Top 5 Media Landscape Insights- July

Stay on top of today’s constantly changing media environment with DirectAvenue’s Top 5 Insights. We give you specific network updates and emerging media trends in a digestible format.

July 1, 2024

1. Disney Launches ‘Advergames’ On Hulu, ESPN- Disney is launching two new gamified advertising products on its streaming services, Hulu and ESPN, aiming to “push the limits of what is possible” and achieve maximum engagement among connected TV (CTV) viewers, according to Jamie Power, Disney’s senior vice president of addressable sales. These new advertisements, called “advergames,” combine “the interactivity of streaming with the premium quality of content,” Power explains.
2. How Important Will Sports TV/Streaming Be 10 Years From Now?- In a recent survey conducted by Aluma Research among 1,206 pay TV users, nearly 50% stated that airing live sports is “very/extremely important,” while 19% considered it “moderately important,” and 32% deemed it “not/slightly important.” The strongest demand for live sports was for the NBA, with 68% rating it as “very/extremely important.” The NFL also performed well, with 59% on the same importance scale. Major League Baseball and NCAA football received slightly lower scores, at 54% and 52%, respectively.
3. Prime Video AVOD To Grow 133% Due To Rising CTV Ad Volume- The introduction of Amazon Prime Video’s advertising video on demand (AVOD) option earlier this year has significantly increased revenues for the platform and has been instrumental in enhancing premium direct-to-consumer (D2C) ad platforms overall. MoffettNathanson Research predicts a 33% increase in revenues for the entire AVOD sector in 2024, including both major brand streamers and smaller platforms. Focusing on a core group of 10 premium major streamer operations, they project a 36% increase in ad revenues, reaching $13.8 billion from $3.65 billion.
4. What’s The Buzz Around Retail Media Networks?- Online and offline retail channels are converging due to the emergence of digital “smart” shelves, mobile experiences in stores, and loyalty programs that integrate in-store and online data to create comprehensive consumer profiles. Retail media is expanding beyond traditional lower-funnel marketing activities and retail itself, as demonstrated by leading companies like Lyft, Marriott, and Chase. Moreover, it is entering the Connected TV (CTV) realm through innovative partnerships such as Instacart and Roku, Walmart and Peacock, and Amazon with Prime Video.
5.  Olympic Trials Win Gold With Audiences- Although the Paris Games are still about a month away, the U.S. Summer Olympic Trials are already capturing significant audience attention, according to Inscape data. The events, broadcast on NBC and USA Network, have climbed to the top spot in overall watch-time, with a 2.08% viewership share, up from 0.33% the previous week when the Olympic Trials were ranked 50th. Sports dominate the top five in terms of minutes watched, with the Men’s College World Series at 1.59%, MLB action at 1.13%, UEFA Euro 2024 at 1.08%, and the NBA Finals at 1.00%.