NEXT-GEN TECH COMPANIES INVESTING IN LINEAR TV
Cutting-edge AI companies are demonstrating that they recognize the value of traditional advertising methods. Brands ranging from dedicated AI providers to broader corporations have turned to linear TV to boost consumer awareness and increase market share. As of April 20, OpenAI has spent $65 million in linear TV, nearly reaching the $65.5 million it spent in all of 2025. At $34.4 million, Microsoft is on track to top last year’s $61.1 million. Google, Meta, and Anthropic are also spending big. One of the major goals of these campaigns is to win consumer trust. Surveys taken following the brands’ pricey Super Bowl ads earlier this year found “sharply negative” viewer reactions to AI. (Marketing Brew: May 4, 2026)
DIGITAL VIDEO SPENDING TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS
The IAB has released Part One of its “2026 Digital Video Ad Spend & Strategy Report,” and it’s going to be a big year for CTV advertising. Digital video, including social and online video, is estimated to exceed $80 billion by year’s end. That’s an increase of 11% over last year and more than double the tally from five years ago. Aiding this growth is an increase in investments from smaller spenders, with 85% of them expected to make digital video part of their campaigns. (IAB: May 5, 2026)
NIELSEN’S NEW PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
At last week’s POSSIBLE conference, Nielsen unveiled Predictive Sales Lift, its new outcomes-based measurement. As advertisers increasingly look beyond impressions and focus on brand performance, this new metric will use outcome-based tools to predict outcomes and allow for optimization before ads have even run. This new metric is expected to be more effective than traditional sales lift studies, especially for smaller campaigns. (AdExchanger, April 27, 2026)
KENTUCKY DERBY VIEWERSHIP IS GIDDY-UP
NBC and Peacock’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby drew its highest viewership ever, with an average of 19.6 million viewers tuned in, peaking at 24.4 million. That’s 12% larger than last year’s audience, which was itself the biggest since 1989. The race may only last two minutes, but it was preceded by extensive pre-race programming that told the personal stories of the jockeys, trainers, and owners. That delivery will look really good come… post time. (Variety: May 3, 2026)
THIS WEEK IN VIDEO HISTORY
May 9, 1992 – Thank You for Being a Friend
When Bea Arthur decided it was time to leave the lanai behind after seven seasons, The Golden Girls came to an end. Throughout its run, the series took on heavy issues and then-taboo subjects, including LGBTQ+ rights, homelessness, and gender inequality. It was also, importantly, very funny with well-crafted jokes, strong characters, and great comedic performances. In the final episode, Dorothy (Arthur) married wealthy Lucas Hollingsworth (Leslie Nielsen) and moved to his estate in Atlanta. It was a happier ending than what her former roommates got: Blanche, Rose, and Sophia moved to the spinoff The Golden Palace, where they ran a hotel of the same name. It lasted for one poorly reviewed season. Check out the final scene.
