The Current Report: Video games — walled gardens or the open internet?

The Current Report: 5 lessons 5 years after GDPR: On this edition of The Current Report, Damian Fowler and Zac Wang go in-depth on lessons learned five years after Europe’s sweeping General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect. Plus, Cannes Lions will kick off its International Festival of Creativity next week, and The Current will be on-the-ground all week to report on all the biggest trends from the annual advertising gala. by The Current Report

6 min listen

The Current Report: Spotify's Rak Patel on Storytelling at Cannes Lions: The Current is back on the beach at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to give a look into the top talks from the first day of the festival. Plus Spotify's head of sales in EMEA, Rak Patel, joins the show to talk about creativity and brand connection. by The Current Report

8 min listen

The Current Report: What brands and marketers should know about Threads: This week on The Current Report, our own Damian Fowler and Travis Clark discuss what marketers should know about the arrival of Meta-owned app Threads. Plus, the programmatic supply chain is causing advertisers to reflect on where their ad impressions are being served. Next, we review updates in Microsoft’s potential acquisition of video game company Activision Blizzard, and in streaming news, we explore Animayhem, Hulu's new anime hub. by The Current Report

6 min listen

The Current Report: GALE's Winston Binch on brand innovation and the evolution of Cannes Lions: The Current's coverage of Cannes Lions continues. Today, we're joined by Winston Binch, chief brand and experience officer at Gale, who talks about his approach to brand innovation, the evolution of the festival towards tech and media, and the Chipotle Doppelgänger campaign that won GALE a gold lion. We also cover Albertsons' proposal for a retail media framework, and the verbal sparring match between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. by The Current Report

10 min listen

The Current Report: Video games provide diverse opportunities for marketers: On this edition of The Current Report, Damian Fowler and Travis Clark explore why video games are an essential medium for brands to consider in their marketing strategy. Plus, a report in the Wall Street Journal alleges that Google violated its promised standards and Warner Bros. Discovery may add live programming from CNN to its Max streaming service later this year. by The Current Report

6 min listen

The Current Report: Spark Foundry's Sarah Kramer Live From Cannes Lions 2023: The Current is live from Cannes for this special edition of The Current Report. Damian Fowler speaks with Spark Foundry CEO Sarah Kramer about this year’s hottest trends at the advertising festival and what it means to be awarded with a lion. by The Current Report

7 min listen

The Current Report: Max is latest example of streaming consolidation: The Current Report is a weekly round-up of what’s happening in the world of digital media. In our debut edition, we look at the recent moves by major streaming platforms to consolidate content to make it easier for consumers and advertisers. And we take the pulse of the European retail market to see how marketers are adapting to economic headwinds. by The Current Report

6 min listen

The Current Report: Local news taps new tools to drive revenue: The Current Report is a weekly round-up of what’s happening in the world of digital media. On this edition of The Current Report, Damian Fowler and Chris Brooklier break down how local news publishers are looking for new ways to increase revenue. Plus, artificial intelligence (AI) is primed to be all the rage at Cannes this year, CNN CEO Chris Licht is booted following a bombshell story in The Atlantic, and the PGA and LIV merge. by The Current Report

6 min listen

The Current Report: The Guardian's Luis Romero on strategies to thrive in the digital age: Today on The Current Report we're joined by Luis Romero, The Guardian US' SVP of Advertising, who talks three ways the legacy brand is thriving in the digital age, the importance of a global perspective, and how the brand is driving innovation around sports and lifestyle coverage. We also cover why streaming giants are looking to sub-Saharan Africa for growth and top news Across the Internet. by The Current Report

8 min listen

The Current Report: European content grows despite Hollywood strikes: In this edition of The Current Report, Kat Vesce and Zac Wang break down the growth of original commissions in Europe and what European content might look like in the future. Next, they look at Major League Baseball's new jersey sponsorships and the Barbie movie's box-office milestones. by The Current Report

8 min listen

The Current Report: Pereira O'Dell's Mona Gonzalez on top trends, campaigns emerging at Cannes Lions: Today on The Current Report, Pereira O'Dell's chief growth officer Mona Gonzalez talks about why she thinks purpose driven work is standing out as some of the top ad campaigns at Cannes Lions. Plus Gannett sues Google, alleging it holds a monopoly on the advertising market and Wieden&Kennedy wins big in the new gaming category at Cannes. by The Current Report

9 min listen

The Current Report: Impact of actors' and writers' strikes on advertising: This week on The Current Report, we dive into how the writers' and actors' strikes, which have brought Hollywood to a halt, will impact the advertising market. Ilyse Liffreing and Travis Clark also break down how the strike will impact the shift from broadcast TV to streaming. Also, with Barbie premiering today, we look at how brands like Air Jordan, Blackberry, and Flamin' Hot are having their moment on the big screen. by The Current Report

6 min listen

The Current Report: Major companies increase ad spend as threat of recession subsides: This week, The Current’s senior editorial director, Kat Vesce, hosts The Current Report to discuss how the the ad world is shifting their marketing approach amid changing market conditions. Plus, General Motors doubles their ad spend for Black-owned media and their lead of diverse media strategy and investment discusses why supporting diverse media is a business imperative. In other news across the internet, Spanish-language network TelevisaUnivision reports their best upfront in a decade, and Sony delays the release of major films amid the ongoing actors’ strike. by The Current Report

7 min listen

The Current Report: Live sports increasingly move towards streaming: On this edition of The Current Report, Damian Fowler returns as host to discuss all things sports. Starting off in the U.S., we explore the transition of live sports from traditional TV to streaming as some legacy media companies and tech giants pursue streaming sports rights. Next, European soccer leagues have their eyes on a growing fanbase in the U.S. In other news across the internet, X will reportedly no longer allow advertisers to promote accounts within the platform's timelines, and the increasing cost of streaming prices might be part of a bigger plan. by The Current Report

6 min listen

The Current Report: Retail media's next stage of evolution: This week on The Current Report, Damian Fowler and Travis Clark break down the explosion of retail media and explain why retail data and connected TV (CTV) are a dynamic duo. Plus, some major streaming services have introduced "pause ads" and how the iconic McDonald's jingle came to be "one of the most recognizable jingles in the world," according to Marketing Brew. by The Current Report

6 min listen

The Current Report: Advertisers get innovative ahead of the 2023 Women's World Cup: The Fifa Women's World Cup kicks off July 20, 2023 and advertisers are keen to be a part of the action. The Current's Emma Shepherd reports on the growing interest in the global event. Plus, Damian Fowler breaks down how Warner Bros. Discovery is licensing shows like Insecure and Band of Brothers to Netflix. by The Current Report

8 min listen

The Current Report: Hollywood strikes force movie marketers to get creative: This week on The Current Report, we dive into the strategies studios are using in movie promotion as the writers' and actor's strikes continue in Hollywood. Next, how brands can achieve brand love by using behavioral data to develop campaigns that resonate on an individual level. Plus, Warner Bros. Discovery named Mark Thompson as its' next CEO and chairman of CNN and X, formerly known as Twitter, announced it will accept political advertising after a nearly four year ban. by The Current Report

6 min listen

The Current Report: Advertisers gear up for live sports ads: This week on The Current Report, we tackle advertising on live sports. As football season is upon us and streaming viewership grows, advertisers are equipped with better tools to advertise on live sports streaming platforms. Plus, recent crackdowns on password sharing are paying off for streaming giants and advertisers. In other news, Google's trial with the U.S. Department of Justice is underway, and Nielsen offers a new free ad-supported television (FAST) platform. by The Current Report

7 min listen

The Current Report: Data could be the future of holiday advertising: On this edition of The Current Report, we discuss the future of holiday advertising as advertisers prepare for the impending deprecation of third-party cookies. We break down why first-party and retail data may be the bow on top of future holiday campaigns as advertisers prepare for this change in landscape. In news across the internet, 18 countries have signed an agreement that aims to make AI "secure by design" and The New York Times reports X may lose as much as 75 million in ad revenue by the end of the year. by The Current Report

8 min listen

The Current Report: Uber, Deliveroo, and other apps turn to retail media: This week on The Current Report, Damian Fowler and Zac Wang discuss the emergence of ride-hailing and food-delivery services like Uber and Deliveroo as strong competitors in the retail media space. Plus, we break down how interactive, shoppable TV ads may be the next frontier of e-commerce. Finally, in other news across the internet, elements of Europe’s Digital Services Act are now in effect, and a recent report from CNN shows malls in America are thriving. by The Current Report

7 min listen

The Current Report: Video games — walled gardens or the open internet?: On this edition of The Current Report, Ilyse Liffreing and Travis Clark explore the potential of gaming on the open internet and why advertisers should be aware of walled ecosystems in the video game space. Plus, drone advertising is taking off in China as an innovative approach in a competitive market. In news across the internet, Charter, the second largest cable operation in the U.S., dropped Disney's networks after the two were unable to come to a carriage agreement, and Warner Bros. Discovery filed a securities report outlining anticipated financial losses lasting through the end of the year as the Hollywood strikes continue. by The Current Report

6 min listen

The Current Report: Next global cultural wave comes from West Africa: On this edition of The Current Report, we ring in the holiday season early with some shopping. We explore why the holiday shopping season is starting earlier than ever with the help of retail media. Next, big, bold marketing campaigns are evolving into a new form thanks to performance marketing and personalized ads. In other news, State Farm saw huge returns by capturing a viral moment at an Eagles game, further riding the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce momentum and 2024 political ad spending is expected to reach new heights. by The Current Report

9 min listen

The Current Report: Advertisers kick off the holiday shopping season with retail data: On this edition of The Current Report, we ring in the holiday season early with some shopping. We explore why the holiday shopping season is starting earlier than ever with the help of retail media. Next, big, bold marketing campaigns are evolving into a new form thanks to performance marketing and personalized ads. In other news, State Farm saw huge returns by capturing a viral moment at an Eagles game, further riding the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce momentum and 2024 political ad spending is expected to reach new heights. by The Current Report

9 min listen

The Current Report: Disney-Charter agreement signals the future of TV: This week on The Current Report, Damian Fowler and Chris Brooklier break down Disney and Charter's new carriage agreement and what the partnership might mean for the next evolution of TV and streaming. Plus, luxury giants in Europe are pushing to programmatic advertising as the global personal luxury market is expected to grow. In other news, the writers' strike might be coming to a close and Max is launching a live sports offering in October. by The Current Report

9 min listen

The Current Report: Retail data is supercharging programmatic marketing: On this edition of The Current Report, Damian Fowler and Chris Brooklier break down the importance of retail data and the complexity around retail data strategy. In other news, Walmart and Peacock are teaming up to offer AI-powered shoppable ads and the NBA agreed to a one season deal with regional sports rights partner Diamond Sports. by The Current Report

9 min listen

The Current Report: AI and streaming take center stage at CES 2024: This week on The Current Report, we explore what topics and trends marketers are gambling on at this year's Consumer Electronics Showcase (CES). We connect with IAB Tech Lab's Anthony Katsur and Full Throttle's Amol Waishampayan to discuss AI and the privacy landscape. Plus, we break down which streaming service is forecasted to have the highest percentage of U.S. viewers on an ad plan. by The Current Report

13 min listen

The Current Report: How GenAI could revolutionize podcasts and audio ads: This week on The Current Report, we dig into the value of online grocery data and discuss how GenAI is revolutionizing podcasts, with Spotify set to offer AI-translated versions of some of its top shows. In other news, Omnicom bought Flywheel Digital, and Biden released an executive order providing rules around AI. by The Current Report

8 min listen

The Current Report: How the end of the writers' strike will impact advertisers: On this edition of The Current Report, we ring in the holiday season early with some shopping. We explore why the holiday shopping season is starting earlier than ever with the help of retail media. Next, big, bold marketing campaigns are evolving into a new form thanks to performance marketing and personalized ads. In other news, State Farm saw huge returns by capturing a viral moment at an Eagles game, further riding the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce momentum and 2024 political ad spending is expected to reach new heights. by The Current Report

7 min listen

The Current Report: Jon Cook on leading VML and Butler/Till's Scott Ensign on data and innovation: Bringing you the biggest news from Advertising Week New York, The Current Report's Damian Fowler discusses the recent formation of VML, which merges Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R, with the new company's Global CEO Jon Cook. Plus, we explore hot topics from the annual event with Butler/Till's Chief Strategy Officer Scott Ensign. by The Current Report

13 min listen

The Current Report: Breaking down the complexities around Google's Privacy Sandbox: In this edition of The Current Report, we break down Google's Privacy Sandbox and takeaways from IAB Tech Lab's critical assessment of the initiative. We're joined by digital advertising space veterans John Donahue, partner at up and to the right, and Rob Norman, digital advertising advisor, to discuss their overall thoughts on Privacy Sandbox, platform transparency issues, and what the landscape might look like in a year. by The Current Report

12 min listen

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The Current Report: Video games — walled gardens or the open internet?

The Current Report: Video games — walled gardens or the open internet?

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