Appointment TV isn’t dead. It’s making a comeback on streaming platforms.
When Netflix popularized the binge model a decade ago, it brought with it a new way to consume television. Tuning in at a specific time for a live event or a single episode of your favorite TV show was no longer the only option. That’s why a comment by Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos on April 18, during the company’s Q1 2024 earnings call, stood out. Streaming, he said, has “really put the controls of television back in the hands of consumers.” But he added, “There’s also something incredibly magic about folks gathering around a TV together in a living room to watch something together all at the same time.” He was referring to an upcoming boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson that will be livestreamed on Netflix. It marks another step in Netflix’s live events strategy, particularly sports, which also includes a new deal with WWE’s Raw beginning in 2025. “Content decisions are going to be made by what has the most ad-revenue potential, and that’s what we’re seeing with Netflix with its early days of dabbling with live programming,” Mike Proulx, VP and research director at Forrester, tells The Current. Read more from The Current.
Legacy media makes new bets on CTV and retail media convergence
This month, adland professionals are focused on a pair of media-buying showcases — last week’s digital-focused NewFronts and the upcoming TV-focused upfronts — that present an opportunity to take stock of an evolving advertising landscape. Amid privacy challenges, threats to popular platforms and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), digital ad spend is still expected to grow about 10% in both 2024 and 2025, led by continued growth in retail media and connected TV (CTV), according to a recent report by Advertiser Perceptions. Read more from Marketing Dive.
Meta introduces AI-generated image variations and text for ads
Advertisers can now use AI to generate image variations of human-made creative on Meta’s platforms, the company announced on Tuesday. Brands can upload their original creative to Meta’s Ads Manager, which will create automated variations. In the coming months, advertisers will be able to input text prompts to get more specific variations on their creative, Meta told journalists at a press event in New York City. Advertisers will not be able to generate images using only a text prompt, nor will they be able to use the image variation tool for political ads. AI in Meta’s platforms can also now overlay text on images in a variety of fonts. Last week at the IAB NewFronts, Meta announced that it’s applying AI-powered Image Expansion used on Advantage+ creative to Facebook and Instagram Reels, allowing brands to automatically resize the same image to fit different aspect ratios across its platforms. Read more from Campaign.
TikTok Sues To Block Potential Nationwide Ban
TikTok sued Tuesday to invalidate a new law that will ban the app nationwide unless it’s sold within one year by China-based parent company ByteDance. “For the first time in history, Congress has enacted a law that subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban, and bars every American from participating in a unique online community with more than 1 billion people worldwide,” TikTok and its parent company say in a petition filed with the Circuit Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. TikTok and ByteDance are seeking a declaratory judgment that the law is unconstitutional on several grounds, including that it violates the First Amendment right to freedom of expression and the Fifth Amendment right to due process of law. Read more from MediaPost.
Caitlin’s Clark’s WNBA Debut to Stream on Disney+
Live sports are coming to Disney+ sooner than you might think. Per The Hollywood Reporter, ESPN says that next Tuesday’s WNBA tip-off games, including Caitlin Clark’s regular season debut with the league, will stream on Disney+. On May 14, Clark’s Indiana Fever will face off against the Connecticut Sun, and the Phoenix Mercury will face the Las Vegas Aces. Both games will stream on Disney+, the company says, and will also be available on ESPN+, and on ESPN2. The WNBA games are a big deal, as until now, Disney+ has not been in the live sports business, with one rare exception. Disney has done some experimental streams with the NFL and NHL, in which it used technology to stream games live, but with animated characters in place of the actual athletes. The WNBA games will be the full, studio productions, not animated simulcasts. And given the hype and interest Clark is bringing to the league, it may deliver big numbers. Read more from Sportico.
