The creator economy may be marching toward a projected $500 billion by 2027, but its advertising backbone has long been stuck in the pre-automation era. Brands know creators drive purchase decisions, yet only 2% of digital ad spend flows to them—mainly because creator advertising has remained painfully manual: individual negotiations, inconsistent performance data, and workflows that collapse under volume.
National CineMedia (NCM), the largest cinema advertising network in the U.S., is stepping deeper into the premium moviegoing experience. The company has acquired Spotlight Cinema Networks—the only U.S. cinema advertising firm focused exclusively on art house, luxury, and dine-in theaters.
Rockbot, a leader in digital media for physical businesses, has unveiled the Rockbot Smart Amp — the first commercial-grade amplifier and media player built into one connected device. It’s a significant leap for venues that have long relied on analog, standalone audio systems with little to no remote control or visibility.
iHeartMedia and TikTok—two giants of audio and short-form video—are joining forces in a sweeping, multiplatform partnership designed to pull TikTok creators deeper into long-form audio, radio, and live events. The collaboration introduces the TikTok Podcast Network, a new national TikTok Radio station, and exclusive creator access at iHeart’s marquee live events.
For years, marketers have talked about unifying brand and performance. Yet in practice, TV still gets treated as the “brand” bucket while digital shoulders all the pressure for results. Marketing Architects and New Engen are teaming up to put an end to that split.
As AdTech seeks scalable alternatives to cookie- and ID-based targeting, Verve is betting on a less conventional—but increasingly viable—approach: on-device cohorts.
Paramount, a Skydance Corporation (NASDAQ: PSKY), and TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) have inked a long-term media rights deal positioning Paramount+ as the exclusive streaming home for Zuffa Boxing across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. The agreement underscores the growing convergence of sports and streaming platforms, as direct-to-consumer services increasingly compete for live-event audiences.
Raptive, a leading creator media company, has launched “Ctrl Alt Ask”, a biweekly podcast aimed at helping creators and independent publishers navigate the fast-evolving creator economy. Available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms, the series features candid conversations with industry experts who offer actionable guidance on building sustainable brands and managing challenges.
As cookies crumble, some ad tech players are quietly proving they don’t need them. Case in point: Intent IQ and EXTE. The two companies announced that their partnership has led to a 73% jump in revenue from cookieless inventory—a result that challenges the industry’s skepticism about post-cookie monetization.
Community newspapers are getting a tech upgrade. CherryRoad Media announced it will roll out hyper-local AI search functionality across its properties, powered by ProRata’s Gist Answers platform. The move promises to reshape how readers discover local news—and how publishers monetize it. AI Meets Main Street Gist Answers is an AI-as-a-service solution that allows publishers to…
