News and Insights

MEDIA PULSE: FEBRUARY 2025

February 25, 2025

As we settle into 2025, this month’s Media Pulse spotlights three critical opportunities: (1) reconsidering our cautious approach to news content, (2) embracing the meteoric rise of women’s sports and, (3) evolving our creator strategies beyond vanity metrics. While none of these concepts are new, they’re areas where nuanced thinking can deliver outsized returns. Each represents a chance to connect with highly engaged audiences that others may be missing.

tl;dr:

News environments deliver strong ROI when approached strategically rather than excluded entirely, women’s sports offer access to super-engaged fans worth over $1B globally, and creator marketing is maturing from engagement tool to a sales-driving necessity.

#1 News Targeting: Time to Rethink the Blacklist?

Let’s address the elephant in the room: advertising alongside news content feels particularly daunting right now. Many media buyers have their fingers hovering over that tempting “exclude all” button for news content. And many have already pressed it – with absurd results. The Washington Post’s crossword puzzle was deemed too offensive for advertisers, as was an article about thunderstorms. And a ranking of boxed brownie mixes.

The data tells a different story: 80% of US advertisers, ad tech professionals, and publishers report that advertising alongside responsible journalism positively impacts brand perception. Even more compelling? Three-quarters agree that reputable news inventory delivers high ROI.

Think about it: News consumption remains one of the few truly “live” environments left in digital media, rivaling the engagement levels we chase so adamantly in sports. Yet while we’ll move mountains to capture those precious live sports moments, we’re simultaneously walking away from millions of highly engaged news readers and watchers.

💓 The Pulse

Scalpel, Not Sledgehammer: Stop relying 100% on broad keyword blocking. Instead, partner with publishers offering sophisticated content categorization and real-time brand safety tools.
Balance Your Mix: While programmatic and open auction buys have their place, over-reliance on machines is dangerous. Bring back the balance by going old school and building direct publisher relationships back into your campaigns, allowing you to reach these tough-to-find audiences.
Quality Drives Returns: The exodus of ad dollars from fact-based news has weakened quality journalism while social algorithms amplify unverified content. Strategic reinvestment in news publishers can help restore the ecosystem of trusted reporting, benefiting brands.

OUR TAKE

News targeting isn’t just about brand safety – it’s about brand opportunity. By moving beyond binary blocking to targeting outlets that enhance brand impact, companies can tap into highly engaged audiences while maintaining their safety standards. Navigate the complexity with a balanced approach.

#2 Two Words: Women’s Sports

The explosive growth in women’s sports isn’t just a cultural moment – it’s a seismic shift in audience engagement that marketers can’t afford to ignore. While phenoms like Caitlin Clark capture headlines, something bigger is happening: women’s sports generated over $1B in global revenue last year, marking unprecedented growth in just the last three years.

Yet despite 93% of brand decision-makers expressing optimism about the future of women’s sports, many remain hesitant to invest. The reason? 57% cite unproven business returns. But this cautious approach might mean missing out on one of sports marketing’s most engaged audiences.

Consider this: female sports fans aren’t just watching – they’re super-users of sports content. They’re more likely to attend events, watch broadcasts, and engage across platforms. Even more intriguingly, they show higher engagement with a broader spectrum of sports, from volleyball to gymnastics to skiing, opening up new avenues for brand connectivity beyond traditional mainstream sports.

💓 The Pulse

Beyond the Bandwagon: While marquee moments drive headlines, the real opportunity lies in the day-to-day engagement of female sports fans across multiple sports categories.
Engagement Premium: Female sports fans consistently demonstrate higher engagement levels across attendance, viewership, and digital interaction – making them a particularly valuable audience for brands.
First-Mover Advantage: With women’s sports still receiving only a fraction of total sports investment, brands have the opportunity to establish meaningful partnerships before the space becomes too crowded.

OUR TAKE

All to say, why does this matter to us? Well, for one, #girlsrule. But beyond that: engaged eyeballs and new ways to find them is our love language. And in women’s sports, we’re talking really engaged eyeballs. This surging viewership is reshaping the business landscape through enhanced media coverage and more valuable rights deals. Smart brands won’t just witness these changes; they’ll capitalize on this momentum by strategically positioning themselves where attention is rapidly growing but competition for share of voice remains relatively low.

#3 TikTok’s Future Is Uncertain, But Creator Commerce Isn’t

Creator marketing works, this we know. But it’s also evolving. According to Forrester, creator marketing is now the second-highest 2025 priority for brand marketers, just behind AI. The shift from engagement metrics to direct sales is fundamentally changing how brands approach creator partnerships.

The data speaks volumes: brands are moving away from vanity metrics towards measurable ROI, and the results are compelling enough to drive projected spending increases of over 25% this year, in favor of these partnerships.

💓 The Pulse

Budgets Are Moving: Creator marketing spend is set to jump +25%+ in 2025, pulling from traditional paid media.
Control Is Overrated: The brands seeing the highest ROI give creators creative freedom rather than micro-managing their content.
It’s Growing Up: With older, more pragmatic consumers now tuning in, the audience is not only aging but diversifying.

OUR TAKE

Creator marketing has evolved far beyond product promotion. As budgets shift and audiences mature, brands must let creators work authentically rather than micromanage content. The brands that embrace this evolution won’t just engage—they’ll drive sales.