Agency & Consulting
Fake Wedgewood poll shows how easily media outlets get duped now
TVREV’s Alan Wolk reports that a political polling firm called Wedgewood admitted its summer survey showing Michigan Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow collapsing below 10% support was a fabricated “experiment.”
Netflix launches ad-conversion Pixel, adds The Trade Desk as DSP partner
AdExchanger reports Netflix unveiled a Netflix Pixel for conversion tracking and audience targeting, and will add The Trade Desk as a programmatic DSP next month, announced the same morning Netflix reported Q3 earnings showing ad revenue growth fell short of expectations.
KISS shows creator deals can run both ways for legacy media brands
The Media Leader’s Liz Parkin reports that KISS illustrates how combining traditional media strengths with creator-economy tactics lets established brands build on their heritage while adapting to changing audience behaviours.
F1’s Apple TV deal shows sports rights buyers value more than ad dollars
Madison and Wall reports F1’s U.S. rights moved from ESPN to Apple TV in a 5-year deal worth roughly $150 million annually, up from $90 million under ESPN, even as early viewership figures have declined under the subscription paywall.
FT: Netflix’s hit drought stokes doubts about its $300bn valuation
The FT reports that Netflix faces mounting investor pressure as a dearth of breakout hits raises questions about whether its content slate can justify a market valuation near $300 billion.
Spotify’s ad business still lags despite record user growth
Simon Owens writes that Spotify keeps posting strong earnings and user growth, yet its advertising business stays stuck. He argues audio ads can’t scale across platforms like display or video, and Spotify’s paying subscribers are largely ad-free anyway.
Meta’s media rift gets the paywall treatment from Simon Owens
Simon Owens’s Media Newsletter teases that Meta is paying the price for alienating media companies, part of a paid-subscriber roundup that also covers Substack’s new podcast ad tool and YouTube’s pressure on top creators.
RTL says YouTube partnership grew platform revenue 492%, not cannibalization
Media War & Peace’s Evan Shapiro reports on his MIPCOM panel with RTL Deutschland CEO Stephan Schmitter and YouTube EMEA head Pedro Pina, where Schmitter said RTL’s three-year-old YouTube partnership drove platform revenues up 492%.
Holdco earnings calls show pitches are no longer one-size-fits-all
Digiday’s Seb Joseph reports that holdco earnings calls reveal pitching has fragmented: Havas’s François Laroze cited integrated pitches, Publicis’s Arthur Sadoun described tighter two-holdco contests replacing full beauty parades, and Omnicom’s John Wren focused on tech-investment value.
Hollywood agencies back tax incentive but push for more
Variety’s Gene Maddaus reports that the American Entertainment Alliance, including CAA, WME and UTA, backs the proposed 20% federal production tax incentive as a “first step.”
Creators are restructuring as holding companies to court brand dollars
Ad Age’s Gillian Follett reports that top creators like Cody “Clix” Conrod are reorganizing under holding companies, hiring CEOs and executives to run diversified businesses spanning media, products and events.
TikTok, iHeartPodcasts add three more creator shows to podcast network
Inside Radio’s Hannah Kosh reports that TikTok and iHeartPodcasts are adding three creator-hosted shows covering internet culture, sports and fashion to their podcast network, launching between late October and December.
Dentsu Creative wins expanded Diageo trade and shopper marketing role
Adweek’s Christopher Cicchiello reports that Dentsu Creative won Diageo’s U.S. trade and shopper marketing business after a competitive review, consolidating work previously spread across multiple agencies and extending a 25-year client relationship.
World Cup gave NBCUniversal a $224 million Q3 ad boost
Adweek’s Bill Bradley reports that Comcast executives, on a Thursday earnings call, said the 2026 FIFA World Cup generated $224 million in incremental advertising across Telemundo and Peacock in the third quarter, bringing total World Cup ad revenue to $664 million.
Nielsen’s Gauge: TV usage falls 4.4% in August as World Cup glow fades
Nielsen reports that total TV usage dropped 4.4% in August as the post-World Cup lull and back-to-school season cooled viewing.
Commerce media’s growth story shifts from speed to proof
MediaPost’s Lauren Sanvidge argues commerce media is maturing past retail shelves into delivery, banking and travel platforms, with advertisers now working nine or more networks versus 8% two years ago.
Omnicom says IPG integration nearly done as growth accelerates
Digiday’s Michael Bürgi reports that Omnicom’s third-quarter organic revenue grew 7.2% year-over-year, up from 6.1% in Q2 and 3.9% in Q1, as CEO John Wren said the IPG integration is nearly complete. Total revenue hit $6.42 billion, with operating margin rising to 18.2%.
Comcast Q3: cable write-offs loom as NBCU preps to split off
The Ankler’s Sean McNulty reports that Comcast’s cable business still drives most profit, $7.6 million compared with NBCU’s $1.8 million in Q3, even as cord-cutting worsened and broadband growth stalled.
YouTube’s TV viewing share hits record 15.8% in August
TheWrap’s Lucas Manfredi reports that Nielsen’s Media Distributor Gauge shows YouTube grew its TV viewing share 6% to a record 15.8% in August, even as overall TV usage fell 4.4% post-World Cup.
Omnicom wins Coke’s North America media; WPP keeps global account
Adweek’s Christopher Cicchiello reports that WPP retained Coca-Cola’s global media account while Omnicom won the North American business, following two separate competitive reviews.
Hollywood studios rent out empty soundstages for $100,000 bar mitzvahs
The Ankler’s Degen Pener reports that L.A. families are booking Universal and Paramount soundstages and backlots for bar and bat mitzvahs costing $100,000 to $300,000, complete with custom sets, prop-house decor and backlot tram tours.
Walmart bets on measurement upgrades to chase Amazon in retail media
eMarketer’s Grace Harmon reports that Walmart is pushing to improve its retail media measurement as a way to narrow the gap with Amazon’s ad business.
Commerce publishers pivot from SEO to social and loyal audiences
Simon Owens’s Media Newsletter reports that The Independent’s social-commerce revenue overtook its SEO-based commerce revenue for the first time in September, per CEO Christian Broughton.