More and more people are engaging with sports around the world, and brands can capitalize on these fans’ newfound interest.

It’s not just Swifties: There are more sports fans, and brands see a way to score

Advertisers lean on first-party data, retail data, shoppable ads and more to earn a spot on Christmas wish lists.

First-party and retail data will be tested this holiday season as cookie sunsetting approaches

From connected TV to digital out-of-home to audio, DTC brands are finding new ways to reach their customers.

DTC brands increasingly see the advertising opportunity on the open internet

Marketers are zeroing in on Gen Z this holiday shopping season, as Adobe estimates record discounts and spending on smartphones.

2023’s top holiday shopping trends: Record discounts, mobile spending, and the Gen Z effect

Retail data seems like a simple concept, but unifying measurement can be complex for agencies and data partners.

Data strategy is crucial to crushing the retail media game

As Thanksgiving approaches, brands have more options to use grocery data across channels like connected TV and display via shopping platforms like Instacart.

‘A living, breathing pulse’: As Thanksgiving approaches, online grocery data is more valuable than ever

New research finds that consumers are more engaged with certain types of digital media and there are imbalances between ad dollars investments and consumer activity.

Quality time: From audio to CTV to news sites, consumers seek online moments that matter, beyond social media

The rise of retail media was a major topic at Advertising Week NY, including how its first-party data can help transform advertising strategies.

Is retail media becoming just ‘media’?

How streaming is transforming how we watch television.

Streaming

Get the latest news, trends, and insights shaping the future of digital marketing and programmatic advertising.

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How marketers are adapting their strategies to societal shifts and industry trends.

Culture

The most critical innovations in advertising are happening on the open internet — identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond. Born inside The Trade Desk, The Current is a news platform dedicated to covering the latest in modern marketing — all from the front lines. Speaking to the marketing world’s most influential players, we explain what these seismic shifts mean, how they are happening, and why they are taking place.

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On this edition of The Current Report, we discuss why the future of holiday advertising may hold first-party and retail data.

The Current Report: December 1, 2023

The Current Report: Data could be the future of holiday advertising

Freed from upfront commitments, media buying agencies are finding success with more flexible ad-buying tactics.

This Cyber Monday showed us how fickle shoppers are, and how TV buyers can woo them

How seed audiences form the basis for targeted ad campaigns.

What the Tech are seed audiences?

Marlow Nickell, co-founder and CEO of Grocery TV, joins Asking for a friend to discuss in-store lift.

Asking for a friend: What is in-store lift?

“Front-end” AI applications like Generative AI are under the spotlight, but for advertisers, the real game changer is behind the (ad tech) curtain.

To understand how AI is revolutionizing advertising, look beyond its creative capabilities

State Farm’s Head of Marketing, Alyson Griffin, breaks down making the company’s iconic jingle a bigger deal next year and diving more into retail media.

State Farm’s Alyson Griffin’s policy: meet customers at every life stage

State Farm’s Alyson Griffin’s policy: Meet customers at every life stage

President and CEO of Volta, Brandt Hastings, joins Asking for a friend to explain place-based media.

Asking for a friend: What is place-based media?

Bully Pulpit Interactive's Mike Schneider shares his take on where innovation throughout this election cycle will be focused.

A brand marketer’s guide to victory in a U.S. presidential election year

A recent study by The Trade Desk Intelligence shows that advertisers are not aligning their money with where people spend their time​.

Americans spend 59 percent of their time on the open internet, but only 48 percent of advertiser budgets are spent there

Online blogs and newsletters are among the open internet channels that could see the biggest increases in usage.

60 percent of Americans plan to spend more time on the open internet in the coming year

Holiday spending is expected to reach $875 per person this year on average, but sales and promotions are more important to shoppers than last year.

Average holiday spending in the U.S. is expected to jump 5 percent this year

Retail data investments to soar as 53 percent of advertisers in the U.S. plan to double down on a data-driven future.

53 percent of U.S. advertisers plan to increase their retail data investment by 2027

U.S. consumers are expected to spend a record amount on costumes and décor in 2023, with many starting before September.

Halloween spending is expected to smash last year’s record-high total by 15 percent

GroupM’s “This Year Next Year” report reveals predicted 10.4 percent surge in connected TV (CTV) and subscription video on demand (SVOD) expenditure. India emerges as a front-runner in the ad revenue boost. 

By 2028, CTV ad revenue is predicted to soar by 10.4 percent worldwide

GroupM’s “This Year Next Year” report reveals India as a frontrunner in ad revenue growth.

India leads the way in worldwide ad revenue growth for first half of 2023

Sports gambling is rising in popularity as states legalize it and digital deals make it easier to place bets. Major players like DraftKings and FanDuel are going beyond traditional ads to ride the tide.

Nearly 37 million Americans expected to bet on sports online by 2025

McDonalds' Alison Ciccione joins The Current's Asking for a friend to explain the magic behind leveraging first-party data

Asking for a friend: How do I activate first-party data?

Mark Jablonowski, CTO and president of politics and public affairs at Optimal, explains the basics of geofencing and how it allows for specific measurement.

Asking for a friend: What is geofencing?

Scott Ensign, chief strategy officer at Butler/Till, discusses building a digital-first strategy and the advantages to digital media.

Asking for a friend: What is digital-first strategy?

Ander Lopez Ochoa, EMEA head of Kenvue, breaks down supply path optimization (SPO) and its importance for marketers.

Asking for a friend: What is SPO?

Jimmy Spano, EVP and head of Dentsu media sports, joins Asking for a friend to discuss how brands can get the most value out of live sports.

Asking for a friend: Where is the most value in live sports?

Janet Lee, SVP/CMO of Mobile Experience at Samsung, joins Hot Seat to share her predictions for 2024 and her thoughts on Generative AI.

Hot Seat with Samsung's Janet Lee

Stories about the emerging retail media market, including the latest brand partnerships.

Retail

Bite-size articles and infographics featuring the latest data every marketer should know.

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You’ve reached the end of the open internet! <br/> (Or at least the end of our search results.)

Netflix’s advertising journey illustrates how streaming is learning from cable’s beginnings

Netflix can draw on lessons from cable with advertising launch

When it comes to retail media strategy, Coca-Cola has seen success with return on ad spend, incremental reach, and determination of overlapping audiences, helping with programmatic targeting and consolidating media buys. 