Media Trends: DirectAvenue’s Top Five Observations in Linear & Connected TV

Stay ahead of the evolving TV landscape with DirectAvenue’s latest media insights. Below are five standout trends shaping linear and connected TV this week.

December 1, 2025

1. Gen Z is Reshaping Holiday Marketing

Gen Z is expected to cut holiday spending by 34%, compared to a 10% overall reduction (Deloitte). At the same time, 95% of Gen Z say they’re hunting for deals, and 74% plan to rely on social media and influencers for product discovery.

2. Nielsen & Lionsgate Expand FAST Measurement

Nielsen and Lionsgate are introducing traditional TV-style measurement to the FAST space via the MovieSphere channel. MovieSphere saw an 87% YoY increase in Q1 2024 viewership and averaged 123 minutes watched per viewer. Consequently, its performance on par with top basic cable networks (Adweek), demonstrating that FAST channels are gaining serious traction.

3. Walmart’s Ad Business Accelerates—With a TV Tie-In

Walmart’s global advertising revenue grew 53% YoY in Q3, with Walmart Connect up 33% in the U.S. Moreover, this growth includes Vizio, highlighting Walmart’s expanding presence in smart-TV and connected-TV ad environments. As a result, Walmart is positioning itself as a key player in the evolving TV and digital advertising ecosystem.

4. Black Friday vs. Small Business Saturday

Consumers are projected to spend 25% more this holiday season—about $263B—with 93% of small businesses calling holiday sales essential. Small Business Saturday spending is expected to represent 41% of total consumer spend, a 44% YoY jump according to Retail Dive.

5. ‘Wicked: For Good’ Conjures a $150M Opening Weekend

Wicked: For Good delivered a $150M domestic opening, the second-largest of the year behind The Minecraft Movie. It generated $226M globally and was backed by $20.1M in national TV spend across 3,860 airings, totaling 2.4B impressions.

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