WHY SUPER BOWL ADVERTISERS KEEP PRANKING US

8. 2. 2026 As brands chase attention before kickoff, elaborate pranks risk becoming too easy to spot. Last month, photos circulated on gossip sites like TMZ and MailOnline of actor William Shatner eating a bowl of Raisin Bran in his car and clutching the cereal box as if it were his most prized possession. The bizarre paparazzi shots… Continue reading WHY SUPER BOWL ADVERTISERS KEEP PRANKING US

THE OPENING OF THE WINTER OLYMPICS IN MILAN DOMINATED FRIDAY’S VIEWING FIGURES.

7. 2. 2026 The live broadcast of the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics was watched by 1.2 million viewers over the age of 15 and 1.25 million viewers over the age of 4 on the Czech Television sports channel. It was the best result of the evening and also of the entire Friday. ČT stations recorded… Continue reading THE OPENING OF THE WINTER OLYMPICS IN MILAN DOMINATED FRIDAY’S VIEWING FIGURES.

THE STATE OF PERFORMANCE TV IN 2026

6. 2. 2026 Attention is the hardest thing to buy. And everyone else is bidding too. People are scrolling, skipping, swiping, and split-screening their way through the day. Which is exactly why TV stands out. It offers a rare, uninterrupted moment where your audience is truly paying attention. Performance TV combines the power of TV advertising with the… Continue reading THE STATE OF PERFORMANCE TV IN 2026

THE WINTER OLYMPICS ARE STARTING, AND PARTNERS ARE FINE-TUNING THEIR COMMUNICATIONS

6. 2. 2026 The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina will officially begin on the evening of Friday, 6 February. They will also bring with them advertising campaigns from Olympic partners. These partners have been communicating their connection to the Olympics in the media for several weeks and are also preparing to participate in the Olympic Festival.… Continue reading THE WINTER OLYMPICS ARE STARTING, AND PARTNERS ARE FINE-TUNING THEIR COMMUNICATIONS

THE MOST EFFECTIVE SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS, RANKED BY VIEWERS

4. 2. 2026 The top 10 Super Bowl ads of the past five years and why they work, according to System1. Every year, about 60 brands spend millions—in 2026, up to $10 million— to advertise in the Super Bowl. They try to shock, delight, surprise, confuse, and inspire the upwards of 127 million-strong audience in the hopes that… Continue reading THE MOST EFFECTIVE SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS, RANKED BY VIEWERS

CAMPAIGNS SEE BETTER BUSINESS EFFECTS WHEN THEY INCREASE BRAND TRUST

3. 2. 2026 Advertising that amplifies brand trust can have an outsized impact on traditional markers of commercial success, including growth in sales, market share or profit, according to new analysis from the IPA. Commercial campaigns in the IPA Effectiveness Databank that recorded large increases in brand trust reported an average of 65% more large business effects than… Continue reading CAMPAIGNS SEE BETTER BUSINESS EFFECTS WHEN THEY INCREASE BRAND TRUST

SUPER BOWL LX BRINGS CELEBRITY REUNIONS AND A FRESH WAVE OF NOSTALGIA

3. 2. 2026 Celebrity-packed Super Bowl ads aren’t new, but for Super Bowl LX, some brands are leaning into something even more familiar: Cast reunions that tap directly into pop-culture memory. That strategy builds on an already star-heavy trend. According to iSpot, 68% of last year’s Super Bowl ads featured at least one celebrity, and more than half… Continue reading SUPER BOWL LX BRINGS CELEBRITY REUNIONS AND A FRESH WAVE OF NOSTALGIA

YOUNG ADULTS ARE CHOOSING TO READ THE NEWS, NOT WATCH IT

3. 2. 2026 45% of 18-29-year-olds prefer reading the news, compared to just 31% who prefer watching it, according to an August 2025 survey from Pew Research Center. This text-first preference aligns with how young adults consume content overall. Gen Z spends 58% of their video time on social media rather than streaming services, according to Deloitte, favoring… Continue reading YOUNG ADULTS ARE CHOOSING TO READ THE NEWS, NOT WATCH IT

THINKBOX: TV WORKS LIKE A BATTERY, POWERING OTHER MEDIA

2. 2. 2026 Do brands still matter? How should media mixes be planned in an environment of limited budgets? How long does advertising work, and why is trust becoming one of the most valuable currencies in communication? These are the questions addressed by the British marketing organisation Thinkbox in its Nickable Studies 2025 report. The new study summarises… Continue reading THINKBOX: TV WORKS LIKE A BATTERY, POWERING OTHER MEDIA

SHOULD BROADCASTERS PRODUCE NEWS THAT LOOKS MORE LIKE YOUTUBE?

2. 2. 2026 KSHB Kansas City offers an intriguing case study in producing YouTube-style news videos that are platform portable and striking chords with audiences. Diversity of content is one of YouTube’s greatest strengths. Whether I’m looking for information on installing solar panels, learning watercolor techniques, repairing a bicycle or watching live television, there is something for everyone.… Continue reading SHOULD BROADCASTERS PRODUCE NEWS THAT LOOKS MORE LIKE YOUTUBE?

EVERYONE HATES ADS. EXCEPT ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

1. 2. 2026 “The Super Bowl is such an egregious waste of money. Brands who advertise during its ad breaks are stuck in the past.” This is the gist of pretty much every marketing department’s water cooler conversation come February. And they’re right about one thing: Super Bowl spots are astronomically expensive, and keep rising. Yet for some,… Continue reading EVERYONE HATES ADS. EXCEPT ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

STREAMING VIDEO ADS HOLD ATTENTION FAR BETTER THAN TV

30. 1. 2026 The Video Futures Collective and Amplified have published findings from a market-wide study that measured attentive viewing of advertising on streaming video platforms in Australia. The study reported that audiences watched an average of 79% of a streaming video advert attentively. It split that total into 59% active attention and 20% passive attention. The organisations… Continue reading STREAMING VIDEO ADS HOLD ATTENTION FAR BETTER THAN TV

WHAT GOOGLE’S LEGAL THREAT REALLY MEANS: STOP TREATING YOUTUBE LIKE IT’S TV

29. 1. 2026 The real reason Google doesn’t want YouTube measured like television. Sometimes the news arrives not as a surprise, but as a head-slapping realisation. It emerged yesterday that Google handed the UK’s TV measurement body a cease-and-desist letter for doing something very simple: measuring YouTube like television. Not impressions nor claims. Actual viewing on TV sets,… Continue reading WHAT GOOGLE’S LEGAL THREAT REALLY MEANS: STOP TREATING YOUTUBE LIKE IT’S TV

CREATIVE AND MEDIA TOGETHER DRIVE ADVERTISING IMPACT

28. 1. 2026 Creative quality and media support together explain 60.1% of the business results generated by advertising, according to The Creative Dividend, a new book published by System1 and Effie. Why joined-up thinking matters Creative and media are often siloed endeavours within the advertising process. Making sure creative work has emotional resonance is undoubtedly vital, as is reaching… Continue reading CREATIVE AND MEDIA TOGETHER DRIVE ADVERTISING IMPACT

IAB: U.S. AD SPEND TO SPIKE BY 9.5% IN 2026 AS AI POWERS MARKETING EFFORTS AND LINEAR TV DECLINES

28. 1. 2026 AI has become the defining force shaping marketing priorities in 2026, with advertisers rapidly embedding the technology across planning, activation, and measurement, IAB reported. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released a new study predicting 9.5% year-over-year growth in U.S. ad spend, accelerated by major cyclical events like the mid-term elections and Olympics. Its annual… Continue reading IAB: U.S. AD SPEND TO SPIKE BY 9.5% IN 2026 AS AI POWERS MARKETING EFFORTS AND LINEAR TV DECLINES

YOUTUBE VS. TRADITIONAL TV IN THE UK

28. 1. 2026 What YouTube’s Growth Really Means for TV, and How Marketers Can Respond YouTube now rivals traditional TV for reach, but it’s some way behind on engagement. This report digs beneath the recent sensational headlines to examine how shifting viewership habits, screen use, and attention levels will reshape video ad strategies. What do recent headlines about… Continue reading YOUTUBE VS. TRADITIONAL TV IN THE UK

TWO-THIRDS OF SHOPPERS USE AI FOR PRODUCT DISCOVERY, BUT 92% STILL TRUST HUMAN REVIEWS

27. 1. 2026 AI tools are increasingly popular among shoppers, but scepticism remains when asked to rely solely on AI during the final stages of a purchase journey. According to Bazaarvoice’s GEO Shopper Consumer Survey, which solicited responses from over 2,000 global consumers, three-quarters of people say AI tools have become beneficial while shopping, and 72% of respondents… Continue reading TWO-THIRDS OF SHOPPERS USE AI FOR PRODUCT DISCOVERY, BUT 92% STILL TRUST HUMAN REVIEWS

WHY SUPER BOWL ADS KEEP GETTING FUNNIER—AND LESS TOUCHING

26. 1. 2026 This year’s Super Bowl ad lineup tilts decisively toward star power and humor over heartstring-pulling narratives, continuing a trend that has reshaped the game’s advertising tone in recent years. Many confirmed spots feature A-list talent: Keegan-Michael Key and Danny McBride (State Farm), Adrien Brody (TurboTax), Matthew McConaughey and Bradley Cooper (Uber Eats) among them. Comedy… Continue reading WHY SUPER BOWL ADS KEEP GETTING FUNNIER—AND LESS TOUCHING