Quick recap on the recent TikTok saga in case you missed it: on Friday, the Supreme Court ruled to uphold the law banning the app in the U.S. Then Monday, hours after President Donald Trump took office, he signed an executive order postponing the ban by 75 days.
With TikTok’s fate hanging in the balance, I talked to industry experts about how the app has changed the marketing landscape in just a few short years. Whether or not TikTok lives on in the U.S., it has irrevocably changed how advertisers behave and how people expect brands to communicate with them.
Mondelēz International’s Nutter Butter went viral with a disturbing, surreal crime scene of smeared peanut butter and broken cookies. Language-learning app Duolingo‘s green owl twerked for millions of followers and flirted with pop star Dua Lipa. Mars pet food brand Sheba pitted cats against each other in a race to lick gravy.
All of these marketing moments—more like “anti-marketing,” according to SS+K chief creative officer Stevie Archer—happened on TikTok, where experimental, entertaining, and sometimes absurdist content has found room to flourish.
A Bourbon Above the Rest
It’s Dry January, but that doesn’t mean advertising for alcohol has, well, run dry.
A commercial from bourbon brand Jim Beam, which features a QR code that takes viewers to a landing page on Instacart, generated 84% more viewer engagement – measured in online searches and website traffic – than the average alcohol ad last week, according to TV ad performance company EDO.
The 15-second spot, which debuted in September, appeared 177 times on linear cable and broadcast television between January 13 and 19.
How Netflix and Other Streaming Platforms Achieved Record Viewership in December
Almost all streaming platforms recorded an increase in viewership, with some achieving their best results yet, according to Nielsen’s Gauge report.
According to the data from this report, total TV viewership increased by 4% compared to the previous month.
Although traditional (linear) television still dominates in terms of individual sporting events and blockbuster content, streaming platforms – particularly Netflix – are quickly catching up.
Streaming platforms enjoyed a successful holiday season filled with sports broadcasts and blockbusters.
According to Nielsen’s data from the December 2024 Gauge report (covering viewership from November 25 to December 29), total TV viewership grew by 4% on a monthly basis, and streaming platforms significantly increased their share of screen time.
While linear television still performs better in terms of individual broadcasts – such as the Thanksgiving Day game between the Giants and Cowboys on Fox, which attracted 38.5 million viewers – several streaming platforms reached (or came close to) record numbers.
Charges Against Former Seniore Employees of Group M in China
In China, a court proceeding is currently underway against three former executive directors of GroupM. The prosecution alleges that approximately 112 million US dollars were unlawfully transferred to their personal accounts, prompting demands for lengthy prison sentences. GroupM has confirmed that the individuals in question were dismissed in 2023, and all dealings with external organizations related to the investigation were terminated.
Although a verdict has not yet been reached, the alleged scale of these actions has raised serious concerns due to the size of the funds involved and the fact that these funds originated from advertisers’ budgets. The WFA is not aware of the names of the advertisers involved in the case.
The CEO of GroupM, Brian Lesser, is Restructuring the Global Leadership Framework
On Tuesday, GroupM’s CEO, Brian Lesser, unveiled a new global leadership structure and a team for the media investment branch of the WPP holding company. Earlier this month, Lesser spoke to ADWEEK, stating that he was in a “big rush” to advance GroupM’s operations. He added that he believes GroupM needs to transition from a “collection of companies to a single company” by simplifying planning, activation, and measurement methods, with data and technology as the foundation. He also emphasized that it would be necessary to reorganize and allocate resources to streamline strategies – not just to scale up operations.
