KSM is seeing six areas of growth and innovation in the digital media landscape – Connected TV (CTV), AI-driven advertising, YouTube Shorts, podcast and audio innovation, Demand Gen advancements, and Retail Media Networks (RMNs).
Why? These are the channels and tools driving measurable impact and competitive advantage for clients. The advertising ecosystem is being transformed by AI, platform innovation, and shifting consumer attention, creating new opportunities for brands to scale campaigns, reach audiences more precisely, and achieve tangible results.
Together, these areas reveal where audiences are most engaged and where brands can maximize relevance, performance, and business impact in the year ahead.
Connected TV (CTV) Advertising Momentum
CTV’s Explosive Growth Is Reshaping Video and Live Event Advertising
CTV is the fastest-growing video advertising format, powered by AI-driven personalization, interactive features, and shoppable ad capabilities. U.S. ad spend is projected to hit $51 billion by 2029.1 ESPN’s acquisition of NFL media assets underscores the growing opportunity to target live sports audiences.
KSM sees CTV’s growth as a way to engage audiences in premium, high-attention environments. Live events and sports remain especially strong for our entertainment and CPG clients.
AI-Driven Advertising Evolution
AI Is Rewriting the Rules of Campaign Creation and Scale
Rapid AI advancements are enabling more targeted, personalized, and high-performing ads. Global spending is projected to reach $107.5 billion by 2028.²
Meta is moving toward fully automated campaign creation by 2026, while Amazon is integrating ads into its Alexa+ assistant. KSM sees these innovations as a way to accelerate deployment and scale, freeing our teams to focus on strategic insights. We are also employing agentic AI brand safety solutions and custom algorithms to expand impact for clients.
YouTube Shorts Growth & Activation
Short-Form Video Is Surging—and Shorts Is Outpacing TikTok and Reels
YouTube Shorts now drives 200 billion daily views, outpacing Reels and TikTok in efficiency. Google’s Demand Gen campaigns allow advertisers to target Shorts placements, maximizing reach.
KSM encourages brands to leverage Shorts’ efficiency and simplified buying. We are seeing clients across verticals embrace short-form video—whether via Shorts, TikTok, or Reels—demonstrating its effectiveness in driving attention.
Spotify & Podcast Advertising Innovation
Audio Advertising Enters a New Era of Precision and Safety
Podcast advertising is gaining precision. The Spotify–Trade Desk partnership enables contextual targeting using AI and episode-level keywords; fueling a market projected to reach $5.5 billion by 2026.4 AdsWizz is also piloting programmatic host-read ads.
KSM views this as a new era of control and brand safety in audio. We’re seeing clients, especially in entertainment and finance, shift from streaming audio toward podcast-specific buys.
Google Demand Gen Levels Up with AI and Precision Targeting
Smarter Targeting, Bigger Reach, Better ROI
Google’s Demand Gen now offers granular placement control and geo-targeting, mirroring Performance Max with smarter optimization.
Both Search and Demand Gen campaigns leverage AI to match audience signals, reaching more than 3 billion monthly users across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail 5. KSM has expanded Search campaigns to include Demand Gen, particularly for QSR clients, driving greater efficiency and relevance.
Retail Media Networks (RMNs) Expansion
Retail Media Is a Billion-Dollar Battleground
U.S. RMN spend is projected to exceed $65 billion in 2025.⁶ RMNs now extend beyond CPG as retail data becomes more widely available through DSPs and data providers.
Previously fragmented campaigns can be unified with programmatic access to measurement and targeting beyond brand-owned inventory. Platforms like Pinterest and TikTok are integrating retail data, underscoring the trend. KSM clients across categories are increasingly leveraging RMNs for their deterministic, purchase-based data.
Looking Ahead
“Shorts, audio, CTV, and retail media aren’t just emerging trends, they’re the building blocks of the next era of advertising,” said Tyler Holoubek, Associate Director of Programmatic, KSM Media.
By leaning in now, brands can unlock efficiency, scale, and measurable growth. Through AI, automation, and unified measurement, KSM turns these advancements into actionable strategies that optimize spend, expand reach, and deliver lasting business impact.
Want to explore how these trends can drive business impact for your brand? Contact us at info@ksmmedia.com to connect with our experts.
Sources:
By 2029, the U.S. CTV market is expected to reach $51 billion in annual ad spend. MNTN Research 20251
Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2024–2029. PricewaterhouseCoopers. U.S. advertising market expected to reach US $389.1 billion by 20292
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced YouTube Shorts generates 200 billion daily views, surpassing rivals in efficiency.3. Search Engine Journal article on YouTube Shorts
U.S. podcast advertising revenue projected to approach $2.6 billion by 2026, supported by partnerships like Spotify–Trade Desk.4 IAB & PwC Podcast Revenue Study
Search and Demand Gen campaigns leverage AI audience signals to reach over 3 billion monthly users across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail5. Google Ads Help – Demand Gen Campaigns
U.S. retail media network (RMN) ad spend projected to exceed $65 billion by 2025⁶. eMarketer Retail Media Forecast