RFPs perked up in December as advertisers released budgets they had held back during the uncertainty of America’s contentious presidential election. But the new year has brought anything but certainty, as marketers anticipate the impact of tariffs, supply chain threats, regulation changes and the viability of TikTok, X and DTC pharma advertising.
Audiences are migrating domestically and globally; the fallout from TikTok’s temporary shutdown and criticism from creators is just the tip of the iceberg. Audience targeting is morphing as Amazon lets advertisers use its data, and Universal Ads makes Connected TV more viable for small/media advertisers.
Also read: TikTok creators are turning against the platform—how it could affect influencer marketing
Climate extremes are causing powerful disruptions, with the LA fires only the latest disaster. Anyone who’s worked with a food conglomerate knows that weather can curtail critical supplies—suddenly, the whole marketing engine needs to rev up a different product overnight.