Instagram Affiliate Marketing: What Still Works In 2026
Instagram affiliate marketing now merges influencer and performance tactics as Meta expands shoppable posts and in‑app checkout. Brands must navigate new tagging workflows, tiered commission bands, and stricter FTC disclosures. Hybrid compensation models and native tagging drive higher ROI, but attribution remains fragmented across Meta and external networks. Successful programs rely on consistent catalog sync, API integration, and transparent reporting.
Report: World Cup’s Contribution to Ad Growth Weakening
World Cup 2026 will be the largest ever, but its contribution to global ad growth is weakening. WARC Media forecasts a $10.5 billion uplift, just a 1.1 % increase versus the 2022 tournament, indicating fragmented impact. Advertisers must now reach fans across...
LaLiga’s Anti-Piracy Campaign Secures 2,000+ Hospitality Convictions
LaLiga’s anti‑piracy drive has secured more than 2,000 convictions against hotels, restaurants and cafés since its launch in March 2019, averaging nearly one case per day. The league still has 317 investigations and 488 cases awaiting trial, underscoring the scale of...
Influencer Marketing Platform Market to Be Worth $2.03 Billion by 2031
MarketsandMarkets projects the influencer marketing platform market to grow from $1.15 billion in 2026 to $2.03 billion by 2031, reflecting a 12% compound annual growth rate. The expansion is driven by brands’ push for data‑backed, transparent campaigns and the need for faster...
Ads of the Week: 10 Campaigns That Caught Our Eye, From Burger King to Uber
This week’s ad roundup highlights a wave of self‑aware campaigns, from Burger King’s decision to retire its iconic King mascot and crown the consumer, to Uber’s meta “Irish exit” spot featuring reality‑TV star Maura Higgins. Brands such as Ugg, JCPenney,...
Why Comments Are the Real Secret Behind Every Viral Instagram Post
Instagram’s algorithm now prioritizes comment velocity over likes, saves or views when deciding which posts to amplify. Early‑hour comments act as a quality signal, prompting the platform to test the content with larger audiences. Creators can deliberately trigger this loop...
America’s Test Kitchen Puts Direct And Programmatic Access On Its Menu
America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) has launched direct and programmatic buying for its free ad‑supported FAST channels, allowing advertisers to purchase inventory as a standalone product rather than through genre bundles. The move follows a 30% year‑over‑year rise in streaming audiences...
Lies of P Franchise Surpasses 4 Million Units Sold Globally
South Korean publisher Neowiz and developer Round8 Studio announced that the Lies of P franchise has surpassed 4 million cumulative units sold worldwide. The figure, revealed in July 2026, builds on the 3 million milestone reported in June 2025 and likely includes both the...
Nord Anglia Education Unifies Regional Media Operations in Asia
Nord Anglia Education has named Omnicom Media Vietnam as its agency of record for media across 19 schools in Asia, shifting from school‑level to a centralized hub. The partnership covers integrated strategy, planning and buying for markets including Thailand, India,...
Levi’s Bets on ROSÉ to Keep Its Denim Cool and Culturally Fluent
Levi’s has entered a multi‑year global partnership with K‑pop star ROSÉ, integrating her aesthetic into the denim brand’s women’s line. The deal builds on previous collaborations, including campaigns with Alia Bhatt and Beyoncé, and features custom stage outfits displayed at Levi’s...
Australia Post Poised To Deliver Media Account To Accenture Song
Accenture Song Media is expected to secure Australia Post's media account after a competitive pitch that also featured Wavemaker and Atomic212. The prospective contract expands beyond standard media planning, incorporating a business‑transformation component that aligns with Accenture Song's consultancy strengths....
Autotrader Sponsors Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off
Autotrader has secured a six‑month broadcast sponsorship of Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off franchise, covering the new Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C, Bake Off: The Professionals and all streaming episodes. The deal, brokered by media agency The Specialist Works, introduces branded idents featuring...
Trump’s Army-Navy Order
President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Preserving America’s Game” that bars any college football contest from being scheduled against the annual Army‑Navy game. The order directs FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to work with...
Mr. Rogers Goes to YouTube
Fred Rogers Productions has teamed with Little Dot Studios to launch an official Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood channel on YouTube. The channel will host full episodes from the classic PBS series alongside clips, shorts, and curated compilations. Little Dot, which runs...
Davidson: It’s Time for Naked 2.0
AI and automation are driving down the cost of media execution, exposing a mismatch in traditional agency billing that bundles strategic thinking with operational work. The article argues for separating these functions: pricing execution on measurable outputs while charging a...
Pinterest Shares Tips on How to Utilize Its AI-Powered Ad Options
Pinterest has released new guidance for its AI‑driven Performance+ campaigns, which automate creative, targeting and budgeting. Launched in October 2024, the fully automated solution leverages Pinterest’s engagement data to optimize ad delivery. Internal tests show advertisers achieve more than 10%...
‘Audience There for the Taking’: Matthew O’Reilly on SCA’s Sydney Push
Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) attributes its strong Survey 1 2026 ratings to a steady programming lineup and a laser focus on the 25‑54 demographic. Minimal changes from 2025 to 2026 allowed the network to double‑down on local breakfast shows and locally‑led...
Smooth Surges to Record Highs as Nova Builds Momentum
smoothfm recorded a historic 13.5% share in Sydney, cementing its position as the city’s top FM station. Nova Entertainment saw audience lifts in both Sydney and Melbourne, with Nova 96.9 adding 141,000 listeners and its breakfast slot rising to 8.4%...
DVB World 2026 Explores Shift to IP and DVB-I Rollout
DVB World 2026 in Amsterdam highlighted the broadcast sector’s shift toward IP‑centric delivery, with DVB‑I positioned as the key standard linking traditional broadcast, broadband and OTT services. The event announced concrete rollout plans, including a nationwide deployment in New Zealand, a...
Pop Mart and Sony Announce Labubu Movie Directed by Paul King
Pop Mart and Sony announced a joint venture to develop a feature film based on the wildly popular Labubu fuzzy toys. British director Paul King, known for "Paddington" and "Wonka," will helm the project with screenwriter Steven Levenson co‑writing the...
Wasserman Sale Begins as Private Equity Lines Up
Bankers have opened the bidding window for Wasserman, the Los Angeles‑based sports and entertainment powerhouse now operating under the name The Team. Moelis & Co. is steering the process, while a roster of potential acquirers – including private‑equity firms Permira,...
Live Nation Appoints Viviana Suarez As VP Of Latin Touring In LATAM
Live Nation announced the appointment of Viviana Suarez as Vice President of Latin Touring for its LATAM division, adding to a series of senior hires aimed at expanding the company’s presence in the region. Suarez brings over a decade of booking...
MRMC Names CP Communications Its Official U.S. Rental, Sales Partner
CP Communications has been named the official U.S. rental and sales partner for Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC). Through its subsidiary Red House Streaming, the firm has installed MRMC’s robotic camera systems in its new Studio C in St. Petersburg, Florida. Studio C...
Elevenlabs Now Lets You Sell AI Music You Don't Own
Elevenlabs has introduced a music marketplace that lets users upload and sell tracks generated by its ElevenCreative AI model. Creators receive revenue when their songs are downloaded, remixed, or licensed across three tiers—Social Media, Paid Marketing, and Offline. The platform...
‘Active Radio’ Actively Heading To New Owner
Active Radio, a noncommercial station broadcasting classic and Red Dirt country music, operates a Class C2 FM signal and an FM translator in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The station is slated to change hands, with a prospective buyer awaiting Federal Communications...
Nielsen’s SIGMA Shuttering Gives Guideline A Growth Window
Guideline is launching Local Dynamics Quarterly, a subscription report that provides transaction‑level advertising intelligence across more than 175 DMAs and multiple media channels. The service arrives just weeks after Nielsen announced the shutdown of its SIGMA radio‑monitoring platform, leaving a...
Quince, McDonald’s Top Magellan Podcast Advertiser Lists
Magellan AI released its February rankings of podcast advertisers, highlighting both the highest spenders and the fastest spend growth. Quince and McDonald’s topped the list of total spend, while sports podcasts captured the majority of investment across the top fifteen....
Sony Music Has Targeted 135,000+ Deepfakes of Its Artists’ Music for Removal From Streaming Platforms
Sony Music has identified over 135,000 AI‑generated deepfake songs impersonating artists on its roster and is urging streaming platforms to remove them. The deepfakes, which include tracks attributed to Beyoncé, Queen and Harry Styles, represent only a fraction of the...
Recorded Music Revenues in Italy Grew +10.7% YoY Last Year; Paid Streaming Revenues in the Market Jumped 14.1% YoY
Italy’s recorded‑music market posted $579 million in 2025 revenues, up 10.7% year‑on‑year, driven primarily by a 14.1% surge in paid‑subscription streaming that now accounts for 69% of streaming income. Total streaming revenue reached €340 million, while physical sales jumped 21.9% with vinyl...
Subscription Music Streaming Revenues Rose Just 2% YoY in Sweden in 2025
Sweden’s recorded‑music market expanded 3% in 2025, reaching over SEK 2.3 billion, with paid‑subscription streaming shouldering most growth. Subscription‑based audio streaming generated SEK 1.95 billion, representing 85% of total music revenue and rising 2% year‑on‑year. Ad‑supported streaming increased 9% to SEK 124.3 million, while digital downloads...
David Ellison Sends Letter to CA Lawmakers Outlining Plan to Keep Hollywood Jobs Local (Exclusive)
David Ellison, head of Paramount, wrote to California lawmakers outlining how the planned Paramount‑Warner Bros. Discovery merger will protect and expand Hollywood jobs. He pledged each studio will maintain a 15‑film annual slate, a 45‑day theatrical window, and longer VOD windows,...
‘Star Wars’ Launch Marks Fortnite’s Most In-Depth Creator IP Integration Yet
Epic Games announced on March 19 that Fortnite creators now have access to a suite of Disney‑licensed Star Wars assets, including characters, force powers, sound effects, and vehicles such as droid battle tanks. Creators can begin building and testing experiences immediately, but...
Prime Video Unveils Biggest India Originals Slate Yet
Prime Video announced its largest‑ever Indian Originals slate, featuring close to 55 series and films across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The lineup introduces diverse formats, including India’s first homegrown Hindi superhero series and new seasons of hit franchises like Farzi...
PodcastOne (Nasdaq: PODC) Renews Exclusive Rights and Distribution Agreement with A+E Networks for Podcasts Cold Case Files, I Survived, American...
PodcastOne (Nasdaq: PODC) announced the renewal of its exclusive sales and distribution agreement with A+E Networks for five flagship podcasts—Cold Case Files, I Survived, American Justice, City Confidential, and Ancient Aliens. The five shows have amassed more than 200 million combined...
Janet Jackson Signs Global Deal with Believe Music Publishing
Janet Jackson has signed a long‑term global publishing administration agreement with Believe Music Publishing, transferring her entire songwriting catalog to the newly launched division. The deal, announced on March 19, 2026, adds a high‑profile legacy catalog to Believe’s portfolio, which...
UGCon Wants to Be the Definitive Conference for User-Generated Content Creators
UGCon is debuting on May 21‑22 at Topgolf Las Vegas, targeting the fast‑growing user‑generated content (UGC) sector in gaming. The conference will spotlight UGC on platforms such as Roblox, Fortnite and Minecraft, emphasizing brand and intellectual property integrations within virtual...
Starbreeze Lands New Partner to Adapt Payday Series for Film and TV
Starbreeze Entertainment announced a partnership with VICE Studios to develop film and television adaptations of its Payday franchise. The deal follows an earlier, now‑unclear collaboration with Stockholm Syndrome and retains full IP ownership for Starbreeze. While Payday 3 underperformed, Payday 2 outshone...
HBO Max Offering Discounted ‘Saver Plans’ Ahead of U.K. and Ireland Launch on March 26
HBO Max is set to launch in the United Kingdom and Ireland on March 26, 2026, introducing a suite of discounted “Saver Plans” that bundle the streaming service with TNT Sports. The plans offer monthly savings of £8.99 to £10.99, require...
Viagogo Launches AI-Powered Tool for Artists, Teams, Venues
Viagogo unveiled Distribution Manager, an AI‑powered self‑serve platform that lets artists, sports teams and venues list official tickets directly on its global marketplace. The tool is built on Viagogo’s Open Distribution model, which has already driven an 84% year‑over‑year increase...
#paid Partners With Pinterest to Connect Brands With Consumers Through Creator-Led Campaigns
#paid has become an official execution partner for Pinterest’s Idea Ads, linking its creator‑brand matching technology and Handraise workflow with Pinterest’s creator ecosystem. The integration enables creators to self‑select campaigns and produce Idea Ads that blend organic inspiration with paid...
'Text Is Evil:' How Making Peak Changed Indie Studio Aggro Crab
Indie co‑op Peak, built in roughly four weeks of intensive iteration, sold millions of copies and generated over $2 million in revenue on a sub‑$200k budget. Studio head Nick Kaman said the project forced Aggro Crab to rethink its development culture, adopting...
Freely Appoints Synapse TV for Showcase Channel Operations
Freely has appointed Synapse TV to create and operate its Freely Showcase service on channel 100 of the Freely streaming platform. The IP‑only channel, available exclusively to Freely subscribers, will feature platform highlights, feature updates, and how‑to content to aid discovery....
Sky Media Opens Premium VOD Inventory to Programmatic Buying Through DV360
Sky Media announced that its premium video‑on‑demand (VOD) inventory is now available through Google Display & Video 360 (DV360), extending programmatic access across Sky’s owned and partner channels. The offering includes entertainment, drama, sport and news assets such as Sky Atlantic,...
Values Value and InGame Job Launch 10th Annual Survey Tracking Global Games Industry Employment
Values Value and InGame Job have released the 10th edition of the Big Games Industry Employment Survey, tracking global labour‑market trends in game development. The study, backed by partners such as Mellow, Scorewarrior, Tribe and major industry bodies, gathers responses...
DAZN Signs Global Top Rank Streaming Deal as Sky Secures Zuffa Boxing’s UK Rights
Top Rank Boxing has inked a multi‑year global streaming agreement with DAZN, bringing its fight slate and archive to the platform after parting with ESPN. DAZN will air eight to ten Top Rank events annually, bolstering its "DAZN Ultimate" subscription...
King’s Farm Heroes Saga Officially Hits $2 Billion
King’s Farm Heroes Saga has officially crossed the $2 billion lifetime revenue threshold, doubling the $1 billion milestone announced in 2019. Launched in 2014, the match‑3 title now boasts roughly 50 million global players and continues to receive regular content updates. The achievement...
Meet Pasta Brand Ripi’s Lottery Ticket: Duke Recruit Deron Rippey Jr.
Deron Rippey Jr., a top high‑school basketball recruit, has signed an NIL partnership with frozen‑pasta startup Ripi, receiving a modest five‑figure cash payment and less‑than‑1 % equity that vests over several years. Ripi, which has raised $1.5 million and is targeting the...
Afrime Studios Enters Seed Round After Raising $400,000 to Build Afrofuturistic RPG Unyverse
Afrime Studios, a majority Black‑owned US game developer, has closed an angel round of roughly $400,000 and is now moving into a seed funding phase. The studio is building a public demo of its debut Afrofuturistic sci‑fi RPG, Unyverse, to...
Nippon Paint Signs Punjab Kings as Official Partner for IPL 2026
Indian paint giant Nippon Paint has signed Punjab Kings as an official partner for IPL 2026, securing jersey sleeve branding and a mascot-driven fan program. The deal features the brand’s logo on the right sleeve of the team’s kit and...
Playstack Profit Jumps 59% as Balatro and Abiotic Factor Drive Record Sales
Playstack reported a 59% jump in profit before tax for 2025, reaching £12.2 million ($16.2 m), driven by record sales of the titles Abiotic Factor and Balatro. The publisher logged 20 million new installs and more than 150 million hours played, pushing its Steam...