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Articles by Dan Meier
More Partners, More Problems: Why CTV Needs a Supply Path Reset
As the CTV market matures, buyers are seeing increased supply while publishers have more programmatic partners to work with. But adding more monetisation partners does not automatically bring greater value, argues Anastasia Skliarenko, Director of Growth at Axis, and that assumption risks making supply paths convoluted and costly. CTV has inherited some useful things from digital advertising, but it has also inherited some baggage.
Are the DSP’s Days Numbered in an Agentic Future?
So far in the process of AI adoption, much of the focus has been on efficiency, writes Nick Tong, Managing Partner at Mediaplus UK, but now we are seeing the potential for agentic buying to change the process itself. In this guest article, Tong explores the impact agentic buying will have on the future of DSPs, media traders and agencies themselves. One of my biggest takeaways from DMEXCO this year was how quickly agentic buying is moving from theory towards something that feels genuinely usable.
Week in Charts: Havas Targets 10 Acquisitions This Year, Marketers Look to YouTube for Upper-Funnel Objectives, and Apple Joins $5 Trillion Club
In this week’s Week in Charts, Havas targets 10 acquisitions this year, marketers look to YouTube for upper-funnel objectives, and Apple joins $5 trillion club. To have Week in Charts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up to the newsletter here.
“Once You’ve Won a Race to the Bottom on Price, You’re at the Bottom” – Buy-Side View with The Kite Factory’s Gregor Chalmers
As agency work become less transactional and more collaborative, price is becoming less of a factor in client-agency relationships. “I think we are moving into an area where agencies are less transactional, and the best work we do with clients is where we are seeing genuine partnerships,” says Gregor Chalmers, Head of Broadcast at The Kite Factory.
IPA Bellwether Sees Growth Across All Marketing Categories in Q3
As the UK advertising industry awaits the government’s autumn budget, the latest IPA Bellwether Report suggests economic optimism is returning to the sector, following a rocky few quarters for marketing growth. Per the previous Bellwether report, Q2 was marked by softening media budgets, with video becoming the only media category whose marketing budgets were revised upwards on average.
Channel 4 Announces First Branded Microdrama in Latest Digital Push
UK broadcasters have expanded their distribution across digital channels in recent years, most notably on YouTube, where the commercial broadcasters have extended their reach by bringing full episodes onto the video service. Channel 4 has been particularly active on that front, producing content specifically for YouTube via its Channel 4.0 brand.
Week in Charts: Bending Spoons CEO on AI’s Impact on SaaS, AI Shopping Takes Off in Saudi Arabia and India, and Social Media to Drive Global Ad Spend
In this week’s Week in Charts, Bending Spoons CEO on AI’s impact on SaaS, AI shopping takes off in Saudi Arabia and India, and social media to drive global ad spend next year. To have Week in Charts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up to the newsletter here. Quote of the Week Number of the Week Charts of the Week More Than Half of Consumers in Saudi Arabia and India Use AI for Shopping YouGov research into consumer use of AI tools for shopping has found significant variation across markets.
When Machine Intelligence Meets Human Judgement: Three Ways AI is Reshaping AV
Rather than replacing AV teams, AI used in combination with strategic judgement is making experienced AV specialists even more important, writes James Weinberg, SVP, Activation & Delivery at WPP Media. In this article, Weinberg explores the impact of AI on planning, optimisation and measurement. “Have you triiiiiiied Wheaties?
The Industry is Ready for ‘Total TV’ – Now Brands Need to Embrace It
The last few months have seen much discussion around Total TV or Total Video, particularly in the DACH market, as the industry pushes for a unified approach to buying and delivering linear TV advertising, CTV and other forms of digital video. Ellinor Klier, Head of Digital at Havas Media Germany, says agencies, publishers and tech platforms have built the infrastructure for Total Video – but now brands need to be ready to adopt this approach.
“A Lot of AI-Generated Content is Just Crap”
This summer, Snap said it would no longer recommend “wholly AI-generated videos” in Snapchat’s Spotlight feed in efforts to combat AI slop. “There’s some good AI-generated content out there, but a lot of it is just crap,” says Jan Müller, Senior Sales Manager, Largest Customers DACH at Snap. In this interview, Müller discusses the role of AI on the platform, the importance of authenticity, and the company’s mix of brand and performance advertisers. Filmed at DMEXCO 2026.
Week in Charts: Carolyn McCall on ITV’s Sky Deal, AI’s Impact on Strategy Roles, and Netflix’s Stock Market Decline
In this week’s Week in Charts, Carolyn McCall on ITV’s Sky deal, AI’s impact on strategy roles, and Netflix’s stock market decline. To have Week in Charts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up to the newsletter here.
From GTA to CTV: How to Reach Gamers on the Big Screen
Between Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and Grand Theft Auto VI, this autumn marks a major few months in gaming. In this article, Sean Smith, EMEA Gaming Lead – Sales at Samsung Ads, explores what Netflix, GTA VI and Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) data can tell us about gaming audiences – and what that means for planners looking to reach gamers in CTV environments. In August, Netflix gave subscribers a six-hour head start on an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI.
Week in Review: Goalhanger Brings Ad Sales In-House, Google Faces $3.2 Billion in Publisher Lawsuits, and IAB Europe Pushes CTV Measurement Standards
In this week’s Week in Review: Goalhanger takes full control of ad sales, a US judge rules that Google can face $3.2 billion in publisher lawsuits relating to ad tech antitrust harms, and IAB Europe finalises its CTV transparency and measurement framework.
GVTLabs Launches AskGVT to Make Video Searchable
Nick Halstead, Founder and CEO, GVTLabs; Rhys McLachlan, Head of Media Partnerships, GVTLabs While chatbots and LLMs have made it easy for consumers to summarise swathes of text-based context, video has remained largely unqueryable, making it difficult to search through long-form video or large content libraries for specific moments or answers.
Global Brands Are Ditching Labour-Based Agency Fees Finds WFA
Last summer, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) warned that the advertising industry was approaching a “tipping point” over agency pricing structures, arguing that traditional time-and-resource (FTE-based) pricing models fail to capture the value of services provided by modern agencies. The IPA found that only 27 percent of agencies felt they receive a “fair” price for their work. Now these remuneration models appear to be changing.
MFE Has “All the Munitions” to Fight Against Global Streaming Giants
Last week saw MFE-MediaForEurope launch ALL21 Total Video Europe, a cross-country solution that airs the same ad simultaneously across all channels at 9pm. At DMEXCO, Michele Giraudo, Chief Revenue Officer at MFE Advertising, called the solution “the final piece of weeks of collaboration” between MFE’s Italian, Spanish and German sales houses, following its full takeover of ProSieben in September last year.
Week in Charts: Candle Media’s Kevin Mayer on Paramount’s WBD Acquisition, Video Ad Spend Grows in UK, and Consumers Question Brands’ Use of AI
In this week’s Week in Charts, Candle Media’s Kevin Mayer on Paramount’s WBD acquisition, video ad spend grows in UK, and consumers question brands’ use of AI. To have Week in Charts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up to the newsletter here.
Dailymotion Launches Dailymotion Business to Combine Signals Across OLV, CTV and Creator Ecosystem
Since its launch in 2005, Dailymotion has evolved from one of the first HD video hosting services into a video marketing platform and advertising business that now operates across connected TV, online video and social media. This morning the company announced the launch of Dailymotion Business, a new global proposition that brings together the company’s various capabilities developed over the last 20 years: video technology, advertising, monetisation and proprietary intelligence.
MFE Plays to TV’s Strengths with Cross-European Simultaneous Reach Ad Format
(L-R) Stefano Sala, CEO, MFE Advertising; Matteo Cardani, CMO, MFE Advertising; Michele Giraudo, CRO, MFE Advertising When MFE-MediaForEurope took full control of German broadcaster ProSieben just over one year ago, the media holding company positioned the takeover as a play for scale in the face of competition from US streaming giants.
Week in Charts: OpenAI’s Response to Bypassing NYT Paywall, BBC News’ Prevalence on Social Media, and Netflix’s Short-Form Push
In this week’s Week in Charts, OpenAI’s response to bypassing NYT paywall, BBC News’ prevalence on social media, and Netflix’s short-form push. To have Week in Charts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up to the newsletter here.
“A Trade-Off Between Reach and Control”: PSBs Discuss YouTube Distribution in BBC Charter Inquiry
With just over one year left on the BBC’s Royal Charter, the UK Government is working out the terms of the public service broadcaster’s (PSB) next Charter during a particularly turbulent time for the BBC, which faces ongoing financial strain, and has recently moved to distribute content on YouTube in order to reach younger viewers.
Saving Time, Adding Pressure: AI’s Double-Edged Impact on Agency Staff
WPP’s plans to cut an additional 1,000 jobs by the end of this year have raised further concerns about the impact of AI on the agency model. The holding company has already cut around 11,000 jobs since the start of 2025, and in February announced a multi-year strategic plan to make the group “a simpler, lower-cost, AI-enabled business.” Meanwhile other holdcos are further along in their AI transformation journeys.
Pay-TV Subscriptions Are on the Rise in Germany Finds VAUNET Report
Cord-cutting has long been the prevailing narrative across the TV landscape, but certain European markets appear to be less affected by the trend than the US. In Germany, pay-TV subscriptions are actually on the rise, according to a new report from German trade body VAUNET, even as pay-TV revenues continue to decline. The report, ‘Pay-TV & Paid VOD in Germany 2025/2026’, found that the number of pay-TV subscriptions stood at 15.8 million in 2025, up from 15.2 million in 2024.
Week in Charts: Kraft Heinz Sees Encouraging “Early Signs” in Marketing Push, GTA VI Preview Drives Netflix Sign-Ups, and Search and Social Platforms Boost US Ad Growth
In this week’s Week in Charts, Kraft Heinz sees encouraging “early signs” in marketing push, GTA VI preview drives Netflix sign-ups, and search and social platforms boost US ad growth. To have Week in Charts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up to the newsletter here.
Is CTV a Buyer’s Market or a Seller’s Market?
In the early days of CTV, a small pool of inventory and buying options created what might be described as a seller’s market, with limited supply commanding high CPMs from publishers. But as the market matures, increasing volumes of inventory and more ways to buy are arguably shifting CTV towards a buyer’s market – though premium inventory still gives publishers plenty of control.
TF1 Plans Full-Funnel Measurement and Agentic Trading in 2027 Roadmap
The last few years have seen concerted efforts by European broadcasters to enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to advertise on TV, including the release of RTL AdAlliance’s AdManager last year, and the UK launch of Comcast’s Universal Ads in June. TF1 PUB, the ad sales house of French broadcaster TF1, has proven particularly agile on this front, announcing regular updates to its commercial offering to make it easier for smaller advertisers to run ads on the TF1+ streaming service.
Ad-Supported SVOD Uptake is “Increasingly Inevitable” Finds IPA
The launch of ads on Netflix in 2022 proved something of a watershed moment, turning the most-used SVOD service in the UK into a commercial media environment, and prompting other streaming companies to introduce their own ad-supported models. And over the subsequent four years, tracking of audience behaviour has dispelled the notion that consumers would turn their backs on ad-funded media, instead largely embracing the introduction of cheaper subscription offerings.
Week In Review: WPP to Cut 1000 Jobs, ChatGPT Hits $1 Billion Ad Revenues, and Publicis Wins PepsiCo Account on AI Model
WPP to Cut 1,000 More Jobs Agency group WPP is cutting up to 1,000 more jobs by the end of the year as part of a restructuring programme under new CEO Cindy Rose. The holding company will also offload non-core businesses and surplus properties, according to the FT. Why it matters: Advertising agencies have already axed thousands of jobs as clients cut costs and AI tools make tasks more efficient.
Where Are ChatGPT Ad Budgets Coming From?
Katherine Cartwright, Cofounder and Principal, Criterion Global Right now, ChatGPT ad budgets are coming from two places: the small “flex” allocations smart clients hold aside for testing new channels, or a thin slice carved off existing paid search budgets. So it’s incremental spend for now, but only because it’s small compared to their full campaign efforts. Once the channel proves itself over time (or not), the money will most likely come at the expense of search budgets.
“Behavioural Remedies Are Only Worth What the Enforcement Behind Them is Worth” – Industry Reacts to Google Avoiding Ad Tech Break-Up
Yesterday’s ruling that Google does not have to sell off AdX brings a somewhat anticlimactic end to the prospect of the search giant’s ad tech business being broken up. The decision follows Judge Leonie Brinkema’s ruling last year that Google had wilfully monopolised both the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets. The judge has now rejected the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) attempt to force a sale of the ad exchange, but accepted most of the tech giant’s proposed behavioral remedies.
It’s Time to Stop Treating AI as a Single Entity
If there’s one thing I’d change about the way our industry talks about AI, it’s how it’s discussed as singular. “AI” has become an umbrella term that attempts to cover the intricacies of every model and every use case. To me, this creates a conversation that feels intimidating. We’re essentially asking marketers to grapple with one enormous concept, rather than helping them understand the many practical ways these technologies can support the work they already do.
“We Underestimate CTV’s Ability to Drive Short-Term Sales” – Buy-Side View with Dentsu’s James Wilby
CTV’s brand-building credentials are well established, but James Wilby, Head of AV Trading at Dentsu, argues that purely looking at premium video through a brand-building lens risks underestimating its ability to drive short-term sales – and providing the right metrics and cost structures are in place, there is further opportunity to use premium video as a performance channel.
Week in Charts: How ESOV Moves Market Share, Amazon’s Alleged $20 Billion From Manipulating Ad Auctions, and Influencer-Led TV Series Are on the Rise
In this week’s Week in Charts, how ESOV moves market share, Amazon’s alleged $20 billion in takings from manipulating ad auctions, and influencer-led TV series are on the rise. To have Week in Charts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up to the newsletter here.
How (Not) to Build a Super App
The last few months have seen streaming apps expand into new formats, from short-form video to gaming offerings. But Michael Akkerman, Chief Business Officer at Digital Turbine (and former GM of Advertising at Uber), argues that platforms need to serve their audience rather than expect them to follow the app into a new behaviour. The world’s biggest entertainment platforms are becoming more ambitious.
Week in Charts: AI Brings Monetisation Opportunities for Publishers, Confidence Returns to Upfront Investments, and US Viewers Turn to Long-Form Creator Content
In this week’s Week in Charts, AI brings monetisation opportunities for publishers, confidence returns to upfront investments, and US viewers turn to long-form creator content. To have Week in Charts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up to the newsletter here.
“Clients Need to be Brave” and Choose Agencies Based on Ideas Over Price – Buy-Side View with Guerillascope’s Max Kelvin
As agencies seek to win over clients in procurement-driven pitches, certain agency models have increased their reliance on principal media in order to lower their costs. And while proprietary inventory has its advantages when used in moderation, Max Kelvin, Director of Media at independent agency Guerillascope, warns that this model is not necessarily sustainable.
No Live Rights? No Problem: Daily Mail Sport’s World Cup Tactics
As FIFA’s estimated $4.3 billion in media rights revenues for the World Cup suggests, sports broadcasting is an expensive game, and only getting more expensive with each tournament; the 2026 figure is around $1 billion higher than in 2022. But even without access to live games, publishers managed to find creative ways to drive engagement around their World Cup content.
Twitter Architects Reboot Vine With AI Content Banned
As millennials await the recently threatened relaunch of Myspace, tomorrow sees the launch of a new social media service that looks (and sounds) like another defunct social platform. Divine is a video-sharing app where users can post six-second loops, essentially making it a revamp of Vine, which shuttered in 2017. Though it has no affiliation to the Twitter-owned app, Divine claims to be “inspired by Vine” and hosts more than 2.5 million “Vine classics” on the platform.
Streaming to Contribute €100 Million to RTL Group This Year as RTL+ Turns Profitable
This time two years ago, only two major streaming services (Netflix and Disney+) were profitable businesses, according to MoffettNathanson. Since then the tide has been turning, as ad-supported tiers and bundling partnerships have helped boost profitability. Most recently, Fox-owned Tubi reported its first profitable quarter in October 2025, while NBCUniversal’s Peacock reached profitabilityin Q2 2026.
Week in Charts: The Trade Desk’s Jeff Green on Competitors’ “Lack of Objectivity”, HBO Max Sees Ad Tier Growth, and Gen Z Are a Minority on Insta and TikTok
In this week’s Week in Charts, The Trade Desk’s Jeff Green on competitors’ “lack of objectivity”, HBO Max sees ad tier growth, and Gen Z are a minority on Insta and TikTok. To have Week in Charts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up to the newsletter here.
“Great Relationships with Media Owners Are Becoming a Bit of a Lost Art” – Buy-Side View with JAA Media’s Max Noss
The rise of CTV has created a certain amount of confusion among media owners as to who they should be speaking to at agencies. Max Noss, Head of AV at JAA Media, says the independent agency provides clarity by operating a hybrid CTV team, combining the digital team and the AV team – and therefore combining the skill sets of both specialisms.
CTV Doesn’t Have a Measurement Problem, It Has a Disclosure Problem
Transparency remains a major sticking point in CTV, with buyers regularly failing to receive information on the content their ads ran against. But rather than being a technical challenge, Mateusz Jędrocha, Chief Product Officer at Adlook, argues that this opacity is the result of a commercial choice by publishers, and outlines the types of signals the buy-side should demand from CTV platforms. Connected TV is the channel marketers have been crying out for.
VideoWeek Podcast: #61 David Bradford, Bloomberg Media
In this episode of the VideoWeek podcast, Vincent Flood, Editor-in-Chief at VideoWeek, is joined by David Bradford, Managing Director, Europe at Bloomberg Media. They discuss how Bloomberg has been evolving its media arm, in order to connect with younger audiences and the next generation of business leaders.
Week in Charts: ITV’s Chris Kennedy on Premium Targeting, Drama Underpins UK SVOD Growth, and Brands Underinvest in TV
In this week’s Week in Charts, ITV’s Chris Kennedy on premium targeting, drama underpins UK SVOD growth, and brands underinvest in TV. To have Week in Charts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up to the newsletter here. Quote of the Week Number of the Week Charts of the Week Drama “Underpins Overall Growth” in UK SVOD Viewing Finds Ofcom UK viewers’ time spent watching drama content on SVOD/AVOD services rose by 11 hours YoY per person in 2025, according to Ofcom analysis of Barb data.
WPP is Placing Media Teams “Literally in Clients’ Offices” – Buy-Side View with WPP Media’s James Weinberg
As media agencies take on more of a consultative role, WPP Media is placing agency staff directly in clients’ offices, in order to move closer to their commercial strategies. “I think it’s feeling less like a supplier arrangement, and being more of an extension of their own marketing team,” says James Weinberg, Executive Director at WPP Media (T&P).
Week in Review: LHF Rules Dent ITV Revenues, Unilever and Coca-Cola Shout Out World Cup, and AI Traffic Drops Hit UK Publisher Revenues
In this week’s Week in Review: ITV reports H1 earnings, the World Cup boosts sales for Unilever and Coca-Cola, and AI traffic drops hit UK publisher revenues. Top Stories LHF Rules Knock £20 Million From ITV Revenues The new rules around Less Healthy Food (LHF) advertising knocked around £20 million from ITV’s H1 revenues, according to the UK broadcaster’s earnings update this morning, though the declines were offset by advertiser demand for the FIFA World Cup.
World Cup Hydration Breaks Provided Two Minutes of Premium Inventory – but Can Anyone Prove It Worked?
The World Cup provided fresh commercial opportunities, including the much-discussed hydration breaks in every game, but tackling measurement remains a challenge for advertisers. Jason Hicks, GM at Kochava for Advertisers, explores how brands can connect their World Cup campaigns to commercial outcomes. This summer, for the first time in tournament history, FIFA introduced scheduled commercial windows into every World Cup match.
UK TV Ad Market Set for Growth This Year After Flat First Quarter
UK ad spend rose to £11.7 billion in Q1 2026, according to the latest Expenditure Report from the Advertising Association and WARC, prompting an upward revision in the ad market forecast for 2026 and 2027. Based on a survey of media owners and the industry bodies that represent them, the research found that advertisers’ investment in media space increased by 9.3 percent YoY during the first quarter.
Younger Audiences “Reaching Saturation” in Streaming Finds Ofcom
While viewing on SVOD services continues to grow in the UK, overall at-home video viewing declined last year, according to the latest Media Nations report from Ofcom, while younger audiences are “reaching saturation” in streaming consumption. The findings are set against a backdrop of rising competition from social media, and plateuing penetration of SVOD services in UK households.
VideoWeek Podcast: #60 Jacques Le Mancq, Broadpeak
In this episode of the VideoWeek podcast, Vincent Flood, Editor-in-Chief at VideoWeek, is joined by Jacques Le Mancq, President & CEO at Broadpeak. As live streaming continues to grow, particularly in sports, Le Mancq discusses the challenges of delivering live events at scale.
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