MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT CASTS SHADOW OF GLOBAL AD OUTLOOK

20. 3. 2026 The ad spending numbers for 2026 looked good until the war in the Middle East made them provisional. Not because they were optimistic or vacuous about ad spending this year but because they were built on assumptions about a world that existed two weeks ago – one where the biggest variables were tariffs, AI and… Continue reading MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT CASTS SHADOW OF GLOBAL AD OUTLOOK

98TH OSCARS DOWN NEARLY 2 MILLION VIEWERS, REACHING 17.86 MILLION

17. 3. 2026 Unfortunately, even a performance of the KPop Demon Hunters song “Golden” couldn’t make Oscars ratings go up, up, up. Today, according to Nielsen national live+same day big data plus panel program ratings, the 98th Oscars took a significant dip, dropping to 17.86 million viewers. The show, which aired on ABC and streamed live on Hulu,… Continue reading 98TH OSCARS DOWN NEARLY 2 MILLION VIEWERS, REACHING 17.86 MILLION

7 CINEMATIC ADS FROM THE 2026 OSCARS

16. 3. 2026 ADWEEK rounds up the best spots from Hollywood’s big night, from Burger King’s reintroduction to Coinbase’s gamified ad. The Oscars may be Hollywood’s biggest night, but sometimes the ad breaks earn their own standing ovation. The commercials that ran during the 98th Academy Awards leaned into the ceremony’s themes of aspiration and transformation, with brands… Continue reading 7 CINEMATIC ADS FROM THE 2026 OSCARS

TO GAIN AI VISIBILITY, BROADCASTERS MUST TRAIN THE LLMS

16. 3. 2026 The window to shape AI SEO for broadcast is now. If an advertiser asked an AI system to build a media plan today, broadcast television would rarely make the recommendation. That’s not because TV is ineffective, but because AI systems cannot see it. In a previous column, I shared my concern about the visibility of… Continue reading TO GAIN AI VISIBILITY, BROADCASTERS MUST TRAIN THE LLMS

66.7% OF AD-SUPPORTED TV VIEWING BY 18 TO 49 YEAR OLDS GOES TO STREAMERS

12. 3. 2026 New Nielsen guide says sports account for 29.2% of ad-supported viewing by 25–54-year olds. With the annual upfront ad market approaching, Nielsen has come out with a new data point that will drive senior sellers of traditional network advertising in search of another martini. In its 2026 Upfront Planning Guide, Nielsen says that streaming now… Continue reading 66.7% OF AD-SUPPORTED TV VIEWING BY 18 TO 49 YEAR OLDS GOES TO STREAMERS

THINKBOX: TOTAL TV IS FUNDAMENTAL FOR GETTING ADS SEEN

12. 3. 2026 The time people spend watching different video content is useful to know. But the most important analysis for advertisers is the time spent watching the advertising. In 2025, total video advertising time in the UK reached nearly 17 minutes per person. Total TV (incl. Linear, BVOD, SVOD) accounted for 85% of this. For younger audiences TV was… Continue reading THINKBOX: TOTAL TV IS FUNDAMENTAL FOR GETTING ADS SEEN

GOLDEN DRUM KICKS OFF ITS 32ND EDITION, ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS UNTIL 26 AUGUST

11. 3. 2026 The Golden Drum International Festival is kicking off another year. Entries can be submitted until 26 August. Golden Drum, an international creative festival, is launching its 32nd edition. Applications will be accepted until 26 August in six different sections: One-Channel Drum, Omni-Channel Drum, Craft Drum, Creative Media Excellence Drum, Creative Business Excellence Drum and a… Continue reading GOLDEN DRUM KICKS OFF ITS 32ND EDITION, ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS UNTIL 26 AUGUST

STUDY: WOMEN’S SPORTS OUTPERFORM PRIME TIME TV

10. 3. 2026 Third annual EDO report finds that women’s sports ads drove 15% more impact than the average primetime spot, led by financial service, insurance, and restaurant brands. Women’s sports advertising continues to outperform primetime TV, according to the third annual Women’s Sports TV Outcomes Report from EDO. The study found that women’s sports ads generated 15%… Continue reading STUDY: WOMEN’S SPORTS OUTPERFORM PRIME TIME TV

MEDIA CLUB SELLS REALITY ASIA EXPRESS AS A PREMIUM PROGRAMME

6. 3. 2026 The Media Club sales agency has included the reality show Asia Express in its premium sales. This is the first format this year that Media Club is marketing in this way. The reality show Asia Express is the first format of this spring season that the advertising sales agency Media Club has included in the… Continue reading MEDIA CLUB SELLS REALITY ASIA EXPRESS AS A PREMIUM PROGRAMME

TVB: LINEAR TV STILL KING

5. 3. 2026 TV, viewed on a television screen, has the highest reach and time spent of all media platforms studied, according to the advertising association. A new report from the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) casts doubt among those who think linear TV’s days are numbered. According to the association’s 2026 Media Comparisons Study, TV, viewed on a television… Continue reading TVB: LINEAR TV STILL KING

TV ADVERTISING IN A TIME OF WAR

5. 3. 2026 iSpot data reveals that cable news networks saw less ad time but more reach as the war with Iran kicked off. After weeks of a military build up, the United States and Israel launched a coordinated attack against Iran on February 28, 2026. The days since have seen the conflict escalate, with retaliatory missile and… Continue reading TV ADVERTISING IN A TIME OF WAR

BASIC CABLE MIGHT NOT BE AS DEAD AS IT SEEMS

4. 3. 2026 TV companies are increasingly using their broadcast networks as primary promotional platforms to push viewership on their co-owned streaming services. But the same strategy is not as apparent on the same companies’ basic cable networks. If applied aggressively, the companies just might find a use for their legacy cable networks that could prove just as… Continue reading BASIC CABLE MIGHT NOT BE AS DEAD AS IT SEEMS

MUSIC IS THE GATEWAY TO EMOTIONS AND INCREASES MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS – BUT BRANDS OFTEN UNDERESTIMATE ITS POWER, SAYS THE STUDY SOUND SCIENCE

3. 3. 2026 Sometimes, adverts get under our skin. And then, even hours after watching them, we find ourselves humming a catchy melody or jingle that got stuck in our heads. Yet in planning advertising campaigns, music is often an “afterthought”. This was one of the reasons for the creation of the study Sound Science: How Music Is… Continue reading MUSIC IS THE GATEWAY TO EMOTIONS AND INCREASES MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS – BUT BRANDS OFTEN UNDERESTIMATE ITS POWER, SAYS THE STUDY SOUND SCIENCE

BRANDS MAY ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM ADVERTISING NEXT TO AI CONTENT, PER STUDY

3. 3. 2026 Research from OM Media Trials and Zefr finds ads running next to some AI content perform well The rise of low-quality AI-generated online content, colloquially known as “AI slop,” has sparked backlash among many consumers. Some brands are virtue signalling with ad campaigns that mock AI. But the current state of AI-generated content is more… Continue reading BRANDS MAY ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM ADVERTISING NEXT TO AI CONTENT, PER STUDY

SURVEY: 70% OF CTV ADVERTISERS PLAN TO BOOST SPENDING IN 2026

2. 3. 2026 They were planning to increase spending an average of 17% this year, according to Premion and Advertiser Perceptions. A new survey indicates that CTV advertisers are bullish on the medium in 2026, with seven in 10 CTV advertisers (70%) telling researchers that they expect to increase their CTV spending this year. The new 2026 CTV/OTT… Continue reading SURVEY: 70% OF CTV ADVERTISERS PLAN TO BOOST SPENDING IN 2026

THE RISE OF CONNECTED TV: RESHAPING ADVERTISING IN THE DIGITAL AGE

2. 3. 2026 The landscape of television has undergone a profound transformation over the past decade, driven by technological advancements and shifting consumer behaviors. What began as a simple broadcast medium has evolved into a sophisticated ecosystem where connected TV (CTV) plays a central role. This shift not only alters how viewers consume content but also revolutionizes advertising… Continue reading THE RISE OF CONNECTED TV: RESHAPING ADVERTISING IN THE DIGITAL AGE

STUDY: ADVERTISERS BOOSTING SPENDING ON CONNECTED TV, NEW STUDY FINDS

2. 3. 2026 Premion, Advertiser Perceptions respondents see best results when linear TV and CTV are coordinated. If the way to figure out what’s going on is to follow the money, the story in the television business continues to be the shift to streaming and connected TV. The latest example is a new survey released by Advertiser Perceptions… Continue reading STUDY: ADVERTISERS BOOSTING SPENDING ON CONNECTED TV, NEW STUDY FINDS

NEW SCREAM HITS THEATERS AS AUDIENCES BUZZ WITH ANTICIPATION. BRANDS TAP INTO THE POPULARITY OF HORROR IN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS

2. 3. 2026 Three years have passed since the release of Scream 6, and the seventh instalment is now racing into theatres. The trailer for the new film premiered during this year’s Super Bowl, leaving fans of the franchise eager for more. The sixth film was a major commercial success, grossing over $168 million worldwide and becoming the… Continue reading NEW SCREAM HITS THEATERS AS AUDIENCES BUZZ WITH ANTICIPATION. BRANDS TAP INTO THE POPULARITY OF HORROR IN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS