Madison and Wall Podcast Ep. 61 Consumer Video Spending, Programmatic Super Bowl Sales, Agency Growth Trends, Paramount’s Principal-Based Trades and the Consequences of an Accounting Dispute
Nov 14, 2025
This week, the conversation dives into the recent economic data from Europe, revealing implications for advertising benchmarks. Disney's streaming strategy is put under the microscope as they analyze its impact on pricing and Hulu's growth. The potential for programmatic sales in major events like the Super Bowl sparks a lively debate. Key insights into agency earnings highlight flat trends, while a discussion on Paramount’s revenue practices uncovers the complexities of principal trading in advertising. Traditional media partnerships with digital platforms also take center stage.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Nominal GDP Masks Real Weakness
- UK nominal GDP growth near 5% reflects inflation, not strong real activity, and affects advertising benchmarks.
- Brian warns sequential annualized GDP figures mislead advertising budgeting and measurement.
Streaming Recreating Cable Economics
- Streaming is becoming like cable with bundles, live sports, and appointment viewing as consumers value bundles and live events.
- Disney's stable subs and price increases show streaming can still raise prices without losing subscribers.
Consumer Video Spend Is Stable
- Consumer spending on video services has stayed low-single-digit growth over years, setting a baseline for media pricing.
- Brian argues streamers can still raise prices because consumers value the activity relative to alternatives.