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TL;DR
In a hurry? Here's our pick of the top news items of the week.
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The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear TikTok's appeal against the forced sell-off bill on January 10, 2025, the final legal attempt to challenge the legislation requiring its US operations be sold to an American entity. (Marketing Dive)
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Google has released Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental, a new "reasoning" AI model available in AI Studio that aims to fact-check itself and strengthen its reasoning through multiple thought processes. (Tech Crunch)
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2025 industry resolutions for marketers include focusing on the final transition away from third-party cookies, improving CTV measurement, embracing AI responsibly, and bringing greater transparency and optimism to digital advertising. (AdWeek)
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Here's a review of 2024's marketing and advertising predictions on AI, Gen Alpha, attention, and audio. (Emarketer)
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Three key tools will drive marketing measurement in 2025: Conversion APIs for tracking comprehensive customer journeys, standardized data clean rooms for faster insights, and advanced cross-screen measurement capabilities. (Emarketer)
Audiences
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Disney dominated US viewing in 2024 with 11.1% share by integrating Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ content, turning streaming profitable through quality-focused programming. (Vulture)
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While 71% of Gen Z social media users notice brands using internet trends, their reactions are mixed (42% like it, 32% don't), with millennials being more receptive. (Morning Consult)
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Nielsen's streaming ratings for November 18-24 show successful debuts for two series with "man" in the title: Netflix's "A Man on the Inside" (880M minutes) and Paramount+'s "Landman" (653M minutes). (The Hollywood Reporter)
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The UK has become a nation of multi-screen users, with 35% of Brits (rising to 58% among Gen Z) regularly using multiple devices simultaneously, and 46% of men have been caught secretly streaming events. (Advanced Television)
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Roku's 2024 viewing data shows Yellowstone S5 was the year's top trending TV moment with 1.2K% search growth, while The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives outperformed other Mormon-themed content with 2.5x more searches. (Advanced Television)
Platforms
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App downloads declined by 2.3% in 2024, but consumer spending has grown to $127B. (Tech Crunch)
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Instagram is testing scheduled DMs, allowing users to select a specific date and time to schedule text-only direct messages up to 29 days in advance. (The Verge)
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Instagram has implemented a new screenshot blocking feature for "Vanish Mode" and "View Once" media in direct messages, enhancing privacy protection beyond the previous screenshot notification system. (Social Media Today)
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Meta's Threads platform is testing a post-scheduling feature that will allow users to plan future posts (but not replies) through the composer's three-dot menu. (Tech Crunch)
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Bluesky has updated its app with new features including a separate mentions tab in notifications, username squatting protection, and customizable reply sorting options, as the platform surpasses 25M users. (Tech Crunch)
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In 2024, mobile advertising reached $203.6B, accounting for 65.8% of US digital ad spending, while desktop/laptop spending grew to $76.9B, marking a significant shift from 2015 when desktop commanded 53.7% of digital spend. (Emarketer)
Content
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Australian drama production spending fell by nearly 30% to $1.7B in 2023/24, primarily due to reduced high-budget international TV and theatrical productions, while streaming video on demand (SVOD) spending grew by 17%. (If.com)
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Hollywood 2025 predictions include an increase in TV channel consolidation and box office revenues surpassing $9B with major releases like Avatar and Jurassic World. (The Hollywood Reporter)
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Amid renewed interest in zombie entertainment, Sony Pictures has scheduled "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" for January 2026, marking the second film in the hotly anticipated trilogy, with Oscar winner Cillian Murphy returning. (The Hollywood Reporter)
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French film companies Goodfellas and Rectangle Productions have merged, with Rectangle retaining its brand independence as Goodfellas aims to strengthen its production business alongside its international sales activities. (Deadline)
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Max is launching "Max Rewind," a Spotify Wrapped-style personalized year-end recap feature that shows users their streaming trends throughout 2024. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Tech &
AI-
You can now talk to ChatGPT by calling 1-800-ChatGPT (1-800-242-8478) in the US or by sending a WhatsApp message to the same number. (Tech Crunch)
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OpenAI says it has no plans to release an API for Sora, its AI model that can generate reasonably realistic videos. (Tech Crunch)
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Perplexity has acquired data integration startup Carbon while securing a reported $500M funding round, positioning itself against rivals OpenAI and Google in AI-powered search. (Business Insider)
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Google and Samsung are partnering to launch a new VR headset in 2024 that will compete with Apple's Vision Pro at a significantly lower price point than $3.5K. (Financial Times)
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GitHub has launched a free version of its Copilot AI coding tool with limited monthly completions (2K) and chat messages (50), aiming to reach more developers globally as the platform grows to 150M users, up from 100M in early 2023. (Tech Crunch)
Location-based
entertainment-
The new Disneyland entrance tapstiles opened on Tuesday in a “pre-launch” mode and are expected to officially launch with full functionality in early 2025. (WDWNT)
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The John Mulaney-led production "All In: Comedy About Love" brought in more than $1M in its first five performances on Broadway. (THR)
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Disney became the only studio to hit $2B at the US domestic box office in 2024. (Deadline)
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A bipartisan Junk Fees Rule will require businesses to disclose total prices upfront for live-event tickets and short-term lodging, estimating consumer savings of $11B and 53M hours over the next decade. (Federal Trade Commission)
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Universal Orlando Resort's new Epic Universe theme park is expected to attract at least 6M visitors in its first year and generate $11.5B in economic benefits for Florida. (Business Insider)
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Storyland Studios has announced plans for "Trinity," set to be the largest sports entertainment destination in the US, spanning 800 acres in Pasco County, Florida. (blooloop)
Travel &
hospitality-
Traditional dining-out nights of Friday and Saturday are becoming "dead days" for the restaurant industry as people shift to dining out earlier in the week. (NRN)
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Resort and cleaning fees are under fire as the US Federal Trade Commission's final Junk Fees Rule prohibits deceptive pricing and hidden fees in live event ticketing and short-term lodging. (FTC)
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Marriott is moving outdoors as the company moves towards acquiring a hospitality brand that specializes in rural cabins. (Travel and Leisure)
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Las Vegas was voted the most fun city overall in the US, boasting an extremely large number of attractions and restaurants rated at least 4.5 stars. (Travel and Leisure)
Gaming
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The Game Awards' 2024 broadcast beat viewership records for the annual awards ceremony, with over 4M viewers tuning in. (Game Rant)
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VR and AR are driving a significant part of the global gaming market, which is expected to reach $300B by 2025. (Game Tyrant)
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Telefónica and Epic Games announced a long-term partnership to make Fortnite and the Epic Games Store more accessible on millions of Telefónica Android devices. (Epic Games)
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APAC is estimated to contribute 53% to the growth of the global gaming market by 2028. (Yahoo)
