In this week’s Week in Review: BuzzFeed fights SNARF, AppLovin’s share price skyrockets, and M6 sees streaming growth but ad revenue decline.
Top Stories
BuzzFeed Plans to Launch its Own Social Media Platform
Digital media business BuzzFeed this week announced plans to launch its own social media platform, which the company says will have “a commitment to human creativity and a reinvention of how content is created and shared”.
BuzzFeed’s CEO Jonah Peretti explained the move in a lengthy manifesto, in which he outlined the company’s “war on SNARF”, which stands for stakes, novelty, anger, retention, and fear. Peretti said that content which fits these five categories has come to dominate the internet, thanks in part to how social platforms have tended to promote it. He mentioned BuzzFeed’s own experience distributing content on platforms like Facebook, where it found it was often punished for producing meaningful content.
The planned new social platform is pitched as an alternative, which Peretti said will be “built specifically to spread joy and enable playful creative expression”, and will “use AI to give users agency instead of stealing their agency”. He added that BuzzFeed will also push back against SNARF on its existing media platforms, for example by investing in more long-form video and premium content.
AppLovin’s Market Cap Towers Over The Trade Desk’s Amid Contrasting Q4 Fortunes
Just three months ago, mobile ad tech business AppLovin’s market cap surpassed The Trade Desk’s for the first time, making it the largest publicly traded ad tech business in the world. Following the two company’s Q4 earning releases this week, AppLovin’s valuation is now four times the size of The Trade Desk’s, as their contrasting fortunes at the end of the year send their share prices in opposite directions.
The Trade Desk’s share price fell by almost a third this week. It still saw significant growth, with revenues up 22 percent year-on-year, but demand-side platform’s revenues fell short of its target for the first time in 33 quarters. CEO Jeff Green put the earnings miss down to “a series of small execution missteps”, which were made as the company reorganised some internal structures and processes to be better positioned for future growth. He emphasised that the company’s long term outlook hasn’t changed, and that the company isn’t reevaluating the growth it expects to see in the coming years. He did allude to some interesting strategy changes though, including more focus on direct relationships with brands. Green said that the DSP has agreed joint business plans with “over 100 of the world’s biggest brands”, and that many of these were agreed in the second half of last year.
For AppLovin meanwhile, it was another strong quarter. Revenues rose 44 percent year-on-year, and there were some positive signs for the future. A highlight picked out by CEO Adam Foroughi was that for the first time, AppLovin captured “meaningful” holiday shopping spend. As a mobile ad tech business, a lot of AppLovin’s revenue has typically been concentrated within the mobile gaming sector. Foroughi said the company is now positioning itself to serve “the entire global advertising economy”.
M6+ Drives Revenues in Flat Year for Advertising
M6 Group, the RTL-owned French broadcaster, saw its streaming revenues rise 36 percent YoY in 2024, signalling a strong start for its new streaming service, M6+. However, total ad revenues were down by 0.5 percent, citing a weak TV ad market in the second half of the year.
“This reflected contrasting seasonality for video advertising, with a 7.2 percent increase in H1 and a 4.9 percent contraction in H2 due to a sharp year-end decline in the video advertising market as a result of economic and political uncertainty,” said the commercial broadcaster.
But the launch of M6+ in May is helping accelerate the broadcaster’s digital transformation, according to M6, with streaming revenues now accounting for 9.6 percent of total video revenues, up from 7.1 percent in 2023. Streaming revenues totalled €99.5 million in 2024, putting the company on the path to reach its aim of €200 million in streaming revenue in 2028.
The Week in Tech
Barb Announces New Cloud-Based Data Hub with MediaSense and Snowflake
Barb, the UK’s joint industry currency for the TV business, this week announced the planned launch of Barb Data Hub, a new cloud-based system for storing, processing, and distributing Barb’s viewing data with the wider industry. Barb says the new tool will give its clients better ease of access to its data, as well as more flexibility, and will also have sustainability benefits. Barb Data Hub is due to release in the second half of this year. The measurement company says it has already built a prototype in-house. For the full product, it has picked media advisory MediaSense to set up, develop, and maintain the new data warehouse, which will be built on Snowflake’s cloud data platform. Read more on VideoWeek.
Free Ad-Funded Cloud Gaming Platform Phynd Launches with $10 Million Funding Round
Phynd (pronounced “find“), a new cloud gaming platform which is monetised by ads rather than a paid subscription, has formally launched, announcing it has raised $10 million in a seed round led by Wellington Management. The raise will fuel the continued development of Phynd’s platform, which will release in beta later this year. The company was co-founded by André Swanston, previously CEO of CTV data company Tru Optik, who says the trajectory followed by TV streaming services could be a blueprint for cloud gaming. “A decade ago, many experts claimed subscription streaming services would be the end of TV advertising,” said Swanston. “Today, advertising is set to become the largest revenue source for streaming TV. Consumers love free content, and an advertising-sponsored gaming platform done right is a win for everyone.” Read more on VideoWeek.
Germany’s Competition Watchdog says Apple’s ATT May Breach Competition Law
The Bundeskartellamt, Germany’s antitrust authority, has today warned Apple that its App Tracking Transparency framework, which requires app owners to ask for explicit permission to use Apple’s Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), may fall foul of competition law. The main concerns — which have also been touted by mobile app owners and ad tech companies alike — are that Apple doesn’t appear to apply the same restrictions to its own use of data, and that ATT benefits Apple’s own App Store and advertising revenues. Read more on VideoWeek.
TV Overtakes Mobile for YouTube Viewing
Google revealed on Tuesday that TV has now surpassed mobile to become the primary device for YouTube viewing in the US, in terms of watch time. The company also announced new interactive features for YouTube on TV, including a “second screen” experience that lets viewers use their phone to make comments or purchases. YouTube is also developing ad formats that “work particularly well on the big screen”, such as QR codes and pause ads.
Mediaocean Completes Innovid Acquisition
Mediaocean has completed its acquisition of converged TV advertising business Innovid, the ad tech firm announced on Thursday, officially merging Innovid with its ad server Flashtalking. The $500 million deal was agreed in November, with the aim of combining the companies’ capabilities across CTV, digital, social and linear channels. “Advertisers and publishers have long needed an independent alternative to walled-garden ad tech, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering,” said Bill Wise, Co-Founder and CEO of Mediaocean. “With Innovid and Flashtalking, we are bringing together the best in ad serving, personalisation, and measurement to create a first-of-its-kind independent, omnichannel solution at scale. This is a defining moment for our industry, where advertisers finally have a clear choice for the control they deserve over their media investments.”
Google Campaign Manager 360 Integrates Netflix, Adobe and The Trade Desk
Google has announced updates to Campaign Manager 360, its ad management system,
including a partnership with Netflix, allowing advertisers to serve video creatives on the streaming service’s ad-supported inventory, while tracking impression delivery directly within Campaign Manager 360. “This means you can now activate and measure Netflix inventory alongside your other video campaigns, all within a single platform,” said Google. The tech giant also announced integrations with The Trade Desk and Adobe, enabling advertisers to manage campaigns and assets within Campaign Manager 360.
UIM Combines ID Solutions for Open Web Targeting
United Internet Media (UIM), a German digital marketing business, announced the combination of two identity solutions: The Trade Desk’s European Unified ID (EUID) and the European netID Foundation’s netID. The move enables advertisers to activate their first-party data via the EUID in programmatic environments, using UIM and other netID partners. “By combining the identifiers, we are improving the addressability of advertisers’ first-party data,” said UIM CEO Rasmus Giese. “This means that personalised campaigns based on the EUID can be booked with greater reach in the netID target groups. Both advertisers and netID partners and users benefit from the tailored content.”
Channel Factory to Sell Google TV’s Masthead Ads
Channel Factory, a brand suitability and contextual advertising firm, has partnered with Google TV to sell the CTV platform’s Masthead ad units. Google TV is built into select smart TVs and streaming devices, and displays the Masthead ad at the top of the app’s homescreen and “For You” tab. “By partnering with Google TV, we’re allowing our advertising partners to own the first impression on Google TV users,” said Jenny Chau, Chief Solutions Officer at Channel Factory.
Utiq Brings Cookieless Identifier to Onetag’s Curation Platform
Utiq, the identity solution created by Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Orange and Telefónica, has partnered with Onetag, an ad exchange specialising in buy-side curation. The collaboration allows Onetag customers in key European markets to activate Utiq’s Authentic Audiences, according to the partners, enabling them to address consented consumers without the need for third-party cookies. “Our partnership with Utiq shows Onetag’s clear commitment to improving privacy-first advertising,” said Onetag Co-CEO Filippo Gramigna. “By integrating Utiq’s innovative first-party identifier and Authentic Audiences solution within our Smart Curation platform, we enable advertisers to achieve scalable, deterministic cookieless targeting, without compromising user privacy.”
Snap Plans Junk Bond Sale
Snap is offering $700 million of junk bonds (high-risk debt securities rated poorly by credit agencies) to repurchase convertible debt, the social media firm said on Monday. Proceeds from the sales will be used to repurchase convertible notes which are due between 2025 and 2028, with remaining funds going towards general corporate purposes or repurchases of other securities. Bloomberg observed that Snap’s stock is currently trading at around half the conversion price for existing notes that are soon to be due.
Equativ Announces Japanese Expansion
Equativ has expanded its global operations into Japan, the French ad tech firm announced on Monday. The company said Japan is the world’s fourth-largest market in terms of digital ad spend, and the expansion brings Equativ’s global presence to 19 countries. “Japan is a significant player in the APAC/MENA region, which already includes our operations in Dubai, India, and Singapore,” said Equativ CEO Arnaud Créput. “This new office is part of our broader global expansion plan, investing in high-potential markets to drive growth and innovation for our clients.”
The Week in TV
TF1 Sets Global Ambitions as Streaming and Studios Drive Growth
One year since launching its new streaming service TF1+, the French broadcaster’s efforts appear to be paying off, posting a solid first year’s results for the AVOD service. TF1+ launched in January 2024 to replace MYTF1, the commercial broadcaster’s catch-up service, with a more competitive streaming offering. The new platform had 15,000 hours of content at launch, and the volume doubled to 30,000 hours over the course of the year, according to TF1’s full-year earnings.
Total ad revenues were up 2 percent on the previous year, though they remained below 2021 and 2022 levels owing to ongoing struggles for linear TV advertising. The broadcaster cited “unprecedented competition during the summer and less favourable market conditions at the end of the year”, referring to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games being shown on rival broadcaster France Télévisions, and a slowdown in linear sales during the fourth quarter. Read more on VideoWeek.
German Consumer Body Sues DAZN Over “Illegal” Price Hikes
The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (VZBV), an umbrella group representing 16 consumer associations, has filed a class action against DAZN, accusing the sports streaming service of illegally raising prices. DAZN, which broadcasts Bundesliga and Champions League fixtures in Germany, increased its monthly fee from €11.99 to €14.99 per month in 2021, then to €29.99 per month in 2022, while the annual plan became €274.99 per year. “The streaming provider DAZN increased its prices in 2021 and 2022 in ongoing contracts without the consent of customers,” said VZBV. “The Federal Association of Consumer Organisations considers the underlying general terms and conditions clauses to be unreasonably disadvantageous and the price increases for existing customers at the time to be illegal.”
ITV Shareholders Back Potential Studios Merger
Major shareholders in ITV have backed a potential merger or sale of its production arm ITV Studios, according to the FT, as various studios and private equity investors circle the business. ITV has reportedly held early talks with RedBird IMI to merge ITV Studios with All3Media, a London-based production and distribution company. Other potential suitors include European production stable Banijay, and private equity groups CVC and Blackstone.
Class Action Against Ads on Amazon Prime Video Dismissed
A US judge has dismissed a class action lawsuit against Amazon, which accused the ecommerce giant of misleading Prime Video subscribers, by charging them an additional fee to remove ads. District Judge Barbara Rothstein ruled that Amazon previously disclosed that the Prime bundle is subject to change, and “never promised subscribers” that its service would remain ad-free. The streaming service introduced ads last year, with the option to pay an additional $2.99 per month to remove ads. The move sparked legal action from users who claimed the firm had executed a “bait and switch”, but Amazon’s terms state that the company “may choose in its sole discretion to add or remove Prime membership benefits”, prompting the lawsuit to be dismissed.
Super Bowl Reaches Largest TV Audience in its History Says Nielsen
Sunday’s Super Bowl was seen by 127.7 million US viewers, according to Nielsen, making it the “largest audience for a Super Bowl and for a single-network telecast in TV history.” The game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs reached an average 41.7 percent of US households, according to the figures. Total viewership was up 3.2 percent on the 2024 Super Bowl TV audience.
Disney Joins Tech Companies in DEI Reversals
Disney is changing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies to focus more closely on business outcomes, Axios reported on Tuesday. According to a note sent to employees, Disney will replace the “Diversity & Inclusion” performance factor used to evaluate executive compensation with a new “Talent Strategy”, and will also scrap its “Reimagine Tomorrow” initiative designed to highlight stories and talent from underrepresented communities. The move follows similar DEI rollbacks by Meta, Google and Amazon.
MFE to Pull Out of TVN Auction
MFE, the European media group controlled by Italy’s Berlusconi family, is expected to drop out of the race for Polish broadcaster TVN, Reuters reported on Tuesday. The company made the bid to acquire TVN from Warner Bros. Discovery in January, but sources said a Polish acquirer has become more likely. They added that MFE will focus on other potential M&A targets.
ARD and ZDF Sue ProSieben Over Content on Joyn
ARD and ZDF, two German public service broadcasters (PSB), have taken legal action against commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1, in a dispute over their content libraries being embedded in ProSieben’s Joyn streaming service. The PSBs’ commercial subsidiaries recently signed content agreements with ProSieben, but the deals made no mention of their media libraries, which they say have been embedded in Joyn without their approval. “There were talks about a collaboration around the ARD media library in which we explicitly excluded the model now implemented by Joyn,” an ARD spokesperson told German trade publication DWDL. “In our view, the form of integration (embedding) implemented by Joyn is legally inadmissible and not in line with the public service mandate. We have taken legal action.”
The Week for Publishers
Major Publishers File Copyright and Trademark Lawsuit Against Cohere
A number of major publishers including Condé Nast, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Forbes Media, and Vox Media are filing a copyright and trademark infringement lawsuit against Cohere, an AI business valued at over $5 billion. The suit alleges that Cohere engaged in “widespread unauthorised use of publisher content in developing and running its generative AI systems”, which the publishers say amounts to “massive, systematic copyright infringement, as well as trademark infringement”. The complainants say they’ve seen evidence that Cohere has copied their content without permission even when it’s been placed behind a paywall, and when publishers have explicitly tried to block Cohere’s bot from scraping their websites.
Dotdash Meredith Makes its Contextual Tools Available on the Open Web
US publishing group Dotdash Meredith, which owns brands including People, Better Home & Garden, and Investopedia, is making its contextual targeting solution D/Cipher available on third-part inventory, AdExchanger reported this week. Dotdash Meredith says D/Cipher uses contextual data to help advertisers target “key moments of intent”, and executives have credited the tool with helping return the media business to ad revenue growth. A new version of the tool, D/Cipher+, will include content from third-party sites which cover Dotdash’s core verticals, helping expand its reach.
Axel Springer Becomes Sole Owner of Morning Brew
European publishing group Axel Springer this week announced it has become the sole owner of Morning Brew, a newsletter-focussed media business of which Axel Springer was already the majority shareholder. As part of the transition, Morning Brew’s co-founder and CEO Austin Rief has stepped down as CEO, becoming executive chairman, while previous CRO/COO Robert Dippell has become the new CEO. Axel Springer says the move strengthens its “strategic expansion into the American news business and investment in pioneering digital media companies”.
LVMH-Owned Newspaper Drops Out of X Lawsuit
Les Echos-Le Parisien, a French newspaper owned by luxury brand conglomerate LVMH, has dropped out of a lawsuit filed against X by a number of French publishers, according to a report from Reuters this week. The suit, filed last year, claims that X has not properly compensated publishers for the appearance of their content on its platform, as X is required to do under EU law. Reuters notes that the lawsuit would have pitted LVMH’s billionaire CEO, founder and chairman Bernard Arnault against Elon Musk, a close ally of new US president Donald Trump.
Social Video Publisher NowThis Doubles Revenues and Reaches Profitability
Social-focused media business NowThis doubled its revenues year-on-year and reached profitability in a strong 2024, according to a report from Adweek this week. NowThis was previously owned by digital media group Group Nine, but was sold off in 2023. The company posted a loss in 2023, but was “very much in the black” last year, according to chief executive Sharon Mussali. Mussali said the election year provided a boost for the company, and that it has also benefited from leaning more into short-form video, and working to appeal more to younger audiences.
Hearst UK Partners with Content Marketing Specialist tpf
Hearst UK this week announced a new strategic partnership with content marketing specialist tbf, which will see the latter sell opportunities across Hearst UK’s entertainment brands including best, Digital Spy, and Inside Soap. “Innovation is in our DNA at Hearst UK and in tpf we have found a best in class partner to create a new model to unlock editorial content across our Entertainment Portfolio which better connects with our audiences and clients way beyond advertising,” said Katie Vanneck-Smith, CEO of Hearst UK.
One Third of Observer Staff Choose Redundancy Amid Tortoise Takeover
Around one third of staff at The Guardian’s sister newspaper The Observer have chosen to take redundancy, which was offered to all staff as fellow news business Tortoise Media agreed a deal to buy The Observer, according to Press Gazette. According to Press Gazette’s sources, around 70 staff were due to be impacted by the takeover, and over 20 appear to have chosen to take redundancy.
The Week for Brands & Agencies
IPG Posts 1.8 Percent Organic Net Revenue Fall in Q4
US agency group Interpublic Group posted its Q4 financial results this week, reporting that organic net revenues fell by 1.8 percent year-on-year in the final quarter of 2024. Across the year as a whole, organic net revenues were up by 0.2 percent. CEO Philippe Krakowsky mentioned a number of client losses as having an impact, and this will carry through to next year, as IPG is forecasting an organic decrease of between 1-2 percent in 2025. The agency also announced a new business transformation initiative which it hopes will save $250 million next year, ahead of its merger with Omnicom.
Publicis Launches New Initiative to Funnel Ad Investment into Women’s Sports
Publicis Media’s sports-dedicated practice Publicis Sports this week announced the launch of ‘Women’s Sports Connect’, a new solution which the agency says will help advertisers and sponsors invest in women’s sports at scale. The offering will cover media, content, sponsorships, talent collaborations, and events, with the agency also providing strategy, consulting, and measurement. Publicis Sports says that as part of the initiative, it is funding original content which celebrates and uplifts female athletes.
Omnicom Cut 3,000 Jobs in Run Up to Merger
Agency holdco Omnicom cut 3,000 job roles across 2024, in the run up to its merger announcement with Interpublic Group, according to a report from Campaign this week, while total headcount fell by around 1,000 over the course of the year. As Omnicom begins merging with Interpublic Group later this year, assuming it gets regulatory approval, it is likely there will be further cuts across the two groups.
Unilever Increased Marketing Investment by €0.9 Billion Last Year
CPG conglomerate Unilever released its full year financial results for 2024 this week, revealing that the company increased marketing investment by €0.9 billion compared with 2023. Across 2024, total marketing investment was equal to 15.5 percent of total turnover. Unilever has been rethinking its marketing strategy over the past year, putting more focus on its major ‘power brands’, which account for over 75 percent of total turnover.
IPA Launches Guide to Core Provisions for Supporting Employee Mental Health and Wellbeing
The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), an industry trade group, this week released a guide outlining core principles for businesses wanting to support their employees’ mental health and wellbeing. These include mental health support, physical wellbeing initiatives, inclusive workplace policies, flexible working and leave policies, and support for parents and carers.
NABS Calls Passed 5,000 Last Year
NABS, a support organisation for people working in advertising and media, revealed this week that it received 5,200 calls to its helpline last year. The group said the volume of calls, up 18 percent from 2023, shows “a clear picture of an industry increasingly in need of mental health support”. Emotional support was the most common reason for calling, with callers frequently citing burnout, anxiety, and stress. Redundancy was the second most common reason for calling, and the number of redundancy related calls increased by 39 percent compared with 2023.
Hires of the Week
TripleLift Names Dave Helmreich as New CEO
Supply-side platform TripleLift on Wednesday announced it has hired Dave Helmreich, previously chief commercial officer at TV ad tech business Innovid, as its new CEO. TripleLift’s previous full-time CEO Dave Clark departed the company last summer, and an interim ‘Office of the CEO’, chaired by former Datalogix CEO Eric Roza, has led the company in the meantime. Read more on VideoWeek.
Dentsu Makes Two Key Executive Hires
Japanese holding group Dentsu made two key executive appointments this week. Jeff Greenspoon has been chosen as chief global client officer, charged with developing and growing global client-centric solutions. Greenspoon has been with Dentsu for over a decade, in roles including CEO of Dentsu Canada and chief business officer of Dentsu Americas. Meanwhile Beth Ann Kaminkow, previously global chief commerce officer and CEO NY at VML, has been hired as the new CEO for Dentsu North America.
Digital Remedy Hires Chief Customer Officer and VP of Product
Performance marketing ad tech business Digital Remedy this week announced it has promoted the promotion of Mike Junhas (previously SVP) to chief customer officer, and the appointment of Tanya Couture as VP of Product. Couture most recently served as director of product at SpringServe, now owned by Magnite.
Azerion’s Hawk Promotes Irini Michail to Lead Programmatic Centre of Excellence
Azerion this week announced the creation of a new programmatic team to enhance support provided to customers using its tech stack, primarily its DSP Hawk. And the company has chosen Irini Michail, formally its client development lead, to head up the new initiative.
This Week on VideoWeek
The Trade Desk Will “Never Own Inventory” in Ventura Strategy
Gaming Giant Steam Cracks Down on In-Game Advertising
IPG-Omnicom Tie-Up Poised to Reinvigorate M&A Market
Free Ad-Funded Cloud Gaming Platform Phynd Launches with $10 Million Funding Round
VideoWeek Podcast #49, Matt Sattel, OpenX
TripleLift Names Dave Helmreich as New CEO
TF1 Sets Global Ambitions as Streaming and Studios Drive Growth
Germany’s Competition Watchdog says Apple’s ATT May Breach Competition Law
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