January Industry News: NFL Viewership Sets Records, The Marketing Power of Loveable Mascots, and More

NFL Viewership

• The Athletic: Why are NFL Ratings Defying TV Viewer Trends? An Expert’s Take
• ArsTechnica: First Streaming-Only NFL Playoff Game Breaks Records with 23M Viewers
• ESPN: NFL Averages 17.9M Viewers in 2023, up 7% From the Previous Year
• NextTV: The NFL Extends Its Stranglehold on the U.S. TV Business — 93 of the Top 100 Most Watched Programming Events in 2023 Were Pro Football Games

AdExchanger: How Will Contextual Advertising Fare When The FTC Revises Its COPPA Rule?
AdExchanger asked a handful of experts, “What could the FTC’s COPPA Rule proposal mean for contextual advertising to kids?” Find out what they had to say, and learn how it might change your marketing strategies. 

AdWeek: Why the Edible Pop-Tarts Bowl Mascot Will Live On in Marketing
Pop Tart’s new mascon, Strawberry, wasn’t a haphazard attempt to boost brand awareness; it was a calculated move expected to generate over $12 million in exposure for the brand, following the familiar narrative structure of The Hero’s Journey. 

Broadcasting + Cable: Why TV Tentpole Ad Buys Are Worth It
Integrating advertisements into tentpole programming enhances consumer awareness and enhances the sense of legitimacy and credibility. After all, smart and creative content strategically placed can spark discussions beyond live broadcasts. What was once known as the “water-cooler” effect, involving next-day workplace conversations, can now have a lasting presence online.

CBC: How Smart Marketing, Scarce Supply, and Unique Colours Made the Stanley Cup a Must-Have Item
The Stanley brand originated with a focus on blue-collar workers. The vacuum-sealed, stainless steel bottles were designed for job site use and were somewhat unbreakable. However, this image has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, becoming popular on social media among a different target audience that’s fueling its popularity. 

CBS News: 2024 Golden Globes Reaches Viewership of 9.4 Million — Highest Ratings in Years
The 81st Annual Golden Globes Awards made a remarkable increase of over 50% compared to the previous year, as per Nielsen ratings data.

Cord Cutter News: Roku Ads Out Perform The Top 5 Cable TV Networks During Primetime
Roku announced its Primetime Reach Guarantee outperformed the top five cable TV networks during primetime in a test with Experian. This test put Experian ads on The Roku Channel and 100 other top channels during Primetime outperforming the top five cable TV networks reach.

Corridor Business Journal: How Caitlin Clark’s Stardom is Impacting College Athletics, Marketing Power of Women in Sports
As one of the few college athletes gaining significant marketing influence, Clark’s financial value has surged under the NCAA’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policy. Having amassed a reported net worth of $3 million by 2023, Clark’s popularity extends beyond Iowa, with her poised to become the first women’s basketball player featured on all four major broadcast networks in a single season. The article details her numerous endorsement deals, including partnerships with Gatorade, State Farm, Nike Basketball, Bose, and others.

Daily Trojan: Television Time: Six Sports Media Predictions for 2024
Predictions include:

• Women’s March Madness shatters expectations and matches the Men’s audience
• College World Series knocks viewership out of the park for the second straight year
• Olympics make a comeback in Paris

Digiday: What the Future of Contextual Advertising Looks Like in a Privacy-First World
Custom contextual AI has become an innovative solution in the digital advertising industry, addressing challenges posed by signal loss and heightened privacy standards. It is presented as a guide to more effective, responsible, and sustainable advertising practices.

The Drum: After Decades of Consistent Decline, Humor in Advertising is Roaring Back in 2024
Humor is garnering more support within the advertising industry. Following pandemic-era ads resonating with audiences through emotional tones and purpose-driven messages, there is a growing appetite for humor and lighthearted content.

StreamTV Insider: Consumers are Warming up to Ads on Streaming—if it Means Saving Money
As several streaming services have increased prices for their ad-free subscription tiers and introduced lower-cost plans that include advertisements, a new study finds that viewers prefer ad-supported plans as long as they offer $4 to $5 monthly savings.

TV Tech: U.S. Ad Market Spend to Slow to 4.1% in 2024, Down from 5.7% in 2023
Ad spending for traditional TV in the U.S. is expected to fall by 10.7% to $45.7 billion in 2024. Excluding political ad spending, overall TV ad spending is forecasted to decline by 5.1% to $52.3 billion. Conversely, Connected TV (CTV) is anticipated to experience a 14.8% increase in ad spending, reaching $16.6 billion. 

TV Watch: What Really Moves The Needle For Cord-Cutting These Days?
Is cord-cutting still a thing? Well, with 50 million or so legacy pay TV subscribers out there – and 6% to 10% declines per year – the answer is yes.

USA Today: What’s Ahead for the US Economy and Job Growth?
The economy is expected to remain robust despite anticipated slowing growth due to aggressive interest rate hikes, depleted pandemic savings, and reduced government spending. Factors such as near-record home and stock prices, easing inflation, and the Fed’s plans for interest rate cuts contribute to a positive economic outlook.

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