The past few years have been a wild ride for advertisers and consumers alike. Coming out of the pandemic, a flight of buzzy trends emerged—each promising to usher in an exciting new future for digital advertising filled with transformation and potential. Unfortunately, most of these so-called trends quickly fizzled out, leaving disappointed marketers wondering how we can separate the true “trends” from what’s merely “trendy.”

This webinar takes a realistic approach to the trends set to shape 2024. Basis Technologies’ VP of Media Innovations & Technology Noor Naseer shares insights on what lies ahead so marketers can tune out the noise and instead focus their attention on the most important, proven trends that will shape the year to come.

We explore trends including:

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Looking for more trends content? Check out our Trends Hub and our 2024 trends report today!

Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 9/29/23 – 10/5/23 to stay ahead of the curve:

Hollywood writers are forcing streamers like Netflix and Disney+ to share audience data — here's what it means for their ad businesses [:04]

The WGA’s new deal with Hollywood studios is ushering in a new era of transparency around streaming metrics—and those residuals-inspired numbers are likely to have a residual impact on video advertising.

Why MFA Is Ad Tech’s Biggest Problem – But Also Its Easiest To Solve [:05]

How do you solve a problem like made for advertising (MFA) sites? The ad industry is grappling with this inventory that sits in a grey space—not exactly fraudulent, but not high quality either—and advertisers will need to decide what this inventory means for their larger goals.

Meta debuts generative AI features for advertisers [:02]

On the heels of last week’s Meta Connect event, the tech company is rolling out its first generative AI ad tools for developing creative. Features include background generators, image expansion (to fit multiple ad units), and a text variation tool that will allow advertisers to test up to six iterations of ad copy.

Basis Technologies 2023 Holiday Shopping Trends Report [:15]

Ready to rock your Q4 campaigns in 2023? Gain valuable insights into the ever-evolving holiday advertising landscape in this new research report.

‘It’s a Moral Issue’: Creatives Are Quitting Agencies Over Fossil Fuel Clients [:06]

Climate change is affecting us all, and the implication of further inaction has started to impact agencies: Ad and PR firms are reportedly starting to see staffers quit rather than work with Big Oil clients.

Test Your Digital Advertising Knowledge!

Show off your marketing chops with our question of the week. This week’s hot topic: Political advertising.

How much did political ad spend on connected TV increase from the 2020 US election cycle to the midterms in 2022?

A. 7%

B. 22%

C. 48%

D. 63%

Get the answer, plus a deep dive on how political advertisers can embrace the rapid growth of CTV and effectively connect with voters, right here.

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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 9/15/23 – 9/21/23 to stay ahead of the curve:

ByteDance and US government seek middle ground for TikTok's future [:02]

Talks have resumed between ByteDance and the US government regarding federal access to and control over user data. This will likely postpone any possibility of the social platform’s sell-off or nationwide ban—a welcome development for brands who’ve leaned into advertising on TikTok.   

Advertising on Snapchat: What Marketers Need to Know [:06]

Speaking of social, while Snapchat gets less attention than TikTok, the platform’s renewed focus on augmented reality (AR) may open new opportunities for advertisers. Here, learn what marketers should know about Snap’s recent ups and downs, and how to best leverage the channel.

The Google Trial Is Going to Rewrite Our Future [:05]

In this op-ed, Columbia Law Professor Constance Wu explores how the verdict of the Justice Department’s antitrust lawsuit against Google’s parent company, Alphabet, will set a precedent for regulating tech competition that will impact "the battle over commercialized artificial intelligence, as well as newer technologies we cannot yet envision.” No big deal!

Why regulators at the FTC and beyond are turning an eye to child safety in gaming in 2023 [:04]

According to new findings from the FTC, children are struggling more and more to discern advertising from other types of content, particularly on gaming platforms. As a result, there’s a huge push for increased regulation when it comes to child safety on these platforms.

OpenAI hopes ChatGPT Enterprise will answer employers’ data privacy concerns [:05]

With all the buzz around generative AI, there’s also been significant concern around data and privacy—particularly from companies concerned with protecting their proprietary data. OpenAI’s answer: ChatGPT Enterprise, a tool that allows employers to own and control their business data.

Test Your Digital Advertising Knowledge!

Show off your marketing chops with our question of the week. This week’s hot topic: Higher education.

In what year will higher ed institutions likely see a significant enrollment drop off, caused by a US population shift during the Great Recession?

a) 2025

b) 2026

c) 2027

Get the answer, along with a deep dive into how higher ed marketers can adjust to this changing landscape, right here.

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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 9/8/23 – 9/14/23 to stay ahead of the curve:

Strikes. Streaming. Social. Is the Fall TV Season Relevant Anymore? [:04]

With the majority of production at a halt due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes—not to mention all the other drama and tumult coming out of TV land—some advertisers are starting to wonder: Does fall TV even matter this year? And, if not, where is the best place to divert that spend?

Google to require AI disclosures on political ads [:01]

In anticipation of next year’s presidential election, Google is upping its generative AI regulation: Come November, political marketers will be required to disclose when ads feature “synthetic” content that “inauthentically depicts real or realistic-looking people or events.”

How to Fine-tune Your Target ROAS [:07]

It feels fairly safe to say that all advertising teams want to maximize their return on ad spend. But knowing how to make adjustments to a target ROAS bidding strategy? That can be tricky. This deep dive details how to make the most of an array of target ROAS adjustment scenarios.

Digital media forecast to lead U.S. ad industry growth in 2023 [:02]

According to a new report, the US ad industry is set to grow by 5% this year. The biggest contributor to that growth? Digital advertising, which is projected to make up 64% of all ad spend in 2023.

Adweek Podcast: Why Corporate America Can’t Ignore the Loneliness Epidemic [:32]

We all know the advertising industry is ripe for burnout, but there’s a new conversation growing around loneliness in the workplace, spurred by the surgeon general’s recent advisory on the epidemic of isolation in the US. Here, advertisers share their perspectives on how marketing teams can address loneliness at work.

Test Your Digital Advertising Knowledge!

Show off your marketing chops with our question of the week. This week’s hot topic: Generative AI.

What percentage of digital marketers believe that consumers will find a brand less authentic if it uses AI-generated content in its marketing or advertising efforts?

D. 15%

A. 25%

B. 55%

C. 75%

Get the answer, along with even more insights about the benefits, risks, and future of generative AI in digital marketing, right here.

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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 9/1/23 - 9/7/23 to stay ahead of the curve:

Meta May Allow Instagram and Facebook Users in Europe to Pay to Avoid Ads [:04]

Meta is reportedly weighing the possibility of offering an ad-free, subscription-based version of Facebook and Instagram in Europe. The source of this dramatic shift in revenue model: the Digital Services Act, which gives European internet users more control over how their data is used, combined with a recent data-focused EU court ruling that curbed Meta’s ability to combine user data across platforms (not to mention a huge fine levied by Irish regulators that cost the social giant hundreds of millions of euros). No wonder Zuckerberg was itching for a cage match to let off some steam!

In Its First Monopoly Trial of Modern Internet Era, U.S. Sets Sights on Google [:07] 

This week, the Justice Department kicked off its first antitrust case against Google, accusing the Big Tech behemoth of monopolizing the online search market. The results from the trial could upend the search market, force Google to restructure or pay huge fines…or ultimately end uneventfully and without further action. Either way, it may just be Act I in the drama between the DOJ and Google: a separate suit on Google’s illegal abuse of its adtech monopoly was filed in January.

Google Chrome pushes ahead with targeted ads based on your browser history [:06]

Speaking of Google, the company is gradually rolling out its new “Enhanced Ad Privacy” Chrome functionality, which allows websites to target users with ads based on their online activities, interests, and browser histories, but is positioned as a privacy-friendly alternative to third-party cookies. However, users who’ve seen the notification are complaining that Google has made it unclear how to toggle this new tracking method on and off—using, to every marketer’s chagrin, vague language and a confusing CTA.

Quiz: Discover the Perfect Digital Advertising Read for You [:01]

Read all of these stories already and hungry for more? No need to waste your time searching for the right read: Answer a few quick questions, and this quiz will provide a piece of content sure to suit your current needs and interests.

Test Your Digital Advertising Knowledge!   

Show off your marketing chops with our question of the week. This week’s hot topic: Convergent TV and video advertising.

How much ad spend was represented by digital video at this year’s upfronts?

A. Less than one-quarter

B. About half

C. Roughly two-thirds

D. More than three-quarters

Click here to get the answer, plus learn how to navigate TV advertising amidst convergent TV’s dramatic plot twists—including the continuing writer’s and actor’s strikes.

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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 8/11/23 – 8/17/23 to stay ahead of the curve:

Brands Face Threads Fatigue as App Loses Nearly 80% of Daily Active Users [:03]

Alas, poor Threads, we hardly knew ye. Less than two months after its triumphant debut (when it racked up 100 million new users faster than any app ever), Meta’s Twitter X clone has seen its daily active users plummet by 79%, causing brands to reconsider their commitment to the as-yet ad-free platform.

The case for and against made-for-advertising sites [:06]

Are made-for-advertising sites (aka MFAs) good or bad for advertisers? MFAs have been getting more attention lately—attention that generally makes them out to be the villain. But the reality is a bit more complex, with many marketers arguing that these sites can serve a purpose...provided there are appropriate mechanisms in place to ensure transparence and quality control.

Why the Real Social Media Cage Match Is Advertisers vs. Brand Safety Threats [:05]

The news may be abuzz about the proposed cage match between social media titans Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. But social media advertisers? They’re already in the ring with a whole host of threats to brand safety. This piece details the ongoing cage match between advertisers and social media’s brand safety risks, as well as strategies for advertisers to come out on top.  

New data: Linear TV fell below 50% viewing share in July for the first time [:03]

Got a minute? Linear TV could use it: For the first time, time spent watching linear TV has dipped below the 50% mark. Analysts say this won’t change much for advertisers, as they’ve been investing in digital media’s “better targeting and tracking capabilities for years.”

Test Your Digital Advertising Knowledge!

Show off your marketing chops with our question of the week. This week’s hot topic: Marketing technology. 

Approximately what percentage of B2B marketers plan to spend more on martech this year?

A. 15%

B. 25%

C. 45%

D. 75%

Get the answer, along with insights on impactful tech solutions and how best to evaluate them, right here.

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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 7/28/23 – 8/3/23 to stay ahead of the curve:

As strikes halt Hollywood projects, the TV ad industry is on the line [:04]

With production stoppages and delays disrupting the release of new TV content, advertisers are having a tougher time reaching their target audiences and investing in new advertising opportunities. Learn more about how the ongoing Hollywood strikes are impacting the TV advertising industry.

What Apple’s iOS 17 privacy shift means for marketers [:05]

Apple’s next iOS update is buzzing with more user customization, a new mindfulness app, and...Link Tracking Protection. The new feature will strip user-identifiable data from URLs within Apple apps like Safari Private Browsing, Messages, and Mail and may make it tougher for advertisers to thoroughly measure campaign success.

Meta to seek user consent for targeted ads in the EU [:01]

In other news on the data privacy front: In an effort to meet evolving regulatory requirements in the EU, social media behemoth Meta announced that they will begin asking users for their consent before using their data for targeted advertisements.

Generative AI and the Future of Marketing [:20]

Whether you’re a generative AI skeptic or a ChatGPT enthusiast, this next-generation tech is proving to be a powerful disruptive force in the digital advertising world. This eye-opening report details how marketing and advertising professionals from top agencies, B2B and B2C companies, non-profits, and publishers feel about generative AI’s impact on the industry.

Test Your Digital Advertising Knowledge!

Show off your marketing chops with our question of the week. This week’s hot topic: Threads (the up-and-coming new sewcial social media app from Meta).

How long did it take Threads to reach 100 million users?

A. One month

B. Two weeks

C. Five days

D. 12 hours

Get the answer, plus news on the latest innovations in search engine marketing and social media, right here.

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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 7/7/23 - 7/13/23 to stay ahead of the curve:

IAB’s Retail Media Buyer’s Guide [:60]

Retail media is forecast to account for more than one-fourth of US digital ad spend by the end of 2027. Check out the IAB's comprehensive guide—and we do mean comprehensive, to the tune of 48 pages long—to learn about the opportunities available in the space, as well as how to navigate its challenges.

US ad agency employment marks an all-time high [:02]

This rebound is either an indication that the industry has rediscovered its momentum, or proof that agencies are forced to continually add more folks to their teams to deal with an overly complicated media landscape. It’s also worth mentioning the forecasts that automation and AI could replace 33,000 advertising agency jobs by 2030—which sounds scary—so check out Benedict Evans’ AI and the Automation of Work for a more optimistic (read: less scary) take on how AI will impact labor.

Sarah Silverman Sues OpenAI and Meta Over Copyright Infringement [:02]

Since generative artificial intelligence’s dramatic public debut last fall, there’s been a lot of buzz around how best to regulate it, within an advertising context and beyond. Comedian Sarah Silverman’s recent lawsuit against OpenAI and Meta—in which she alleges the companies “copied and ingested” her copyrighted work to train their AI bots—underscores the need for regulation.

The Digital Marketer's 2023 Holiday Advertising Checklist [:03]

We know, it’s only July, but we wanted to be the very first to offer you a holiday gift: The ultimate checklist to help with your holiday campaign planning, buying, and reporting this year. From key dates to plan for, to how to make the most of your data, to setting up your measurement and reporting systems, this helpful resource covers everything advertisers need to ensure a happy Q4.

Test Your Digital Advertising Knowledge!

Show off your marketing chops with our question of the week. This week’s hot topic: digital advertising regulation.

Which country temporarily banned ChatGPT earlier this year over data protection and privacy concerns? 

  1. The Netherlands
  2. Italy
  3. Ireland
  4. Germany

Get the answer, plus a deep dive into the latest updates on digital advertising regulation, right here.

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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 6/16/23 - 6/22/23 to stay ahead of the curve:

AI Will Replace Over 30,000 Ad Agency Jobs, Report Says—Here Are The Roles Most At Risk [:02]

This post was written by a human, but by 2030? Who knows: A new report from Forrester predicts that artificial intelligence will lead to the loss of 33,000 US advertising agency jobs by the end of the decade. This article takes a look at some of the positions that may be most at risk.

Cannes Lions 2023: see all the Grand Prix winners so far [:02]

It’s Cannes Lion season, when the ad industry’s best and brightest descend on the French Riviera to celebrate creativity, innovation, and (let’s be honest) go to some killer parties. Keep tabs on all of this year’s winners with this handy, regularly updated list.

TV Upfront Budgets Down Significantly—Why It Could Benefit Streamers [:04]

It’s been quite a dramatic time for TV advertising, and the plot twists show no sign of slowing. This piece breaks down what’s going on with TV pricing and advertisers’ budgets, and what it all means for this year and beyond.

The Do’s and Don’ts of TikTok Marketing [:06]

Despite many countries’ efforts to ban the app, TikTok remains a social and video (and even search!) powerhouse: It’s forecast to overtake YouTube in daily screen time, and 75% of US brands are planning to increase their spend on the channel this year. This piece takes a look at how brands can succeed on the platform.

Gannett sues Google, alleges online ad monopoly [:02]

On the heels of getting hit with yet another antitrust charge from the European Commission last week, Google is now facing a lawsuit from Gannett, the largest US newspaper chain, which alleges that Google is “trying to corner the market for online advertising by monopolizing ad technology.”

Economic Uncertainty Could Have More Publishers and Marketers Trying Programmatic Ads for Podcasts [:06]

Economic uncertainty is presenting a silver lining for podcasts and programmatic advertisers alike: Pressured to maximize their media investments, buyers have pulled away from podcasts, pushing podcasters to open their inventory to programmatic transactions. As a result, advertisers are gaining access to more inventory at lower CPMs, while podcasters are monetizing unclaimed ad slots.

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