Social media was originally supposed to connect people.

Then came feeds, algorithms, creators, advertising, endless scrolling and platforms designed to keep us consuming.

Could the next era of social media move back toward where it started?

In this episode of Media Monitor, Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright step away from the usual spend and pricing reports to examine the changing state of social media—and what today's emerging trends might tell us about where it goes next.

The stakes for advertisers are enormous.

Sean estimates that Meta alone represents roughly 25% of global advertising spend, illustrating just how central social platforms have become to the advertising economy.

But the products themselves are changing.

Snapchat has introduced Snapchat Plans, designed to help users organize real-world events with friends. Kelly sees it as part of a broader post-pandemic desire to move beyond purely digital interaction and reconnect in person.

At the same time, some users appear increasingly fatigued by algorithmically generated feeds.

Sean discusses efforts to revive an older Twitter-style experience centered around real-time posts from real people, while MySpace's current owners are exploring what a comeback could look like with a more anti-algorithmic approach.

Even physical media is part of the conversation.

From W Magazine launching a youth-focused print publication to renewed interest in vinyl records and resistance to all-digital video games, Kelly and Sean see signs that people still value things they can physically own, share and experience together.

Then there's Reddit.

Its forum-like structure feels almost old-school compared with today's heavily algorithmic social feeds. Yet both its users and advertising business are growing. Sean points to Guideline data showing Reddit ad spend growth of roughly 52%, alongside the platform's emphasis on communities and human interaction.

Smaller platforms may matter too.

Sean highlights Spill, a social platform founded by former Twitter employees and focused on communities including people of color and LGBTQ users. Guideline's data shows approximately 140% ad spend growth on the platform.

The individual examples differ, but Kelly and Sean see a common thread:

community and connection.

Neither expects people to abandon their phones or social media entirely. Instead, the next generation of platforms may have to rethink how technology facilitates genuine communities without relying entirely on endless algorithmic consumption.

The episode also marks an important moment for Media Monitor.

Kelly announces that she will be stepping away from the podcast and passing the torch. Sean reflects on their time together and confirms that Media Monitor will continue, with interviews and other episodes planned while the team prepares for the show's next co-host.

In this episode:

• Why social media matters so much to global advertising
• Meta's enormous share of advertising spend
• The evolution from social connection to algorithmic consumption
• Snapchat Plans and real-world events
• Why users may be experiencing algorithm fatigue
• The potential return of a Twitter-style experience
• Why physical media is making a comeback
• W Youth and renewed interest in print
• Vinyl, video games and the value of ownership
• Reddit's resurgence
• Guideline's Reddit advertising data
• Why platforms are emphasizing human users
• MySpace's possible comeback
• What an anti-algorithm social network could look like
• Regulation of addictive algorithms
• The rise of smaller community-focused platforms
• Spill's advertising growth
• Why younger generations choose different platforms
• Community as the future of social media
• Kelly's Media Monitor announcement
• What's next for the podcast

Follow and subscribe to Media Monitor wherever you get your podcasts for a new episode every Wednesday.

If you’d like access to the benchmark report or want to suggest a topic for the next part of the programmatic series, reach out to press@guideline.ai.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations on advertising, media strategy, and cultural marketing moments.

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AI is moving faster. Advertising tools are getting smarter. Brands can do more themselves than ever before.

So why aren't agencies disappearing?

Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright are back with a Media Monitor Grab Bag, breaking down three advertising headlines that reveal where the market may be heading next.

AI isn't making agencies obsolete

The conversation starts with the growing debate around AI, automation and in-housing.

Programmatic platforms and self-service advertising tools have made buying media far more accessible. AI can process information faster, generate reports and automate work that once required significant manual effort.

But that doesn't necessarily mean brands want to do everything themselves.

Recent industry moves suggest brands still see value in agency and holding-company expertise. Kelly and Sean discuss why the growing complexity of advertising may actually reinforce the role agencies play—particularly when marketing teams would rather focus on customers, creative strategy and brand building than the daily mechanics of media execution.

AI can produce information faster.

That doesn't always mean it makes the decisions easier.

Is 12.3% U.S. ad growth realistic?

Next, Kelly and Sean turn to IAB's revised 2026 U.S. advertising spend forecast, which was raised from 9.5% growth to 12.3% year over year following a strong first half.

Sean sees reasons for caution.

Large advertising businesses posted significant growth during the first half of the year, while major sporting events and other tentpoles helped drive spending.

But underneath those headline numbers, Sean sees a different pattern.

Monthly growth has been slowing, and when major tentpole events are stripped out, the underlying advertising growth visible in Guideline's data is considerably lower.

That raises a central question:

Are forecasts giving too much weight to an exceptional first half while underestimating the economic pressure building in the second half?

Kelly and Sean discuss consumer spending, rising costs, advertising's lag behind economic changes and why the absence of another comparable tentpole later in the year could matter.

Amazon opens another route into AI advertising

Finally, they discuss Amazon's announced partnership with OpenAI, which would allow select U.S. advertisers to run ads in ChatGPT through Amazon's advertising technology.

Many implementation details remain unclear, but Sean sees the announcement as another indication of Amazon's larger advertising ambitions.

Rather than operating solely as the owner of its own media and advertising inventory, Amazon increasingly appears interested in serving as infrastructure through which advertisers can reach inventory elsewhere.

The discussion covers what that could mean for Amazon DSP, OpenAI and the emerging business model surrounding advertising inside AI products.

Plus: Sean accidentally invents his next podcast, Just Angry, Kelly explains why sometimes the smartest AI strategy is knowing when not to build something yourself, and the hosts share details about the new Media Monitor website.

In this episode:

• AI's impact on agencies and holding companies
• Why in-housing hasn't eliminated agency relationships
• Build vs. buy decisions in the AI era
• Why faster AI output can create more work
• The continued role of agency expertise
• IAB's revised 2026 U.S. ad spend forecast
• Why 12.3% growth may be difficult to sustain
• The impact of the Olympics, World Cup and other tentpoles
• What Guideline's underlying ad-spend data shows
• Consumer spending as an indicator for advertising
• Economic pressure heading into the rest of 2026
• Amazon's advertising partnership with OpenAI
• How Amazon DSP continues to expand
• What advertising inside ChatGPT could look like
• The future relationship between AI platforms and ad tech

Visit Media Monitor by Guideline for the latest episodes, research and related content.

If you’d like access to the benchmark report or want to suggest a topic for the next part of the programmatic series, reach out to press@guideline.ai.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations on advertising, media strategy, and cultural marketing moments.

And if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, a quick rating or review helps more people discover the show.

Media Monitor spends plenty of time talking about how much advertisers spend.

This week, Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright flip to the other side of the equation: what are advertisers actually paying?

Using Guideline’s Q2 digital ad pricing data, Sean compares CPM trends across the U.S., UK, and Canada and finds something surprising.

Historically, digital advertising prices across all three markets have been remarkably similar.

Going back to 2024, the difference between the highest and lowest markets could be as little as roughly 40 cents after currency conversion.

In 2026, that gap has started to widen.

Canada has become relatively more expensive, while pricing in the UK and U.S. has moved lower. Sean points to one major reason: streaming inventory.

As more ad-supported streaming platforms and video inventory enter the U.S. and UK markets, supply is growing faster than demand. Basic economics then starts to take over, putting downward pressure on CPMs.

Canada has less ad-supported streaming inventory available, helping video pricing maintain more of a premium.

But geography is only part of the story.

Different advertiser categories are changing what they buy.

Pharma CPMs are up almost 125% year over year, reflecting the category’s preference for longer and more expensive inventory.

Travel is up roughly 55%, driven in part by a shift from channels such as display and Instagram toward higher-priced streaming video.

At the other end, quick-service restaurants are moving toward cheaper inventory as they face pressure to reach consumers more efficiently. Household supplies show a similar pattern, with blended CPMs down roughly 21%.

Kelly and Sean also examine individual platforms.

Social pricing has remained relatively stable, with TikTok’s lower CPMs helping keep pressure on the broader social market. Programmatic pricing in Guideline’s data has also remained relatively steady, although the premium inventory represented in the dataset is important context.

The episode closes by looking ahead.

If streaming platforms continue adding inventory, how do they maintain premium pricing?

Sean expects more innovation: pause ads, interactive formats, commerce integrations, QR codes, and other experiences designed to create additional value beyond the traditional 30-second spot.

And somehow, that leads to a debate over whether Sean should buy a “dumb TV” that won’t listen to him.

In this episode:

• Q2 digital advertising pricing trends
• U.S. vs. UK vs. Canada CPMs
• Why pricing historically looked surprisingly similar across markets
• Why the markets are starting to diverge
• How streaming inventory affects CPMs
• Why U.S. and UK video pricing is declining
• Why Canadian video pricing remains stronger
• Pharma CPMs rising nearly 125%
• Travel CPMs increasing roughly 55%
• Why travel advertisers are shifting toward video
• Quick-service restaurants moving toward cheaper inventory
• Household supplies CPMs falling roughly 21%
• TikTok’s influence on social media pricing
• Programmatic CPM trends
• Supply and demand in streaming advertising
• Pause ads and interactive streaming formats
• How streamers may defend premium pricing

Media Monitor breaks down what’s happening across media and advertising and explains what the data actually means.

Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for a new episode every Wednesday.

If you’d like access to the benchmark report or want to suggest a topic for the next part of the programmatic series, reach out to press@guideline.ai.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations on advertising, media strategy, and cultural marketing moments.

And if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, a quick rating or review helps more people discover the show.

The World Cup has become a much bigger advertising business in the U.S.

In this episode of Media Monitor, Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright break down Guideline’s first-ever game-by-game World Cup advertising analysis and look at how the 2026 tournament changed the economics of the event.

The headline number is substantial: Guideline estimates roughly $2 billion in U.S. advertising revenue across television and streaming, compared with less than $400 million during the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

That means the advertising business grew roughly fivefold in four years.

Several factors helped drive the change.

The 2026 tournament was hosted across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, making game times far more accessible to U.S. audiences. Soccer interest has also continued to grow in the country, supported by professional leagues, the U.S. women’s national team, entertainment, and broader cultural adoption.

Streaming played a major role.

Guideline estimates streaming impressions increased from roughly 2 billion in 2022 to 7 billion in 2026, while streaming and simulcast advertising accounted for around $500 million in this year’s tournament.

Pricing moved sharply higher as well.

Sean explains that a World Cup Final ad unit averaged just under $2 million, compared with roughly $500,000 during the 2022 Final. In 2026, that $500,000 level was closer to the average cost of appearing in a standard World Cup match.

U.S. games also attracted major advertising demand. Two U.S. knockout-round matches generated roughly $40 million each, while the Final generated an estimated $150 million across Fox and Telemundo in Guideline’s data.

Another big shift came from Spanish-language streaming.

During the 2022 World Cup, Telemundo accounted for roughly one-third of streaming ad dollars. In 2026, its share climbed to just under half, showing how strongly audiences responded to the Telemundo and Peacock viewing experience.

Kelly and Sean close by looking toward 2030.

With the next World Cup hosted across Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, the discussion turns to what broadcasters and streaming platforms may do next—from additional streaming distribution and sponsorship formats to more monetization around live matches and surrounding content.

In this episode:

• Why U.S. World Cup ad revenue reached roughly $2 billion
• How that compares with the 2022 Qatar tournament
• The impact of North American time zones
• Why U.S. soccer interest continues to grow
• Streaming impressions rising from roughly 2B to 7B
• TV versus streaming advertising revenue
• Why U.S. knockout matches attracted major ad spend
• The estimated $150M advertising value of the Final
• Why World Cup ad pricing moved sharply higher
• Final ad units approaching $2M
• Telemundo’s growing share of streaming ad dollars
• The role of Peacock in World Cup consumption
• What advertisers and rights holders may do differently in 2030
• Why live sports continues to attract growing media investment

If you’d like access to the benchmark report or want to suggest a topic for the next part of the programmatic series, reach out to press@guideline.ai.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations on advertising, media strategy, and cultural marketing moments.

And if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, a quick rating or review helps more people discover the show.

Canada’s advertising market is outperforming the global average.

In this episode of Media Monitor, Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright dig into Guideline’s first-half data for Canada and explain why ad spend grew 9% year over year, compared with roughly 6% globally.

Part of the story is a rebound from a weaker period. Sean notes that tariffs and pressure on the automotive sector weighed heavily on Canada’s economy and advertising market the year before. That creates an easier comparison, but the current recovery appears broader than a simple bounce.

Podcast advertising is one of the clearest bright spots.

While podcast spend is roughly flat globally in Guideline’s data, Canada is up 25%, extending an already strong prior year and reflecting continued investment in Canadian-specific shows and talent.

Social is also outperforming.

Canada’s social advertising grew 21%, compared with roughly 14% globally, with the automotive category responsible for much of the additional lift. Auto has not fully recovered overall, but social stands out as one area where the category is spending more aggressively.

Travel offers another interesting contrast.

While broader travel advertising remains under pressure in many markets, Canadian hotels and resorts are up roughly 32%, supported by more domestic travel and stronger interest in Canadian destinations.

Looking ahead, Sean expects growth to moderate but remain healthy.
Guideline’s outlook is for Canada to finish the year with growth in roughly the 7% to 8% range, as some first-half sports effects fade but the underlying mix of categories and media types remains relatively strong.

In this episode:

• Why Canada’s H1 ad market grew faster than the global average
• The impact of last year’s economic weakness on current comparisons
• Why podcast advertising is up 25% in Canada
• How Canadian social spend is outperforming global growth
• The role of automotive advertising
• Why hotels and resorts are up 32%
• The “Buy Canada / Stay Canada” effect
• Domestic travel and tourism demand
• What social media restrictions could mean for ad spend
• Why Australia’s under-16 social restrictions have not slowed social advertising
• Guideline’s outlook for Canada in the second half
• Why the fundamentals look healthier than a simple rebound

If you’d like access to the benchmark report or want to suggest a topic for the next part of the programmatic series, reach out to press@guideline.ai.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations on advertising, media strategy, and cultural marketing moments.

And if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, a quick rating or review helps more people discover the show.