transparency for their campaigns on social platforms.

Takeaways:

• State of the TV Ad Market: The TV ad market is in flux, influenced by shifts to streaming, social video, and significant changes in major players and distribution formats.

• Importance of Premium Content: Premium video content is defined by being professionally produced, long-form, significantly engaging, and brand-safe, which distinguishes it from user-generated content and social videos.

• Brand Safety Concerns: There is a growing emphasis on brand safety, with many advertisers becoming increasingly cautious about where their ads are placed, particularly on platforms that lack transparency.

• Role of AI in Media Buying: AI and automation are becoming more integrated into media buying and planning, raising concerns about transparency and the potential for decreased brand safety.

• Granularity in Ad Placement: Advertisers are demanding greater granularity and transparency in ad placement, including details about platform type, device, content length, and the nature of the content.

• Trust and Partnership: The trust between marketers and media partners is crucial, particularly in ensuring that investments lead to effective advertising and that there is a clear path to remedy any issues that arise.

• Evolving Role of Media Agencies: Media agencies must continue to evolve, offering sophisticated tools and strategies that go beyond traditional media buying to thrive in the changing landscape.

• Dual Focus on Brand and Performance: Successful marketing strategies should balance long-term brand-building efforts with short-term performance goals.

• Future of Premium Advertising: The industry needs to clearly define what constitutes a premium advertising experience to avoid commoditization and ensure continued investment in high-quality content.

Guest: Sean Cunningham

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsored by: Acast & Precise TV

Produced by: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke with Daniel Folkman, Gopuff's SVP of business, about the company's growing footprint in the ad business despite the fact that he thinks there are way too many retail media networks.

Takeaways:

• Business Overview and Evolution: Gopuff started over 10 years ago, focusing on delivering convenience products like snacks and drinks. It has since evolved to carry over 5,000 SKUs, including groceries, home essentials, and alcohol.  

• Target Customer Demographics: Gopuff’s primary demographic is 18-35 year olds, with a strong focus on young parents.  

• Sustainable Business Model: The company uses its funds to build infrastructure, technology, and fulfillment centers, focusing on long-term sustainability rather than short-term customer acquisition​.

• Retail Media and Advertising: Gopuff entered the retail media space with its own advertising platform, which leverages the company’s unique selling points: instant delivery, a young and targeted demographic, and specialized consumer data.  

• In-house Ad Platform: Gopuff decided to build its ad platform internally to maintain control over its unique consumer data and optimize targeting.  

• Future of Retail Media: The company sees consolidation challenges in the retail media space, arguing that many current retail media networks are not sustainable long-term.  

• Customer-Centric Advertising: Gopuff focuses on delivering ads that feel like relevant content rather than spam. This strategy aims to enhance user experience while also improving ad performance and profitability​.

Guest: Daniel Folkman

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsored by: Acast & Precise TV

Produced by: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke to Jason Kint, CEO of the publisher-focused trade group Digital Content Next, about the potential impact of Google's recent anti trust ruling, and what to expect next month when a more advertising-focused decision regarding Google comes to a head.

Takeaways

• Google's Monopoly and Antitrust Cases: Google has been found to be a monopoly in both the App Store and search markets. 

• Impact on Media and Advertising: These antitrust cases are seen as unlocking competition, which is beneficial for media companies and small businesses. 

• Importance of Data Scale: Google's dominance in search, with 98% of unique queries, provides it an unparalleled data scale. 

• Microsoft's Struggles: Despite being a tech giant, Microsoft struggles to compete with Google in the search market due to the latter's vast data advantage.

• Potential Breakup of Google: There is speculation that the ad tech trial could lead to Google being forced to divest parts of its business, possibly Chrome and Android, due to their critical roles in data collection.

• Google's Internal Practices: The trial revealed nefarious internal practices, such as coordination between different Google departments to meet quarterly targets, despite public claims of separation.

• Google's Defense and Market Impact: Google argues that its dominance in search is pro-competitive and beneficial for consumers due to its superior search experience. 

• Implications for Publishers: The outcome of these cases could validate the concerns of publishers who have long complained about Google's market power. 

• Future of Competition: Kint emphasizes that real change will come when there is actual competition in the market, with revenue directed towards where consumers want it.

Guest: Jason Kint

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsored by: Acast

Produced by: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke with Michael Scott, VP, Head of Sales & Operations, Samsung Ads, about where the South Korean TV manufacturer fits in the TV ad ecosystem.

Scott also talked about why Samsung is pushing into gaming, whether it wants to compete in measurement, and if he is a believer in CTV commerce.

Takeaways

 • How Samsung uses this data to power content recommendations and precision targeting for advertisers.

 • Navigating the evolving TV advertising landscape and currency discussions.

 • Samsung's gaming initiatives and reaching the gaming audience.

 • Samsung's fast-growing CTV platform and content partnerships.

 • Emerging opportunities around shoppable TV and innovative ad formats.

Guest: Michael Scott

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsored by: Acast

Next in Media spoke with IAB Tech Lab CEO Anthony Katsur about the organization's infamous report on Google's Privacy Sandbox -and where the industry goes from here now that cookies may never go away. Katsur also talked about the state of industry regulation, and whether Trump or Harris would ever push for a national privacy law.

Takeaways

• The IAB Tech Lab has been monitoring Google's Privacy Sandbox and raising concerns about its functionality and impact on the advertising ecosystem.

• Data minimization is an important concept in privacy regulation, emphasizing the need to only collect and retain necessary data for a limited period of time.

• The industry is facing challenges such as signal loss, privacy compliance, and competition from social media and AI platforms.

• The outcome of the US election may have an impact on privacy regulation, but state laws and global privacy frameworks will continue to shape the industry.

• Google remains committed to innovating on the Privacy Sandbox and working with regulators and the industry to address privacy concerns.

Guest: Anthony Katsur

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsored by: Acast

Produced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media talked to Sportico sports media reporter Anthony Crupi about why on demand streaming on Peacock plus old fashioned prime time might work for the Paris Games. Plus his thoughts on NBA rights, the rise of women's sports, and MLB marketing stumbles.

Takeaways

• The Olympics may not achieve the same live audience numbers as in the past, but NBC could still generate decent ratings by combining live coverage with prime time programming.

• Younger generations consume media in shorter, fragmented formats, which may impact their interest in watching live sports events in their entirety.

• The lack of a 'big bad' or a unifying narrative in the Olympics, along with societal and political divisions, may affect viewership.

• Co-viewing with family members remains a strong factor in sports viewership, but the trend of individualized screen consumption is prevalent among younger audiences.

• Traditional media companies are facing challenges in competing for media rights, especially with the rise of streaming platforms and non-traditional advertisers.

• The NBA's decision to divide its media rights among multiple players reflects the changing landscape of media consumption and the value of broadcast reach. Networks face obstacles in terms of legal limitations and financial sustainability.

• There is a demand for women's sports, but the limited inventory poses a challenge.

• Broadcast television is declining, and younger generations have different viewing preferences.

• Baseball struggles with marketing and attracting younger audiences.

• The media industry is constantly evolving, and there are challenges in balancing content and revenue.

Guest: Anthony Crupi

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsored by: Acast

Produced by: Fresh Take