NBCUniversal’s core ad revenue rose 2.6% last quarter.
A small number with a big story.
As audiences shift to streaming, advertisers are following, chasing attention where it actually lives. Traditional and digital media are converging, and every brand is rethinking visibility, spend, and storytelling.
This week’s PDMI Weekly highlights three major shifts: the rise of streaming, AI-driven traffic that’s not converting, and the growing confusion around marketing metrics.
Let’s break them down.
Trend 1: Streaming & Connected TV Are Gaining Ground
Streaming and CTV have become the new power centers for brands seeking measurable impact.
What the Headlines Are Saying
Ad spending on streaming jumped an estimated 18% in Q3. NBCUniversal attributes much of its growth to Peacock, showing advertisers are moving budgets to where audiences are.
Local brands are doing the same. iSpot reports that quick-service restaurants and automakers are ramping up streaming investments. Football alone made up 28% of household TV ad reach last quarter. As it is, even as linear impressions dip, total ad spend continues to climb.
Together, these signals make one thing clear: streaming must be central to any modern media plan.
Why This Matters for Marketers
Streaming is redefining how brands reach and measure audiences. Achieving success now requires more intelligent targeting, enhanced creative content, and unified attribution across diverse platforms. Viewers move seamlessly between TV and digital, so campaigns must too.
Marketers who effectively connect storytelling with measurable performance will be at the forefront of this evolution.
Trend 2: Traffic From AI Is Up, but Conversions Aren’t Keeping Pace
ChatGPT sends more traffic to e-commerce sites than any other AI agent, accounting for over 90% of visits from large language models.
The Story Behind the Data
A recent study from the University of Hamburg and the Frankfurt School of Finance found that AI traffic converts far worse than traditional sources, such as Google or email. Out of 973 e-commerce sites, ChatGPT referrals accounted for less than 0.2% of total traffic and were 86% less likely to convert than affiliate links.
Now, what’s the biggest issue? Trust.
Users explore options through ChatGPT but complete purchases elsewhere. Conversion rates are slowly improving, and tools like Instant Checkout could help users make direct purchases within chat platforms.
The Implication for Your Campaigns
AI can boost visibility, but it cannot deliver results on its own. Success still relies on trust, relevance, and strategy. Focusing solely on traffic overlooks the real goal: transforming curiosity into conversions and driving ROI.
Trend 3: Metrics & Measurement Are Under Scrutiny
According to MediaPost, 60% of marketers say their metrics are being questioned internally, and nearly 30% have lost up to 20% of their budgets because leadership no longer trusts the data.
The Current Wake-Up Call
Fragmented systems, overlapping channels, and multiple platforms make it harder to prove what’s working. Without credible metrics, teams struggle to defend their budgets or scale what’s effective.
Many are shifting toward unified analytics that merge TV, streaming, and digital insights. Others are redefining KPIs, looking beyond clicks to engagement and long-term impact.
Why This Is Important for Brand and Agency Teams
When measurement falters, optimization does too. In a converging media world, accurate data is essential for smart decisions and sustained performance.
Bringing It All Together: What Brands Should Do
To stay competitive, brands need integrated strategies that align creativity, data, and storytelling. Here’s how to stay ahead:
- Unify your strategy: Treat TV, streaming, and digital as one connected ecosystem; one feeds the other.
- Keep creative consistency: Maintain recognizable messaging across platforms and keep your story the same everywhere.
- Use AI with purpose: Let tech enhance efficiency, not replace human insight. Remember, relevance is everything, so strategize well.
- Redefine success metrics: Track awareness, engagement, and conversions together. Measuring success based on CTRs is just old-school!
- Partner with experts like TelNet: Combine deep TV knowledge with advanced digital capabilities for better results.
By aligning strategy, creativity, and measurement, brands can turn complexity into growth.
Why TelNet Is the Right Partner in This Moment
At TelNet, we help brands embrace the shift to streaming and CTV while keeping the reach of traditional TV.
Our approach combines AI innovation with measurable, data-driven storytelling, all while maintaining brand relevance and conversion pathways. We design clear performance frameworks that connect awareness, engagement, and action —i.e., digital conversion —across every screen.
Want to future-proof your campaigns? Contact TelNet Agency to stay ahead of the three major trends highlighted by PDMI and translate them into real, actionable campaigns.