Media Intelligence

Kate Scott-Dawkins and Jeff Foster break down the Fed’s first rate cut in a year, new US income data, and what a “two-speed” economy means for brands. They cover TikTok’s uncertain US future, the rumored Warner Bros. Discovery–Paramount mega-merger, billion-dollar sports rights, fresh AI usage insights from Anthropic and OpenAI, and the IPOs that could reshape ad spend transparency.Key Topics DiscussedThe Fed’s Big Move – A quarter-point rate cut is here. What does it mean for the economy, the ad market, and the rest of 2025?Two-Speed Economy – Fresh Census data shows income gains for some groups, declines for others, and a widening gender pay gap. How are brands balancing premium products with value options?TikTok’s US Cliffhanger – Another deadline extension, a possible deal with US investors, and the big question: who controls the algorithm?A Media Mega-Merger? – If Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount join forces, they could dominate US TV ad sales, shake up sports rights, and rival Netflix in streaming scale.Sports & Ad Dollars – From the Super Bowl’s billion-dollar day to tech giants eyeing broadcast rights, what’s next for advertisers and networks?AI in the Real World – New data from Anthropic and OpenAI reveals how people are actually using AI — from coding to meal planning — and what it means for marketers.IPO Watchlist – Recent debuts like Klarna and Figma, plus private giants like ByteDance, OpenAI, and Shein that could reshape ad spend transparency.Looking Ahead – Industry events in Japan, upcoming inflation and consumer sentiment reports, and what to watch in Q4.Chapters00:00 - Introduction & Fed Rate Cut Overview03:33 - US Income Data & Two-Speed Economy07:30 - TikTok’s Uncertain US Future11:00 - Warner Bros. Discovery–Paramount Merger Analysis19:53 - Sports Rights, Super Bowl Economics & Media Competition21:12 - AI Adoption Trends from Anthropic & OpenAI28:39 - IPO Trends & Advertising Spend Visibility32:44 - Upcoming Events & Closing RemarksLinks:This Year Next Year MidYear Forecast 2025: https://www.wppmedia.com/news/tyny-midyear-2025Anthropic (Claude) Economic Index interactive report: https://www.anthropic.com/economic-indexOpenAI (ChatGPT) "How People Use ChatGPT": https://cdn.openai.com/pdf/a253471f-8260-40c6-a2cc-aa93fe9f142e/economic-research-chatgpt-usage-paper.pdf

Pharma ad crackdown, Murdoch succession, NFL streaming surge, EV ad spend, plus economy, 2030 ad trends, and Apple’s latest showcase.Kate Scott-Dawkins and Jeff Foster unpack a busy week in advertising and media: the Trump administration’s potential crackdown on pharma ads, the Murdoch family’s succession deal, NFL’s streaming surge from Brazil, and aggressive EV ad spending from Lucid, VinFast, and Chinese OEMs. Plus, a U.S. economy update, highlights from WPP’s 2030 Advertising Futures report, and takeaways from Apple’s latest showcase.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction & sports recap01:08 - U.S. economy: Inflation, jobs revisions, Fed outlook03:25 - Pharma ad crackdown & market impact06:00 - Murdoch succession & media strategy10:07 - NFL on YouTube TV: Brazil game success11:00 - Auto ad trends & EV newcomers13:13 - Advertising in 2030: WPP’s extended-cut report17:15 - Apple tech showcase: Incremental updates19:10 - Wrap-up & next week’s previewAdvertising in 2030 report: https://www.wppmedia.com/news/Latest-Advertising-in-2030?utm_source=MediaIntelligence&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=ep75

In this week’s WPP Media Intelligence Podcast, Kate Scott-Dawkins, Jeff Foster, and Nidhi Shah break down the biggest media and advertising stories shaping the global market. From last-minute US carriage deals to the NFL’s free-to-air push in the UK, and a major European media merger, we explore what these moves mean for advertisers. Plus, we look at newspaper ad revenue trends, China’s growing media players, and how AI investment is fueling economic growth.Key takeaways:How Fox and YouTube TV avoided a blackout before football seasonWhy Disney is suing Sling TV over $5/day streaming passesNFL’s new free-to-air deal in the UK and its impact on sports rightsThe MFE + ProSiebenSat.1 merger and European media consolidationNewspaper ad revenue trends in the US and UKXiaomi and ByteDance’s role in the global ad marketHow AI investment is driving ad spend growth into 2026Chapters:00:00 – Introduction & Episode Preview01:25 – Fox & YouTube TV Carriage Dispute and Skinny Sports Bundles05:44 – Disney Sues Sling TV Over Short-Term Streaming Passes08:18 – NFL Goes Free-to-Air in the UK & Sports Rights Landscape11:22 – European Media Consolidation: MFE and ProSiebenSat.1 Deal14:45 – Newspaper Ad Revenue Trends in US and UK17:27 – China-Based Players: Xiaomi, ByteDance & AI Investments20:17 – Closing Thoughts & Upcoming Sports EventsThis Year Next Year Midyear Forecast 2025: https://www.wppmedia.com/news/tyny-midyear-2025

Kate Scott-Dawkins is joined by Jeff Foster and Nidhi Shah to break down the latest trends in the economy, media, and advertising. They chat about what lower-than-expected US inflation means for consumers, how Chinese retailers are staying strong despite economic challenges, and some exciting moves in sports streaming and local TV. Plus, they dive into the rapid rise of AppLovin and what it means for advertisers.00:00 - IntroductionWelcome and overview of inflation, AppLovin, and sports streaming topics.01:37 - Inflation and Retail TrendsMixed inflation signals, tariffs, and how advertisers are responding.08:36 - Global Economic UpdatesUK, EU, and China’s growth trends, plus retail spending shifts.15:49 - Tencent and Mini-ProgramsTencent’s ad growth and the rise of short-form content in China.20:10 - Sling TV’s $5 Sports PassSling TV’s innovative pricing and its potential impact on streaming.26:22 - Local TV ConsolidationNextar and Tegna talks, and what it means for advertisers.31:14 - AppLovin’s GrowthAppLovin’s 77% growth and its rise as a major advertising player.34:26 - Wrap-Up and Future TrendsFinal thoughts on media shakeups and what’s ahead for advertisers.Mid-Year Global Advertising Forecast Update: https://www.wppmedia.com/news/tyny-midyear-2025?utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=episode_73_descriptionEDITOR NOTE: In the episode, we mention that AppLovin’s ad revenue grew 77% in Q2 to $1.3 billion. To clarify, the 77% growth refers to year-over-year performance, not quarter-over-quarter.

This week, Kate Scott-Dawkins is joined by Jeff Foster, Nidhi Shah, and special guest Aisha Khan to break down the latest Q2 earnings reports from major media and commerce players. They talk about Disney’s NFL-ESPN deal, Fox’s Tubi success, Warner Bros. Discovery’s struggles, and the booming growth of retail media. Plus, they explore how tariffs are affecting businesses, AI’s growing role in advertising, and the blending of streaming and commerce.00:00 - Introduction01:38 - Disney’s NFL-ESPN Deal and Speculation on ESPN’s Future04:36 - Fox’s Tubi Growth and Political Ad Revenue Highlights07:27 - Warner Bros. Discovery’s Struggles with Streaming and Linear Declines10:27 - Retail Media’s Explosive Growth: Mercado Libre, Shopify, and More14:06 - Tariffs and Their Impact on Retailers and Consumers16:14 - AI’s Role in Advertising and Commerce Trends19:22 - Shopify’s Expansion and Success with Larger Clients21:41 - Snap’s Underperformance and Digital Advertising Trends22:12 - Closing Thoughts and Preview of Next Week’s TopicsMid-Year Global Advertising Forecast Update: https://www.wppmedia.com/news/tyny-midyear-2025?utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=episode_72_description

Kate Scott-Dawkins, Jeff Foster, and Nidhi Shah break down a whirlwind of economic news. They explore how tariffs and globalization are shaking up industries, dive into mixed earnings from media giants, and celebrate Reddit’s big ad revenue boost.The hosts also discuss AI’s growing role in advertising, challenges for traditional TV networks, and kids’ changing viewing habits from Ofcom’s latest report. Plus, hear how L'Oréal is using AI to innovate in beauty tech and what slowing consumer spending means for luxury brands.00:00 - Economic Whirlwind: Analyzing Recent Trends06:21 - Media Owners Earnings: Insights and Growth13:41 - AI's Impact on Advertising: The Future of Marketing17:06 - Reddit and Meta: Diverging Paths in Digital Advertising23:49 - AI's Impact on Advertising Strategies25:58 - Challenges for Legacy Media in the AI Era27:17 - Earnings Insights from Major Broadcasters28:36 - The Role of Sports in Advertising Revenue31:56 - Paramount's Earnings and Industry Changes35:35 - Ofcom Report: Trends in UK Video Consumption38:42 - L'Oréal's Growth and AI InnovationsMid-Year Global Advertising Forecast Update: https://www.wppmedia.com/news/tyny-midyear-2025?utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=episode_71_description

Kate, Jeff, and Nidhi chat about the latest earnings from big names like Google, ITV, and Televisa Univision. They dive into how AI is driving ad growth, why digital formats are taking over, and how consumer spending is holding up despite tariffs and other challenges.They also explore what’s happening in the auto world with EVs, how brands like Coca-Cola and LVMH are staying strong, and why ESPN’s NFL deal could shake things up. Plus, hear how legacy media is juggling linear TV and streaming.00:00-Introduction01:25-Google Earnings and AI Investments07:40-European Media Owners: Challenges and Digital Shifts12:05-Televisa Univision and Sports Media Updates18:11-Automotive Industry: GM, EVs, and Tariff Impacts26:29-Luxury and CPG Trends: LVMH, Nestle, and Coca-Cola32:08-Looking Ahead: Upcoming Earnings and Economic SignalsMid-Year Global Advertising Forecast Update: https://www.wppmedia.com/news/tyny-midyear-2025

Kate and Jeff dive into the week’s biggest stories in media, marketing, and consumer trends. They explore Netflix’s ambitious $2 billion ad revenue goal, Albertsons’ impressive e-commerce growth, and PepsiCo’s focus on protein-packed strategies. The duo also unpacks key economic updates, including inflation and retail sales data, and reflects on the decline of late-night TV. Packed with insights, this episode offers a fresh look at how brands are adapting to today’s shifting landscape.00:00 - Introduction01:00 - Inflation, Retail Sales, and Economic Trends07:15 - Albertsons’ E-Commerce Growth and Media Strategy12:42 - PepsiCo’s Protein Push and Marketing Shifts15:24 - Netflix’s $2B Ad Goal and Streaming Success23:43 - Late-Night TV Decline and Industry TrendsLinks: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/business/tariffs-recession-economists.html

Hosts Kate and Jeff dive into everything from the U.S. economy to big changes in media and entertainment. They chat about the future of search, how AI is shaking up copyright and content creation, and even affordable robots for learning. It’s all about how tech is reshaping industries and what it means for the future.00:00 - Introduction01:34 - US Economic Data - Unemployment trends, AI’s role in jobs, and economic data insights.05:38 - Consumer Spending - Credit card debt, tariffs, and shifting consumer habits.07:50 - New Business Trends - Growth in business applications and manufacturing orders.10:14 - A&E Sale - What A&E’s potential sale means for the cable industry.12:23 - Disney-ITV Partnership - A unique content-sharing deal between Disney and ITV.16:16 - F1 Media Rights - Apple’s bid for F1 rights and changes in sports media.18:28 - AI Browsers and Cloudflare - AI-powered browsers and Cloudflare’s move to block crawlers.21:35 - AI Copyright Cases - Court rulings on AI copyright and their impact on creators.24:47 - Robots in Education - Hugging Face’s Ricci Mini robot and its potential in coding education.27:58 - What’s Next - Upcoming earnings reports, CPI data, and next week’s highlights.LinksCloudflare blog: https://www.cloudflare.com/press-releases/2025/cloudflare-just-changed-how-ai-crawlers-scrape-the-internet-at-large/ Huggingface robot: https://huggingface.co/blog/reachy-mini 

Join Kate, Jeff, and Nidhi as they unpack advertising's evolution in the AI era. The team examines recent ad tech developments and how TV advertising is shifting with new technologies and viewer behaviors.They discuss content creators' growing influence in advertising and share insights on economic trends affecting consumers. The conversation explores Warner Brothers Discovery's split and its implications for the media landscape.They also analyze European broadcasting partnerships and the rising valuations of sports content in today's competitive marketplace.00:00 Introduction & Weather Chat01:52 AI Revolution in Advertising05:10 Breaking Down Ad Tech Announcements08:39 TV Advertising's Transformation12:10 The Influencer Effect13:09 Economic Trends & Consumer Pulse14:40 WBD Split: Media's Big Shakeup17:16 Media M&A Landscape20:06 European Broadcasting Alliances23:24 Sports Content: The New Gold Rush26:48 Looking Ahead: Industry Forecast