Media Monitor

2026 World Cup Advertising: What Drove $1.5 Billion in U.S. Ad Revenue?|E46

The 2026 FIFA World Cup generated approximately $1.5 billion in U.S. paid-media advertising revenue. But the biggest story isn't just the number—it's what drove

Ghost Viewers: Understanding Streaming Audience Behavior | Justin Fromm, Samsung Ads|E45

Streaming audiences are constantly moving. But where do they go—and what brings them back? In this episode of Media Monitor, Sean Wright welcomes Justin Fromm, Head of I

Amazon's Emmys Bet, Apple's Ad Changes & the Future of Retail Media|E44

What's changing in advertising—and what do the numbers tell us? In his first solo episode of Media Monitor, Sean Wright takes the microphone to examine four major i

Is Social Media Becoming Social Again? |E43

Social media was originally supposed to connect people. Then came feeds, algorithms, creators, advertising, endless scrolling and platforms designed to keep us consuming

AI, Ad Spend & the Amazon–OpenAI Deal: What Advertisers Should Watch| E42

AI is moving faster. Advertising tools are getting smarter. Brands can do more themselves than ever before. So why aren't agencies disappearing? Kelly Sweeney and

Can the Right Sports Moment Make an Ad Twice as Memorable? | Gina Waldhorn| E41

A touchdown with four minutes left in a close game isn't worth the same thing as a touchdown during a blowout. So why should advertisers buy those moments the same

Why More Streaming Inventory Is Pushing Ad Prices Down|E40

Media Monitor spends plenty of time talking about how much advertisers spend. This week, Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright flip to the other side of the equation: what are a

How the World Cup Became a $2B Advertising Event|E39

The World Cup has become a much bigger advertising business in the U.S. In this episode of Media Monitor, Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright break down Guideline’s first-ever

Why Canada’s Ad Market Is Outpacing Global Growth|E38

Canada’s advertising market is outperforming the global average. In this episode of Media Monitor, Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright dig into Guideline’s first-half data for

WWE, the Agentic Shelf & What AI Is Changing in Advertising| E37

WWE is attracting new sponsors. AI agents are becoming part of the shopping journey. Retail media forecasts are getting bigger. And brands are testing advertising in plac

How the NBA Turned Streaming Into a $2.1B Advertising Season| E36

The NBA had a very strong advertising year. In this episode of Media Monitor, Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright break down Guideline’s latest NBA advertising report and expl

What Ad Spend Concentration Can Tell Us About What Comes Next |E35

Advertising spend can be growing while the market underneath it is becoming more fragile. In this episode of Media Monitor, Kelly Sweeney gives Sean Wright a new goal: c

Media Monitor’s Conversation at Cannes| The Agentic Future of Media Buying with WPP’s Devon DeBlasio

AI agents may automate more of media buying, but WPP’s Devon DeBlasio believes people still need to remain at the helm. In this installment of Media Monitor: Conversatio

Media Monitor’s Conversation at Cannes| Is Advertising Losing Sight of What Actually Works?

Advertising has more data, targeting, platforms and measurement than ever. Yet one question keeps surfacing: Are those capabilities actually helping marketers build stron

Ep 29: YouTube, AI Search & the Ad Inventory Gap in Women’s Sports

YouTube, AI search, data centers, and women’s sports may look like separate stories. Together, they reveal how quickly media distribution and advertising access are chang

Media Monitor’s Conversation at Cannes| Why AI Still Needs a System of Record| Drew Kane

AI may be reshaping media planning and buying, but not every business problem requires an AI solution. In this episode of Media Monitor: Conversations at Cannes, Guideli

Media Monitor’s Conversation at Cannes| AI Won't Replace Human Creativity| Jonathan Anastas (Rumble)

Jonathan Anastas, Chief Marketing Officer, at Rumble, joins Media Monitor: Conversations at Cannes to discuss why AI won't replace human creativity—but instead make

What Advertisers Should Buy Now—and What Can Wait in Q4

When should advertisers lock in Q4 media—and where could waiting actually pay off? In Episode 28 of Media Monitor, Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright use Guideline’s forward-

Media Monitor's Conversations at Cannes: Metrics that Matter with Preeti

AI is giving marketers faster access to data and insights. But having more data doesn’t automatically lead to better decisions. In this episode of Media Monitor's C

Why Advertising Growth Is Slowing Despite a Huge Year for Media

The first half of 2026 delivered the Olympics, a resurgent NBA Finals, the FIFA World Cup, and continued growth across streaming and digital media. Yet advertising spend