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TL;DR

• Despite streaming's growth, broadcast networks remain viable by leveraging both linear and streaming platforms, with shows like ABC's "High Potential" attracting strong viewership, particularly from younger audiences who make up two-thirds of its streaming viewers. (Variety)

• Spotify achieved its first full-year profit in 2024, adding 35M users to reach 675M monthly active users, with shares rising 8.5% on the news. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Regional Super Bowl advertisers like Google and Busch Light opt for targeted market buys costing $50K-$1.4M versus national spots at $8M, offering strong ROI while viewers "don't know the difference," according to marketing executives. (Marketing Brew)

• Amazon is expanding its advertising services through new ad tech partnerships aimed at reducing operational costs, as the company continues to grow its advertising business ahead of its full-year earnings report. (DigiDay)

• Marketers remain hesitant to shift ad spending to Snapchat, despite its Gen Z audience, creator monetization tools and TikTok's uncertain future in the U.S. (DigiDay)

Agency updates

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  Our BXP team executed HoYoverse's first Australian fan activation for their hit game Genshin Impact in Western Sydney. The three-day event featured interactive challenges, photo opportunities, and an exclusive Mavuika-themed motorcycle giveaway. The activation drew over 1.4K fans, generated over 1.5K competition entries, and drove significant merchandise sales, marking a successful entry into the Australian market.

Interesting campaigns / creative

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  Prime Video launches 'Go Full Cricket' campaign featuring Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins in a series of humorous ads ahead of ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025, which will stream exclusively on the platform. (Campaign Brief)

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  HexClad becomes the first cookware brand to advertise during the Super Bowl, featuring Gordon Ramsay in a sci-fi-themed spot where Ramsay discovers extraterrestrial cookware in an Area 51-style kitchen, poking fun at the viral attention to his alleged Area 51 visit. (The Drum)

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  Coca-Cola's new portfolio campaign follows a family-owned corner store across five decades (1975-2025), showcasing the brand's evolving product portfolio while addressing cultural changes through period-specific vignettes. (Marketing Dive)

Audiences

• Imax achieved record Chinese New Year box office earnings of $53M, led by animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2's $36M contribution, as China's overall holiday box office hit $1.3B. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Approximately 74% of UK CTV users now stream live sports, with Sky Sports and BBC (both 40%) leading platforms, while 85% of viewers multitask during events and 65% pay attention to ads. (Advanced Television)

• The first trailer for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" garnered 202M views in 24 hours, becoming one of Marvel Studios' most successful trailer launches. (The Hollywood Reporter)

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  Approximately 71.5% of US TV viewers took action (searching online or making purchases) after being inspired by products seen on TV, highlighting the growing potential of shoppable TV. (Emarketer)

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  Nearly 56M US internet households (46%) are cord-cutters and 12% are cord-nevers, with 59% of subscriptions to leading streaming services opting for ad-supported tiers over premium options. (Advanced Television)

Platforms

• Substack launches $20M Creator Accelerator Fund to help creators transition their paid subscriptions to the platform, guaranteeing no revenue loss during migration and providing strategic support. (Substack)

• TikTok has launched Black History Month initiatives including a "Black Creators to Watch" program, #ShopBlackOwned promotions, in-person events, and a new "SOAR Together" funding program supporting 20 Black-owned businesses. (Social Media Today)

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  Instagram has launched a new WhatsApp sticker for Stories that allows users to link directly to private WhatsApp chats, reflecting the platform's shift toward private messaging as its primary form of engagement. (Swipe Insight)

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  Snapchat has introduced new Snapchat+ features including AI-generated stickers, movie poster creation, Bitmoji clothing options, and "Snap Modes" for enhanced messaging, as the platform's subscription service reaches 14M users. (Social Media Today)

• YouTube Shorts' ad revenue is approaching that of long-form content as it capitalizes on TikTok's uncertain future in the U.S. market. (DigiDay)

Content

• Warner Bros. has released 31 full-length movies for free on its YouTube channels in early 2025, including classics like "Mr. Nice Guy" (with 16M views) as part of a new strategy to monetize its catalog through digital advertising. (Variety)

• The NFL is expanding beyond sports by partnering with fashion creators like Wisdom Kaye through its "Creator of the Week" YouTube program, recognizing the growing importance of athlete style off the field. (AdWeek)

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  Australian podcast listenership has surged with 63% of commercial podcasts reaching over 100K monthly downloads in 2024, primarily via mobile phones (94.2%), with peak listening on Thursdays. (Mumbrella)

• Netflix reportedly considering bid for US Formula One TV rights from 2026, building on Drive to Survive's success, following its $5B WWE deal and recent expansion into live sports content. (Advanced Television)

• Roblox paid out a record $280M to creators in Q4 2024, representing a 27% YoY increase, with revenue shared among approximately 20K creators after the platform's 30% cut. (DigiDay)

Tech & AI

• OpenAI has expanded ChatGPT's WhatsApp integration to include image uploads, voice messaging, and account linking features, accessible globally through starting a conversation with the 1-800-CHATGPT number. (Toms Guide)

• ByteDance has developed OmniHuman, an AI system that can create realistic full-body videos from a single photo using 18.7K hours of training data, surpassing previous AI models that were limited to face or upper body animations. (VentureBeat)

• Major Hollywood and VFX studios remain hesitant to adopt generative AI video due to three key concerns: copyright ambiguity around AI-generated content, data security risks, and current limitations in tool performance. (Variety)

• Meta launches Language Technology Partner Program with UNESCO to collect speech recordings and transcriptions in underserved languages, while releasing an open-source translation benchmark supporting seven languages. (TechCrunch)

Location-based entertainment

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  Warner Bros. Studio Tour London has launched tactile tours at its Harry Potter attraction, allowing visually impaired visitors to handle iconic props like character wands and costumes, with the initiative sponsoring three guide dogs in training. (blooloop)

• Disney's CFO has predicted that Universal's Epic Universe opening in Orlando will benefit Disney World, with historical data showing previous Universal park openings coincided with record Disney attendance, including 42.6M visitors when Islands of Adventure opened in 1999. (Attractions Magazine)

• 2024's top new theme park attractions included Tokyo DisneySea's Fantasy Springs port opening June 6, featuring rides themed to Frozen, Tangled, and Peter Pan, along with major debuts like Universal Japan's Donkey Kong Country expansion and Disney's Tiana's Bayou Adventure transformation of Splash Mountain. (The Oakland Press)

• Super Bowl LIX ticket prices have dropped below $4K, marking a 30% decline in the past week, with factors including New Orleans' larger venue capacity and possible Chiefs fatigue contributing to prices that are 50% lower than last year's record-breaking Las Vegas event. (CNN)

Travel & hospitality

• One-third of independent restaurants anticipate sales declines from potential U.S. tariffs on Chinese, Canadian and Mexican goods, while 40% of small businesses expect no impact. (Restaurant Dive)

• Despite cost concerns, Americans continue to prioritize leisure travel in 2025, with 37% reporting improved finances and increasing comfort with AI travel planning tools. (Hotel Dive)

• Restaurants are increasingly investing in employee-focused technology like AI video training, automated equipment, and tableside payment systems to enhance staff experience and efficiency. (Nation's Restaurant News)

• Chipotle plans to enhance "total guest experience" in 2025 through new kitchen equipment rollouts and Chipotlane expansion, with 80% of new locations featuring dedicated mobile order drive-thrus. (Restaurant Dive)

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  The National Restaurant Association forecasts total foodservice sales to reach $1.5T in 2025, with traditional restaurant sales exceeding $1.1T, representing a 4.1% growth driven by pent-up consumer demand. (Restaurant Business)

Gaming

• Astrid Entertainment is developing a "living adventure sandbox" game aimed at teenagers that combines RPG elements with multiplayer storytelling, focusing on non-violent, creative world-shaping gameplay. (GamesIndustry.biz)

• Roblox shares plunged 17% after forecasting lower-than-expected 2025 bookings of $5.2-5.3B, despite maintaining 20% growth while the broader gaming industry grows at just 2.1%. (Channel News Asia)

• The Sims' 25-year success stems from its pioneering approach to inclusivity and customization, with only 21% male players and 55% heterosexual players, making it one of gaming's most diverse communities. (Brunel University of London)

• EA raised concerns about Mass Effect 5's future after suggesting Dragon Age: The Veilguard's disappointing performance was due to lack of live-service features, contradicting fans' desire for traditional single-player gameplay.(Forbes)

Mental health

• Here's some expert advice on how to beat the afternoon energy slump.

• Your breath is linked to your mind - here's how you can learn to breathe stress away.